Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Kiss Me Deadly Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 28, 2013

Robert Aldrich's "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Carlotta Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video conversation with director/writer/producer Larry Cohen; video interview with film critic and writer Philippe Rouyer; and the truncated ending of the film. In English, with optional French subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Who are you?

Private eye Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker, Paths of Glory, The Dirty Dozen) picks up a hysterical hitchhiker, Christina (Cloris Leachman, America Lost and Found: The BBS Story), wearing nothing but a trenchcoat, who begs him to remember her if anything bad should happen to her. Shortly after, she is killed and he is beaten unconscious.

When Hammer wakes up, someone gives him a brand new car, with a carefully planted bomb, and then one of his best friends, Nick (Nick Dennis, The Iron Mistress, Top of the World), dies. Meanwhile, the FBI launches an investigation, and Mike's secretary, Velda (Maxine Cooper, Autumn Leaves), disappears. Seriously depressed and infuriated, Hammer vows to get Christina's killer and punish him.

Robert Aldrich's legendary Kiss Me Deadly is in a league of its own. It is dark and violent but also incredibly bizarre, reaching surprisingly far film that must have confused a lot of people when it was first screened in 1955. It has most of the key ingredients classic noir films are known for but it uses them in a way that is truly original.

The film has little sympathy for those who may have difficult time understanding everything that takes place in it. Names fly off and locations change at an incredible pace. Details are important but there are absolutely no hints where to look for the crucial ones.

The film also oozes nihilism. The main protagonist is smooth and good looking but shockingly mean and violent - so much so that it is impossible to like him, or his friends, or even their friends. He hurts old people and treats women as if they are milk cartons. Unsurprisingly, when he gets kicked around, it just feels right.

On top of all this, the plot also veers off in a direction that changes the entire complexion of the film - to a point where it is actually difficult to regard it as pure noir. In other words, instead of linking and binding together its scattered pieces, the finale throws everything in the air. And with a bang.

Kiss Me Deadly is, without a shadow of a doubt, a product of its time. It is a paranoid film with paranoid characters, existing in a world within a world. Like the politicians from the Cold War era, they are driven by questionable ideals, impossible to trust. Unsurprisingly, Aldrich isn't kind to any of them.

This rather strange attitude, however, is what makes the film so fascinating to behold - it is never politically correct and always unpredictable. It is the type of anarchic film that demands respect for everything it shows - and gets it because it does everything with an impeccable style.

The cast here is exceptional. Ralph Meeker is terrific as the tough private eye, looking good but never enough to trust him. Lily Carver, playing a mysterious femme fatale, and Albert Dekker, playing a creepy doctor with a plan, also impress. The elegant Maxine Cooper does not disappoint as the naive secretary-mistress either.

Cinematographer Ernest Laszlo's lensing is legendary. The opening sequence, for instance, which sets the tone for the entire film, and then the shocking finale, which was copied by Steven Spielberg in Raiders of the Lost Ark, are absolutely brilliant.

Note: In 1999, Kiss Me Deadly won the National Film Registry Award and was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Kiss Me Deadly Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Robert Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Carlotta Films.

The basic characteristics of the high-definition transfer are virtually identical to those of the high-definition transfer Criterion used for their Blu-ray release of Robert Aldrich's film in the United States. There are dramatic improvements in every single area we typically address in our reviews, from definition and clarity to image depth to contrast stability to color saturation. Furthermore, there are absolutely no traces of sharpening corrections. Also, where possible, dirt, noise and flicker have been carefully removed to give the film a very solid and very pleasing organic look. Finally, there are no serious stability issues. Also, there are no large damage marks, cuts, debris, scratches, or stains to report in this review. To sum it all up, this is a competent and very pleasing technical presentation that allows one to experience Kiss Me Deadly in an entirely new way. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Kiss Me Deadly Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. For the record, Carlotta Films have provided optional French subtitles for the main feature.

The lossless English track has plenty of depth. Dynamic intensity is also satisfying. The dialog is stable and very easy to follow, but some mild background hiss occasionally sneaks in. You don't have to be worried, however, as it never becomes distracting. For the record, there are no pops, cracks, audio dropouts, or distortions to report in this review.

Kiss Me Deadly Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Desintegration - in this featurette, French film critic and writer Philippe Rouyer (Initiation au cin�ma, Le cin�ma gore : une esth�tique du sang) discusses Kiss Me Deadly and Robert Aldrich's directing style. The featurette was produced by Allerton Films. In French, not subtitled. (23 min, 1080p).

• Mike Hammer, l'homme aux mille visages - in The Many Faces of Mike Hammer, director/writer/producer Larry Cohen (The Stuff, Maniac Cop/Maniac Cop 2) discusses the life and legacy of Robert Aldrich. The featurette was produced by Fiction Factory. In English, with optional French subtitles. (28 min).

• Fin controversee - the truncated ending of the film (the missing shots were reinstated in 1997). In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Bande-annonce - original trailer for Robert Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly. In English, with optional French subtitles. (3 min).

Kiss Me Deadly Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is yet another very solid release from French label Carlotta Films. It is a terrific alternative for fans of Robert Aldrich's masterpiece Kiss Me Deadly residing in Region-B territories. As far as I know, outside of North America it is the only Blu-ray release of the film. I would also like to mention that the release comes with a very good new video interview with director/writer/producer Larry Cohen. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.