Killdozer is a movie that asks the hard questions. It is a morality tale dressed up in a horror film and it digs deep, making the viewer think long after the picture has concluded, something only the very best of movies tends to do. It hits and it hits hard, it gets the brain churning and the emotions running hot. When originally conceived, the makers of this film could never have known just what an impact this film would have upon generations of moviegoers and yet over forty years later, it remains a benchmark in American cinema.

But what is this film about and what makes it so good? It is the tale of a sad and lonely bulldozer, brought to life by a strange, glowing rock – a meteorite from outer space and it is a story of said bulldozer being persecuted for its actions, actions it might not even be in control of. Sometimes people cannot help what they are and that includes other forms of life, whether animals, mammals or heavy equipment and such is the case here. The bulldozer never asked to be brought to life or taken over by an alien entity, it simply wanted to go about its daily routine of moving earth and rock. The fact that it has now become a killing machine with a few bodies under its belt is no fault of its own and seeing actor Clint Walker among others, take out their aggression on the poor bulldozer is a sad sight indeed. Should it be held liable for its actions? Does it have sentience and should it then not be treated as any other living thing? Hard questions indeed!

All in all, Killdozer is an enjoyable film and a good way to burn off a good seventy-four minutes or so of one’s day. The fact that this was a television movie was surprising, though not quite so much as it could have easily been a Z movie from any of the studios at the time. The complete lack of blood or actual murders on screen was a little disappointing, as was the complete lack of logic at times, but whether it made sense or not, it never failed to entertain. Silly, ridiculous and fun sums up Killdozer perfectly. Well worth a watch.

3 out of 5