Targets (1968) - Orlok's story (Appointment in Samarra)

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12 жыл бұрын

In this excerpt from the film 'Targets' (1968, direction by Peter Bogdanovich), the main character, actor Byron Orlok (played by Boris Karloff), narrates a compelling short story, about death and avoiding our fate. The story is actually a retelling of an ancient Mesopotamian parable by W. Somerset Maugham, entitled: "The Appointment in Samarra".
I've transcribed the full story here:
Once upon a time, many, many years ago, a rich merchant in Baghdad sent his servant to the marketplace to buy provisions. And after a while the servant came back, white-faced and trembling and said, 'Master, when I was in the marketplace, I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and I turned to look and I saw it was Death that had jostled me. When she looked at me she made a threatening gesture... Oh, master, please lend me your horse and I will ride away from this city and escape my fate. I will ride to Samarra; death will not find me there.'
So, the merchant loaned him the horse and the servant mounted it, dug his spurs into its flanks, and as fast as the horse could gallop he rode towards Samarra.
Then the merchant went to the marketplace and he saw Death, standing in the crowd. And he said, 'Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning?' And Death said, 'I made no threatening gesture; that was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him here in Baghdad, for I have an appointment with him tonight... in Samarra.'

Пікірлер: 68

@angelomineo9268 Жыл бұрын

After this scene i was convinced that Orlof would have been killed by the sniper in the final scene, meeting his fate like the servant in the story. Thank god the ending was unpredictable and much deeper than i thought. Great movie

@Millienfilm81 7 ай бұрын

Boris and Peter (actor and director) bravo to the gentlemen to allow no interruption with good old fashion story telling. Still sends chills with his delivery. Flowers to all.

@Tchernobog 8 жыл бұрын

he did this all in 1 take. amazing actor.

@theolamp5312 8 жыл бұрын

+Metaluna Zombie - I agree. Boris what not just a star of early horror films. He also acted on the stage and did voice characters on children's films. And above all that, he was a true gentleman and a generous actor. And, when given this chance at a good role in a film at the end of his career, he proved he was as talented as always.

@sourxtimes 2 жыл бұрын

He had the best voice and execution. A true master 👏

@immachanguropinin1110 11 ай бұрын

Have you ever been to the theatre? Lol

@h.calvert3165 2 ай бұрын

A masterclass in acting. Bravo, dear Boris. We still have appointments with you. 🌟

@333mrwill 10 жыл бұрын

Memorize this ---- then at some time when you feel the need to settle your mind, recite it -- as close to Karloff's reading as possible --even recited silently, it seems to be rather a fun thing.

@tmrezzek5728 7 жыл бұрын

One of the finest scenes in one of the best movies of Karloff's career. It's terrific how Peter Bogdanovich constructed the entire film around Karloff and gave a him a dignified role to play for his final film (if you don't count the bit parts he played in 4 junk films shot in Mexico just before he died..)

@evanstein3011 3 жыл бұрын

It's also funny how meta it all is -- Bogdonavich is trying to get Karloff to play a role in a film that's alluded to as being like Targets, the film got Bogdonavich got Karloff for.

@jedgould5531 Жыл бұрын

Oh, I don’t count those four…

@JakeRanney Жыл бұрын

That moment when he looks right into the camera is so good. This movie rocks

@warpedspeed8930 Жыл бұрын

Karloff at his very best. Bogdanovich at his very best, too. Despite all of his later successes, he never came close to this movie. And what a story!

@jacquipeers206 4 жыл бұрын

This speech has always made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

@johcafra 9 жыл бұрын

So the story goes, when this take ended Mr Karloff got an ovation from everyone on the set. "The Appointment in Samarra" was "retold" by W. Somerset Maugham. It's not to be confused with the novel by John O'Hara.

@theresavonphul633 8 ай бұрын

My understanding is that Dr Suess had seen Boris Karloff tell stories and that is WHY he wanted him to narrate "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" even though studios balked because they only saw "Frankenstein's MOnster". Dr. Suess won and now we have a great Grinch annimated movie.

@kevinbutler1126 5 жыл бұрын

A great tale..told by a truly talented and sweet performer and a gentleman.

@MrSpongly 3 жыл бұрын

Boris Karloff, what a legend. Could listen to him all day.

@NRTSean 3 жыл бұрын

He was in real pain at the end of his life (Emphysema & Arthritis). A true actor...

@sisigpapi 2 жыл бұрын

What excellent delivery from a legendary actor

@Kingman422 9 күн бұрын

Brilliant!!! 🤗🎬📽🤗

@jaceshaffer8104 Жыл бұрын

To our friend mister Karloff 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@martinradcliffe4798 5 жыл бұрын

Karloff was such a cool guy.

@rogerkincaid931 4 жыл бұрын

Fascinating tale.

@soslothful 2 жыл бұрын

Seeing the old style telephone on the table behind Mr. Karloff reminds me of a time when I told a teenage coworker that my Mom still has a working rotary phone. His response was, "What's a rotary phone?" I felt ancient.

@roberts5944 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve been to Vermont Country Store in Weston Vt. What a trip back in time! My kids were amazed by a typewriter they have on display for trying it out. Even their website catalog takes me back. Way back! Going, going…but not yet gone! :)

@soslothful 2 жыл бұрын

@@roberts5944 I recall getting a printed catalog form Vermont Country Store. And I used to have an old style type writer with a ribbon and the bell to indicate the end of a line. Wow, how things change! Do you remember Instamatic cameras? Here is a change that boggles me. Schools in my city are no longer teaching cursive writing!

@roberts5944 2 жыл бұрын

I do remember those cameras! I even recall a photographer who came to our house when I was very little, and he had the kind of camera with the blue bulb that looked like it exploded when he took the shot. Other things people actually came to a person’s house for: tv repair, doctor visits, milk delivery. And at a gas station, full service (Bennington Vt still has one that does it for pumping the gas).

@soslothful 2 жыл бұрын

@@roberts5944 Milk delivery! Have not thought about that in decades. Oh, party line for the phone, and TV stations signing off for the night, and asking the question, "Its 10 o'clock, do you know were your children are?"

@jacobd8086 3 жыл бұрын

This was such a fitting final role for Boris Karloff

@kenchristie9214 3 жыл бұрын

I've noticed at the age of 21 that horror actors were the best orators. Loved Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Charles Gray and Vincent Price. This and Robert Shaw's monologue describing the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the ordeal of its survivors are the two best monologues. Targets holds the record for being the fastest movie filmed. It was completed in less than 2 days When Karloff was asked why he changed is name, his reply was "I couldn't imagine Billy Pratt scaring anyone".

@aurazero0 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing info, thank you.

@kenchristie9214 3 жыл бұрын

@@aurazero0 Have it on DVD. Need to get a better widescreen version. I you like Boris Karloff, a full episode of Route 66 Lizard Legs and Owlet Legs is available on you tube. It is my favourite episode of Route 66.

@ToM92MoT 11 жыл бұрын

Masterpiece!

@DoctorOnce Жыл бұрын

This is such a great scene, in such a brilliant film.

@MichaelSHartman 8 жыл бұрын

Excellent, thank you.

@madameweasel3769 7 күн бұрын

The other characters turn into entranced children when Byron Orlok is narrating the fable, much like many of us watching this scene. He is happily wrong about there being no place anymore for old-school horror.

@fneedler 10 жыл бұрын

ah! the irony of fate! we all run from it only to run into it

@ericfaragher3359 4 жыл бұрын

One of the great movie moments. Karloff stops the film and holds the audience in the palm of his hand. At the end the applause that broke out was unscripted.

@arcadiaberger9204 2 жыл бұрын

RIP Peter Bogdanovitch.

@fernandomaron87 Жыл бұрын

Him and Bela are the real kings of horror.

@oscar0006 6 ай бұрын

Rest in peace Mr Grinch (Karloff).

@tonypellock5326 3 жыл бұрын

I love how he’s most famous for playing the monster in Frankenstein but what a voice man. We all know his voice from the Grinch.

@patrickmurphy9390 Ай бұрын

In some ways, reminiscent of Robert Shaw's monolog in Jaws.

@random22026 2 жыл бұрын

Yet another aspect of 'what goes around, comes around'. There's no avoiding when your dance card is full.

@sourxtimes 2 жыл бұрын

So good.

@aurazero0 10 жыл бұрын

agree!!

@johndeagle4389 10 ай бұрын

DEATH IS INESCAPABLE.

@Tolstrup 11 жыл бұрын

The Story is written/retold by W. Sommerset Mougham around 1933.

@aurazero0 10 жыл бұрын

I actually like this idea.... I really do

@buckrogers8024 3 жыл бұрын

His assistant was so beautiful. She passed shortly after this film unfortunately.

@mrpurple11 6 жыл бұрын

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@smilergrogan1725 Жыл бұрын

Hey, that's Jack Klompus in the opening scene @0:01!

@jedgould5531 Жыл бұрын

00:12 …”mahster…”

@DiamondCutter423 10 жыл бұрын

I love this tale....I re-write it all the time....enjoy.. Many hundreds of years ago, in an ancient desert, there lived a young servant boy named Ali bandar.He was the servant of a great Sultan of the region, whom had amassed great amounts of wealth. This included palaces, and many horses, with which Ali Bandar worked every day. One warm summer afternoon Ali Bandar was working in the stables with his great master's horses, when he was summonded to the main house of the palace-compound by his master. "Ali Bandar.." said his master, "I need you to go into the marketplace this evening and purchase some provisions." "Yes my Master" replied Ali Bandar with a deep bow. So off he went that evening to the central marketplace of the nearby village. The marketplace was loud and crowded as usual, with all of the local vendors and merchants, and like any other day, Ali Bandar gathered up all the things on his masters list. Before heading back to the palace there was just one more item on the list remaining, a faggot of herbs. The herb-merchant's stalls were as crowded as they ever were, and Ali Bandar wriggled his way through the people to choose the appropriate bundle. It was at this time, when Ali Bandar was reaching for the perfect bundle, that he collided with another customer while reaching for the mutually chosen faggot. Instantly Ali Bandar realized that this was no ordinary customer! This dark, hooded, imposing figure, was Death himself! At the same time that Ali Bandar recoiled from this menacing figure, the dark hooded-phantom raised HIS hand in a seemingly malicious and apparently menacing way towards Ali Bandar. Never in his life had Ali Bandar been so frightened, and he immediately bolted out of the herb-merchant's stalls, and headed straight home to the solace and safety of his Master's palace. The Sultan was relaxing in his compound smoking a tall nargile, when he heard a loud young voice burst boldly into the palace. "MASTER MASTER!" cried Ali Bandar. "What's the trouble young Ali?" replied his slightly startled Master. "Master Master! while I was shopping in the marketplace I saw the figure of death in the herb-merchant's stalls!! And he made a threatening gesture towards me!!" cried the out-of-breath young boy. "I would beg of you to PLEASE let me borrow one of your horses so that I can ride to Sammara as to avoid this creature of death, as I believe he will follow me and claim me for his own!" Still startled, the Sultan quickly granted the frightened young boy his request, and allowed him to take one of his fastest steeds into the nearby village of Sammara, which was a nights ride away. Ali Bandar could easily make it there by morning on the back of this great white stallion. With great haste Ali Bandar saddled up the quick and mighty steed, and before the Sultan could even think twice about it, young Ali Bandar had mounted the horse, dug his heels deep into the stallion's flanks, and was galloping towards Sammara, vanishing through a cloud of sand towards the impending dusk. It was at this point that the Sultan began to think. The Sultan was of course was puzzled, yet awe-struck, by such an occurance involving his usually level-headed servant boy. So, he decided to take advantage of the quickly-fading light of the late afernoon, and go to the marketplace himself, to maybe find this imposing figure that Ali Bandar described as Death. As the Sultan approached the marketplace, he came upon the herb-merchant's stalls. And it was then that he was slightly startled himself to see the very figure of Death that Ali Bandar described, still apparently shopping in the stalls for herbs. The Sultan approached the tall dark figure and immediately confronted him. The Sultan firmly stated, "Excuse me but I recognize you to be none other than Death himself, and it was just a short time ago that my servant boy encountered you!" "I command you to explain why you made a threatening gesture towards my dear servant boy Ali Bandar!!?" the Sultan demanded. Slowly and with a thick cold grace, the tall dark figure turned to face the Sultan and said wryly..."I made no THREATENING gesture to your young servant boy Ali Bandar. The gesture I made was one of SHOCK and SURPRISE.....and you must understand my good sir, that while I certainly recognized Ali Bandar at the time, I was greatly shocked and surprised to see him in THIS marketplace at THIS particular time. Because you see, I have an appointment scheduled for him in the morning......at Sammara!!"

@DavidAvalloneFreelance Жыл бұрын

Where, you might wonder, did Peter Bogdanovich get the genius idea to get Karloff to record this particular old folk tale for his movie? Maybe from this, written by my father, and performed by Karloff almost a decade earlier... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/prKHiJSHzOC6dH0.html