Reviews

Kubrick's approach to The Killing is methodical and one can say, distant, as we see all the preparations for the heist.

Johnny Clay has been sprung from prison after five years and has put together a plan to rob $2,000,000 from a racetrack.

This early Stanley Kubrick effort may be the best "best laid plans" noir I've seen.

The film oozes with film noir style and he populates the film with memorable characters.

Just a week ago I watched John Huston's 1950 film noir The Asphalt Jungle, a film that The Killing (1956) strongly resembles.

As befitting a film that trades on intensity, the film keeps things nice and short (clocking in at a lean 85 minutes), which is definitely helped by Kubrick's very utilitarian direction.

When the heist actually takes place Kubrick does a great job of turning up the intensity of the film and ensuring that each shot is done correctly to match the seemingly immaculate plan of Johnny.