The Killing
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Movie Reviews of The Killing
Movie Review: Early Kubrick Still Works
Summary: 5 Stars
If Stanley Kubrick hadn't made another film "The Killing" would still stand the test of time. This is a pretty assured film considering Kubrick's age, 28 at the time, and the fact it was made for peanuts. Kubrick cleverly weaves noir, pulp fiction, and docu-drama elements that is unlike what was made before or since. Kubrick also gets a terrific assist in the screenplay with some choice dialogue by dime novel extraordinaire Jim Thompson ("The Grifters", "After Dark, My Sweet"). Kubrick's detractors always accused him for compromising substance for style but that's not the case here. "The Killing" contains taut storytelling and intricate characterization. The always good Sterling Hayden leads a terrific cast as the mastermind of the racetrack heist. The best performances here are probably delivered by Elisha Cook Jr. as the cuckolded track employee, Marie Windsor as his conniving wife, and the underrated Timothy Carey as a cold-blooded marksmen. Kubrick left an indelible imprint on the language of cinema and "The Killing" is an essential piece from the canon of work he left behind.Movie Review: BRUTAL FILM NOIR....
Summary: 5 Stars
Kubrick's "The Killing" is a bitter and brutal slice of 50's film noir with a race track heist the focus of the conflict. Striking b&w photography---especially during the actual robbery sequence where Sterling Hadyen wears a macabre clown mask. Superb cast features Hayden, fresh out of prison pulling the job with an assorted gang that includes Jay C.Flippen and stalwart character actor Elisha Cook Jr. as the weakest and tortured of the crew. He's married to Marie Windsor, a sultry and sexy doll who's hot to cash in on the robbery so she can run off with her lover, Vince Edwards ("Ben Casey"!). It's Windsor, in typical noir "dame" fashion, that proves to be the undoing of (almost) the whole thing through her psychological manipulations of Cook. But the ending at the airport is truly a stunner. The tension is thick in this thriller and the cast couldn't be more noir perfect. The dialogue is rough, the guys are tough, the situations believable and Windsor is a true noir vixen. Kubrick proved himself a director to remember with this nail biter. Enjoy.Movie Review: film noir
Summary: 5 Stars
The Killing is an old film noir that reminds me greatly of Ocean's 11. The film is about a desperate gang of thieves that plot to rob a racetrack. The crime is cleverly thought and laid out, and they all believe that nothing could go wrong.
One aspect of a film noir is the femme fatale. In The Killing the femme fatale, Sherry, is married to one of the men involved in the whole scheme. Sherry is disappointed with him-he isn't providing enough for her. She finds out about the racetrack plan and she decides to interfere out of her own greed.
The film was shot in black and white. It has sharp contrast and complex compositions that add to the effect of the film noir. Stanley Kubrick also has a unique way of telling the story. Rather than having the film go straight through, step-by-step, it is broken down with flashbacks and goes a bit out of order.
The heist ends up not going as planned. While everything seemed to go just perfectly, in the end there is a bad case of karma. Whatever goes around comes around...
Movie Review: Kubrick;s Breakout Film
Summary: 5 Stars
Not Kubrick's first film, but the one that got Hollywood's attention. This film is very tautly edited and paced. There are terrific tracking shots not normally seen in films of this period. The low angle shots effectively ratchet up the tension. The cast could not have been better,and seemed to have held up well under Kubrick's renowned multiple takes. I gotta tell you,Tim Carey's performance as the sharpshooter,jumped out at me. His agreeing to blow the brains out of a prize racehorse,while he cuddled a puppy was a hoot. His acting style was so out of kilter with what was considered 'normal' in 50's Hollywood, that it's no wonder no one knew how to showcase him in later films. Alas,audiences had to wait until the 1970's-90's before the late actor's eccentric style was appreciated in others. (Ex. Bruce Dern, John Turturro, even Jim Carey.)If you want a terrific heist film with not a wasted second,(and were wondering where Quentin got his inspiration for story telling structure) rent or buy " THE KILLING "!!
Movie Review: Wow! What a great film!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you haven't seen this yet, do yourself a favor and watch John Huston's Asphalt Jungle (1950) first. The Killing is an informal sequel/tribute which in my humble opinion is even better. I must admit I am not a big fan of Stanley Kubrick but I thought this film was great. It lacks star power but the performances are all excellent nonetheless and the story is innovative, tightly wound, and thoroughly entertaining. I should also mention that I thought Tarantino & Avary were primarily influenced by the likes of Melville, Truffaut, & Godard, but I now see that this film was at least as influential upon his neo gangsteresque mojo movement as anything from the French new wave. In fact it looks as if Tarantino borrowed excessively from here for the non-linear plot structure of his Pulp Fiction. In my opinion Stanley Kubrick's The Killing deserves a spot somewhere behind The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and Touch of Evil as one of the better film noir efforts ever produced.