1) One of the first films to portray the hero as the villain/ladykiller
2) Cloris Leachman's film debut
3) One of the most diabolical films ever made, with the one of the most twisted endings in film history.
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By Harv May 19, 2011 02:24 PM
1) The twisted grin on Hammer's face when he slams the drawer on the doctor's hand.
2) Hammer's hilariously complex mid-50s answering machine.
3) The opening credits crawl, with music by Nat "King" Cole.
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By Dylan Skolnick May 19, 2011 02:29 PM
1) The opening credits run backwards.
2) Shortest fight scene in movie history.
3) Subversively undermines the legend of Mike Hammer, one of the icon of 1950s America.
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By Fred Muratori May 19, 2011 02:30 PM
1) Albert Dekker reprises his role as Dr. Cyclops.
2) Nick the mechanic is so annoying you don't mind when he gets killed.
3) Who wouldn't love a secretary named Velda?
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By Laurence Staig May 19, 2011 02:33 PM
I teach a Great Movies of all Time Film Course in the UK. This one is always on the list. Darkest Film Noir I know and i think a significant influence on David Lynch's Lost Highway.
Opening credits go backwards
Pandora's Box opening scene is sensational
Sexiest blond with a gun finale in any film
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By Erich Kuersten May 19, 2011 02:48 PM
1. One of the first of the 'existentialist' noirs - regularly hinting that the protagonist is already dead, but has come back 'like Lazarus'
2. Mike's sadistic treatment of informants and witnesses
3. Strangely asexual blonde girl crew cuts.
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By alan fair May 19, 2011 04:41 PM
many, many more than three, but here goes.
1. the surreal, fortuitous juxtaposition of incongruous objects, or in this case incongruous cultural snapshots; opera & horse racing, ballet & jazz, cubism & romaniticism.
2. The deconstruction of the classical Hollywood space.
3. Sex as casual eroticism, not realised as perfectly since the silent era.
I wonder, do people realise how great Aldrich was, so great that we even forgive his lesser works.
By the way when are Criterion going to release his last great masterpiece, 'Hustle', I will gladly write a valedictory essay.
Peace
Alan
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By Christopher Sharrett May 19, 2011 05:44 PM
1. Scottie Ferguson and Mike Hammer (in KMD): the two most perverse heroes in film history.
2. Hypermasculinity as signifier of the apocalypse
3. The American male as enemy of culture.
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By Scott May 19, 2011 05:48 PM
1) The opening sequence with Cloris Leachman in nothing but an overcoat and Mike in his sports car out in the desert.
2) Mike's sadistic delight in inflicting violence.
3) The Sci Fi ending. One of the best ever.
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By J. D. Blaine May 20, 2011 10:35 AM
1) Paul Stewart as the charming host with the dead eyes.
2) Aldrich's gruesome & disturbing torture scene (that shows virtually nothing)
3) Ralph Meeker, Ralph Meeker & oh yeah, Ralph Meeker
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By J.D. Blaine May 20, 2011 11:06 AM
1) Radioactive Mcguffin
2) ANY movie with A Strother Martin cameo
3) Unapologetic assertion that all REAL men like new gadgets, cool cars & sexy dames. (did Ralph Meeker make it on the list yet?)
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By Tish Grier June 14, 2011 04:13 PM
1. Chloris Leachman (who could have predicted she'd become Phyllis Lindstrom?)
2. Jack Elam (before he became a ubiquitous cowboy movie heavy.)
3. Ralph Meeker (whatever happened to Ralph Meeker anyway? oh, yeah, and the best Mike Hammer ever on film. Stacey Keach and Armand Assante cannot hold a candle to Meeker.)
Kiss Me Deadly is also a strange combination of sci-fi and detective noir--given the whatsit and the ending. It's certainly not the way the book ended, but for 1955, the sci-fi style ending sets it as a crossover genre film. When would be the next time we see a sci-fi film noir to this level? Maybe Blade Runner....then again, Harrison Ford gets more beat up than doing the beating. And here, Meeker is the one dosing out the beat downs!
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By Jeff Socorso June 14, 2011 04:37 PM
I always like spotting Wesley Addy in Aldrich's films.
Ralph Meeker is hot, incredible, and under appreciated. Same year as KMD, he was hot and heartbreaking in Revenge, the #1 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. A few years later, he did it again in Something Wild.
Robert Aldrich
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By HCBeck June 15, 2011 12:01 AM
1. The hard-boiled textbook post-war private dick as a clueless thug--brutal and strangely asexual in spite of all the (likewise clueless) female attention. As mocking of that incredibly popular literary subgenre as any satire could hope to be.
2. The entire encapsulation of post-war nuclear fear/horror in a growling box. No comic book could have done it better.
3. Aldrich demanding and receiving contractual control over the project, especially considering it was based on a best seller.
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By Jenny August 16, 2011 08:36 AM
1. Ralph Meeker dripping with Testosterone. YUM!!!!
2. Great dialogue..........this film hasn't really dated...its's amazing.
Ralph is AMAZING.
3. The setting, the cars, the girls,throwing themselves out our anti-hero, and the
always GORGEOUS Mr RALPH MEEKER!
In answer to an above question he "disappeared" to TV anthology programs, and TV Movies in the latter part of his career.
Why this "Honey" of a guy didnt become a so called "A" list actor...is beyond me...maybe it was by design,,who knows.
Maybe he was a "Maverick" who just wanted to do his own thing..apparently he Knocked back a big Studio contract cause he didnt want to be "shackled" to them.
Unfortunately he lost out on the movie "Picnic" as Hal Carter who he did so successfully on stage. SIGH................SIgh.......and more ....resigned sighing...LOL!
“Speaking as a fellow Adam, you, sir, make me ashamed to share the same name. Obviously another pretentious contrarian. What's the matter, more than 500 people know who PTA is, so you don't like him . . .”
“Thanks, Vincent.
I saw this film for the first time, actually, and I thought it was very eerie, haunting, and chilling. It's like a slasher film without the slashing, a horror movie without the . . .”
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