THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT (October 23rd)

YOU'VE GOT RED ON YOU TAKES PART IN THE 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE; WATCHING ONE HORROR MOVIE A DAY THROUGHOUT OCTOBER. SOME OF THEM OLD, SOME OF THEM NEW, SOME OF THEM HAVE JUST BEEN ON OUR SHELVES FOR YEARS GATHERING DUST, STILL IN CELLOPHANE...

Now there’s a title to fire up the imagination of the average genre fan. “The Man Who” (we’ll keep it shortened to keep our carbon footprint small) is one of those films that scored plenty of attention and acclaim at film festivals but is little known beyond that. That’s even with that fantastic title and the fact that it stars the great Sam Elliott and the Brit star of the BBC “Poldark” revival as the eponymous hero.

It was written/directed/produced by Robert D. Krzykowski, who also worked with Lucky McKee on the crew of “The Woman” (2011). It’s worth noting that McKee, John Sayles, and SFX maestro Doug Trumbull were involved in the production of this heartfelt little epic, which gives an idea of the quirky tone you can expect. “The Man Who” played at Sitges, Fantasia, and Frightfest during 2018, so that should give you another idea about the pedigree. To be perfectly blunt, the horror angle is pretty slim and boils down to a skeletal-looking Bigfoot. But it’s still a film that we missed on the festival circuit, and we put on our to-do list for the 31 days. So here is da’ Man…

It’s the 1980’s, and an old man sits in an empty bar, drinking some booze and contemplating his reflection in a mirror. This is Calvin Barr (Elliott, at his crusty best) and there’s more to him than meets the eye. Despite his advanced years he still manages to kick the collective asses of three young muggers in the street and makes it home safely. He lives alone with only his trusty doggo (Ralph) to keep him company, and an occasional visit to his Brother (Ed played by Larry Miller) and his Barber Shop. But his frequent flashbacks to his younger self (played by Aidan Turner), and a mysterious mission in WWII, points to some hidden skills. So when he is contacted by some mysterious government agents about a dangerous new mission, it gives him a chance for redemption and resolution.

Out of all the films we’re covering during the 31 days, this is probably the most laidback and gore-free example. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it, and older genre fans especially will get a kick out of this surprisingly sincere movie. It’s a quirky blend of Spielbergian wonderment and Tarantino-esque grittiness. The success of the whole thing mostly boils down to Sam Elliott owning that title role, like he was born to play it. His world-weary air of toughness and old-fashioned sensibilities is the foundation on which the narrative is built. Here’s a man that is basically “Captain America”, but without the bullshit super-serum and schmancy costume. He has a Forrest Gump-like simple attitude in that all he wanted in life was to do the right thing and help others. And he’s haunted by the fact that his major accomplishment killed a man but didn’t kill the ideology (you can probably guess who by the title). This is a man with such an ingrained sense of morality that he won’t even cash a $100 lottery ticket that blows to him in the wind as litter. If it’s not already apparent, Elliott absolutely nails the role. The scene where he tells the truth about the death of Hitler genuinely sends a chill up the spine, as he focuses on another character and drawls out the story.