SPECIAL SCREENINGS - RETRO FILMS
CLOSING NIGHT RETRO

Sunday, April 17, 2005 at 9:30 at Enzian Theater
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USA, 1955, 106 MIN
DIRECTED BY ROBERT ALDRICH
50TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING, RESTORED 35MM PRINT

Reviled by critics for its brutality and condemned by author Mickey Spillane as a corruption, KISS ME DEADLY now is celebrated as a true classic of cinema—the quintessential film noir, catalyst for the French New Wave, and ultimate embodiment of atom-age nihilism. Ralph Meeker delivers a powerhouse performance as Mike Hammer, private detective, barreling through a maelstrom of death and deception after the murder of a hitchhiker. The precious few clues tell him far less than the terrified silence of his leads, and Hammer finds himself desperately in over his head, pursuing something even he does not comprehend. Nymphomaniacs, switchblades, and a blackmailing morgue attendant are just a few of the obstacles in Hammer’s quest for “the Great Whatsit” - a quest with a devastating coda. Featuring a haunting theme by Nat King Cole, a surprisingly sexy turn by a young Cloris Leachman, and a plot device that spawned countless imitators like Repo Man and Pulp Fiction, the simultaneously historic and timeless KISS ME DEADLY represents an unflinching masterpiece. On its 50th anniversary, we are thrilled to present its fully restored form, including the apocalyptic ending deleted for the original release and thought lost for years.