Killer’s Kiss (1955)

At its heart, Killer’s Kiss is a movie where the choreography of ballet dancing meets the moves of boxers crossing in the ring.  Film fans recognize it as Stanley Kubrick’s second film (the first being his 1953 debut feature Fear and Desire), in which he took the streets of New York with 35 mm B&W film using Arriflex 35 IIA, Mitchell NC, and Bell & Howell Eyemo cameras with spherical lenses, mixing his gritty shots of the city at its bleakest and boldest with the passion of a hungry artist, and shaped them all together into a fine film noir thriller in which a washed-up boxer loses more than his heart to a fair-haired femme fatale. 

"film noir at its finest, with every frame vibrating with the pulse and the pounce of New York City"


Davey Gordon (Jamie Smith) used to be a damn good boxer.  Living in New York City (which adds much character to this gritty black-and-white thriller), he shares the city’s ups and downs.  From the sounds of the crowds around him to the swell of music in the air, Davey feels the timeless ebb and flow of the city as he jabs and throws hooks at his opponents in the ring.  His moves are strong and so, too, is his chin as he takes more than his fair share of beatdowns in the ring as the veteran that he is.

His story is that of a one long promise which has never been fulfilled.  But that might change as a new romance with nightclub dancer Gloria (Irene Kane) seems on the horizon.  Yet, when her boss (Frank Silvera) makes other plans for her and yanks her from Davey’s arms, he must search the city for her whereabouts.

This is the passionate story beating at the very heart of the passionate Killer’s Kiss.  Shot, edited, co-written, and directed by THE ONE AND ONLY Stanley Kubrick (The Shining, The Killing), Killer’s Kiss is film noir at its finest, with every frame vibrating with the pulse and the pounce of New York City.  From the shadows in Davey’s lonely apartment to the hours he spends staring out the window as Gloria undresses and, ultimately, is kidnapped by Vincent Rapallo’s goons.  Killer’s Kiss (1955)

Davey is quick to action and, just like the boxing match which opens the movie, moves with agility, pounding the pavement to rescue her from the clutches of a smelly, old man who won’t accept her refusals.  He promises to sit with her while she sleeps, falling for her soft features as Kubrick gives us glimpses of who she is thanks to shots of the bedroom, her clothes, perfume, and the letters which adorn her dresser.  Davey knows himself well enough to know that he is falling in love . . . 

. . . so when Gloria is kidnapped, it is he alone - rising from the stabbing darkness of the eternal night - who must save her, but something is nagging at him, and it pulls him desperately down into the sewers of the city.

Killer’s Kiss is now on 4K Ultra HD thanks to Kino Lorber, who presents the film with a brand-new Dolby Vision HDR Master from a new 4K Scan of the original camera negative.  This classic is not to be missed and Kino Lorber, using 16-bit technology to gradie the image for high dynamic range, do not disappoint.

5/5 stars

 

Killer’s Kiss (1955)

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Kino Lorber
Available on Blu-ray
- June 28, 2022
Screen Formats: 1.37:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Single disc
Region Encoding: Region-free playback

Like a one-man studio, the legendary Stanley Kubrick (The Killing, The Shining) co-wrote, co-produced, shot, edited and directed his second feature, the dazzling film noir Killer’s Kiss. Down-and-out New York City boxer Davey Gordon (Jamie Smith) strikes up a romance with nightclub dancer Gloria Price (Irene Kane). Their budding relationship is violently interrupted by Gloria’s boss, Vincent Rapallo (Frank Silvera), who has eyes for his employee. When Vincent and his thugs abduct Gloria, Davey is forced to search for her among the most squalid corners of the city, with his enemy hiding in the shadows. Killer’s Kiss provides a fascinating look into the early work of a man who would soon become one of the world’s most important and influential filmmakers, and it’s a remarkable achievement in its own right: the boxing match may be the most vicious this side of Raging Bull, and the famed final battle remains an action tour-de-force.

Video:

Well, it does not disappoint.  The brand-new Dolby Vision HDR Master from a new 4K Scan of the original camera negative absolutely ignites this film with a blister of detailed images which never pops.  The details are sharp, and the looks of the city are deep, full of promise, and absolutely inspiring.  The film grain is solid and there is no visible dirt during the running time. Everything is smooth sailing on this upgrade. Some of the details in the wardrobe and the apartments reveal the absolute guerilla-styled shoot of the movie and, honestly, I love that about this transfer.  Crisp and detailed, feel the heat and the humidity with Kino Lorber’s handling of this classic.

Audio:

The uncompressed monaural soundtrack included here makes the dialogue and music front and center, which is ought to be as the soundscapes of the city burst.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • There is a NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith which fans of Kubrick will appreciate due to its in-depth swagger.

Special Features:

There is a Theatrical Trailer and the release comes with a slipcover.  Are we counting those yet?

  • Theatrical Trailer

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 5/5 stars
  Video  5/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 4/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

4.5/5 stars


Film Details

Killer’s Kiss (1955)

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
67 mins
Director
: Stanley Kubrick
Writer:
Howard Sackler
Cast:
Frank Silvera; Irene Kane; Jamie Smith
Genre
: Drama | Crime | Noir
Tagline:
Her Soft Mouth Was the Road to Sin-Smeared Violence!
Memorable Movie Quote: "Can't you get it, Vinny? To me you're just an old man. You smell bad."
Theatrical Distributor:
United Artists
Official Site: https://www.kinolorber.com/product/killers-kiss-4kuhd-blu-ray
Release Date:
October 1, 1955
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
June 28, 2022.
Synopsis: Davey Gordon (Jamie Smith), a New York City boxer aging out of his profession, meets dancer Gloria Price (Irene Kane), and they begin a romance. However, their budding relationship is interrupted by Gloria's violent boss, Vincent Rapallo (Frank Silvera), who has eyes for his employee. The two decide to skip town, but before they can, Vincent and his thugs abduct Gloria, and Davey is forced to search for her among the most squalid corners of the city, with his enemy hiding in the shadows.

Art

Killer’s Kiss (1955)