Rating: 
Summary: THE KILLERS X 2
Review: Both versions of THE KILLERS are on the new Criterion DVD set. The 1946 version is extremely good, although I still find the final third of the film unduly confusing (the burning halfway house business with Ava Gardner). The film looks magnificent in this presentation. The subtle use of shadows is the very stuff of Film Noir as is the complex flashback structure, Gardner's Femme Fatale, and Lancaster's existentially troubled hero. There is a lot of very good acting, most impressively from the supporters: Jeff Corey, Sam Levene, Jack Lambert, Virginia Christine, Edmond O'Brien are particulary fine, better, even, than the leads. The sound is also very good and the Rozsa score quite effective.The Don Siegel version from 1964 is a much lesser work of art: it looks like it was made for TV, which it of course was. However, the characters of Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager do make it interesting in their pursuit of Angie Dickinson and others to obtain hidden money. The film has a visceral violence that can be quite gripping and there is an intriguing seediness to the atmosphere.
The Criterion transfer is amazingly clear and sharp. In fact, the clarity makes process shots more apparent than may have been intended: the go-cart race between Cassavetes and Dickinson is very revealing in this respect. The 2-DVD set includes a 19-minute student film by Tarkovsky, made in 1970. Odd to see the Hemingway story performed in Russian with subtitles.
There is also a recording of a radio-play version of the story from 1949, with Lancaster and Shelley Winters; and Stacy Keach giving a straight reading of the story as well. Plus tons of advertising material, most interesting of which is the 1946 pressbook, which contains voluminous material on the actors and the film.
Clu Gulager, now 70+, is interviewed as a feature for the 1964 version. He appears surprised that the film is taken seriously and garners so much attention now. Gulager's very first words are "Well, if you want to call THE KILLERS a great film..." Then he goes on to praise Lee Marvin.
Also of great interest is the on-screen text of Paul Schrader's NOTES ON FILM NOIR (1972) in which he defines the elusive genre and interestingly divides the films into three periods (pre-war, wartime, and post-war). He calls attention to KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE, an often-ignored, underrated film, as an example of the grim, hard-boiled, later gangster picture.
Rating:
Summary: excellent dvd package
Review: Criterion has made one of their best dvd's yet. On disc one, there is an amazing adaptation by Robert Siodmak. This for me is the highlight of the set. There is fine acting, directing, and photography. It has noir written all over it. (In fact, after seeing this dvd, I think it is my favorite noir.) The 1946 The Killers is quite interesting in the way it expands on Hemingway's short story. Also on disc one is a short film by Andrei Tarkovsky! While this is interesting to watch and incredibly well done for a student film, there isn't that much substance. It's basically a word for word adaptation. In my mind, the lesser of the two films is on the second disc. This is not to say it's not enjoyable. Don Siegel's takes a completely different twist on Hemingway's story. Initially this movie was not even to be called The Killers, because it didn't have much in common with the prior film or the short story. The highlight of this adaptation is Ronald Reagan in his role as a criminal. heh! Overall this is an excellent set PACKED with features. The image quality is absolutely AMAZING on both discs (one of criterion's best efforts). I especially love the Seigel transfer. It has wonderful film grain sharpness. Lovers of noir should definately get this set. 1 great and 1 good film plus tons of extras = a must buy!
Rating:
Summary: unlikely pairing -- rewarding package
Review: Despite the commonality of the source material, one would not expect these movies to be joined at the hip like Siamese twins. The 1946 Siodmak is definitive noir: black and white, contrasty, artfully lit, with William Conrad and Charles McGraw in the title roles, played almost as extras -- shadowy figures spouting Hemingway dialogue in an Eisneresque diner in a mythical New Jersey. The 1964 Siegel version, brightly-lit in color, casts the killers as the central characters, played not-quite-for-laughs in over-the-top characterizations by a prime-of-life Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager, (a very funny actor, who has also recorded a sensitive commentary) the philosopher hit-man and the health-food nut -- precursors perhaps of the Travolta and Jackson characterizations of Pulp Fiction. There's an excellent and knowledgeable reading of the Hemingway story by Stacy Keach, a poorly read excerpt from Don Siegel's autobiography, an interview with Siegel's biographer, a radio play with Lancaster and Shelley Winters (!) and for completists of Tarkovsky, a risible but competent student film. All in all a grab-bag that even includes an uncredited appearance of Charles "Ming the Merciless" Middleton as the farmer in the 1947 version. Marvin is hot, Gulager is a hoot, Lancaster a hunk and Ava a beauty. Then there's an Edmund O'Brien performance that's as subtle as the one he would give in The Wild Bunch. And for the political, John Cassavetes decks Ronald Reagan, who gives a cold, professional performance, and gets to slap Angie Dickinson. A great package, the sum worth more than the parts.
Rating:
Summary: Who's the bright boy?
Review: I remember at 13 years being struck with wonder at the power of the dialogue in Hemingway's The Killers and if I recall correctly walked around the streets talking to myself, shoulders slouched, " You...bright boy. You pretty bright eh? " etc In this doubled whammy of Criterion edition it's Don Siegel's which has little to do with Hemingway which has the visceral power and Siodmark's which has much art and mood which has little of the power. Both however, are terrific movies. For film buffs it's a treat. With Siegel's the trashy sets, the truly brilliant acting of Mr Marvin, and Mr Gulager and Mr Cassavetes, go together to make a film which you can watch a dozen times and still marvel at it.
Rating: 
Summary: HEMINGWAY X 3
Review: More than sex, food or survival, we are creatures driven to find meaning in our lives (or so it's said by those who claim to know such things). A recent film that taps into that mindset, with varying degrees of success, is now available in a fine digital edition. Ernest Hemingway's famous short story, THE KILLERS, appears in three incarnations on this loaded Double Disc Special Edition. Robert Siodmak's 1946 version is best remembered for the luminous presence of Ava Gardner and the striking black-and-white cinematography of Woody Bredell. The essence of Hemingway's story about why Ole The Swede (Burt Lancaster) would passively accept his execution at the hands of hired killers takes up about 15 minutes of screen time. The rest is a look at the back story via an insurance investigation of his death. This moody film whirls around an amoral central theme as all those connected to The Swede ironically seek meaning in his death. Also here is Don Siegel's 1964 movie Ernest Hemingway's The Killers, although not much of Hemingway's story remains. The cast features a menacing and unmannered young Lee Marvin and the last film appearance of Ronald Reagan in his only role as a heavy. And he's great. Over 16 bonus features include Andrei Tarkovsky's 1956 student film of The Killers. Criterion is to be commended on the exquisite digital transfer of Siodmak's film.
Rating:
Summary: reagan at his best
Review: Seeing Ronald Reagan's performance in this movie is what made me vote for him for president. In fact, I liked him much better in "The Killers" than I did his presidency.
Rating:
Summary: Great package of films, extras from Criterion
Review: The Criterion Collection has moved beyond its original efforts toward film preservation, into actual education. Some of their most recent products feel almost like a portable film school, and this 2-DVD set of _The Killers_ is one of the company's best efforts to date. This package features two very different, largely unrelated B-movies based on the same Ernest Hemingway short story. The lushly romantic 1946 version, directed by Robert Siodmak, is better known, if only for the iconic performances of Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. But the 1964 Don Siegel film -- shot for NBC television but rejected for its violence -- has plenty of strong points to recommend it, including several remarkable performances. Some people claim that the '64 film features Lee Marvin's best role (although I think his performance in Samuel Fuller's _Big Red One_ is marginally better). In his last screen appearance, Ronald Reagan plays the villain to bone-chilling perfection. Extras include interviews, essays, and audio clips analyzing both films, though neither film features a separate audio commentary. There are also extra goodies for devoted cineastes and literature buffs. Criterion gives us Soviet director Andrei Tarkovsky's student film of _The Killers_ (which features some fascinating, subtly pro-American cultural references). Stacy Keach reads the story aloud on Disc 1; excerpts from Don Siegel's autobiography are featured on Disc 2. If that's not enough, the package also features Paul Schrader's masterful 1972 essay "Notes on Film Noir." With such a treasure trove of extras, this package could be used as a guide to mid-century American B-movies -- well worth owning for cinema buffs.
Rating:
Summary: If they had a chance they ran... but he just stood there...
Review: The first thing I would like to say is that "The Killers," is a superb production from the people at Criterion. Long renowned for the excellence of their titles, they really have outdone themselves this time 'round. Not only do we have the two feature length versions of Hemmingway's story, from 1946 and 1964 respectively, but we have a wonderfully atmospheric audio reading of the original by Stacy Keach, a 1949 radio adaptation, AND Andriie Tarkovsky's 1956 student film version; "The Killers" x 5!!! Of the rest of the extensive "extras," the jewel in the crown is an interview with Clu Gulager, filmed in 2002, in which he tells some great stories about the 1964 production, and Lee Marvin in particular! As much as I'm a huge fan of Film Noir, and Burt Lancaster, I have to admit I'd never even heard of the original 1946 version... shame on me! No, I bought this for the masterful Don Siegel version, staring Marvin, Gulager, Angie Dickenson, John Cassavetes, and in his only "bad guy" role, the future President of the United States of America, Ronald Reagan! Indeed, it was one of the first films I looked for on DVD when I got my shiny-disc machine, and this is somewhat surprising, as I'd only ever seen the film once, sometime back in the 70's, on British TV! This film, especially its electrifying final scenes, featuring an incredible performance by Marvin, seared itself into my memory for the better part of 30 years, and watching it again after all this time has NOT been a disappointment! The character of hit man "Charlie Strom" was, for me, the defining image of Lee Marvin. Tough - damn, forget "tough," we're talking hard-as-nails here! - menacing, cold, logical, world weary, and brutal, when the situation warrants it. His presence drives the film, a powerhouse performance; he commands the screen every minute he's up there on it, something Clu Gulager talks about in detail. And Clu's character, "Lee," is as different from Marvin's as it's possible to get. Younger and "hipper," he wears his shades because they make him look cool, and not just to disguise his identity. He's a health nut, always ready to crack a joke, but he has a sadistic streak, he enjoys the fear he instills in people, and whereas "Strom' uses violence as a tool, "Lee" enjoys it for its own sake. Separated by nearly 20 years in the making, the films are, in reality, light years apart in everything but the name. The 1946 version starts strong when two hit men, Max and Al, played by William Conrad - anyone remember "Cannon?!" - and Charles McGraw respectively, breeze into town, then park themselves in the local dinner. They spit out wonderfully hard-boiled Hemmingway dialogue almost verbatim from the original story, terrorize the staff, and then go off to kill "The Swede." And that is where the original story ends, and it's exactly here that the film runs out of steam, with a dogged insurance investigator, played by Edmond O'Brian, spending the next hour or so trying to piece together what happened to "The Swede." It's effectively done, using flashbacks from various characters, but in comparison to those first 15 minutes or so, it seems pretty lightweight. Don Siegal's "The Killers," on the other hand, is altogether much stronger meat. He takes the basic premise of Hemmingway's story, a man accepting his own death at the hands of two paid hit men, and runs with it in an entirely different direction. Told entirely from the perspective of the hit men themselves, the story really takes off when Marvin's character starts to think about what just happened, why the mark, ex-racing driver "Johnny North," didn't try to escape, didn't plead for his life. "If they had a chance," he says of all his previous hits, "they ran... but he just stood there and took it." Just as the original film used the device of flashbacks to tell the story, "Strom" and "Lee" set about joining the dots as they track down the various players in this dark morality tale concerning the missing dough from a robbery, a triple-crossing dame, and a love-sick fall-guy. There isn't a wasted line of dialogue or a superfluous frame of celluloid in the whole production, every part is played to perfection, including Claude Akins as "North's" old racing partner, and a wonderfully slimy Ronald Reagan, all pomaded hair, pursed lips, and cocked eyebrow, as crime boss "Jack Browning." Siegal's "The Killers" was planned as the original TV Movie, but, possibly, in the aftermath of JFK's assassination, the film was deemed to be too violent, the subject matter of two gunmen committing cold-blooded murder just too much for network television. By today's standards, however, the violence is minimal, although the actual hit itself is very effectively staged. But then again, what makes it work are the performances of Marvin, Gulager, and Cassavetes, and the setting, a school for the blind where "North" is a teacher; there's no graphic, blood splattered, "dance of death!" As a piece of modern Noir, I think Siegal's "The Killers" is exemplary, as is the magnificent production from The Criterion Collection... this really IS Essential Cinema, buy it today, you won't regret it!
Rating: 
Summary: Cinematographic Masterpiece - Inferiorally Transferred
Review: The Killers (1946) is an excellent film noir that is virtual eye candy. Every scene is beautifully shot with intense blacks, pristine whites and shadowy silhouettes. Cinematographer Elwood Bredell did an outstanding job on a film that is as beautiful as it is well written with a storyline that immediately connects to the audience. The transfer however, does not do this film justice. When I shelled out the [money] for this double disc, I EXPECTED a transfer that rivaled my Mildred Pierce disc from Warners and Sunset Boulevard from Paramount. This disc does not even come close to the perfection of the aforementioned discs by less expensive studios. The extras on Mildred Pierce and Sunset Boulevard RIVAL the extras on this one - for HALF THE PRICE. This transfer is grainy, with artifacts and a constant thin white line running down the right hand side of the film that is distracting. It is extremely frustrating to watch such a cinematic masterpiece presented in this condition. After two Criterion discs that are grainy and inferiorally transferred, I now associate them with Madacy, under the guise of excellence. The reviews written below best describe the plotline of this film. I will however say that Burt Lancaster as the duped lover and Ava Gardner as the ultimate femme fatale are terrific in the leads. This is a Universal film and with any luck they will re-release it in the condition that it deserves to be released in - flawless.
Rating:
Summary: First rate Film Noir
Review: The Killers from 1946, Burt Lancaster's debut movie, is fantastic. It is one of the finest in the noir genre. Ava Gardner is a truly devilish femme fetale. The plot is full of twists and turns. The film begins with the ending so to speak, like Sunset Boulevard. The mise-en-scene is stylish and dark. I highly recommend this film for fans of film noir. The DVD is an excellent print. It is sharp and the soundtrack is well restored. The "remake" for TV (1964) starring Lee Marvin and co-starring Ronald Reagan (as a heavy no less) is included. It bears little resemblence to the original. The film focuses on the killers this time, rather than an insurance detective. The killers are a preview of the kind of characters we would see thirty years later in Pulp Fiction.
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