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The Killing (1956) Stanley Kubrick's classic noir stars Sterling Hayden as Johnny Clay. An ex criminal who devises a scheme to become $2m richer with a daring robbery at a race track...during the 7th race. Unfortunately he should never have told Sherry (Marie Windsor), a tough talking dame who also intends to become a couple of million richer. I love films like this. The idea of Hayden coming up with the plan and getting a crew together then meticulously planning every detail, it's film noir heaven to me and it's a theme that was duplicated so brilliantly in the 1960 British classic The League of Gentlemen, which proves an even better film than this in my opinion. The first half an hour i found a little too talky and slightly uninvolving. Naturally we get to meet all of the characters including Elisha Cook jr's betting office clerk, but it's via this talky opening that everything clicks into place during the second half of the film. Kubrick also wrote the screenplay and where he perhaps fails dialogue wise he certainly makes up for in the action and suspense department. It's that second half which makes The Killing the classic it is. Tightly plotted, and directed with flair to create a gripping scenario which plays out precisely as planned... or does it. The Killing is an excellent noir thriller. Highly recommended. |
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The films of his i like, i really do like. I haven't seen all of his work but after a quick scan there's only The Shining and 2001 i don't like. I've yet to see Lolita, Barry Lyndon and Killers Kiss. |
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Me neither, I've not seen many of his films, and only own his attempt at adapting a great Stephen King novel without bothering to read it first
__________________ If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast and I need you guys to act fast if you wanna get out of this. So, pretty please... with sugar on top. Clean the ****ing car! |
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A clockwork orange is the exception, that film is just glorious.
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Don't get me wrong, I love The Shining, great film, but it always bugs me how unlike the source material it is, it's basically a film about Jack Nicholson going crazy, so a Jack Nicholson film then
__________________ If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast and I need you guys to act fast if you wanna get out of this. So, pretty please... with sugar on top. Clean the ****ing car! |
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Eyes of a Stranger. A serial rapist-killer is stalking the streets, and a TV journalist obsessed over the safety of her disabled younger sister (a young Jennifer Jason Leigh in her movie debut!) becomes convinced that the bloke living just opposite from her is the lunatic. This early 80s suspense thriller is fairly well made and acted, and has a very intense climax, but was marred slightly just by the sheer unhinged stupidity of the lead character. She has a fairly reasonable reason to be suspicious, though not entirely certain, of this man, but rather than calling the police and leaving a tip, she starts breaking into his apartment and then harassing him over the telephone, while leaving a gigantic clue as to her identity. She practically INVITES the killer's attention onto her and her sister and I was just sat there shaking my head and doing my best Rene-from-'Allo-'Allo impression: "You stoopid wo-man!" |
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I agree mate, i love the book and weirdly im re-reading the new copy i got for christmas, lots of importnat stuff is missing. It is basically a kubrick movie about jack nicholson.
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