I think I have seen this movie as a boy, as it was released, and, later on TV, many years after. It is astounding. A precursor of many trends which would be apparent and more commonplace two decades later. For example, the opening scene: the first victim is killed at a car wrecking lot with a violence and detachment reminiscent of a Tarantino movie.
Amazing soundtrack - which gets intertwined with the actual story of the movie when a piece is announced as "the hunter" on the radio of the vehicle of one of the last victims, a hunter himself. Makes you think that both victim and assassin are hearing it and gets you emotionally in the middle of the action, sharing the raw fear and excitement of the only victim who is forewarned of the threat and at least has the means to fight back. The main title is an unforgettable tune which stays with you much after you finished watching.
A road movie - using all the most improbable means of transportation and amazingly minimalist but effective stunt driving (I was not aware of Trintignant being the director and writer until I saw the file on IMDb - which would explain mastery of this aspect of the movie...).
What amazed me most was that even when you know why the apparently innocuous baker - a fantastic Jacques Dufilho - kills with no signs of remorse whatsoever all of those people, one finds himself in his shoes and becomes convinced that his was truly "Une journée bien remplie" - a well spent day. And anticipates (with a sarcastic grin) the one that grandpa Rousseau will soon spend too....
