Targets 1968

Orlok announces retirement from Hollywood

Byron Orlok, a veteran horror star, abruptly declares he will retire and return to England to spend his final days. He argues that audiences are no longer frightened by old-fashioned terror and that real-world news seems more shocking than his films. This decision sets the stage for one last promotional appearance before his departure.

Sammy Michaels urges a final promotional appearance

The young director Sammy Michaels pressures Orlok to do a last in-person promo, framing it as a farewell that could still draw crowds. Orlok agrees only after considering how his legacy will be remembered. The plan centers on a public appearance at a Reseda drive-in theater.

Bobby Thompson's ordinary life hides deadly urges

Bobby Thompson lives in suburban San Fernando Valley as a quiet insurance agent with a dangerous secret: he collects guns and harbors violent impulses. His calm exterior masks a growing appetite for deadly action. The tension between his normal life and his compulsions foreshadows the spree to come.

Murder at home: wife, mother, and delivery boy die

In the early morning, Thompson murders his wife, his mother, and a grocery delivery boy in their home. The brutal killings reveal his lack of remorse and set off the rampage that will soon spill into public spaces. The intimate violence contrasts with his otherwise normal routine.

Rampage along the freeway: shootings from an oil tank

By afternoon, Thompson continues his killing by firing on cars from atop an oil storage tank beside a busy freeway. The spree spreads fear through motorists and signals a widening circle of victims. This act demonstrates how his violence expands beyond a single location.

A bystander confronts the killer and is shot

An employee goes to investigate the gunshots and is shot by Thompson. The act highlights the killer's cold resolve and willingness to target anyone nearby. The incident deepens the sense of uncontainable danger surrounding the upcoming drive-in event.

Thompson heads to the drive-in where Orlok will appear

With panic rising, Thompson travels to the Reseda drive-in theater where Orlok is scheduled to perform. He chooses this venue as a final stage for his violent spectacle and to juxtapose his actions against the aging star's image. The drive-in adds a public, high-profile setting to the confrontation.

Thompson perches in the drive-in's screen tower

As sunset fades, Thompson climbs into the drive-in's screen tower, preparing for a terrifying act. He positions himself to unleash violence during Orlok's farewell screening. The audience remains unaware of the imminent danger.

The attack begins: shooting through the screen

Thompson shoots the theater's projectionist and then targets patrons through a hole in the screen. The drive-in's normal movie experience becomes a night of real terror as customers realize danger is not part of the film.

Jenny is wounded; Orlok confronts the killer

Orlok's secretary Jenny is wounded by Thompson's assault, prompting the aging star to confront the intruder. The confrontation underscores the collision of fiction and reality in this night of terror.

Orlok disarms Thompson with his cane

In a dramatic moment, Orlok appears before Thompson both in person and on the screen, disorienting the killer. Orlok uses his walking cane to disarm Thompson and take control of the crisis.

Is that what I was afraid of? and the arrest

Holding the defeated Thompson, Orlok considers the deeper fear of obsolescence. Moments later, police arrive and arrest the killer, ending the immediate threat. Thompson remarks that he hardly ever missed as he is taken away.