Kubrick's second film, this was voted one of the 50 greatest crime films ever by the Empire Magazine, in 2001.

THE PLOT

Like Kubrick's first film, we're still in noir-ish lowlife territory, but this time it's a heist film...

Johnny Clay is a veteran criminal planning one last heist before settling down and marrying Fay.

His plan is to rob the money-counting room of a racetrack of two million dollars during a featured race.

To do this, he assembles a team consisting of a corrupt cop, a betting window teller, a sharpshooter to shoot the favorite horse during the race, distracting the crowd, a wrestler to provide another distraction by provoking a fight at the track bar, and the bartender

REVIEWS

"With The Killing, Stanley Kubrick offered a monument to the classic caper film, and a fresh gust of filmmaking in one package. Who knew when he wrapped it, that it would be the last amusing movie he'd ever make? - EDDIE MULLER, FILM NOIR CRITIC

"Though The Killing is composed of familiar ingredients and it calls for fuller explanations. It evolves as a fairly diverting melodrama. ... Aficionados of the sport of kings will discover that Mr. Kubrick's cameras have captured some colorful shots of the ponies at Bay Meadows track. Other observers should find The Killing an engrossing little adventure. - THE NEW YORK TIMES

KUBRICK SEASON

Kubrick is a cinema genius, and this is hardly debatable. Why is he a genius and were his first films as good as his later ones?

These are some of the questions that we are trying to explore with this season, in which we are showing 3 of his early films, and one of his absolute masterpieces - TOTALLY UNMISSSABLE - Dr Strangelove.

Here is the listing:

Sunday 17th May 7.30pm: Killers Kiss (1955)

Tue 26th May 7.30pm: The Killing (1956)

Thurs 28th May 7.30pm: Paths of Glory (1957)

And last but not least, the absolute masterpiece...

Sun 31st May 7.30pm: Dr Strangelove (1964)