disgusting, overrated, pointless

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Since the rediscovery of "Fear and Desire" (1953), "Killer's Kiss" (1955) no longer bears the curiosity status as Stanley Kubrick's earliest film, and it hardly fits into the Kubrick canon anyways, so to speak. It is, however, an interesting film both from the perspective of its genre and its creator, thus remaining as an enduring meeting place. Although "Killer's Kiss" might be your standard B-movie with a low duration which was probably produced just to accompany a bigger production, it still has its striking moments of poetic intuition. Its finale among abandoned mannequins could very well be a classic. The story as well as its representation have the basic traits of film- noir, the darker crime genre which crystallized in post-war American cinema. The majority of the film consists of a long, mainly uninterrupted flashback sequence as a boxer recalls the past days that have led him where he is now. He became involved with a beautiful woman living next door who has a violent, jealous gangster boyfriend. The boxer and the woman find their reflections in one another. They are two hurt, lost, and lonely souls wandering the streets of New York. Boxing rings, rooftops, apartments, and dark alleys serve as the primal settings of the genre, while a desperate loner, a femme fatale, and a gangster as its archetypes. Strong contrasts in lighting characterize Kubrick's expressive mise-en-scène making several shots prime examples of the film-noir aesthetics. Although "Killer's Kiss" surely has the trademarks of film-noir, it does feel a little bit off, yet not in the masterful sense of "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955). This is most likely due to the film's low budget which, however, also gives the film its gritty touch. One simply gets similar enjoyment from watching the characters walking the streets of New York as in Cassavetes' "Shadows" (1958). Moreover, some of Kubrick's visual decisions with regards to composition and camera angles feel conspicuous. In other words, despite potential weak points in the film's style, it also had the edge and piquancy which give the whole of the film its poetic dimensions.Overall, one might characterize "Killer's Kiss" as poetic pulp. Its stylistic touches rise above its mediocre content. While the film might strike like a sore thumb in a director's oeuvre who later became famous with his sublime and breath-taking images of grandiose awe, it also has the benefit of strangeness which is why it will continue fascinating film buffs.

Just like Killer's Kiss, I'm going to keep my review brief and pointless. Before Stanley went on making 150-180 minute epics, he started out with this little noir thriller about a boxer protecting the girl next door. At just over one hour this is his shortest ever film and only his only film to have an entirely original screenplay written by him. It's easy to see why Stanley later looked to adapt stories by others, as Killer's Kiss unfortunately isn't up to much at all.Considering that the film was made on a teeny weeny budget of $40,000 raised by friends and relatives (kind of like Darren Aronofsky's Pi) it's actually not too bad. It was also made during the pre-Spartacus era where the studios didn't give Stanley final cut on his films and so his original ending was changed to a happier one. I think a solemn ending would've helped the film be slightly more memorable though.The film is brilliantly shot and I couldn't help but marvel at the use of lighting. Towards the end of the film, the lighting almost becomes another character and adds to the film's incredibly stylish mood. It has the look of a classic noir however, it doesn't have a story to match.It all feels rather too conventional and fairly dull. There's a boxing sequence which the back of the DVD compared to Raging Bull, but it's nothing like and adds little to the story. There's a good fight scene at the end, but by the time it's all over I was left wondering what the point of it was.It's a brief film which features bland characters and a boring story. It is very stylish and lovely to look at but it doesn't have much depth to it. You can tell that it's directed by a man who knows his wizardry, however he clearly hadn't fully learnt his craft yet. Let's hope that the more lauded, The Killing has more to offer in the way of plot and thrills!

Davey Gordon (Jamie Smith) is an over the hill prizefighter who's considering returning to the family farm to help out his uncle. Then fate steps in: one night he witnesses a neighbour, the pretty Gloria Price (Irene Kane) being accosted by her employer Vincent Rapallo (Frank Silvera), a gangster. Davey is almost instantly taken with her, and after getting to know her a little bit, he decides that he will be her protector. That will prove to be a challenge, as Rapallo sends two of his goons (Mike Dana, Felice Orlandi) after Davey and abducts Gloria to boot.Short & sweet, this reasonably enjoyable little noir is compelling viewing for both fans of the genre and of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. It may not be quite as accomplished as his later works (it *was* only his second feature film), but it still has some genuine stylishness going for it. The boxing scenes early on are noteworthy for the camera placement and operation, creating a genuine intensity. Kubrick also edited, shot, and wrote the story (Howard Sackler wrote the screenplay, uncredited), and it's clear that he was a real talent who could go far. There's one mighty fine bit of nightmare imagery, and the story does have a fairly good pace going for it. Unfortunately, the rather loud and jaunty music score tends to work against whatever tension that Kubrick is able to generate. The final battle between Davey and Rapallo is a pretty good one, and the fact that it takes place inside a mannequin factory helps to make it visually interesting. Silvera is fine as the gangster, Smith and Kane (the latter is better known as journalist Chris Chase) less satisfactory in the other principal roles. Ruth Sobotka, who was married to Kubrick at the time (and was also Kanes' sister!), plays the ballerina.Overall, a solid effort although it was with his next picture, "The Killing", that Kubrick really hit his stride.Seven out of 10.

Before judging "Killer's kiss" one has to take into account some considerations. It is Stanley's second feature film. With a very low- budget he achieved a decent film noir. Unlike every other Kubrick film, the plot is quite plain and predictable. A classical criminal storyline together with a sensitive love story. The attempt of davey of rescuing her woman from the hands of her crazy boss who is in love with her.I particularly enjoyed the chase and finally the fight between Davey and Rapallo. After a stimulating chase they end up in a creepy warehouse, inside a circle of maniquies and they fight, spear against axe. In a sort of circus-like battlefield, or maybe a colisseum of maniquies, Davey is victorious. Maybe this movie doesn't fit the category of "unique" as his work of the following years would, but if you enjoy film noir then you should definitely watch it.