1988
0
Teenagers who find a mysterious stone drop dead soon afterwards.
Oh brother, an environmental horror film. Also a very mechanical one.
Dir: James Bogle
Stars: Zoe Carides, Tom Jennings
KADOYNG
1972
0
An alien with a strange protuberance on his head comes to meets some English children.
One of the more tiresome CFF films, with plenty of deeply uninteresting action for anyone over the age of six; it even struggles to evoke feelings of nostalgia, and surely even small ones could see that they wouldn't build a main road in this location. As bad as its title.
Dir: Ian Shand
Stars: Leo Maguire, Teresa Codling, Adrian Hall
KAISER: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER NEVER TO PLAY FOOTBALL
2018
**
Documentary about a Brazilian man who, unbelievably, managed to sustain a career as a professional footballer for 26 years while barely kicking a ball.
The premise grabs you immediately, and what follows doesn't disappoint: the short answer to how Carlos 'Kaiser' Henrique Raposo carried off his incredible deception is that it was largely in pre-internet days and it was chaotic Brazil; he also resembled certain other, proper footballers, and he had cosy relationships with various corrupt club owners. This colourful and crazy film is worth the time of viewers who have no real interest in the beautiful game, and even more detail about Kaiser's subterfuge would have been welcome.
Dir: Louis Myles
Narrator: Bernardo De Paula
KAMA SUTRA
1997
0
Two friends take different paths to adulthood in feudal India.
Colourful, atmospheric, sexy, but rather dull exotica.
Dir: Mira Nair
Stars: Naveen Andrews, Sarita Choudhury, Indira Varma
KAMA SUTRA RIDES AGAIN
1971
0
A suburban couple's guide to love-making.
Rather dull and pointless animation.
Dir/Voice: Bob Godfrey
KARAMOJA!
1955
*
Documentary about the ancient practices of an African tribe.
A mondo movie before mondo films even existed, this unconventional curio would never have resurfaced if it wasn't for the miracle of YouTube: to claim in these politically correct times that it has any worth at all would probably see you shunned by polite society. But it does have worth, both for its chronicling of what look like savage customs (including tough to watch animal cruelty) and what its very inception in the mid-Fifties said about those times. At an hour it doesn't quite outstay its welcome and one just hopes these sorts of things don't go on any longer...
Dir: William B Treutle
Narrator: TF Woods
THE KARATE KILLERS
1967
0
The Men from UNCLE search for a stolen formula which turns water into gold.
Lively frolic with a better than usual UNCLE cast.
Dir: Barry Shear
Stars: Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Joan Crawford, Curt Jurgens, Telly Savalas, Herbert Lom, Terry-Thomas, Leo G Carroll
THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY
1989 (TV)
*
The life of the singer whose eating problems led to her early death.
Above average, tear-jerking biopic which uses the original, melodic tunes of the Carpenters.
Dir: Joseph Sargent
Stars: Cynthia Gibb, Mitchell Anderson
KATIE TIPPEL
1975
*
A young woman in 1881 Amsterdam has to turn to prostitution to make ends meet.
Well crafted drama of more than prurient interest, a kind of cross between Oliver Twist and Fanny Hill.
Dir: Paul Verhoeven
Stars: Monique van de Ven, Rutger Hauer, Andrea Domburg
KEDI
2016
**
Documentary about cats who live on the streets of Istanbul.
For cat lovers a must-see, a really quite charming film which combines copious, remarkably captured footage of our feline friends with a fair bit of philosophising - one person says 'One who does not love animals cannot love people', and who's to disagree? It also shows Istanbul in a very favourable light - here it looks like a city you'd definitely like to visit.
Dir: Ceyda Torun
KEEP FIT
1937
*
A barber is mistaken for an athlete but goes on to catch a thief.
Bright star vehicle.
Dir: Anthony Kimmins
Stars: George Formby, Kay Walsh, Guy Middleton
KEEP IT UP DOWNSTAIRS
1976
0
The oversexed members of a manor house are concerned when it is threatened by closure.
Quite well made sex comedy, but distant camera shots keep the action at arm's length, action which largely consists of people making overly obvious double entendres.
Dir: Robert Young
Stars: Diana Dors, Jack Wild, William Rushton, Francoise Pascal
KEEP IT UP, JACK
1973
0
A failed actor inherits a brothel.
Tiresomely over-plotted sex farce which should be buried deep in the Earth’s bowels.
Dir: Derek Ford
Stars: Mark Jones, Sue Longhurst, Linda Regan, Frank Thornton, Queenie Watts
KEEP THE ASPIDISTRA FLYING
1997
*
A copywriter quits his job to become a poet, but leads an impoverished existence.
It somewhat loses the earthiness of Orwell’s marvellous novel, but this is a generally enjoyable adaptation - although the dreadful song over the end credits nearly ruins everything.
Dir: Robert Bierman
Stars: Richard E Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Wadham, Liz Smith
KELLY’S HEROES
1970
*
World War Two soldiers search for gold under Nazi guard.
Boisterous and exuberant caper which happens to be set in World War Two and has something of a MASH vibe to it, not least because of the distinctive if incongruous presence of Sutherland. The cast is meaty, much of the action is well orchestrated and its light-heartedness is an asset; war movie acolytes, though, will remain its main fans. Probably it needs a final dark ironic twist.
Dir: Brian G Hutton
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles
THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE
1977
0
Skits on news, films and television.
Shambolic, very American comedy which isn't outrageous at all by today's standards.
Dir: John Landis
Stars: Marilyn Joi, Saul Kahan
KES
1969
***
A Yorkshire schoolboy keeps a kestrel as a pet.
Extraordinarily vivid, bitingly realistic drama that's among its director's best works. Possibly too rough and rustic for some - and the addition of subtitles in understandable English might be desirable for some - it nevertheless captures a feeling of 'nowhere to go, nowhere to run to' thanks to being a youth and being in a limited working-class town, and only a hard heart could not feel for the boy, likely a lot more than he feels for himself. Vigorous and sometimes humorous performances from the likes of Welland and Glover make parts of it more accessible, and the non-actors in the cast also do a worthy job.
Dir: Ken Loach
Stars: David Bradley, Lynne Perrie, Collin Welland, Brian Glover
KEVIN & PERRY GO LARGE
1999
0
Two dysfunctional teenage boys manage to make it to dance music Mecca, Ibiza.
Misfiring, misguided lark from a comedian who was once funny; here, crudity replaces wit.
Dir: Ed Bye
Stars: Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Rhys Ifans, Laura Fraser
THE KEY
1983
0
In 1930s Italy an Englishman and his voluptuous wife have an unusual relationship.
Drawn out, foggy, would-be profound erotica, the first of the kind of pictures the director would make again and again; certain DVD editions of it aren't helped by the fact that there's no translation for some of the Italian dialogue. One wonders whether Finlay hoped no one back home would see it.
Dir: Tinto Brass
Stars: Frank Finlay, Stefania Sandrelli, Barbara Cupisti
KICK-ASS
2010
**
An ordinary teenager tries to become a superhero but gets more than he bargained for.
Comic book adaptation that goes all out to please its intended audience of pop culture-aware teens, including much knowing humour and a good deal of ultraviolence: that and its black heart probably say a lot about these times, as does the fact that it was awarded just a 15 certificate. Its verve, technical skill and confidence are undeniable, though.
Dir: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lyndsy Fonseca, Mark Strong, Nicolas Cage
KICK-ASS 2
2013
**
Hit-Girl tries to turn away from violence while Kick-Ass joins a superhero group who come up against a new band of supervillains.
Snappy sequel which offers up well-edited action, big jokes and an easy-to-follow story about growing up. It may lack the sharp tang of the first film - although again the violence and language humiliate the 15 certificate - but it's still a journey into a distinct universe that most movies aren't adept enough to create. Pity Jim Carrey's Colonel Stars And Stripes isn't in it more, but Mother Russia is a unique creation.
Dir: Jeff Wadlow
Stars: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jim Carrey
THE KID
1921
**
A tramp cares for an abandoned baby and the two become inseparable.
Chaplin's first feature is among his better ones and retains its qualities after all these years - it was never an especially funny film, but a finely crafted, emotional experience, partly thanks to the kid's brilliance, partly thanks to the care evident in its assembly.
Dir: Charles Chaplin
Stars: Charles Chaplin, Jackie Coogan, Edna Purviance, Carl Miller
THE KID BROTHER
1927
***
The youngest sibling in a Sheriff's family catches a dangerous criminal.
Virtuoso star comedy which illustrates how well Lloyd's silent comedies have lasted.
Dir: Ted Wilde, J A Howe, Lewis Milestone
Stars: Harold Lloyd, Walter James, Leo Willis
A KID FOR TWO FARTHINGS
1955
***
In London's East End, a boy tries to help the inhabitants with his 'unicorn', actually a stray goat.
Charming, unique parable that’s a triumph of Technicolor photography and sound engineering, both unerringly capturing the bustle and life of a vibrant Fifties community; viewed now, it's like watching a film set in a faraway fantasy world, partly due to its unusual, radiant colouring, partly due to the fact that this kind of coherent, convivial London has disappeared forever. People-wise, the little boy – an embodiment of childhood innocence - is utterly charming and the adult cast, which includes some familiar faces, contribute to its engaging nature. You can take issue with the script but not the atmosphere, conjured up both by location work and studio work.
Dir: Carol Reed
Stars: Jonathan Ashmore, Celia Johnson, Diana Dors, David Kossoff, Joe Robinson, Primo Carnera, Sid James, Irene Handl
KIDS
1995
***
Sordid lives of New York kids into drugs, sex and alcohol.
Controversial drama displaying all manner of extremes, but riveting, fascinating viewing.
Dir: Larry Clark
Stars: Lee Fitzpatrick, Sarah Henderson, Justin Pierce
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
2010
***
Two grown-up children with lesbian mothers bring their biological father into their life.
Absorbing drama for adults with excellent acting and non-sensational presentation of people getting into messy situations because that's what people do; humour, tension and perspicacity are all in evidence.
Dir: Lisa Cholodenko
Stars: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
1979
**
Documentary about rock group The Who, featuring many of their live performances and interviews from 1965 onwards.
Valuable record of one of England's mightiest rock groups which doesn't bother with a chronological order of clips, choosing randomness instead, and no narrator - such things would have to wait until 2007's Amazing Journey (qv). It turned out to be historically apposite, as Keith Moon died before the film was released. Ragbaggy, but a showcase for great performances of My Generation (just one would have been better though), I Can See For Miles, Pictures Of Lily, I Can't Explain and more (but not their rendition of Barbara Ann!).
Dir: Jeff Stein
KILL, BABY… KILL!
1966
0
A doctor is called to a village to perform an autopsy on a woman who has died in strange circumstances.
Another Bava dud: the script barely exists and the director tries to fill the vacuum of characterisation and sense with his usual crash zooms, long pans and swelling classical music. It doesn’t work.
Dir: Mario Bava
Stars: Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Erika Blanc, Fabienne Dali
KILL BILL VOL 1
2003
***
A nearly butchered bride takes bloody revenge on those who ruined her wedding...
A stylistic triumph, a meticulously crafted homage to cartoon violence that leaves you excited for part two. The director draws on his favourite movies and genres even if it delivers an episodic, choppy narrative, with anime, monochrome, slo-mo and other quirks, but when it's spectacular - like the Bride's sword fight with scores of enemies at once - it's truly spectacular. (Though you could blame scenes like this for the following decade's 'female warriors are invincible' ethos.) It may be shallow but that hardly matters: what matters is its style, its combat and the theme of revenge.
Dir: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A Fox, Sonny Chiba, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen
KILL BILL VOL 2
2004
**
The Bride keeps revenging and finally tracks Bill down.
Less action and more talk in this one, but there are still masterclass moments, like the Bride attempting to avoid being buried alive and the fight in the caravan - as long as you don't mind the sheer nastiness and extreme violence you'll have fun. How typical of Tarantino that the final confrontation is the opposite of what you expect, though he does try the audience's patience with a lot of chatter. It's the lesser of the two movies, with more slow bits, but it's still a pungent demonstration of cinematic swagger.
Dir: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Gordon Liu
KILL LIST
2011
***
Two volatile hit men are employed to kill several people.
Arresting combination of crime drama and horror which will not be given the time of day by those with limited minds. It’s certainly not perfect, but few films create such an unsettling atmosphere, or pose so many intriguing questions, or produce such an unexpected and terrifying final quarter; and its brutal violence reminds you that when it’s done right it can be extraordinarily effective. Even its evocation of soulless chain hotels stirs.
Dir: Ben Wheatley
Stars: Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, Myanna Buring, Emma Fryer
KILL YOUR FRIENDS
2015
*
In 1997 London, a record promoter who lives for the wild side of the industry gets into even murkier waters.
American Psycho-type drama which doesn't quite have the nous or conviction of that book/film, but will say a lot to people who have worked in the entertainment industry, and know much of this to be what goes on. The soundtrack's pretty decent too, at least the music from the non-fictional bands.
Dir: Owen Harris
Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Thomas Conroy, James Corden, Georgia King
KILLDOZER
1974 (TV)
0
A violent alien force takes over a bulldozer.
Stupid rubbish no doubt inspired by Duel.
Dir: Jerry London
Stars: Clint Walker, Robert Urich, Carl Betz
KILLER APE
1953
0
Jungle Jim battles a giant and some white men after animal extracts.
Johnny W no doubt dined out on the fact that he was the lead in Hollywood movies, but he wouldn't have let on to his dates that they were mostly cheap trash, he couldn't act and he wasn't even the strongest chap in JJ entries like this one. Some of the stock footage feels a little too real.
Dir: Spencer Gordon Bennet
Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Carol Thurston, Max Palmer
KILLER BARBYS
1996
0
A rock band stumble upon a vampire’s castle.
The 1990s were in full swing and one of the world’s most atrocious directors was still doing his thing, if anything even more badly than before: detailed criticism is pointless, and maybe it’s best to ‘enjoy’ the simply unbelievable dubbing, the hysterical, bathetic dialogue and such ‘highlights’ as the nude chase, the demented dwarves and the noisy rock music – in fact, some of the music is the least terrible thing here, although it does get horribly repetitious.
Dir: Jess Franco
Stars: Silvia Superstar, Santiago Segura, Mariangela Giordano
KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE
1987
**
Aliens who look like clowns invade a small town.
Bouncy, tongue-in-cheek hokum with a measure of inventiveness; and the clowns have real screen presence.
Dir: Stephen Chiodo
Stars: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Vernon
THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN
1975
**
A man blackmails a murderer to kill his tiresome wife.
One of the very best giallos - and certainly this director's best effort - this near-Hitchcockian thriller doesn't quite sustain the excellence of the first half hour (and the finale is a mite hard to believe) but comes close. The killer is a splendidly dark character and the film offers the requisite flesh and blood of a giallo while not over-complicating things plot-wise, as so many do.
Dir: Luigi Cozzi
Stars: George Hilton, Antoine Saint-John, Alessio Orano, Cristina Galbo
KILLER NUN
1978
0
A mad nun presides over a convent of murder, drugs and lesbianism.
A whole load of weirdness made even worse by dodgy dubbing.
Dir: Giulio Berruti
Stars: Anita Ekberg, Alida Valli, Joe Dallesandro
KILLER BARBYS
1996
0
A rock band stumble upon a vampire’s castle.
The 1990s were in full swing and one of the world’s most atrocious directors was still doing his thing, if anything even more badly than before: detailed criticism is pointless, and maybe it’s best to ‘enjoy’ the simply unbelievable dubbing, the hysterical, bathetic dialogue and such ‘highlights’ as the nude chase, the demented dwarves and the noisy rock music – in fact, some of the music is the least terrible thing here, although it does get horribly repetitious.
Dir: Jess Franco
Stars: Silvia Superstar, Santiago Segura, Mariangela Giordano
KILLER FISH
1979
0
Crooks store stolen jewels under water, and then find that piranhas are guarding them.
Perhaps this thriller got a little more criticism than it deserved because horror fans were expecting Jaws or Piranha - it's more of a soapy caper with some nasty fish thrown and a dash of disaster movie, very Seventies and international in feel. Despite its narrative flaws and occasional silliness it's actually a pretty watchable film because its crammed plot doesn't stand still for long, and the cast is slightly above average.
Dir: Antonio Margheriti
Stars: Lee Majors, Karen Black, Margaux Hemingway, Marisa Berenson, James Franciscus
KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE
1987
**
Aliens who look like clowns invade a small town.
Bouncy, tongue-in-cheek hokum with a measure of inventiveness; and the clowns have real screen presence.
Dir: Stephen Chiodo
Stars: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Vernon
THE KILLER MUST KILL AGAIN
1975
**
A man blackmails a murderer to kill his tiresome wife.
One of the very best giallos - and certainly this director's best effort - this near-Hitchcockian thriller doesn't quite sustain the excellence of the first half hour (and the finale is a mite hard to believe) but comes close. The killer is a splendidly dark character and the film offers the requisite flesh and blood of a giallo while not over-complicating things plot-wise, as so many do.
Dir: Luigi Cozzi
Stars: George Hilton, Antoine Saint-John, Alessio Orano, Cristina Galbo
KILLER NUN
1978
0
A mad nun presides over a convent of murder, drugs and lesbianism.
A whole load of weirdness made even worse by dodgy dubbing.
Dir: Giulio Berruti
Stars: Anita Ekberg, Alida Valli, Joe Dallesandro
KILLER OF SHEEP
1978
0
In Los Angeles, a man works in a slaughterhouse to support his family.
Hilariously overrated art house drama, little more than a series of fragmented scenes featuring unlovely people in a harsh urban landscape. No plot, no character development, no engagement, but stark black and white photography. If critics want to acclaim this as gritty and meaningful, they're more than welcome to.
Dir: Charles Burnett
Stars: Henry G Sanders, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy
THE KILLER RESERVED NINE SEATS
1974
0
A number of people are trapped in a theatre where they are killed one after another.
Largely absurd Italian thriller with alluring ingredients - an old, grand theatre; splendidly gratuitous nudity - that in the end don't elevate it to anything of special interest (it has much in common with Pete Walker's The Flesh And Blood Show, qv). People wandering around doing silly, random things for a long, long time doesn't make for entrancement.
Dir: Giuseppe Bennati
Stars: Rosanna Schiaffino, Chris Avram, Eva Czemerys, Lucretia Love
THE KILLER SHREWS
1959
0
A scientist's experiments with local wildlife go badly wrong.
Most of the 'shrews' are dogs dressed up in this not dislikeable low budget sci-fi which has similarities in structure to Hitchcock's The Birds - perhaps the master was watching...
Dir: Ray Kellogg
Stars: James Best, Ingrid Goude, Ken Curtis
THE KILLERS
1946
*
A man waits for two men to arrive and kill him – why?
Notable crime drama that’s a treat for film noir fans, but surely there’s a fault that makes the story less compelling: it’s obvious Andersen was killed because he was involved in dodgy business, so who cares precisely what it was?
Dir: Robert Siodmak
Stars: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Albert Dekker
KILLERS FROM SPACE
1954
0
A scientist is abducted by ill-meaning aliens.
Nice example of Fifties sci-fi at its most B-movie-ish and nutty: it's not a film you could ever hate.
Dir: W Lee Wilder
Stars: Peter Graves, James Seay, Steve Pendleton
KILLER’S KISS
1955
0
A boxer saves a woman from the mob.
Amateurish early Kubrick in which his immense talent barely shines through.
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Stars: Frank Silvera, Irene Kane, Jamie Smith
KILLER’S MOON
1978
0
Trouble’s afoot in the Lake District when four escapes madmen bump into some lost schoolgirls.
This bucolic shocker has initial promise: the idea that the villains believe they are dreaming and not properly awake is intriguing, but after half an hour or so it turns into endless chasing and killing, all coated in supreme sleaze - it's a feminist's nightmare, despite some dialogue being written by Fay Weldon, the director's sister (it's fun to try and pick out the lines she wrote - one wonders if one of them was the 'you've only been raped' line). The acting is pretty patchy but despite technical limitations it does manage some memorable images - the three-legged dog, the killers' attire, the attack by the lake, the corpse of good old Chubby Oates...
Dir: Alan Birkinshaw
Stars: Anthony Forrest, Tom Marshall, Georgina Keen, Allison Elliot, David Jackson
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
2023
**
In 1920s Oklahoma oil is discovered under Osage Nation land, and the natives start to die in mysterious circumstances.
There's an awful lot that impresses in this latter-day Scorsese movie but it's just too long - at an hour shorter it would have been sharper. That's not to say you don't get immersed in the drama (it would have made an admirable mini-series), which concerns scandals and tragedies (but how much is true, you find yourself asking). DiCaprio and De Niro both play textured, chunky characters that give the film its backbone and the final scenes are ones we want to see - despite how long it takes to get to them. Should there have been more nuance in the writing, and fewer characters?
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons
1956
***
Crooks execute a heist at a horse race.
Innovative, incisive thriller with an ambitious and completely successful 'backwards and forwards' narrative - although it's Kubrick's third feature, it's his first real film. Characters are expertly etched in, incidents are beautifully orchestrated, and as the tension builds, soaked in bitter irony, it really sings cinema: what a treat for proper movie fans.
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Stars: Sterling Hayden, Marie Windsor, Elisha Cook Jr, Joe Sawyer
THE KILLING FIELDS
1984
**
A photographer and his interpreter get trapped in Cambodia during Pol Pot's murderous regime.
A superlatively shot document of the chaos and carnage that generally accompanies a country's descent into totalitarianism, with lots of well observed scenes; there are perhaps a few stylistic missteps (some of the music jars), but this is a quality, worthy film.
Dir: Roland Joffe
Stars: Sam Waterston, Haing S Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands
THE KILLING HOUR
1982
0
An artist can predict the deadly movements of a New York serial killer.
Murky thriller that captures the scuzzy feel of the Big Apple back then; it's not without merit but the narrative is a bit all over the place and some scenes drag.
Dir: Armand Mastroianni
Stars: Perry King, Norman Parker, Elizabeth Kemp
KILLING ME SOFTLY
2002
0
A beautiful American woman gets mixed up with a mountaineer who may have a deadly secret.
Hoary (and whorey) thriller with a twist that can be seen a mile off. As one character says: ‘This is so clichéd.’
Dir: Chen Kaige
Stars: Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Ian Hart
THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE
1976
*
A strip club owner is forced to kill someone because of his gambling debts.
Rich in scuzzy atmosphere and thin in plot, this is a curious movie from a director who was never less than an acquired taste, one that has gained plaudits in recent years, at least from some highbrow critics. Probably slightly less heavy-going in its shorter version, it might reward those with patience - the director has little interest in pacing and engagement; at least there's a few strippers on view.
Dir: John Cassavetes
Stars: Ben Gazzara, Timothy Carey, Seymour Cassel
THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEAR
2017
***
A doctor forms a strange friendship with the son of a man who died on his operating trouble.
Troubling drama that some people will hate; but it's an extremely carefully made film, full of clever detail for the attentive, superbly photographed and driven forward by incredibly strong, controlled performances: Farrell is especially good as the tightly wrapped surgeon harbouring darkness underneath, and young Keoghan is terrifying as the boy. A dark, twisted, problematic movie that genuinely gives the viewer vivid dreams.
Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos
Stars: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Alicia Silverstone
THE KILLING OF AMERICA
1982
**
Documentary concerning how violent America has become, particularly with regard to gun crime.
Half way between a mondo movie and the sort of thing Michael Moore would come to specialise in, this is a bleak and sometimes distressing film that catalogues terrible incidents but doesn't do much in the way of explaining why they happen. It features Ted Bundy, the Kennedy assassinations, Jim Jones, Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, John Lennon's death and much more - the footage varies in its ability to hold the attention.
Dir: Sheldon Renan
Narrator: Chuck Riley
THE KILLING OF JOHN LENNON
2006
**
Mark David Chapman plots and carries out his plan to murder the ex-Beatle.
Overlong but reasonably compelling re-enactment of stupid and tragic events; perhaps the director's motives are dubious and the film says little new but it’s well enough done to be sadly relevant to the Lennon story.
Dir: Andrew Piddington
Stars: Jonas Ball, Sofia Dubrawsky, Joe Rosario
THE KILLINGS AT OUTPOST ZETA
1980
0
A space crew are picked off by unfriendly aliens.
Obscure and dreary Alien copy with monsters that look like lumps of faeces.
Dir: Bob Emenegger, Allan Sandler
Stars: Gordon Devol, Jacqueline Ray
THE KILLINGS OF TONY BLAIR
2016
**
Documentary that accuses ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair of inflaming the situation in the Middle East and making millions of pounds in dubious ways.
An entertaining polemic from an unlovely man but one who comes across well here and makes a better case than Michael Moore normally does. He truly eviscerates Blair, blasting nearly every aspect of his premiership, and while some of the conclusions he reaches are shaky - that contemporary terrorism in Europe is all the fault of Blair and Bush, or that Blair 'destroyed' the Labour Party - his film is professionally done, wittily edited and has plenty of historical footage and an impressive array of talking heads. Reminding those who lived under him of Blair's distinctive mannerisms and insincere ways, this is a good watch for anyone interested in British politics.
Dir: Sanne van den Bergh, Greg Ward
Narrator: George Galloway
KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS
1949
***
The distant heir to a fortune eliminates those who stand in front of him.
Crisp, literate and sophisticated black comedy that exudes class but is rarely especially funny; most of the pleasure comes from the performances, especially Price’s ever-so-decent murderer – Guinness is somewhat muted despite playing eight different roles. The final denouement is a tasty one, except if you realise that it shouldn’t be too difficult for Price to retrieve his memoirs.
Dir: Robert Hamer
Stars: Dennis Price, Alec Guinness, Valerie Hobson, Joan Greenwood, Miles Malleson, Arthur Lowe, Hugh Griffith
A KIND OF LOVING
1962
****
In north-west England, the course of true love does not run smooth.
One of the key British pictures of the 1960s, this is a wonderful, wonderful film that perhaps more than any other shows the trials of life and love in an unflinchingly honest fashion, benefiting from superbly natural performances, brilliant black and white photography and perfectly judged dialogue (the book it is based on is excellent, too). It's also a priceless record of a vanished Britain, with its formal work dances, smoggy factories, plain speaking, standing at big football games, steam trains and more - a community spirit shines through the mist and fog, and this and its genuine emotion can reduce the viewer to tears.
Dir: John Schlesinger
Stars: Alan Bates, June Ritchie, Thora Hird, Bert Palmer
THE KINDRED
1987
0
A doctor discovers that his brother is a monster.
Slimy shocker.
Dir: Jeffrey Obrow, Stephen Carpenter
Stars: David Allen Brooks, Rod Steiger, Amanda Pays
THE KING AND I
1956
*
In Victorian times, an English widow comes to Siam to teach the children of the King.
Popular musical romance that's set-bound (but what sets!), doesn't have the number of songs you expect (but they're nice ones) and has in Brynner a character on the edge of being irritating (but he gives an ebullient performance). It's dated in some respects but still stands proud and confident in others.
Dir: Walter Lang
Stars: Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr, Rita Moreno
KING DAVID
1985
*
The Biblical tale of Israel's greatest ruler.
A bit of a rattle through David's apparent life, so that incidents don't have the impact they might; still, care was clearly taken with the scenery and the costuming. It was not a financial success, which is a shame.
Dir: Bruce Beresford
Stars: Richard Gere, Edward Woodward, Alice Krige, Denis Quilley
KING KONG
1933
****
A film producer brings a giant ape back to New York but it goes on the rampage.
Superb monster movie which patrons had never seen anything like before. Still the best version, full of epic charge.
Dir: Merian C Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack
Stars: Robert Armstrong, Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot
KING KONG
1976
*
Slightly spoofy, slightly sexy remake with inferior special effects.
Dir: John Guillermin
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin
KING KONG
2005
***
Stonking remake, neither overlong nor self-important, brimming with dazzling spectacle and incident.
Dir: Peter Jackson
Stars: Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jamie Bell
KING KONG ESCAPES
1967
*
A villain called Doctor Who builds a giant robot which ends up taking on King Kong.
A marginal improvement on its predecessor, if only because the pacing is better, this is a loopy panto with much to enjoy for aficionados of the genre, such as the WWE-style fights between the creatures, which climax on a tower that resembles the one at Blackpool. Either go with it, or don't.
Dir: Ishiro Honda
Stars: Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, Linda Miller, Akira Takarada
KING KONG VS GODZILLA
1962
0
A pharmaceutical company brings King Kong to Japan, where he runs into Godzilla.
Monster mash-up that besides the obvious, easy-to-highlight faults - the primitive special effects, the crackers storyline - is actually a tad dull and uninvolving, thanks to lots of exposition, especially on the American version where it's delivered by a 'UN official'; the final scrap between the two movie giants, which lasts just nine minutes, is hilarious, and the highlight of the picture. Brilliantly, the film starts with a Shakespeare quote!
Dir: Ishiro Honda
Stars: Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yu Fujuki
KING LEAR
1970
*
King Lear descends into senility and divides his kingdom between his daughters.
One of Shakespeare's tougher plays is made even more difficult by the bleak, stark presentation.
Dir: Peter Brook
Stars: Paul Scofield, Irene Worth, Patrick Magee
KING LEAR
1987
0
William Shakespear Junior the Fifth attempts to find art, post-Chernobyl.
Unwatchable garbage that exposes this director as the pretentious, talent-free charlatan he always has been; tedious beyond belief and only suitable for the most insufferably onanistic critics.
Dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Stars: Peter Sellars, Jean-Luc Godard, Norman Mailer, Burgess Meredith, Molly Ringwald, Julie Delphy, Woody Allen
THE KING OF COMEDY
1982
****
A would-be comic kidnaps a chat show host so he can appear on television.
Jet black comedy, often deliciously funny, very well acted and actually one of the director’s best films.
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard
THE KING OF KONG
2007
***
Documentary about the rivalry between America's best Donkey Kong players.
Enthralling stuff that you can barely take your eyes away from, because of the dysfunctional personalities involved, the curious culture of gaming it shows and the suspense that builds towards the end, as we wonder whether a head-to-head battle will actually take place. Mildly mischievous and misleading it may be (the viewer is recommended to explore the subject further, and will likely very much want to) but it's as fine a piece an entertainment you could find, certainly more stimulating than the videogame it's about. And it ends on an air-punching note.
Dir: Seth Gordon
KING KONG
1933
****
A film producer brings a giant ape back to New York but it goes on the rampage.
Superb monster movie which patrons had never seen anything like before. Still the best version, full of epic charge.
Dir: Merian C Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack
Stars: Robert Armstrong, Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot
KING KONG
1976
*
Slightly spoofy, slightly sexy remake with inferior special effects.
Dir: John Guillermin
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin
KING KONG
2005
***
Stonking remake, neither overlong nor self-important, brimming with dazzling spectacle and incident.
Dir: Peter Jackson
Stars: Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jamie Bell
KING KONG ESCAPES
1967
*
A villain called Doctor Who builds a giant robot which ends up taking on King Kong.
A marginal improvement on its predecessor, if only because the pacing is better, this is a loopy panto with much to enjoy for aficionados of the genre, such as the WWE-style fights between the creatures, which climax on a tower that resembles the one at Blackpool. Either go with it, or don't.
Dir: Ishiro Honda
Stars: Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, Linda Miller, Akira Takarada
KING KONG LIVES
1986
0
To save his life, King Kong has an artificial heart implanted; he then meets a lady Kong.
Gloriously terrible sequel with many priceless moments, several involving the romance between the two giant apes who are, of course, men in furry costumes. The special effects are anything but special and the story is rubbish - how did this project get greenlit?
Dir: John Guillermin, Charles McCracken
Stars: Linda Hamilton, Brian Kerwin, Peter Elliott
KING KONG VS GODZILLA
1962
0
A pharmaceutical company brings King Kong to Japan, where he runs into Godzilla.
Monster mash-up that besides the obvious, easy-to-highlight faults - the primitive special effects, the crackers storyline - is actually a tad dull and uninvolving, thanks to lots of exposition, especially on the American version where it's delivered by a 'UN official'; the final scrap between the two movie giants, which lasts just nine minutes, is hilarious, and the highlight of the picture. Brilliantly, the film starts with a Shakespeare quote!
Dir: Ishiro Honda
Stars: Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yu Fujuki
KING LEAR
1970
*
King Lear descends into senility and divides his kingdom between his daughters.
One of Shakespeare's tougher plays is made even more difficult by the bleak, stark presentation.
Dir: Peter Brook
Stars: Paul Scofield, Irene Worth, Patrick Magee
KING LEAR
1987
0
William Shakespear Junior the Fifth attempts to find art, post-Chernobyl.
Unwatchable garbage that exposes this director as the pretentious, talent-free charlatan he always has been; tedious beyond belief and only suitable for the most insufferably onanistic critics.
Dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Stars: Peter Sellars, Jean-Luc Godard, Norman Mailer, Burgess Meredith, Molly Ringwald, Julie Delphy, Woody Allen
THE KING OF COMEDY
1982
****
A would-be comic kidnaps a chat show host so he can appear on television.
Jet black comedy, often deliciously funny, very well acted and actually one of the director’s best films.
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard
THE KING OF KONG
2007
***
Documentary about the rivalry between America's best Donkey Kong players.
Enthralling stuff that you can barely take your eyes away from, because of the dysfunctional personalities involved, the curious culture of gaming it shows and the suspense that builds towards the end, as we wonder whether a head-to-head battle will actually take place. Mildly mischievous and misleading it may be (the viewer is recommended to explore the subject further, and will likely very much want to) but it's as fine a piece an entertainment you could find, certainly more stimulating than the videogame it's about. And it ends on an air-punching note.
Dir: Seth Gordon
KING OF NEW YORK
1990
**
A vicious drug kingpin released from jail takes back control of his community.
Anarchic, inconsistent thriller that doesn't give a damn about how many it kills - indeed, it revels in it, as it adds to the murderous madness of this uncompromising picture which has the style and confidence of the most successful gangster. Sympathy for characters? About zero.
Dir: Abel Ferrara
Stars: Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes
KING OF THE ROCKET MEN
1949 (serial)
*
Dr Vulcan threatens to destroy New York with a deadly ray.
The special effects aren't actually too bad on this cheating cliffhanger serial, and the image of the Rocket Man himself is a near-iconic one.
Dir: Fred C Brannon
Stars: Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke, Don Haggerty
KING OF THE ROCKET MEN
1949 (serial)
*
Dr Vulcan threatens to destroy New York with a deadly ray.
The special effects aren't actually too bad on this cheating cliffhanger serial, and the image of the Rocket Man himself is a near-iconic one.
Dir: Fred C Brannon
Stars: Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke, Don Haggerty
KING OF THE ZOMBIES
1941
0
Americans crash-land on a Caribbean island where a doctor is performing strange experiments.
Dopey Monogram horror made by basic movie mechanics, only partly redeemed by Moreland's amusing comic turn. What's most remarkable about it is that the music score was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dir: Jean Yarbrough
Stars: Mantan Moreland, Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, Henry Victor
KING RICHARD
2021
**
Richard Williams coaches his daughters Venus and Serena to tennis stardom.
Only rife incompetence would mean this remarkable story - not one, but two top tennis players from Compton - was fluffed in execution, and it is indeed a solid biopic - not spectacular, not amazing, but solid. Smith excels as a man who comes across well (apparently better than in real life), as he leads a relentless charge of positivity, imbuing his girls with decent values and pushing them ever upwards - the climactic scenes continue to promote the idea that complacency is always a danger: you have to keep trying and aspiring. Perhaps box ticking got it more awards nominations than it deserved, but it's an enjoyable enough movie, and another good recent tennis movie (following Borg Vs McEnroe and Battle Of The Sexes).
Dir: Zach Baylin
Stars: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton
KING SOLOMON’S MINES
1937
*
Explorers in Africa search for a diamond mine.
Slowish but good-looking adventure with a sense of humour.
Dir: Robert Stevenson
Stars: Cedric Hardwicke, Paul Robeson, Roland Young
KING SOLOMON’S MINES
1950
0
A woman searches for her husband in Darkest Africa.
A version mainly consisting of pretty scenery and trivial events.
Dir: Compton Bennett
Stars: Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Richard Carlson
KING SOLOMON’S MINES
1985
*
A girl enlists Quatermain's help to find her father.
Indiana Jones-esque interpretation with a miscast star but a few lively moments.
Dir: J Lee Thompson
Stars: Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom, John Rhys-Davies
KING SOLOMON’S TREASURE
1978
0
Absolutely atrocious rewrite of an oft-told tale, complete with [dreadful] Prehistoric monsters and ancient Romans.
Dir: Alvin Rakoff
Stars: Patrick Macnee, David McCallum, Britt Ekland, Wilfrid Hyde-White
KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS
1977
*
A town in Arizona is invaded by killer tarantulas.
A bit better than you expect it to be, this close cousin of The Birds manages to be nicely shot on location, well acted and reasonably convincing in its threat - most of the spiders certainly look real - while the script has bits of quirky dialogue and some uncommon character behaviour. The final shot is almost extremely effective, but looks somewhat fake (at least they tried).
Dir: John 'Bud' Cardos
Stars: William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode
1996
*
An ex ten pin bowling champion takes on a young Amish boy as a protégé.
Amusing if overlong comedy with a slightly queasy mix of styles.
Dir: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray
KING’S ROW
1941
***
At the turn of the century, inhabitants of a small town encounter madness, tragedy and happiness.
Gripping, luscious soap opera, high improbable but almost convincing since it's so well done.
Dir: Sam Wood
Stars: Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan, Claude Rains
THE KING’S SPEECH
2010
**
King George VI employs an unorthodox Australian speech therapist to help him with his stammer.
The Oscars committee couldn’t heap enough adoration on this Royal drama that tweaks historical fact for its own dramatic ends and whose triumph over adversity theme warmed the cockles of sizeable audiences. It’s certainly impeccably done, albeit in a risk-free way, notwithstanding the pointless swearing which remarkably didn’t get it a 15 rating, but what a shame the Academy chose to so highly award a film that could have been made any time in the last fifty years rather than one like Inception, The Social Network or Black Swan that push the boundaries of cinema.
Dir: Tom Hooper
Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom
KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
2014
0
A troubled working class youth is ushered into an organisation of secret agents.
Adolescents don't make films, but if they did, it would likely resemble this one, a ridiculously violent, wearisomely potty-mouthed spy-fi fantasy that has as many tonal changes as teenagers have moods. Juvenile, vapid, insincere, tasteless, senseless and smug, it just makes you want to switch on a Bond film instead, even one of the worst ones. Viewers giving themselves up to its absurdities, and forgiving its extremes, may enjoy the ride, but one suspects that this 15-rated film is most suited to those who are exactly 15 years old, and not a day over.
Dir: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L Jackson, Mark Strong, Michael Caine
KINSEY
2004
**
The life of Dr Alfred Kinsey, who in the mid-20th century undertook revolutionary research on human sexuality.
Well made biopic that shows a man who knew more about functions than emotions; performances and technical credits without fault, but as cold as its subject.
Dir: Bill Condon
Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O’Donnell, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, John Lithgow, Tim Curry
THE KISS
1988
0
After her mother is killed, a teenage girl is visited by her mother's sinister sister.
Horror comic with a definite whiff of cheddar (cheese), its early scenes of something nasty coming to suburbia possibly working best before lots of mumbo jumbo kicks in, although the climactic scene in a swimming pool is slightly great and hilarious. Before that there's some full-throated gore and an insane animatronic cat to keep some audiences smiling.
Dir: Pen Densham
Stars: Joanna Pacula, Meredith Salenger, Mimi Kuzyk, Nicholas Kilbertus
THE KISS: A TALE OF TWO LOVERS
1977
*
A couple enjoy a romantic picnic before sighting a strange, hooded figure.
Obscure short which earns a place in Sheridan's Keeping The British End Up due to Devonshire's brief unclothing; otherwise it is a close relative of spooky French classic Incident At Owl Creek. Dialogue is minimal (perhaps thankfully considering the acting) and, while it is listed at running for 18m, the version on the Internet Archive is just 9m, even though it appears to tell a complete story - one can only surmise that the original was even more dawdly. But it still piques the curiosity of those of us into these kinds of 1970s British films, with the countryside and the red car speeding through it visual pleasures.
Dir: Kevin Pither
Stars: Felicity Devonshire, Barry Cranwell, Digby RunseyA KISS BEFORE DYING
1956
*
A college student decides to kill his girlfriend when she falls pregnant.
No adaptation of the book would be able to fully keep the midway twist in, but this does its best; it simplifies it in other ways, including reducing the number of sisters from three to two. Sadly the film is no great thriller, although it is passable: the trouble is mainly with the director - who is unable to build suspense thanks to prosaic camerawork and use of overly jaunty music – and a male lead who does not have anything like the depth to play the killer adequately.
Dir: Gerd Oswald
Stars: Robert Wagner, Virginia Leith, Joanne Woodward, Jeffrey Hunter
A KISS BEFORE DYING
1990
*
A young man marries and murders to gain money and power.
Elementary suspenser which keeps you watching.
Dir: James Dearden
Stars: Matt Dillon, Sean Young, Max von Sydow, Diane Ladd
KISS ME DEADLY
1955
*
Mike Hammer goes after criminals who have stolen radioactive material.
Brutal but boring thick-ear with a few new camerawork ideas.
Dir: Robert Aldrich
Stars: Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Cloris Leachman
KISS ME GOODBYE
1982
0
A widow planning to marry again is bothered by her first husband's ghost.
Americanisation of Dona Flor And Her Two Husbands (qv), a curious mix of boredom and genuine laughs.
Dir: Robert Mulligan
Stars: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
1985
*
Two men share a South American jail cell, one a flamboyant homosexual, one an anti-government activist.
Acquired-taste drama with good performances and sequences but a narrative that doesn't really flow.
Dir: Hector Babenco
Stars: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga
THE KISS OF THE VAMPIRE
1964
**
A honeymooning couple's car breaks down right next to a mansion full of vampires.
Handsomely mounted horror in an elegant and classic mould.
Dir: Don Sharp
Stars: Edward de Souza, Clifford Evans, Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel
KITTY FOYLE
1940
*
A young working woman meets a socialite.
Dated, melancholy romantic drama that appealed to women of the time.
Dir: Sam Wood
Stars: Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan, James Craig
KLAUS
2019
***
An idle young man is sent to be a postman in a frozen wasteland, but helps good things happen there.
Charming animated feature that conjures up a strange but beguiling land in which a tale of kindness and endeavour takes place; despite some anachronistic dialogue and songs it's an easy to enjoy Christmas picture with much beautiful artwork. Part of Netfix's plan for world domination.
Dir: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martinez Lopez
Voices: Jason Schwartzman, JK Simmons, Rashida Jones, Joan Cusack
KLUTE
1971
**
A detective goes after a killer who is threatening a prostitute.
Acclaimed thriller with the emphasis on character and sordidness; a film from 'new Hollywood'.
Dir: Alan J Pakula
Stars: Donald Sutherland, Jane Fonda, Roy Scheider
KNIFE IN THE WATER
1962
**
A couple regret allowing a young hitch-hiker to spend the night on their boat.
Polanski's first feature can seem short of dramatic incident, but a sparse style and under-the-surface tension is always evident.
Dir: Roman Polanski
Stars: Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz
KNIGHT MOVES
1993
0
A chess grandmaster is suspected of killing women in a bizarre fashion.
Incredulous thriller which, despite attempting to be different to others, ends up being utterly familiar.
Dir: Carl Schenkel
Stars: Christopher Lambert, Diane Lane, Tom Skerritt, Daniel Baldwin
KNIGHT RIDER
1982 (TV)
0
A policeman who has been shot becomes the owner of a spanking new talking supercar.
The pilot for the series - quite enjoyable, glossy nonsense.
Dir: Daniel Haller
Stars: David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Charles Napier
KNIGHTRIDERS
1981
0
In modern-day America, a group of men travel around playing medieval knight games.
Mixed up, pretentious odyssey with characters that are both laughable and unsympathetic.
Dir: George A Romero
Stars: Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini
KONGA
1961
0
A mad scientist enlarges a chimp and orders it to kill his enemies.
Lovably clumsy and ridiculous sci-fi with a barrel-load of unintentional laughs, such as the chimp that turns into a gorilla (via terrible special effects), Gough's pursuit of the young student, his assistant one minute calling him a murderer and the next minute wanting to marry him. It's such a strange picture, with a blackish heart but very cheery aesthetics, and Gough suits it perfectly.
Dir: John Lemont
Stars: Michael Gough, Margo Johns, Jess Conrad
THE KOVAK BOX
2006
0
A writer’s wife commits suicide and one of his outlandish plots seems to be coming true.
Second-division sci-fi thriller which will pass the time for the uncritical; it’s tolerable enough but the two leads lack chemistry and there aren’t really any big plot twists.
Dir: Daniel Monzon
Stars: Timothy Hutton, Lucia Jiminez, David Kelly
KRAMER VS KRAMER
1979
***
A divorcé fights for custody of his seven-year-old son.
A rare thing, a sentimental drama which hits the right spot thanks to brilliant performances and a script that draws the audience in, hook, line and sinker, to sympathise with an all too familiar plight involving separated parents.
Dir: Robert Benton
Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry, Jane Alexander
THE KRAYS
1990
**
The true story of the vicious twins who ruled London's East End in the 1960s.
Good biopic which may glamorise the image but does not shy away from the violence.
Dir: Peter Medak
Stars: Billie Whitelaw, Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp, Tom Bell, Stephen Berkoff
KRONOS
1957
*
A strange, block-like creature comes to Earth and wreaks destruction.
This sci-fi film gets its star for the titular Kronos, a pulpy product of space-crazy imagination, rather than its sluggish plot development and uninteresting dialogue. Even though animation is shakily utilised to denote Kronos' movement it still remains a totem of the era's SF boom.
Dir: Kurt Nuemann
Stars: Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery
KRULL
1983
0
Prince Colwyn fights to get his bride-to-be back.
Dull and derivative fantasy that doesn't rise above the routine.
Dir: Peter Yates
Stars: Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Bernard Bresslaw
KUNG FU
1986 (TV)
0
Caine the fighting mystic faces a challenger.
A somewhat uninspiring, belated follow-up to the TV series.
Dir: Richard Lang
Stars: David Carradine, Mako, Brandon Lee
KWAHERI: VANISHING AFRICA
1964
*
Documentary purporting to look at disappearing customs, rituals and wildlife in Africa.
Mondo movie which includes gruesome scenes of animals devouring each other, footage of a witchdoctor's skull surgery, without anaesthetic, and almost certainly faked scenes of a virgin being sacrificed. It's interesting probably in a slightly different way to what it would have been at the time, and of course it has since been subject to a politically correct gaze, but it's one of those films that we should be glad was made - it's not without value.
Dir: Thor L Brooks, Byron Chudnow
Narrator: Les Tremayne
KWAIDAN
1964
*
Four ghost stories.
All very beautiful and stylish but oh so very, very slow.
Dir: Masaki Kobayashi
Stars: Rentaro Mikuni, Genjiro Nakamura
1956
*
A college student decides to kill his girlfriend when she falls pregnant.
No adaptation of the book would be able to fully keep the midway twist in, but this does its best; it simplifies it in other ways, including reducing the number of sisters from three to two. Sadly the film is no great thriller, although it is passable: the trouble is mainly with the director - who is unable to build suspense thanks to prosaic camerawork and use of overly jaunty music – and a male lead who does not have anything like the depth to play the killer adequately.
Dir: Gerd Oswald
Stars: Robert Wagner, Virginia Leith, Joanne Woodward, Jeffrey Hunter
A KISS BEFORE DYING
1990
*
A young man marries and murders to gain money and power.
Elementary suspenser which keeps you watching.
Dir: James Dearden
Stars: Matt Dillon, Sean Young, Max von Sydow, Diane Ladd
KISS ME DEADLY
1955
*
Mike Hammer goes after criminals who have stolen radioactive material.
Brutal but boring thick-ear with a few new camerawork ideas.
Dir: Robert Aldrich
Stars: Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Cloris Leachman
KISS ME GOODBYE
1982
0
A widow planning to marry again is bothered by her first husband's ghost.
Americanisation of Dona Flor And Her Two Husbands (qv), a curious mix of boredom and genuine laughs.
Dir: Robert Mulligan
Stars: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
1985
*
Two men share a South American jail cell, one a flamboyant homosexual, one an anti-government activist.
Acquired-taste drama with good performances and sequences but a narrative that doesn't really flow.
Dir: Hector Babenco
Stars: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga
THE KISS OF THE VAMPIRE
1964
**
A honeymooning couple's car breaks down right next to a mansion full of vampires.
Handsomely mounted horror in an elegant and classic mould.
Dir: Don Sharp
Stars: Edward de Souza, Clifford Evans, Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel
KITTY FOYLE
1940
*
A young working woman meets a socialite.
Dated, melancholy romantic drama that appealed to women of the time.
Dir: Sam Wood
Stars: Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan, James Craig
KLAUS
2019
***
An idle young man is sent to be a postman in a frozen wasteland, but helps good things happen there.
Charming animated feature that conjures up a strange but beguiling land in which a tale of kindness and endeavour takes place; despite some anachronistic dialogue and songs it's an easy to enjoy Christmas picture with much beautiful artwork. Part of Netfix's plan for world domination.
Dir: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martinez Lopez
Voices: Jason Schwartzman, JK Simmons, Rashida Jones, Joan Cusack
KLUTE
1971
**
A detective goes after a killer who is threatening a prostitute.
Acclaimed thriller with the emphasis on character and sordidness; a film from 'new Hollywood'.
Dir: Alan J Pakula
Stars: Donald Sutherland, Jane Fonda, Roy Scheider
THE KNACK... AND HOW TO GET IT
1965
**
A school teacher tries to emulate the ways of his womanising housemate.
The movie Lester made between his two Beatles ones has not aged as well as those films - modern audiences would likely find it sexist and 'problematic' and be uncomfortable about the number of times the word 'rape' is uttered. Its plot doesn't do much that's notable, but what it does possess is visual panache and imaginative cutting (you might call it 'twitchiness'), giving it a real spirit of the Swinging Sixties, which mainly existed in the arts in any case.
Dir: Richard Lester
Stars: Michael Crawford, Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Donal Donnelly
KNIFE IN THE WATER
1962
**
A couple regret allowing a young hitch-hiker to spend the night on their boat.
Polanski's first feature can seem short of dramatic incident, but a sparse style and under-the-surface tension is always evident.
Dir: Roman Polanski
Stars: Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz
KNIGHT MOVES
1993
0
A chess grandmaster is suspected of killing women in a bizarre fashion.
Incredulous thriller which, despite attempting to be different to others, ends up being utterly familiar.
Dir: Carl Schenkel
Stars: Christopher Lambert, Diane Lane, Tom Skerritt, Daniel Baldwin
KNIGHT RIDER
1982 (TV)
0
A policeman who has been shot becomes the owner of a spanking new talking supercar.
The pilot for the series - quite enjoyable, glossy nonsense.
Dir: Daniel Haller
Stars: David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Charles Napier
KNIGHTRIDERS
1981
0
In modern-day America, a group of men travel around playing medieval knight games.
Mixed up, pretentious odyssey with characters that are both laughable and unsympathetic.
Dir: George A Romero
Stars: Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini
KNIGHTS ELECTRIC
1980
*
Young punks bother girls at a funfair.
Unusual, rather inconsequential short which looks glorious in HD; it's quite stretched out, even at 24 minutes, but the girls are gorgeous, the tunes fab (Madness, Gary Numan, The Pretenders etc) and the Great Yarmouth location shooting worth its weight in gold.
Dir: Barney Broom
Stars: Pete Lee-Wilson, Peter Harvey, Jenny Bonada
KNIVES OUT
2019
***
An expert detective is called in to investigate the death of a rich writer of crime novels.
Fiendishly clever and always gripping murder mystery which balances everything expertly. The only downsides are too much profanity and a character who will never turn out to have done bad things because of who they are, but generally it's first-class, stylish, unpretentious entertainment.
Dir: Rian Johnson
Stars: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon
KNOCKED UP
2007
*
An ambitious career woman finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with a slob.
Loose-limbed comedy with unattractive characters, it may have worked better with a less sour approach and a shorter running time. The crude frat boy humour sits uneasily with the often serious and occasionally insightful subject matter.
Dir: Judd Apatow
Stars: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann
KNIVES OUT
2019
***
An expert detective is called in to investigate the death of a rich writer of crime novels.
Fiendishly clever and always gripping murder mystery which balances everything expertly. The only downsides are too much profanity and a character who will never turn out to have done bad things because of who they are, but generally it's first-class, stylish, unpretentious entertainment.
Dir: Rian Johnson
Stars: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon
KNOCKED UP
2007
*
An ambitious career woman finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with a slob.
Loose-limbed comedy with unattractive characters, it may have worked better with a less sour approach and a shorter running time. The crude frat boy humour sits uneasily with the often serious and occasionally insightful subject matter.
Dir: Judd Apatow
Stars: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann
KONG: SKULL ISLAND
2017
0
Soldiers and scientists investigate a land where mighty creatures lay in wait.
Pointless resurrection of the hairy beast, a plot-lite ramble which sees a group of wearisomely diverse characters spouting vulgar dialogue and periodically encountering computer-generated monsters. There's no heart, no soul, no genuine excitement, and Kong could be any old monster, he doesn't have any personality.
Dir: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Brie Larson, John C Reilly, John Goodman
KONGA
1961
0
A mad scientist enlarges a chimp and orders it to kill his enemies.
Lovably clumsy and ridiculous sci-fi with a barrel-load of unintentional laughs, such as the chimp that turns into a gorilla (via terrible special effects), Gough's pursuit of the young student, his assistant one minute calling him a murderer and the next minute wanting to marry him. It's such a strange picture, with a blackish heart but very cheery aesthetics, and Gough suits it perfectly.
Dir: John Lemont
Stars: Michael Gough, Margo Johns, Jess Conrad
THE KOVAK BOX
2006
0
A writer’s wife commits suicide and one of his outlandish plots seems to be coming true.
Second-division sci-fi thriller which will pass the time for the uncritical; it’s tolerable enough but the two leads lack chemistry and there aren’t really any big plot twists.
Dir: Daniel Monzon
Stars: Timothy Hutton, Lucia Jiminez, David Kelly
KRAMER VS KRAMER
1979
***
A divorcé fights for custody of his seven-year-old son.
A rare thing, a sentimental drama which hits the right spot thanks to brilliant performances and a script that draws the audience in, hook, line and sinker, to sympathise with an all too familiar plight involving separated parents.
Dir: Robert Benton
Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry, Jane Alexander
THE KRAYS
1990
**
The true story of the vicious twins who ruled London's East End in the 1960s.
Good biopic which may glamorise the image but does not shy away from the violence.
Dir: Peter Medak
Stars: Billie Whitelaw, Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp, Tom Bell, Stephen Berkoff
KRONOS
1957
*
A strange, block-like creature comes to Earth and wreaks destruction.
This sci-fi film gets its star for the titular Kronos, a pulpy product of space-crazy imagination, rather than its sluggish plot development and uninteresting dialogue. Even though animation is shakily utilised to denote Kronos' movement it still remains a totem of the era's SF boom.
Dir: Kurt Nuemann
Stars: Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery
KRULL
1983
0
Prince Colwyn fights to get his bride-to-be back.
Dull and derivative fantasy that doesn't rise above the routine.
Dir: Peter Yates
Stars: Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Bernard Bresslaw
KUNG FU
1986 (TV)
0
Caine the fighting mystic faces a challenger.
A somewhat uninspiring, belated follow-up to the TV series.
Dir: Richard Lang
Stars: David Carradine, Mako, Brandon Lee
KWAHERI: VANISHING AFRICA
1964
*
Documentary purporting to look at disappearing customs, rituals and wildlife in Africa.
Mondo movie which includes gruesome scenes of animals devouring each other, footage of a witchdoctor's skull surgery, without anaesthetic, and almost certainly faked scenes of a virgin being sacrificed. It's interesting probably in a slightly different way to what it would have been at the time, and of course it has since been subject to a politically correct gaze, but it's one of those films that we should be glad was made - it's not without value.
Dir: Thor L Brooks, Byron Chudnow
Narrator: Les Tremayne
KWAIDAN
1964
*
Four ghost stories.
All very beautiful and stylish but oh so very, very slow.
Dir: Masaki Kobayashi
Stars: Rentaro Mikuni, Genjiro Nakamura
