Monday, September 24, 2007

The Naked Kiss (1964, Samuel Fuller)


This is the third film that I have seen from Samuel Fuller and I am once again completely blown away by him. I can now see why so many directors have named him as an influence and why he is considered to be ahead of his time.

The Naked Kiss is an odd one to write about. Is it camp? Is it trashy? Is it noir? Is it pulp? Is is melodrama? It's been a couple of days since I have seen it and I still don't know. It's all of the above and much more.

The Naked Kiss starts off with this great scene...



Perfection.

After this scene the film picks up a couple of years later where the prostitute in that intro is trying to live a normal life in a nice little town. It doesn't take long before she starts to find out that everything is not as perfect as it seems. If this wasn't enough, the film then spirals into a nightmarish murder mystery that touches on pedophilia in a way that disturbs and haunts more than it scandalizes and exploits. The scene where this all comes together is one of the most memorable and eerie things I have ever seen in a film.

The entire film is something to be in awe of. It's truly a one of a kind film that is in its own odd genre which doesn't even exist. The film is just in the dark world of Samuel Fuller. It's the kind of world that can only be captured and exist on film.

Check this one out if you are a fan of Blue Velvet. I can see why there are so many comparisons between the two film. They would serve as a great double feature of a nightmarish view of the suburbs.

- A

1 comment:

MovieDan82 said...

It's just Fuller fucking with the man.