Cheap The Killers - Criterion Collection (DVD) (Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson) (Don Siegel) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Killers - Criterion Collection

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!

excellent dvd package
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!

First rate Film Noir
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.