May 16, 2005
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Although it's one of the strangest titles I've seen for a film in a long time, I'm just dying to see Kiss Kiss Bang Bang... for a couple of reasons.
First of all, I'm a big fan of both Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. Both of these guys have had their careers fall on rather hard times (Kilmer - because apparently he is quite difficult to work with, and Downey - because he likes his powdered white stuff). Still, whenever I see them on the screen I'm always impressed... even when the movie sucks.
Secondly, I just think the whole premise sounds like a lot of fun. The good folks over at Guardian Unlimited gives us this little synopsis of the project:
Downey stars as petty crook Harry Lockhart who, through bizarre chance, stumbles into a casting call and is flown to Hollywood to audition for a cop movie. To prepare for the audition and lend authenticity to his performance, Harry is teamed with private detective Perry van Shrike (Kilmer), known as Gay Perry for his sexual preference.The film premiered at Cannes this week and got a pretty respectable reception.During a supposedly harmless stakeout, Harry and Perry end up the keepers of the body of a beautiful dead woman that keeps coming back to haunt them. At the same time, Harry has an unlikely reunion with Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan), his dream girl from high school, a wannabe actress in need of a private eye to look into the suspicious suicide of her sister.
Man, it's funny. If a feature film starring Kilmer and Downey was made say... 7 years ago... it would have been considered one of "THE" movies to see. Now it just a blip on the radar. Oh well... maybe it'll end up being one of those little gems you've seen that very few others even know about.
Posted by John Campea at May 16, 2005 06:08 AM
Comments
Posted by: Tom Whitaker at May 16, 2005 07:51 AM
Surely could have picked a more original title. This will be the third different film in three years with this title and the fifth in forty years.
Posted by: David Terry at May 16, 2005 08:54 AM
The title, of course, is well known because of Pauline Kael: "The words 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,' which I saw on an Italian movie poster, are perhaps the briefest statement imaginable of the basic appeal of movies. This appeal is what attracts us, and ultimately what makes us despair when we begin to understand how seldom movies are more than this."
Oh, the soul-crushing irony of it all.
Posted by: tom at May 16, 2005 09:11 AM
Tom's right about the title. Pauline Kael's words (a collection of her film criticsm was also released under the title) also refer to Godard's assertion that to make a movie, "all you need is a girl and a gun."
Posted by: Luke at May 16, 2005 03:43 PM
Unrelated: The Japanese name for James Bond is "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."
Posted by: Mark at May 16, 2005 06:22 PM
Been reading Raging Bull Easy Riders, which is a fascinating insight into 70's cinema. Was always aware of Pauline Kael, but never realised the influence her critiques had over the movie watchers. She was very influential in the success of Bonnie and Clyde. She decided what was cool and what was not. Quiet amazing!!
Posted by: David Terry at May 17, 2005 03:37 AM
SHANE BLACK, we're going to have our mini Reunion on Friday May 27th. Please call me! 562-804-5625. "Karen N." (Remember Hennesy, Dreibelbis, Ollwerther, Laura donovan, Stonehurst, etc?
Posted by: KaRi at May 25, 2005 06:05 PM
"Surely could have picked a more original title. This will be the third different film in three years with this title and the fifth in forty years"
As if the Hollywood film indusrty is known for its originality
David Terry, surely you sound like a boorish thug!
It's not as if they called it Gone With the Wind or The Wizard of Oz or Citizen Kane. Yes, there were five VERY OBSCURE movies made with that title, which no one would even know unless he looked it up at imdb.com. I'm sure more people are familiar with the Pauline Kael book than any of those 5 films.
Posted by: Fabiola at September 28, 2005 05:08 PM
Surely the real reason to see this is Mr. Shane Black?