THE KILLING (1956)

There's no foolin' around here!  THE KILLING jumps straight into the exciting story about a group of tough guys that are looking pull a racetrack heist worth $2 million clams. You got two inside men (a cashier and a bartender), the distractions (a giant wrestler to start a bar fight and a sharpshooter to snipe the lead horse during the big race), the financier, the gun man and the getaway guy (a crooked cop). The plan is full proof. Full proof I tells ya! Except that this one palooka keeps running his yap to his dame - a selfish money-hungry, shit-talkin' moll, that'll stop at nothing to get her mitts on all that tasty spinach.

THE KILLING is awesome. It's hard to think of a better example of a young filmmaker improving his craft from one film to the next better than with Stanley Kubrick and the rough around the edges, KILLER'S KISS in 1955 to the incredible THE KILLING only one year later. Memorable characters that are all bitter and hard-boiled as fook, a quick pace, the acting by the entire cast is great, awesome story, a few shocking moments...but I think the two things THE KILLING is remembered for the most is its photography and non-linear storytelling. Both have been copied many times since. I won't get into all the examples, but it's a lot.

Sadly, The Kube turned his back on film noir after THE KILLING but at least he went out with a bang. Highly recommended.

Rodney Dangerfield

KILLER'S KISS (1955)

A washed-up boxer lives in a low rent apartment and although he knows better, he gets involved with a local taxi dancer who is nothing but bad news. She's not a bad person, but the thug who owns the taxi dance hall she works at has the hots for her and he's not above sexually assaulting women or having his men beat the crap out of anybody who gets in his way.

KILLER"S KISS is rough around the edges and a little slow to start, but when you consider Director/Writer/Editor/Cinematographer/Producer Stanley Kubrick was only 26 when he made this film with $40 grand he borrowed from his uncle it's quite a remarkable film.  Especially when you compare it to other micro-budget Noirs of the time. (BLAST OF SILENCE I'm looking at you motherfucker, but not for too long cause I'll fall asleep.) Also, Kubrick was smart enough (although it was probably related to the low budget) to keep the entire thing a tight 67 minutes instead of padding it out.

But is it worth watching? Ehh, probably not. If you want to see Kubrick's beginnings to compare to the masterpieces he would make just a few years later then yes, but you're not really missing anything if you decide to skip it. If you only got time to watch one 67 minute film noir in your life then I say watch DETOUR instead.