Project: Kill (1976) “Trained to kill. Programmed to self-destruct.” Directed by: William Girdler Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Gary Lockwood, Nancy Kwan, Vic Díaz Runtime: 91 minutes Country: United States / Philippines Language: English Format: Color Genres: Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Espionage --- 🧾 Synopsis John Trevor, a high-ranking government assassin trained through experimental mind-control drugs, goes rogue after deciding to leave the organization. But withdrawal from the drugs causes hallucinations and deadly outbursts. As he flees to the Philippines for sanctuary, his friend and fellow operative Frank Lassiter is sent to bring him in—dead or alive. Meanwhile, Trevor becomes the target of local crime syndicates eager to use him as a living weapon. --- Key Themes & Highlights Early Action-Sci-Fi Fusion: Blends Cold War paranoia, covert ops, and experimental science fiction. Leslie Nielsen Before Comedy: A rare serious action role for Nielsen, before his turn in Airplane! (1980). Mind Control & Government Secrecy: Explores the dangers of weaponized human enhancement. On-location Shooting: Utilizes Manila and other Philippine locations for a gritty international feel. Psychological Unraveling: Trevor’s descent into madness adds a thriller element to the action-heavy plot. --- 🧠 Trivia Shot in the Philippines, a frequent destination for low-budget American action films during the 1970s. Leslie Nielsen later said he enjoyed working on the film, even though he recognized it wasn’t Oscar material. Directed by William Girdler, known for cult horror/action films like Grizzly and Day of the Animals. Vic Díaz, a staple in Filipino exploitation cinema, plays a menacing gangster. Despite its flaws, the film has developed a cult following thanks to its oddball premise and pre-fame Nielsen performance. --- #Hashtags #ProjectKill #LeslieNielsen #WilliamGirdler #PhilippineCinema #MindControlThriller #1970sAction #ExploitationCinema #ColdWarSciFi #ManilaAction #CultClassic #GovernmentExperiment #EspionageGoneWrong #BeforeAirplane #VicDiaz #RetroThriller