Noirtini Hour: Kiss Me Deadly

Film Noir Meet-Up: Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Let’s talk about movies! Join movie club member Jenna M. for Kiss Me Deadly, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in their feature film debuts. The film follows a private detective in Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in a complex mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker.

Here’s how The Portland Movie Club meet-ups work:
Just like a book club, we watch the movie on our own time before we meet. We'll meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm on the scheduled date. We'll typically have a sign at our table(s) and try to be obvious and identifiable.
Grab some food and drinks to support our generous hosts and spend some time socializing and discussing this movie with us.

A Few Notes about the film:
Kiss Me Deadly was directed by Robert Aldrich and released in 1955. The screenplay by A. I. Bezzerides was based on the novel by Mickey Spillane featuring hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. Filmed in stark black & white, the movie pushed film noir into darker, more violent territory, blending classic detective fiction with Cold War paranoia and apocalyptic themes. Its jagged editing, nightmarish atmosphere, and famous glowing suitcase mystery made it one of the most unconventional noirs of the 1950s. Though controversial upon release for its brutality and cynicism, the film has since become recognized as one of the most influential and daring entries in the genre.

Viewing Options for the film:
This film is a little harder to find, with Movie Madness having three copies available for rent, one copy at MultCo. public library, and on Archive.org: Kiss Me Deadly (1955) : Internet Archive. If anyone knows of any other streaming/viewing options, please comment on the event.

About the Film Noir group:
This meetup explores classic and neo-noir films, focusing on shadowy visuals, morally gray characters, doomed romances, and crime stories where nobody’s hands are clean. We’ll watch a mix of essential noirs and modern films inspired by the genre, paying attention to themes like fate, corruption, obsession, and alienation. These films often deal with violence, crime, and heavy subject matter, so content can be intense at times; checking a site like www.doesthedogdie.com is encouraged if you prefer content warnings.

Tips:
Once again, we do not watch the movie at the meet-up. All members watch the movie on their own time before we meet to discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you do.
Some people like to take notes or find books and articles related to the film and its subject matter, feel free to bring those things along if there's something you'd like to share with the group.
At the end of the discussion we'll pass around a ballot where we can vote on a slate of options for the next discussion.

Films previously discussed in the Film Noir group:
Gun Crazy, Dial M for Murder, Sudden Fear, The Maltese Falcon.

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