Review of The Killing (1956) by Adam L — 26 Jun 2010

Oh how I missed noir, not since my viewing of Double Indemnity had I delved into the dark world of the '40s and '50s so I was ready for some anti-heroes and shady situations. The Killing not only stimulated my thirst for the classics, but gave me one of my favorite classics I have seen in a while. It is quite simply, 84 minutes of perfection.

The film is taut, the short run time may discourage some viewers but I can assure you it is on purpose. The film is meant to be fast and brutal, with nary a moment to slow down or kill the tension. The film has an omniscient narrator (who is more of an announcer) who gives you the time and the situation happening on screen. You may think that this insults your intelligence like "Why do I need some fast-talker to give me the gist of what's happening? I can figure it out myself." The announcer is necessary, or you would lose track of what's happening or who's doing what. This is because the film is scattershot, with scenes jumping between different times throughout. That is just what you would expect from Kubrick, the non-linear storytelling really showcases Kubrick's trademark filmmaking this early in his career.

The film itself is a lot like Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. A heist with a band of colorful and equally useful thieves who essentially are going to pull off the perfect crime: a 2 million dollar heist from a racetrack at the height of the seventh race. Career criminal Johnny( played by the crooked cop who breaks michael's arm in The Godfather) leads this band of unlikely criminals who range from timid racetrack clerks, to soviet professional wrestlers. The film is never dull leading up to the heist but when the whole plan comes together and put into motion, it really picks up. The intense theft sequence where every quick preparatory scene is put into the puzzle is thrilling and intense with insane music blaring maniacally in the backround. It was a moment of classic noir, with Stanley Kubrick's trademark touch to propel it to perfection. The best part was, that wasn't even the climax.

What happens after the perfect crime is a little less fast-paced and a lot closer to the film's noir heart. It was random and a little far-fetched but the ultimate downfall of the "heroes" was true to Kubrick's style. Overall, I would say that The Killing is one of the best noir movies I have ever seen. It was much faster than others and had the unmatchable talent of Stanley Kubrick to propel it to perfection.