KISS ME DEADLY (1955) – Episode 192 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

“Look, Mike, I like you. I like the way you handle yourself. You seem like a reasonable man. Why don’t we make a deal? What’s it worth to you to drag your considerable talents back to the gutter you crawled out of?”  Wow. Where would you want him to drag himself if you didn’t like him? Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, Doc Rotten, and Jeff Mohr along with guest Bill Mulligan – as they take a deep, deep dive into Kiss Me Deadly (1955), a horror-adjacent, science-fiction film noir.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 192 – Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

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ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era!
Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website.
Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/

Synopsis: A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious “great whatsit.”

• Directed by: Robert Aldrich
• Writing Credits: A.I. Bezzerides (screenplay); Mickey Spillane (novel)
• Cinematography by: Ernest Laszlo (photography by)
• Produced by: Robert Aldrich (producer); Victor Saville (executive producer) (uncredited)
• Selected Cast:
  • Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer
  • Maxine Cooper as Velda Wickman
  • Cloris Leachman as Christina Bailey
  • Gaby Rodgers as Lily Carver
  • Wesley Addy as Lt. Pat Murphy
  • Albert Dekker as Dr. G.E. Soberin
  • Paul Stewart as Carl Evello
  • Nick Dennis as Nick Va Va Voom
  • Jack Elam as Charlie Max
  • Jack Lambert as Sugar Smallhouse
  • Mort Marshall as Ray Diker
  • Marian Carr as Friday (as Marion Carr)
  • Juano Hernandez as Eddie Yeager
  • Marjorie Bennett as Manager
  • Fortunio Bonanova as Carmen Trivago
  • Strother Martin as Harvey Wallace
  • Mady Comfort as Nightclub Singer (as Madi Comfort)
  • James McCallion as Horace
  • Jesslyn Fax as Horace’s Wife
  • Robert Cornthwaite as FBI Agent
  • James Seay as FBI Agent
  • Silvio Minciotti as Mover
  • Paul Richards as Attacker
  • Percy Helton as Doc Kennedy
  • Leigh Snowden as Cheesecake
  • Jerry Zinneman as Sammy
  • Kitty White as Club Vocalist
  • Ben Morris as Radio Announcer
  • Sam Balter as Radio Announcer (voice)
  • Joe Hernandez as Radio Announcer (voice)
  • Bing Russell as Police Detective (uncredited)
  • Charles Lane as Doctor (uncredited)
  • Eddie Beal as Sideman (uncredited)
  • Leonard Bremen as Man in Parked Car (uncredited)
  • Yvonne Doughty as Receptionist (uncredited)
  • John George as Popcorn Vendor (uncredited)
  • Art Loggins as Bartender (uncredited)
  • Mara McAfee as Nurse (uncredited)
  • Leonard Mudie as Athletic Club Clerk (uncredited)

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) might not be a certifiable horror movie, but this extraordinary film noir is certainly horror adjacent. Director Robert Aldrich, cinematographer Ernest Laszlo, and screenplay writer A. I. Bezzerides do themselves proud in this adaptation of the Mickey Spillane novel. Ralph Meeker, as antihero Mike Hammer, is supported by superb performances from a long list of recognizable character actors. Film noir — even horror adjacent science fiction film noir — is not for everyone, and indeed, the Classic Era Grue Crew are divided. Either way, Kiss Me Deadly must be seen, and there is much for the crew to discuss. Where else will you find a search for a “great whatsit?”

At the time of this writing, Kiss Me Deadly (1955) is available to stream from the Classic Sci-Fi Movie Channel and on physical media as a Blu-ray disc from Criterion. 

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Next in their very flexible schedule – this one chosen by Daphne – is Earth vs. the Spider (1958), aka The Spider! Yes, it’s time for a B-I-G movie, as in Bert I. Gordon! The Grue Crew can’t wait!

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To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”