Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-21 17:52:45

Underrated independent noir

This review is from: Killer's Kiss [VHS] (VHS Tape) I keep going back to this picture to revisit a more humanistic (and very young) Stanley Kubrick. I think I even prefer this short film to "The Killing," his next feature. Extraordinary lighting and interesting performances and sequences with Irene Kane, aka, Chris Chase, Frank Silvera, and an intriguing dream/ballet scene with Kubrick's second wife, Ruth Sobotka. When you watch this with EWS, you realize that perhaps Kubrick completed the circle of his career but his world view never really changed.

2012-05-21 07:50:52

An anthropological study of New York City in the 1950s

This review is from: Killer's Kiss (DVD) As others have commented, this film is certainly not in the league of Kubrick's masterpieces. The grandiose, philosophical themes pervading his most important work are conspicuously absent. However, when viewed outside of the context of his later work, the film certainly has its merits. Kubrick began his career as a photographer for Look magazine, and in a way image drives this film more than plot or character. It should come as no surprise, then, that the single most outstanding of these merits would be Kubrick's shots of New York City. One should remember that, aside from 1947's "The Naked City", few films prior to "Killer's Kiss" were largely shot on location in the Big Apple. What distinguishes Kubrick's film in this regard (from "The Naked City" and other predecessors) are the wonderful and incredible details he captures. There is a scene early in this work where Kubrick takes us into Times Square - not just through the use of wide establishing shots a la "The Sweet Smell of Success", but through close-ups of the toys in store fronts. It looks like a home movie, AND ITS SUPPOSED TO!!! The beautiful roof top scenes rival similar images in "On the Waterfront", and the sight of Jamie Smith standing under a marquee in Times Square reminds one of similar images in later films like "Shadows". He consequently places us in an environment and time (e.g., NYC in the mid-1950s) as skillfully as any other filmmaker in any film before or since. If, like me, you are a fan of films like "Midnight Cowboy", "Taxi Driver", and "Shadows" and want to see a healthy chunk of the root of those films, look no further than "Killer's Kiss". (note: The fairest star rating I could give this film would be 3 1/2. As this is unavailable, I would opt for 3)

kanerazor 2012-05-18 20:44:14

Not bad...

This movie is nothing remarkable; it's an hour long tale of boy meets girl,boy fights girl's evil boyfriend, boy gets girl. I hope that notconsidereda spoiler. Still, Kubrick shows tremendous promise in his direction ofthis, his second feature and first that most of us can watch (if anyoneknowof a way to get a hold of Fear and Desire please let me know). The movie,in addition to being well photographed, possesses terrific atmosphere,really creating the feeling of being in the slums with characters. Silverais kind of cartoonish as the villain, and all three main characters aresomewhat one dimensional (granted it's hard to develop them in such a shorttime) but they are interesting nonetheless. If you like film noir, youmight want to give this a look, and if you're a diehard Kubrick fan like Iam, definitely go for it. I say 7/10.

ironside 2012-05-18 08:39:19

The first-class suspense film that foreshadowed conscious and technique...

In 1955 a young man, who had produced a couple of 35mm. shorts and afeature which were so little known that they were never even shown inEngland, made a suspense thriller… From the fact that he co-producedit, wrote it, directed it and did the photography and editing himselfyou may deduce that he had more talent than backing… The movie wascalled "Killer's Kiss," and the multi-talented man who made it was theyoung Stanley Kubrick… "Killer's Kiss" is a fascinating movie to look back as it is a notablethriller in its own right… It is a film about lonely people; alonepeople, which is not quite the same thing; their roots almost severedfrom a past which was once good and is now lost; solitary in theimpartial big city at the end of the line… It starts with a confident, quiet slowness that few directors woulddare in the frenetic Seventies… It takes its time to develop, and fornearly half the film you can't guess what the plot is going to be… Butthis carefully measured film gives you a deep feeling for thecharacters and their context that leaves you, even after all thesuspense, with an overwhelming feeling of the humanity of the movie… The narrator, Davy Gordon (Jamie Smith) is a young and fading boxer,past it, but not defeated in his heart… The girl Gloria Price (IreneKane), who lives in the same apartment block, has, like him, no familynor friends… She's come down to working as a dance partner in a shabbyhall run by a baddie called Vincent Rapallo (Frank Silvera).Kubrick slowly, and movingly, shows the two principals taking thedowngrade: Davy fighting a losing bout in the ring while Gloria istrying to push off some heavy passes from Rapallo… Even he, Rapallo, is made human, understandable… When he stands in hisshadowed office, making up his mind to some malice, his eyes fall oncozy family photographs in nice domestic frames that he takes thetrouble to keep there; and, when his mind is made up, he gesturesirritably, guiltily, as if knowing he's letting them down and tryingweakly to dismiss summarily aside their silent reproaches… The whole story is condensed into three days… Yet it seems to have thenatural, inevitable pace of real life; and the moments briefly takenout for little touches of New York street scenes add to the reality andplace it in a context of truth… Very little violence is actually shown except in Davy's boxing matchwhich, in just a few minutes, gives a better feeling than most moviesof what it's like to lose a fight in the ring… But, in spite of all,you're on the edge of your seat and you're glad to be there… There is a classic chase over the rooftops, but even here there arehuman touches that kill cliché… These villains are not supermen, anymore than Davy is: they can stumble on a fire escape, and not forlaughs; one of them can fall as you or I would fall and drop out with atwisted ankle… The suspense is not lessened by these touches: it is increased, becauseit is more real, seems less contrived… "Killer's Kiss" was a first-class suspense film that foreshadowedconscious and technique that Kubrick was to take to the limit in lateryears… And, after all, the ending was fair enough for the Fifties… Inthe Seventies, Gloria would probably have got raped by the railwayporter, and there'd have been a lot of unlovely detail and no suspenseat all…

2012-05-18 15:05:05

Short, But Well Done

Killer's Kiss was one of Kubrick's first. It's about a boxer who falls in love with a woman and helps to protect her from a man who attempted to molest her. The directions is great, there is a dream scene where the negative is used and it really adds to the film. It's a little preview of Kubrick's style in 2001. This is a really shot film, only about an hour and seven minutes. If you love Kubrick, like I do then you'll really see Kubrick in Killer's Kiss. I believe this film was also called Kiss Me, Kill Me.

ian_harris 2012-05-18 03:18:12

Minimum budget, maximum effect

Boxing is one of my least favourite subjects, so much so that I put offseeing this film until now. However, it is no more about boxing than "Onthe Waterfront", a great movie, which I think Kubrick was emulating (or"tributing", as we say these days) to some extent in thismovie.The plot reads like a cheap B movie, as does the script and the budget. Yetwith these severely limited resources, Kubrick manages to make an utterlycompelling film. The pace is helped by the length of the movie - 67 minuteswould be unacceptable today, but is right for this piece; an additional 30minutes of padding would have ruined it.The fight scene in the mannequin warehouse is an extraordinary piece ofimagination, cinematography and fight choreography. And no, that fight isnot even faintly like boxing.So, Kubrick's first feature effort. Minimum budget, maximum effect, wellworth seeing.

2012-05-17 08:13:19

Many, many interesting aspects

This is an heroic film; with very little budget, Kubrick delivers so many interesting and innovative things. It might be very rare that something like the electrifying box combat was filmed before or after. A veritable photographic "tour de force"! The sequence of the ballet dancer is quite something as well. The history, quite short according to the limited time of the film, is nevertheless vivid. Atention to detail and great photography creates environments very efectively, like the dance club, the evening in downtown, the modest appartments, and the noticeable upward shots in the railway station.

2012-05-16 15:14:20

Quality Film Depicting 1955 NYC

The flow keeps you on edge. Black and white camera work is stunning-particularily the haunting towering buildings and canyons of 1955 NYC during the chase scene. Time's Square, stark apartments unleash this haunting, powerful and emotional drama. You feel the suspense. The jazz music throws your senses around, like the characters in swift passion and "see who is following you" paranoia. No studio backlots here. Reality feel, like "On The Waterfront", or "The Last Picture Show" (both in Black and White) only with better lensing from Kubrick's intelligent eye. I sense Kubrick was fascinated by the use of an axe as a weapon of combat-the final scene is amazing-later to be weapon of choice for Jack Nichelson in "The Shining". Just the right length film for my tastes. Not a wasted frame.

JackBenjamin 2012-05-16 08:36:45

Foreshadowing

The plot here is pretty lacking, but it's visually challenging andprefigures what Kubrick is about to offer when he sprouts his wingswith Lolita. He's my favorite director because he's never treated thesame theme twice, and his movies ask more questions than they answer.This one doesn't do that, but it has some neat tricks of cinematicvalue, kind of like what P.T. Anderson offers. That fight scene withthe mannequins and the rooftop chase; the murder of the agent in thealley (that remarkable frame-within-the-frame shot, and the charactersbursting from within it); and finally the nightmare sequence --juxtapose this with the slit scan sequence in 2001, a perfectprefiguring.

mbaines@hotmail.com 2012-05-15 20:08:25

An Incredible Film :Lacking a Decent Plot

Killer's Kiss is an incredible film technically. The lighting, set andcinematography are nothing short of stunning. The cinematography wasincredible, and the lighting showed only what Kubrick wanted to beseen.Where the film comes up short is in the plot and the characterdevelopment. The character's are boring (a great feet to accomplishwith a title like Killer's Kiss). The audience doesn't really getinvolved in the story. The acting isn't wonderful, but at least it'sbelievable. The plot line is extremely poor.Killer's Kiss, shows us where his talents are: Directing, andCinematographer; and more-so where they don't: Writing. Killer's Kissis a wonderful film to watch if you like to see good lighting andcinematography, or if your a Kubrick fan. Otherwise, it's not worth thehour.

Lee Eisenberg 2012-05-14 04:38:34

1955: an Earth odyssey

I try to imagine going to the cinema back when "Killer's Kiss" (about aboxer reminiscing on unpleasant events while waiting for a train) wasreleased back in 1955. Certainly, it was a mind-blowing movie -especially the chase sequence - but even so, it probably would havebeen hard to guess that the director would go on to direct some of thegreatest movies of all time.No matter, watching the movie today, one can see shades of what StanleyKubrick (who would have turned 79 today) later brought to "Dr.Strangelove", "2001" and "A Clockwork Orange". Does this one countsolidly as a film noir? That might be a matter of debate. But you can'tdeny that this movie is an important part of cinema history, affirmingKubrick as an indelible name on the silver screen.Starring Frank Silvera and Irene Kane.

2012-05-13 11:34:50

Quick & dirty Kubrick, before mummification set in

In its spareness and the shabbiness of the lives it records, Killer's Kiss recalls Edgar G. Ulmer's Detour. It's a quick (67 minutes) and dirty (New York at its seediest) film that ruthlessly and efficiently goes about its business. Cast with unknowns (at least to movies), its very anonymity underscores its late-noir heritage. Along with The Killing -- made the next year, 1956 -- Killer's Kiss demonstrates what raw talent the young Kubrick possessed before it went all to his head; movie by movie, his work got fussier, more portentous and hollower. Viewers who knows him only from masoleums like Eyes Wide Shut or The Shining or Barry Lyndon will be startled to see that, once, there was a living talent there.

tedg 2012-05-13 04:56:50

Lady from Manhattan

Spoilers herein.There's nothing like this stuff. If you ever thought Kubrick was a genius,you should consider that such an eye is not learned, and one would expect tosee it in the young man. Here's where he is taking chances.He produced, wrote, directed, photographed, and edited thiseffort.Here you see some real energetic expression of more controlled notions yousee later on:-- time and space symmetries, lots of them-- lots of narrative in inanimate objects from the environment-- dancing/boxing: life as a test performance, with the space between beingdead time-- narrative folding-- a mimimalist, deceptively symbol-laden story that all but ignores theactors-- a consistent `eye,' often from waist level when the lovers aretogether-- stylized voice-overAll this is fascinating enough. But an extra treat is to see this next toWelles' near masterpiece `Lady from Shanghai' of "48. Check out showdown inthe manikin warehouse compared the manikin part of `Lady's' funhouse at theidentical part of the story, with the same loser-womandynamic.Irene Kane has real presence despite her relatively poor acting. Kubrickmarried her ballerina `sister.' Wonder what happened toher?

2012-05-12 15:22:09

Unfortunately Nothing More Than an Exercise in Style.

"Killer's Kiss" was Stanley Kubrick's second feature film, which he wrote, directed, photographed, and edited himself. It was supposed to be an "experimental" film, and that shows in the film's self-conscious style and self-indulgent tone. "Killer's Kiss" is usually categorized as "film noir", and it is actually self-consciously noir, at times to the point of caricature. This is interesting, since many critics have argued that film noir had no real conventions. Hard-core noir probably does have conventions, and "Killer's Kiss" proves that by hanging the entire story on conventions of introverted 1940s crime films. There are voice-over narration, flashbacks, unfortunate coincidences, sleazy underworld characters, a woman who spells trouble for the men around her, general pessimism, and a brooding tough guy leading man. The trouble with "Killer's Kiss" is that it is no more than an exercise in style: Low-budget style in which conventions and experimentation exist for their own sake.Davy Gordon (Jamie Smith) is a veteran boxer whose career has been "one long promise without fulfillment". He is awakened from a dream one night by screams coming from the apartment facing his. He looks out his window to see that his neighbor, a pretty woman named Gloria (Irene Kane), is being assaulted. He rushes right over and learns from Gloria that her assailant was Vinny Rapallo (Frank Silvera), her boss at the dance hall where she works, whose advances she had rebuffed. Gloria and Davy become lovers and plan to leave town together, a situation which Vinny cannot abide.First I must say that "Killer's Kiss" is only 67 minutes long -and that it contains only about half that much material. It's rife with extraneous footage. Very little happens in the film. It has a noir sensibility on one hand and a down-the-rabbit-hole sensibility on the other. The world of "Killer's Kiss" is definitely off-kilter, as if realism were pulling it one way and nightmarish fantasy are pulling it the other. That could be interesting, but the film suffers from having little story, next to no credibility, and one-dimensional characters. The three lead characters are thoroughly unconvincing performances. While I was watching the film, it was not clear to me whether that was bad acting or an attempt at some kind of style. In retrospect, it was obviously deliberate, but that doesn't help. Davy mumbles a lot. Gloria is a bit of a tease. And Vinny is a sleazebag. That's all there is to say about them. The story is a fight between 2 cardboard men over a woman who isn't worth much. I'm not cutting Kubrick much slack, because it seems he wasn't trying to make a good film. He made a showcase for certain obvious stylistic devices. The bottom line is that "Killer's Kiss" was not made for an audience. It was made for its director. So don't expect much.The DVD (MGM 2001): This print has not been restored, but its flaws are minor. The only bonus feature is a theatrical trailer (2 minutes). Subtitles are available in English and French.

Max_cinefilo89 2012-05-12 13:18:46

An interesting early achievement by one of cinema's undisputed masters

Stanley Kubrick famously wound up despising three of his films: Fearand Desire, Killer's Kiss (both for being amateurish efforts) andSpartacus (for being a studio picture on which he was hired after theoriginal director got sacked). And while it's true that Kiss, hissecond feature, doesn't quite match his more famous works, it isundoubtedly a fascinating example of a genius filmmaker learning hiscraft.The most unusual thing about the movie (by Kubrickian standards, thatis) is probably the story, which is very simple and straightforward, asopposed to the more complex, layered studies of human decay thedirector is known for (it is also, alongside Fear and Desire, his onlyoriginal screenplay). The film opens with a man (Jamie Smith) waitingfor someone at a train station. He introduces himself as Davy Gordon, amildly successful prize fighter, and starts telling the audience whatled him there, in a long flashback: it all began when he met GloriaPrice (Irene Kane), a dancer who was being followed and harassed by hermanager (and occasional lover) Vincent Raphello (Frank Silvera). AsRaphello gets more obsessive and violent, Davy decides to help Gloriaand gets increasingly involved with her on a personal level, whichupsets Vincent to the point he asks for help to get the boxer out ofthe way.The transition from romantic drama to hard-boiled gangster movie wouldbe risible in other films, but Kubrick manages to make it look naturaland realistic. Realism also plays an important part in the strongcharacterization and sharp dialogue, which are the main tools thatallow the movie to be engaging despite a not-so-original plot.Moreover, while the picture lacks the technical finesse of his laterwork, the director proves to be at ease with time-shifting narrative,albeit at its simplest (the flashback is completely linear, with noneof the head-scratching jumps made normal by Tarantino and AlejandroGonzales Inarritu).Overall, this may not be Kubrick as we know him (hell, this movie evenhas a happy ending, sort of), but all fans of the 2001 director oughtto give it a look. Amateurial it may be, but there are flashes of realbrilliance throughout.

Dennis Littrell 2012-05-11 23:07:01

Early Kubrick, definitely worth seeing

This is a tidy little opus that Kubrick wrote, directed and filmedhimself on a $40,000 borrowed budget. It comes a year before "TheKilling" (1956), a more substantial film noir that marked Kubrick as afilm maker for whom you might want to front some money."Killer's Kiss" runs sixty-seven mostly taunt minutes in New York Citygritty black and white, featuring some stylistic variations on somestandard Hollywood noir elements: the fight game, bare-knuckle toughs,a chase scene, a good guy/bad guy fight (the bad guy, Vincent Rapollaplayed by Frank Silvera, swinging a fireman's axe, the good guy, DaveyGordon--Jamie Smith--coming up with what looks like a pointed flagpole), a blond beauty to be fought over, Gloria Price (Irene Kane AKAChris Chase), and a very satisfying ending.The film is framed as a first person flashback from Davey Gordon as hewaits for a train to Seattle. He's a prize fighter with eighty-plusfights under his belt, but a guy with a weak chin near the end of amediocre career who serves as a tune-up for contenders. Gloria Price isa dancehall girl controlled by the dancehall manager, the bad guy,Vincent Rapolla, a kind of swarthy masher. All the action takes placein a two to three day period following Davey Gordon's last fight. Thelast scene neatly takes place at the train station.Kubrick doesn't dwell on the fight game much. We see the gym where thefighters are working out and Gordon's last fight against "KidRodriguez" which is over quickly (although three minutes in the ring isan eternity for the fighters). Andy Warhol would have loved the laterfight scene which takes place in a storeroom full of hundreds of white,naked manikins that the combatants toss at each other to ward off axeand pointed flag pole. Hitchcock (and others, by the way) would havesmiled at the scenes in which Gordon and Gloria can see the action inthe other's apartment through conveniently opened apartment windows.(But this was before most people had air conditioning.) Irene Kanereminded me a bit of Grace Kelly, not quite as tall or as graceful, buta bit more sensuous with similar features.I was struck by Kubrick's clear, tight direction and by his use of thecamera to highlight the mundane but very telling artifacts thatsurrounded the lives of the characters: the cheap, tiny apartments, thehard indifferent streets of the city, Gloria's old doll, the glitter ofthe marquees ("The Queen of Sheba" was playing at one theatre), thewindow shade that flies back up, the not really pretty dancehall girls,and the repeated focus on important elements, like the axe and guns. Iwas amused to think that even the very young Kubrick exhausted theactors, especially in the fight scenes.This is a film by a young man who impresses with his knowledge of thepsychology of film noir while displaying his artistic talent. I predicta great career.(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cutto the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get itat Amazon!)

2012-05-11 01:51:53

Kubrick=Genius (simplest formula in the world)

If you're debating whether or not to go rent this movie I would highly suggest doing so. The camera angles and placement are just pure genius. A great example is when the boxing match begins and the camera is placed beneath the seat of our hero, and when the bell rings and he gets up to fight his opponent you really get a sense of Kubrick's plain genius. Definately a 5 star film for anyone who really appreciates a good movie, because it has everything a good story, good acting, and the best director ever to live.

2012-05-10 16:33:24

Early Kubrick, definitely worth seeing

This is a tidy little opus that Kubrick wrote, directed and filmed himself on a $40,000 borrowed budget. It comes a year before "The Killing" (1956), a more substantial film noir that marked Kubrick as a film maker for whom you might want to front some money."Killer's Kiss" runs sixty-seven mostly taunt minutes in New York City gritty black and white, featuring some stylistic variations on some standard Hollywood noir elements: the fight game, bare-knuckle toughs, a chase scene, a good guy/bad guy fight (the bad guy, Vincent Rapolla played by Frank Silvera, swinging a fireman's axe, the good guy, Davey Gordon--Jamie Smith--coming up with what looks like a pointed flag pole), a blond beauty to be fought over, Gloria Price (Irene Kane AKA Chris Chase), and a very satisfying ending.The film is framed as a first person flashback from Davey Gordon as he waits for a train to Seattle. He's a prize fighter with eighty-plus fights under his belt, but a guy with a weak chin near the end of a mediocre career who serves as a tune-up for contenders. Gloria Price is a dancehall girl controlled by the dancehall manager, the bad guy, Vincent Rapolla, a kind of swarthy masher. All the action takes place in a two to three day period following Davey Gordon's last fight. The last scene neatly takes place at the train station.Kubrick doesn't dwell on the fight game much. We see the gym where the fighters are working out and Gordon's last fight against "Kid Rodriguez" which is over quickly (although three minutes in the ring is an eternity for the fighters). Andy Warhol would have loved the later fight scene which takes place in a storeroom full of hundreds of white, naked manikins that the combatants toss at each other to ward off axe and pointed flag pole. Hitchcock (and others, by the way) would have smiled at the scenes in which Gordon and Gloria can see the action in the other's apartment through conveniently opened apartment windows. (But this was before most people had air conditioning.)Irene Kane reminded me a bit of Grace Kelly, not quite as tall or as graceful, but a bit more sensuous with similar features.I was struck by Kubrick's clear, tight direction and by his use of the camera to highlight the mundane but very telling artifacts that surrounded the lives of the characters: the cheap, tiny apartments, the hard indifferent streets of the city, Gloria's old doll, the glitter of the marquees ("The Queen of Sheba" was playing at one theatre), the window shade that flies back up, the not really pretty dancehall girls, and the repeated focus on important elements, like the axe and guns. I was amused to think that even the very young Kubrick exhausted the actors, especially in the fight scenes.This is a film by a young man who impresses with his knowledge of the psychology of film noir while displaying his artistic talent. I predict a great career.[Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon.]Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!: The Best Movie Reviews of Dennis Littrell in Categories with Lists, Quizzes and More!

2012-05-09 10:34:44

A sense of scale

Made for only $75,000 (more than half of which was borrowed from his uncle), Stanley Kubrick's second film is absolutely astonishing from a visual perspective. There hadn't been anything quite so showy from a young director in America (Kubrick was only 27 when this film was made) since Orson Welles's early films before the war. Kubrick also wrote the story, which is practically nothing -- a washed-up welterweight boxer (Jamie Smith) becomes involved with a dance-hall girl (Irene Kane), whose jealous crooked boss (Frank Silvera) plots revenge -- , and is unnecessarily complicated by flashbacks. But the cinematography is so tremendous as to carry almost all else before it. Kubrick makes remarkable use of shots through windows, of silhouettes, against rear projections, of silhouettes, and of mirror reflections; he seems intent on showing us everything he can do with a movie camera. (There is even a brief dream sequence which makes spectacular use of negative film.) His greatest accomplishments are his shots of New York City, which is depicted on such a massive scale (in Times Square, Pennsylvania Station, and the warehouses along the river) that against it his human players seem trivial and unimportant. There's a famous sequence emphasizing this inhuman scale at the film's end involving a gladiatorial battle to the death with sharp implements between Smith and Silvera in an eerie dusty mannequin storeroom; even more remarkable is Smith's preceding scramble from Silvera and his henchman along the gigantic warehouse rooftops behind which the massive tenements loom impersonally. There has probably never been another film that quite captures how Manhattan can be akin to an entire dreamlike behemoth film set. The actors seem themselves a bit dehumanized by the post-synced sound (Kubrick was unsatisfied with his ability to keep the mikes out of his shots, and so decided to dub in all the sound after the shooting), but the deep-chested pair of Smith and Kane seem perfectly matched. Whatever the film's shortcomings as a piece of storytelling, as a visual experience this film is so stunning as not to be missed.

mjensen-3 2012-05-08 23:49:27

"One of Kubrick's best."

*******Spoilers Ahead*******`Killer's Kiss' is about a boxer whose career is going nowhere fast. Hislife is imperiled when he protects his new love interest, a nightclubdancer, from her gangster/lover boss.`Killer's Kiss' is Stanley Kubrick's second film and it shows much he hadmatured as a director. The film begins with scenes of a man getting ready for a boxing match. He isknocked out in the first round and that event confirms what he alreadyknows, that his boxing career is not progressing well. His life takes anunexpected turn when he falls for a nightclub dancer. .The boxing match scenes may be the most beautifully filmed and mostvisceral of any film I seen except `Raging Bull.'`Killer's Kiss' is different from other Kubrick films because of the lovestory. I feel that there is more expression of human emotion than what Isaw in `Full Metal Jacket' and `2001: A Space Odyssey,' though I consider`2001' to be Stanley's best film. Many of Stanley Kubrick's films demonstrate hope in the end. `Full MetalJacket' ends with the soldiers singing the Mickey Mouse song and `Paths ToGlory' has an uplifting ending. `2001: A Space Odyssey', ends with theastronaut's--man's rebirth. I love the fact that this film is only 1 hourand 7 minutesThis is a very good film and I highly recommend it. I rate it a 9 out of 10.