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Killer's Kiss [1955]
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The plot is a tiny anecdote about a washed-up boxer (Jamie Smith), a dance hall dame (Irene Kane) and a slimy hood (Frank Silvera) during one crowded weekend of brutality and romance. There's a sense of a young director playing games: the boxing match (a definite influence on Raging Bull) is all low-angle close-ups and subjective shots with plenty of thump and dazzle, and the traditional Expressionist look of noir is exaggerated with many a tricky shot or doomy plot twist. The three unfamiliar leads are all excellent as small-timers struggling with big passions, and there is already a potent use of raucous source music and subtle sound design to augment the stark, haunted black and white imagery. On the DVD Killer's Kiss on disc features no extras other than a blaring trailer ("a picture as brazen as the naked lights of Broadway, as hard as the New York streets in which it was shot!"). The black and white picture is 4:3, and comes with soundtracks in English, German, Italian and Spanish; subtitles in English, German, Italian, French, Dutch and Spanish. --Kim Newman
RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £0.91 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
An exercise in film noir fairytale, 1955's Killer's Kiss was Stanley Kubrick's second feature film (he had the first buried forever) and shows just how powerful a filmmaker he was right out of the gate. Followers of Kubrick's career will note the appearance of themes and images that recurred (a final axe-fight in a warehouse full of disembodied mannequin parts would not be out of place in The Shining), but this is also notably unlike later Kubrick films in its use of authentic locations and its 65-minute running time.
Punchy
Review date: 2008-04-26 Rating: 6 out of 10
Killer's Kiss isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination. It's poorly acted on the whole, often incredulous, and full of abyssal plot holes. But it's essential viewing for all Kubrick afficionados. Apart from anything, it's a logical starting point, given the fact that Fear And Desire is unavailable (at the director's own behest).
This is film noir in its true sense: made on a shoestring budget with no permit to film, Kubrick was forced into the dim back alleys of New York to tell the story of a failed young boxer (Jamie Smith) who falls for Gloria Price's gangster's moll. In doing so he garners the attention of the fearsome Vincent Rapallo (Frank Silvera, returning to work with Kubrick after Fear And Desire). Following a well-staged rooftop chase, the movie culminates in a memorable battle in a mannequin warehouse.
It's clear to see a skilled film-making talent blossoming here - the movie is brilliantly shot and atmospherically lit, while the opening boxing match is undeniably powerful, cleverly choreographed and packed with punchy cuts. The post-dubbing (whereby all the sound and dialogue was laid on afterwards) was, shall we say, a 'learning' experience for the director, although it does not detract from what is essentially a visual experience with a paper-thin plot.
Well worth a purchase for Kubrick completists and noir enthusiasts.
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Reviews
nice film
Review date: 2008-02-08 Rating: 8 out of 10
A good narrative which is smoothly shot and shows early signs of Kubrick's virtuosic qualities. hard not to enjoy as it grabs you immediately, I would recommend this Film to Kubick fans and film noir enthusiasts.
An enjoyable watch.
killer's kiss too far
Review date: 2003-04-23 Rating: 6 out of 10
There is much to admire in this movie. The way it presents the boxing sequence probably influenced the stunning subjective techniques used in classic sports films like 'This Sporting Life' (rugby) and 'Raging Bull' (boxing). Comparisons with 'Mean Streets' in its documentary portrayal of the city landscape and its exploration of romance within the ugly urban sprawl are also appropriate.
So, 'Killer's Kiss' is an influential movie, but does it stand alone as a decent film? I must admit, if I hadn't known it was a 'Kubrick movie', I would probably have written it off as nothing special. But there's the paradox, I DID know it was by Kubrick, and he is one of my favourite directors. He is treated with similar reverence by most film critics. In many ways, it is a 'Citizen Kane'-like situation: I want to say I hate this movie, but risk being outcast by those professional critics who claim to know what they are talking about.
That said, I enjoyed the film. It was well paced and refreshingly short, so there wasn't time to get too irritated with it. I recommend this movie to Kubrick fans, to film noir fans, and to fans of low budget 'cult' style cinema.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Jamie Smith
Irene Kane
Frank Silvera
Jerry Jarrett
Mike Dana
Creators:
Frank Silvera (Primary Contributor)
Irene Kane (Primary Contributor)
Stanley Kubrick (Cinematographer)
Stanley Kubrick (Editor)
Stanley Kubrick (Producer)
Stanley Kubrick (Writer)
Morris Bousel (Producer)
Howard Sackler (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070008173
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Black & White, Dubbed, PAL,
Release date: 2002-07-15
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 64 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1955-10-01
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: German (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)