A few words about…™ – Killer’s Kiss — in 4k UHD

”Her Soft Mouth Was the Road to Sin-Smeared Violence!”



IMHO, Killer’s Kiss is an odd selection for 4k.

Extremely low-budget, shot and directed by a 27 year-old ex-Look Magazine photographer, who does a nice job here, especially shooting the underbelly of New York City.

Capable noir, with a couple of very nicely set up and directed sequences, but it’s still what it was in 1955 – a second feature on a practice run toward a hopeful career.

Three shorts and another feature (Fear and Desire – 1953) coming from Kino had be previously released.

All noted, I’m not certain that this needed to be in 4k, although the blacks presumably take on a nice shine. Scan was OCN.

Very respectful of Kino, who should receive kudos.

Image – 5 (Dolby Vision)

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors – Just fine

Makes use of and works well in 4k – 3.5

Recommended

RAH

Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.

His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.

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seangood79

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Criterion doesn't say what film element was used, just “Restored high-definition digital transfer…”

You may be thinking of The Killing.
Criterion didn’t release Killer’s Kiss.

Edit: my mistake. It’s a special feature on The Killing Blu Ray.
So if you want a stand-alone version, go for it.
 

JoshZ

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Criterion doesn't say what film element was used, just “Restored high-definition digital transfer…”

I guess that's what I'm asking. How do they compare?

As a Kubrick fan, I like having this movie for academic and completist purposes, but it's not one I feel the need to own multiple copies of for what may be a small to negligible improvement.
 

Paul Penna

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Criterion doesn't say what film element was used, just “Restored high-definition digital transfer…”

I guess that's what I'm asking. How do they compare?

As a Kubrick fan, I like having this movie for academic and completist purposes, but it's not one I feel the need to own multiple copies of for what may be a small to negligible improvement.
I point that out because Robert Harris says the Kino is from the original camera negative. If we knew what Criterion used that would provide a useful hint.
 

mackjay

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Jay
I was quite impressed by the look of KILLER'S KISS on the Criterion. I'd only seen the film once before, but it looked to me about as good as a film of its type would look. In fact, it was the deciding factor in upgrading my DVD copy of THE KILLING. A value-added release from Criterion for sure.
 

FWAJMB

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Jason Blosser
In the future, movies will be sold on a small shard of clear silicon, so until then, let everything be 4K and phase out VHS altogether. On the other hand, I'm still explaining the black bars to my grandmother.
 

Chewbabka

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Joe
In the future, movies will be sold on a small shard of clear silicon, so until then, let everything be 4K and phase out VHS altogether. On the other hand, I'm still explaining the black bars to my grandmother.

I was recently asked by family who had put in an old pan-and-scan DVD to “fix it”
 

Patrick McCart

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While I would have expected Kino to make this and The Killing a double feature like Criterion did (only 2 1/2 hours combined), this is still an important entry in Kubrick's filmography. He was wise to make his second self-financed feature in his neighborhood instead of out in the wilderness. It's an incredibly photographed film given the threadbare budget he worked with. A lot of the nighttime shots were used in one of TCM's interstitals - the shot that stands out is the man in the ticket booth.
 

marshman1138

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If one already has the Criterion Blu-ray, I presume there's not much point in "upgrading"?
Well, there is a new commentary track. Glenn Erickson says: "The smooth and authoritative audio commentary is contributed by Imogen Sara Smith. It’s a clean track that discusses the expected issues and concentrates on a visual analysis. It’s level-headed too, avoiding the deification of Kubrick that sometimes crops up in critical pieces."
 

sbjork

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Stephen
I watched it over the weekend, and thought that it looked lovely. I do think that the contrast is a tick better, and the grain is managed better in 4K. Worth an upgrade? Up to you. It was to me.
 
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