“Kiss Me Deadly” felt like a movie that I would have watched in film class and had a lively discussion about, but as an enjoyable movie experience it left me very flat. It easily fits all of the classic film noir definitions – the shady motives, the detective whose main interest is himself and not the law, the femme fatale, the great camera work. It also works on a historical perspective level – all of the women are more than glad to throw themselves at Mike Hammer (some only a few seconds after meeting him) and need his protection, and he treats them all as whores. There’s also the lovely Pandora’s Box metaphor for the nuclear age. There is a lot to discuss, but not a lot that I enjoyed. It missed the coolness factor of film noir – what’s cool about a man who beats up on an old guy wearing glasses? There is also some pretty terrible acting. I understand why this film is considered a classic, but I’m not a fan.

Ugh, the ethnic and gender stereotypes are out in full force.

ETA: Oh great, drunken driving in a convertible with no roll-bar and no seatbelts.