Project: Kill (1976)

A former government assassin flees a mind-control program in the Philippines, pursued by his ex-partner, the local police and Asian gangsters.

Director:

William Girdler

Writers:

Galen Thompson (as Donald G. Thompson), David Sheldon (story by)

Stars:

Leslie Nielsen, Gary Lockwood, Nancy Kwan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Leslie Nielsen	...	John Trevor
Gary Lockwood	...	Frank Lassiter
Nancy Kwan	...	Lee Su
Vic Silayan	...	Chief Insp. Cruz
Vic Diaz	...	Alok Lee
Galen Thompson	...	Carl Wagner
Carlos Salazar	...	Insp. Ortiz
Pamela Parsons	...	Lynn Walker
Maurice Downs	...	Hook
Franco Zarrate	...	Lung Set
Louis Florentino	...	Ramon
Henry Salcedo	...	Business Hood
Mark LeBuse	...	Herman Kitolis
Ibarro Santos	...	Hotel Clerk
Romy Blanco	...	Alok's Hood

Storyline

John Trevor escapes from the military base where he commanded Project: Kill, a mind control experiment that used drugs to create bodyguards and assassins for the United States and makes his way to the Philippines. Soon Trevor finds himself in love with Lee Su and feeling the with drawl symptoms from the drugs for the mind control that make him very dangerous not only to himself but everyone around him. His former second in command Project: Kill agent Frank Lassiter has been ordered to find him before the with drawl effects become too violent and before he sells out the program. Asian mobster Alok Lee is also after Trevor in the hopes of getting the secrets of Project: Kill. Time is running out for Trevor as the with drawl becomes worse, Lassiter, the Philippine police, and Lee's men close in on him.

---

Plot Keywords:

philippines | love | gangster | agent | violence | 

---

Genres:

Action | Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA Philippines

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Guardian

Filming Locations:

Luzon, Philippines

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mid-America Pictures, Audio-Film Specialists

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Released 36 years before Bourne Legacy (2012), another film which has a similar plot elements and was also shot in the Philippines.

---

Goofs

Hook begins to refill Jonathan's glass when Carl tells him to, but in the next shot he's refilling Carl's glass.

---

Quotes

John Trevor: [addressing a room full of recruits] Now what you've just seen is a re-enactment of a successful interdiction operation that took place six years ago. Interdiction and protective reaction; those will be your areas of duty. This unit which you're all so hot to become members of, came about because of the events that occurred in the early sixties. It is the only effective means of combating political assassination by the interception and the destruction of the assassin himself.
John Trevor: [he continues] Now, ...

---

Connections

Referenced in The Bourne Identity (2002)

---

Soundtracks

The Lonely World
Lyrics by Sid Wayne
Music by Robert O. Ragland
Sung by Pilita Corrales

User Reviews

there's a reason why Leslie Nielsen got most famous for silly comedies

William Girdler's "Project: Kill" is your basic B movie. Leslie Nielsen - still a few years away from telling people not to call him Shirley - plays an agent stationed in the Philippines training special forces members enhanced with drugs. But when he finds out too much, he becomes a target.

Despite the lousy action scenes and low production quality, I still feel as though I have to recommend this movie. It's the sort of movie to which Quentin Tarantino often pays homage, and in fact Tarantino called co-star Vic Díaz the Filipino Peter Lorre. The rest of the cast includes Gary Lockwood (Poole in "2001: A Space Odyssey") and Nancy Kwan (who's had some famous roles, but this is the first movie in which I've seen her).

And then there's the director. William Girdler later cast Leslie Nielsen in the eco-horror flick "Day of the Animals", and Nielsen wrestles a grizzly bear in one scene (seriously, it's a movie that you have to see to believe). Unfortunately, Girdler perished in a helicopter crash while filming on location in the Philippines in 1978.

Nonetheless, it IS a B movie. I have no doubt that Leslie Nielsen preferred his reputation as the person who remains serious amid silliness.