Uncovering Curiosities: Robert D. Krzykowski’s THE MAN WHO KILLED HITLER AND THEN THE BIGFOOT
The title of The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot might imply a far-fetched pulpy B-movie and while it has some elements of what you might expect, it’s actually a rather grounded character piece about life, love and loss. Who would have guess that Robert D. Krzykowski’s film would have that type of nuance having such an eye-catching title?
When we first meet Calvin Barr he’s a 74 year old man sitting at a bar, having had a few too many drinks. On his way home he’s attacked by a gang, but this old codger is not to be trifled with. In his past he killed Hitler and in his future he will kill The Bigfoot. He’s one tough hombre and his attackers get much more than they bargained for.
Krzykowski has crafted some rather special here – a curious WWII tale, an old age drama and an adventure film. It’s all played straight with Sam Elliott (having something of a late career resurgence) delivering his trademark grizzled gruffness with gusto. Aidan Turner manages to brink quite a bit of spark to his turn as the younger Barr and we convincingly see him go from wide-eyed youth to war hero. The supporting cast also hits the mark with Caitlin Fitzgerald putting in a charming turn as Barr’s WWII-era love and Larry Miller has delivers great notes as our hero’s barber brother.
There’s quite a lot of plot to pack into a film which runs just 1 hour and 40 minutes, but no portion of the story gets shortchange. Each of the tales which make-up The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot could easily have carried the full weight of the running time. That’s a testament to how good everything is here.
Those looking for a gonzo-crazy tale might be a little disappointed by The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. However, it does live up to its title, with both Hitler and The Bigfoot getting their comeuppance on screen. But ultimately, despite the film’s far-fetched premise, this is just about the baggage of life and getting older.
This is one of those films that you know will attain cult status.
