The 10th Victim

Background

Set in 2079 after World War III, the film centers on a government-endorsed program called "The Big Hunt", in which contestants from around the world act as hunters and victims in two-person battles to the death as a means of avoiding mass warfare; ten rounds, five as hunter and five as victim, make the last survivor immensely wealthy. Veteran contestant Caroline Meredith (Andress), hunting her tenth kill with a Ming Tea Company sponsorship, is assigned Marcello Poletti (Mastroianni) as her victim, and their budding romance complicates the confrontation. Like Petri's other films it is socio-political satire, mixing science fiction with the conventions of the commedia all'italiana.

Petri began the adaptation in 1961, producer Carlo Ponti came aboard because of Mastroianni, and filming took place mainly on location in Rome and New York City from June to September 1964, with pop-art imagery set against Rome's ancient and modern architecture. Released in Italy on 3 December 1965, it performed below expectations and drew mixed reviews, but has since gained a cult following; its imagery was referenced in the Austin Powers films, and it is cited as the first film to feature the reality-TV death game theme later used in Battle Royale, Series 7: The Contenders and The Hunger Games. Sheckley's novelization appeared in 1966, followed by the sequels Victim Prime and Hunter/Victim.