Saturday night film noir

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

On TCM. Ralph Meeker plays Mike Hammer in Kiss Me Deadly. He was so good in the part. He certainly had a way about him, Ralph!

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@Judaline Synopsis?

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@Mz iMac wrote:
@Judaline Synopsis?

Oh, sorry. Well, let's see, what can I tell you. Mickey Spillane wrote it and that should tell you a lot. Mike Hammer is a private eye. He's always chasing bad guys. There's always a dame involved. It's fun watching it all happen.

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

Product Description

In this atomic adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s novel, directed by Robert Aldrich (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Dirty Dozen), the good manners of the 1950s are blown to smithereens. Ralph Meeker (Paths of Glory, The Dirty Dozen) stars as snarling private ****** Mike Hammer, whose decision one dark, lonely night to pick up a hitchhiking woman sends him down some terrifying byways. Brazen and bleak, Kiss Me Deadly is a film noir masterpiece as well as an essential piece of cold war paranoia, and it features as nervy an ending as has ever been seen in American cinema.

Additional Features

The grimy, none-more-black end of film noir, Robert Aldrich's 1955 masterwork has never looked better, courtesy of a fantastic new Criterion transfer that burrows even further into the dark. (Best visual reveal: the wild, Woody Woodpeckerish jut of hair at the back of Ralph Meeker's head, somehow signifying both the movie's New Wave futuristic vibe, and a hint that the hero's not quite as well put together as he imagines.) Although the main draw for fans might be the inclusion of the recently discovered (and even more apocalyptic) original ending, the disc also sports an extremely informative, slightly dry commentary by Aldrich scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, as well as a too-brief appreciation by devout fan Alex Cox, whose Repo Man lifts one of the earlier movie's most indelible images. Most fascinating, however, are a pair of documentaries about author Mickey Spillane and screenwriter A.I. Bezzerides, two crusty guys from the streets who make no effort to hide their absolute disdain for the other's work. Watching these two immovable objects ram against each other only makes the film's unsettlingly unstable fission even more magnificent. Absolute 3-D pow, as one of the characters says.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

Oh, great, I've been waiting for this to come back on, @Judaline , thanks! Agreed, Ralph Meeker is explosively (no pun intended) good in this....

That opening scene, with young Cloris Leachman, running barefoot down a California highway, and getting picked up in his racy car by tough guy detective Ralph Meeker--- fab!

It's gritty and hard to take in parts, but as @SharkE's summary suggests, it's one of the best examples of bleak, post-atomic noir. Yet, it's so stylishly done, it doesn't feel that bleak when you're watching it-- only afterwards when you think about it! I love Ralph Meeker in anything, and I also really like Mike Hammer's secretary in this, the athletic "Velda".

I think you'd love it, @Mz iMac .

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@SharkE wrote:
Product Description
In this atomic adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s novel, directed by Robert Aldrich (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Dirty Dozen), the good manners of the 1950s are blown to smithereens. Ralph Meeker (Paths of Glory, The Dirty Dozen) stars as snarling private ****** Mike Hammer, whose decision one dark, lonely night to pick up a hitchhiking woman sends him down some terrifying byways. Brazen and bleak, Kiss Me Deadly is a film noir masterpiece as well as an essential piece of cold war paranoia, and it features as nervy an ending as has ever been seen in American cinema.
Additional Features
The grimy, none-more-black end of film noir, Robert Aldrich's 1955 masterwork has never looked better, courtesy of a fantastic new Criterion transfer that burrows even further into the dark. (Best visual reveal: the wild, Woody Woodpeckerish jut of hair at the back of Ralph Meeker's head, somehow signifying both the movie's New Wave futuristic vibe, and a hint that the hero's not quite as well put together as he imagines.) Although the main draw for fans might be the inclusion of the recently discovered (and even more apocalyptic) original ending, the disc also sports an extremely informative, slightly dry commentary by Aldrich scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, as well as a too-brief appreciation by devout fan Alex Cox, whose Repo Man lifts one of the earlier movie's most indelible images. Most fascinating, however, are a pair of documentaries about author Mickey Spillane and screenwriter A.I. Bezzerides, two crusty guys from the streets who make no effort to hide their absolute disdain for the other's work. Watching these two immovable objects ram against each other only makes the film's unsettlingly unstable fission even more magnificent. Absolute 3-D pow, as one of the characters says.

Oh, well, if you're gonna nitpick!

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@Judaline wrote:
@SharkE wrote:
Product Description
In this atomic adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s novel, directed by Robert Aldrich (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Dirty Dozen), the good manners of the 1950s are blown to smithereens. Ralph Meeker (Paths of Glory, The Dirty Dozen) stars as snarling private ****** Mike Hammer, whose decision one dark, lonely night to pick up a hitchhiking woman sends him down some terrifying byways. Brazen and bleak, Kiss Me Deadly is a film noir masterpiece as well as an essential piece of cold war paranoia, and it features as nervy an ending as has ever been seen in American cinema.
Additional Features
The grimy, none-more-black end of film noir, Robert Aldrich's 1955 masterwork has never looked better, courtesy of a fantastic new Criterion transfer that burrows even further into the dark. (Best visual reveal: the wild, Woody Woodpeckerish jut of hair at the back of Ralph Meeker's head, somehow signifying both the movie's New Wave futuristic vibe, and a hint that the hero's not quite as well put together as he imagines.) Although the main draw for fans might be the inclusion of the recently discovered (and even more apocalyptic) original ending, the disc also sports an extremely informative, slightly dry commentary by Aldrich scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, as well as a too-brief appreciation by devout fan Alex Cox, whose Repo Man lifts one of the earlier movie's most indelible images. Most fascinating, however, are a pair of documentaries about author Mickey Spillane and screenwriter A.I. Bezzerides, two crusty guys from the streets who make no effort to hide their absolute disdain for the other's work. Watching these two immovable objects ram against each other only makes the film's unsettlingly unstable fission even more magnificent. Absolute 3-D pow, as one of the characters says.
Oh, well, if you're gonna nitpick!

ETA: @SharkE Hope you know I'm kidding! lol

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

I didn't know for sure, but, kept mouth shut. @Judaline

Glad you cleared it up. Oznell always does pics and a preview when she suggests something. Thought I'd get on her coattails. LOL

Only got a couple in here that I put on notice not here in Tv, but, elsewhere. Told them stay away from me and I wouldn't be talking to them and to leave me alone. For the most part it worked. I ignore them if they try to poke a stick in my eye. ROFL

They're not getting me banned I can do that by myself. LOL

Besides I'm in good mood my new van is out of the body shop (stupid husband says he couldn't help it to avoid hitting a load of brush that fell off a wagon and had to drive thru it) tore up my front fender and lop sided a piece underneath the drivers headlight. We paid 500 deductible and let the Insurance worry about the rest of it (2,000)

Then, got my new gold bracelet that is a b'day (12-23) and Xmas present before the stores close down again. Not taking any chances.

LOL Even went out to a swank restaurant because I thought they might get closed before my holiday b'day date. It's not as swank !

Thanks to Covid, the crystal stemware, fine china, sterling silver flatware, fancy tablecloth and center piece has been replaced by paper sheets on a cheap tablecloth. I still got gussied up nice to go some place upscale even though the upscale has been down scaled. LOL

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@SharkE Your post had me laughing and thinking boy, that girl thinks like I do! Going to your favorite restaurant before they close it down, and the gold bracelet, haha. I'd do the same thing! About your van and your husband and his excuse, that's what they all say. And just so you know, LOL.