Not
only is director Robert Aldrich’s KISS ME DEADLY ($20) a marvelous
screen adaptation of the Mickey Spillane novel, it a classic film noir
that has become even more powerful, now that the studio has unearthed
the movie’s original ending, which was too graphic for audiences back
in 1955. Ralph Meeker stars as detective Mike Hammer, who is accidentally
drawn into the strangest case of his career. While driving on a darkened
stretch of road, Hammer picks up a desperate, hitchhiking Christina Bailey
(Cloris Leachman), who leaps out in front of his car to get his attention.
It’s obvious from the moment that Christina gets in the car, that she
is in some kind of trouble and on the run. Unfortunately, the parties
chasing Christina catch up with her and Hammer. After torturing her to
death, she and an unconscious Hammer are placed back into his car and
run off an embankment. Somehow, Hammer manages to survive his "accident"
and goes in search whoever killed Christina and tried to killed him. Hammer’s
investigation runs him afoul of both government authorities and the criminal
element, leaving him on his own to solve one of the most lethal mysteries
any private detective has ever faced.
Director
Aldrich effectively brings to life the gritty, violent world of Mike Hammer,
as well maintaining a continuous sense of tension throughout the film.
Additionally, KISS ME DEADLY is a pretty fast paced movie that
benefits from tight editing, especially during the more action-oriented
moments. Much of the dialogue has a tough, pulp fiction quality, which
the actors manage to bring off without sounding awkward or ridiculous.
The cast of KISS ME DEADLY also includes Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart,
Juano Hernandez, Wesley Addy, Maxine Cooper, Strother Martin, Nick Dennis,
Gaby Rodgers, Nick Dennis and Jack Elam.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made the restored version of KISS ME DEADLY
in a 1.66:1 wide screen presentation that has NOT been enhanced for playback
on 16:9 displays. Despite not being enhanced, the black and white transfer
is very nice. The image on the DVD is relatively clean, sharp and well
defined. Blacks are solid and deep, plus the picture provides very good
contrast and very stable whites. Shadow detail is quite good for a film
of this vintage and the image produces a very good sense of depth. The
film element used for the transfer is very clean, displaying very few
blemishes. There is a fair amount of film grain present throughout the
course of the movie, but it adds to the grittiness of the film’s atmosphere.
Digital compression artifacts remain out of sight during the film’s entire
running time.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is very clean sounding, reproducing
without any hiss or audible distortion. Dialogue is clean and completely
intelligible, plus the actors’ voices maintain a pronounced sense of character.
Despite a lack of directionality, the sound effects are pretty convincing.
The film’s jazzy score by Frank De Vol sounds pretty good and reproduces
with decent monaural fidelity. French and Spanish subtitles are encoded
onto the DVD. The basic interactive menus provide access to the standard
scene selection and set up features, as well a theatrical trailer and
the film’s cut down theatrical ending.
KISS
ME DEADLY is classic film noir that belongs in the collections of
all genre fans and film buffs. Despite the lack of the 16:9 enhancement,
MGM’s presentation is pretty satisfying.
Not
only is director Robert Aldrich’s KISS ME DEADLY ($20) a marvelous
screen adaptation of the Mickey Spillane novel, it a classic film noir
that has become even more powerful, now that the studio has unearthed
the movie’s original ending, which was too graphic for audiences back
in 1955. Ralph Meeker stars as detective Mike Hammer, who is accidentally
drawn into the strangest case of his career. While driving on a darkened
stretch of road, Hammer picks up a desperate, hitchhiking Christina Bailey
(Cloris Leachman), who leaps out in front of his car to get his attention.
It’s obvious from the moment that Christina gets in the car, that she
is in some kind of trouble and on the run. Unfortunately, the parties
chasing Christina catch up with her and Hammer. After torturing her to
death, she and an unconscious Hammer are placed back into his car and
run off an embankment. Somehow, Hammer manages to survive his "accident"
and goes in search whoever killed Christina and tried to killed him. Hammer’s
investigation runs him afoul of both government authorities and the criminal
element, leaving him on his own to solve one of the most lethal mysteries
any private detective has ever faced.
Director
Aldrich effectively brings to life the gritty, violent world of Mike Hammer,
as well maintaining a continuous sense of tension throughout the film.
Additionally, KISS ME DEADLY is a pretty fast paced movie that
benefits from tight editing, especially during the more action-oriented
moments. Much of the dialogue has a tough, pulp fiction quality, which
the actors manage to bring off without sounding awkward or ridiculous.
The cast of KISS ME DEADLY also includes Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart,
Juano Hernandez, Wesley Addy, Maxine Cooper, Strother Martin, Nick Dennis,
Gaby Rodgers, Nick Dennis and Jack Elam.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made the restored version of KISS ME DEADLY
in a 1.66:1 wide screen presentation that has NOT been enhanced for playback
on 16:9 displays. Despite not being enhanced, the black and white transfer
is very nice. The image on the DVD is relatively clean, sharp and well
defined. Blacks are solid and deep, plus the picture provides very good
contrast and very stable whites. Shadow detail is quite good for a film
of this vintage and the image produces a very good sense of depth. The
film element used for the transfer is very clean, displaying very few
blemishes. There is a fair amount of film grain present throughout the
course of the movie, but it adds to the grittiness of the film’s atmosphere.
Digital compression artifacts remain out of sight during the film’s entire
running time.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is very clean sounding, reproducing
without any hiss or audible distortion. Dialogue is clean and completely
intelligible, plus the actors’ voices maintain a pronounced sense of character.
Despite a lack of directionality, the sound effects are pretty convincing.
The film’s jazzy score by Frank De Vol sounds pretty good and reproduces
with decent monaural fidelity. French and Spanish subtitles are encoded
onto the DVD. The basic interactive menus provide access to the standard
scene selection and set up features, as well a theatrical trailer and
the film’s cut down theatrical ending.
KISS
ME DEADLY is classic film noir that belongs in the collections of
all genre fans and film buffs. Despite the lack of the 16:9 enhancement,
MGM’s presentation is pretty satisfying.