My 150 Favorite Movies - #71

The Killing (1956)

Stanley Kubrick directed this pretty early on in his career, and it has proved hugely influential to filmmakers as diverse as Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs) and Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon). Basically a heist caper (have I mentioned that's my favorite genre?), taking place at the racetrack, The Killing features such notorious film noir actors as Sterling Hayden and Elisha Cook Jr. This is the film that put Kubrick  on the map, after viewing it, Kirk Douglas hired him to direct Paths of Glory.