Targets is an amazing debut. It came from Roger Corman, who had Boris Karloff available for two days' filming, and told Peter to make a film utilising footage from the AIP picture The Terror (1963, with Karloff and Jack Nicholson). Peter instead chose to make a film about Karloff playing an elderly, disenchanted actor, a version of himself. Into this was mixed Polly Platt's idea, based on a true story, about a random murderous sniper. Then Peter took the script to Sam Fuller, who was helpful with ideas (the ending - two Karloffs) and construction.
It's brilliantly well directed and edited (not credited) and we marveled again at the way Verna Fields assembled all the silent action scenes with sound. Also benefits enormously from being filmed by the then relatively inexperienced Laszlo Kovacs. The last shot of the film is stunning.
It's also lovely see a great performance from young Peter the actor. With Tim O'Kelly, Nancy Hsueh, James Brown, Arthur Peterson.
As to the killer himself, Peter didn't want to give any explanation to his behaviour, judging that made it even more tense. But the subject matter is even more relevant today than it was then.
I was interested to read in interview that the dropping of the gun down the grate was an unconscious reference to Strangers on a Train, but the shot of the killer running away from under the tank was a specific reference to North By Northwest - Grant running out of the UN building. Otherwise he tried to keep it as straight as possible, no symbols, tricks or references.
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