A taut, fatalistic film noir where meticulously synchronized ambition crumbles under the weight of human frailty. Like a perfectly wound clock designed only to shatter, the flawless crime dissolves into a whirlwind of scattered bills and inescapable irony.
The Killing
"In all its fury and violence..."
Director:
Stanley Kubrick
Cast:
Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Ted de Corsia
Crime
Thriller
Budget:
$320,000
The Killing - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Lenny Bruce Poster
As Johnny leaves the store after purchasing the fateful cheap suitcase, an advertising poster on the wall just beyond his car promotes a burlesque show featuring a then-unknown comedian named Lenny Bruce.
Stanley K. the Racehorse
During the race where the characters gather for a meeting, one of the horses running is named "Stanley K" as a sly, self-referential nod to director Stanley Kubrick.
Timothy Carey's Funhouse Reflection
When the sniper Nikki (Timothy Carey) is shot, his face is reflected in a distorted, carnival-style mirror. The distortion makes him look remarkably equine, echoing the whinnying face of the horse he cruelly assassinated moments earlier.