Mastermind (1976 film)

Mastermind is a 1976 Japanese-American comedy thriller film directed by Alex March and starring Zero Mostel, Keiko Kishi and Gawn Grainger. Filmed in 1969, it sat on the shelf for seven years before receiving a limited theatrical release in 1976. It has developed a cult following since its release on home video.

Mastermind
Directed byAlex March
Screenplay byWilliam Peter Blatty
(as Terence Clyne)
Ian McLellan Hunter
(as Samuel B. West)
Story byWilliam Peter Blatty
(as Terence Clyne)
Produced byMalcolm Stuart
StarringZero Mostel
Keiko Kishi
Gawn Grainger
CinematographyGerald Hirschfeld
Edited byJohn C. Howard
Music byFred Karlin
Color processMetrocolor
Production
companies
ABC Pictures
Master Associates
Distributed byGoldstone Film Enterprises
Release date
  • September 10, 1976 (1976-09-10)
Running time
86 minutes
CountriesJapan
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2.5 million[1]

The second of producer Malcolm Stuart's two-picture deal with screenwriter, William Peter Blatty, the project was inspired by the success of the 1964 Peter Sellers comedy A Shot in the Dark which Blatty had co-written with producer/director Blake Edwards. Blatty's script was drastically revised by Ian McLellan Hunter prior to production, and the disgruntled screenwriter chose the pseudonym Terence Clyne for his screen credit.[2] By 1973 it had recorded a loss of $2.9 million.[1] Blatty's original screenplay was published as part of a limited edition collection by Lonely Road Books in 2013 as Five Lost Screenplays by William Peter Blatty.

Plot

Zero Mostel plays an inspector on the trail of criminals who have captured a robot called Schatzi played by Felix Sillas. The inspector has delusions that he is a great Samurai warrior and the film flashes back and forth between present day and ancient times.

Cast

References
  1. "ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses". Variety. 31 May 1973. p. 3.
  2. Pfeiffer, Lee (24 May 2018). "Review: "Mastermind" (1969)". Cinema Retro. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
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