In a future where a human vs. human "Big Hunt" is used as an alternative to war, a veteran huntress' plan to kill a "victim" for a major TV sponsorship deal is compounded by romance.In a future where a human vs. human "Big Hunt" is used as an alternative to war, a veteran huntress' plan to kill a "victim" for a major TV sponsorship deal is compounded by romance.In a future where a human vs. human "Big Hunt" is used as an alternative to war, a veteran huntress' plan to kill a "victim" for a major TV sponsorship deal is compounded by romance.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
- Furniture Mover
- (uncredited)
- Gladiator
- (uncredited)
- Terrace Snack Bar Manager
- (uncredited)
- Masoch Club Manager
- (uncredited)
- Baron von Richtofen
- (uncredited)
- Chet
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaUrsula Andress was cast only after Ann-Margret was forced to withdraw due to too many commitments with other studios.
- GoofsMarcello claims to have an issue of "Golden Age Flash" from 1935. The Golden Age of comic books ran from 1938-1956 and Flash Comics debuted in January 1940.
- Quotes
Masoch Club Manager: The rules of the Big Hunt are quite easy, yet they are of great importance. The 21st Century... shall be the one that has legalized violence! Rule Number 1: each member is obliged to take ten hunts; five as a Hunter, five as a Victim, alternately. Each pair of Hunter and Victim is chosen electronically by a computer in Geneva. Rule Number 2: the Hunter shall know all about his Victim - name, address... habits, too. Rule Number 3: the Victim shall not be told who his Hunter is. He must find out... and kill him! Rule Number 4: the winner of each separate Hunt will win money. The one who comes out alive after the tenth Hunt... shall be proclaimed decathlete. He shall receive honors... and ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
- ConnectionsEdited into Marcello, una vita dolce (2006)
The basic premise is that, in the 21st century, mankind has developed a way of channelling its lust for violence: The Big Hunt, in which members of the public volunteer to partake in manhunts, taking it in turns to be the hunter and the hunted, with prize money for the survivors. Live through 10 hunts, and a sum of one million dollars is the reward.
In the film's hilarious opening scene, sexy Caroline Meredith (Ursula Andress) turns the table on her hunter by gunning him down with a weaponised bra ("Machine gun jubblies? How did I miss those, baby?"). It's her ninth successive win, and for her tenth hunt, she is approached by a TV advertising company who want to broadcast her final kill as a publicity stunt. Caroline proceeds to play a game of cat and mouse with her next victim, Marcello Poletti (Marcello Mastroianni), and attempts to lure him to where the TV crew is waiting. Poletti is no fool, however, and matches her every move.
Based on a book by Robert Sheckley, the story takes swipes at consumerism, hippy cults, and mass entertainment, but director Elio Petri maintains a light, breezy approach throughout, ensuring that, even though the subject is legalised murder, his movie is a whole lot of inconsequential fun unlikely to offend. The style is very much of the day - pop-art comic-book nonsense (think Barbarella, Matt Helm, Yellow Submarine) with some psychaedlic strangeness that is guaranteed to amuse (those saxophanists on plinths - weird!). The finalé is especially funny, with Meredith and Poletti repeatedly turning the tables on each other, eventually teaming up for a gun battle against Poletti's ex-wife and mistress.
6/10. Not for everyone, but those who dig camp Euro-sci-fi from days gone by will find it agreeable.
- BA_Harrison
- Nov 29, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Das 10. Opfer
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
- 2.35 : 1(original ratio)