tomas-842-817258 It's astonishing to know that Kubrick went from this amateurish freshman effort - bested by many film school projects - to become the director of a major Hollywood blockbuster (Spartacus) in only two films; The Killing and Paths of Glory. That, to me, is the only reason to watch this Killer's Kiss: to understand the breadth of Kubrick's genius.

gridoon2018 Stanley Kubrick's second film - a solid, gritty film noir - shows the promise of a great career. He wrote the story, which is familiar but tight; he also did the direction, editing and photography - and they are all innovative at times (the boxing match, the nightmare, the ballet dance / flashback-within-a-flashback, etc.); every camera movement / placement has a purpose. The three unknown leads give good performances; Irene Kane is very beautiful - she looks like a down-home Grace Kelly, and the film actually has shades of "Rear Window", which came out the previous year. *** out of 4.

Ilpo Hirvonen 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.

George Roots (GeorgeRoots) The techniques of "Killers Kiss", shows a lot more familiarity when it comes to your expectations of a Kubrick picture. A young boxer towards the end of his career, eventually begins to grow closer to a woman who lives in the apartment blocks next to his. A relationship then begins as the two grow closer, as they also plan to collect money from her violent employer. Does things ever go smoothly in these scenarios? I found myself enjoying this work much more than Kubrick's earlier effort "Fear And Desire" (1953), which Kubrick himself tried to remove from circulation. Shot when he was 26 years old, it shows a fantastic use of light when it came to emphasis and also a lot more confidence in narrative and framing. There is a long dance sequence where the Ballerina is played by Kubrick's second wife (Ruth Sobotka), and the sound was post dubbed as the microphone would interfere with the lighting system.Final Verdict: Unfortunately I can't say much about it compared to his previous and later works, as well as only talk mindless movie trivia. But it is worth your time if you can find it, it is usually boxed as an extra in the Home release of Kubrick's next picture "The Killing" (1960). 6/10.