The Killers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Killers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 14, 2015

Robert Siodmak's "The Killers" (1946) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers; archival video interview with screenwriter Stuart Kaminsky; archival radio adaptation of the film; archival audio piece in which actor Stacy Keach reads Ernest Hemingway's short story; Andrei Tarkovsky's film adaptation of the story; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring essays by novelist Jonathan Lethem and critic Geoffrey O'Brien. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Kitty and the Swede

In the rather long prologue of this legendary film noir, two killers (William Conrad and Charles McGraw) arrive in a small New Jersey town looking for a man nicknamed the "Swede" (Burt Lancaster, Brute Force, Conversation Piece). In the local diner, they confront the bartender, the waiter and a customer named Nick Adams. When they leave, Nick rushes to a nearby hotel to warn the Swede. Much to his surprise, however, the handsome young man refuses to run away or call the police. Shortly after, he is killed.

A series of uneven episodes gradually reveal why the Swede had to die.

In one of them ambitious insurance investigator Jim Reardon (Edmond O’ Brien, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) begins asking questions to find out more about the Swede because he had a policy with his company. He quickly discovers that the Swede was an ex-boxer who started hanging around with a shady character named Colfax and befriended his younger mistress, Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner, On the Beach, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman).

In another episode, a member of Colfax’s gang is found shot. Before he dies in a local hospital, he mumbles something about a robbery and a payout.

Other men who knew the Swede are then questioned and through various flashbacks his past is reassembled. Eventually, the insurance investigator meets 'Dum-Dum' Clarke (Jack Lambert, Kiss Me Deadly), another member of Colfax’s gang also looking for answers, and the flirty Kitty.

Directed by German-born director Robert Siodmak, The Killers is loosely based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway which was published in 1927. The film launched Lancaster’s career and went on to earn four Oscar nominations, including Best Director and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.

The prologue essentially sums up Hemingway’s original short story which chronicles the arrival of the killers in the small town but does not reveal any details about the Swede’s past. The rest of the film actually introduces events from a different story about a real heist gone wrong, which producer Mark Hellinger liked. This story was developed by the great John Huston and later on finalized by Anthony Veiller.

The film is very dark but it has a good sense of humor. The dialog is sharp and witty but it does not feel like the different characters try hard to impress. In other words, there is good balance between style and substance.

Lancaster is terrific. There are numerous close-ups in which he already looks like a big star. Gardner is stunningly elegant throughout the entire film. Even during the card game where the Swede confronts Colfax and she isn’t dressed to impress, she looks fantastic. O’Brien and Lambert also leave lasting impressions.

Siodmak and cinematographer Elwood Bredell‘s careful framing and use of light and shadow quickly create the type of atmosphere that makes so many of these noir films special. The film is also complimented by a very edgy soundtrack courtesy of the legendary Miklós Rózsa (Ben-Hur, Double Indemnity).

The Killers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Robert Siodmak's The Killers arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

Please note that the screencaptures included with this review appear in the following order:

1. Screencaptures #1-14: Robert Siodmak's The Killers
2. Screencaptures #16-21: Andrei Tarkovsky's The Killers

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit DataCine film scanner from a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master positive. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, AudioCube's integrated worksation, and iZotope RX 4.

Blu-ray mastering: Radius 60, Los Angeles."

The release appears to have been sourced from the same master Arrow Video and Carlotta Films accessed when they produced their releases of The Killers in 2014 (you can see our reviews of the Region-B releases here and here). There are some minor sharpness fluctuations that are visible either before or during select transitions, but they are inherited. The majority of the close-ups look very crisp and well-balanced, with the well-lit ones look particularly good (see screencaptures #2 and 5). Contrast levels remain stable. Some minor density fluctuations are present, but image depth remains very pleasing throughout the entire film (once again, you will notice the most obvious examples before or during select transitions). Grain is visible and well resolved. There are no traces of compromising sharpening adjustments. Overall image stability is very good. Finally, large debris, cuts, damage marks, and stains have been removed as best as possible -- and the ones that could not be fully removed are effectively toned done (see screencapture #11). All in all, this is a wonderful organic presentation of The Killers that will almost certainly remain the definitive presentation of the film on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free Blu-ray player in order to access its content).

The Killers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Miklós Rózsa's dramatic score easily breathes throughout the entire film. Depth and especially clarity are also very good, though dynamic intensity is somewhat limited. The dialog is clear, stable, and easy to follow. There are no pops, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in this review.

The Killers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Siodmak Trailers - in English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080p).
  
  1. Son of Dracula (1943)
  2. Cobra Woman (1944)
  3. The Killers (1946)
  4. Cry of the City (1948)
  5. Criss Cross (1949)

• Stuart Kaminsky - in this video interview, screenwriter Stuart Kaminsky (Once Upon a Time in America) discusses the key qualities that define film noir, the evolution of film noir after WWII, Robert Siodmak's The Killers and its visual style, Don Siegel's 1964 film and its drastically different visual style, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2002. (18 min, 1080i).

• Source and Adaptations -
  
  1. Hemingway's Short Story - Ernest Hemingway's The Killers was first published in Scribner's Magazine in 1927. Presented here is a reading of the story by actor Stacy Keach (Fat City) which was originally recorded for the Simon & Schuster audiobook Ernest Hemingway: The Short Stories. In English, not subtitled. (18 min, 1080p).
  
  2. Screen Director's Playhouse - this radio adaptation of Robert Siodmak's The Killers was originally broadcast on the June 5, 1948, episode of the series Screen Director's Playhouse. It stars Burt Lancaster, Shelley Winters, Tony Barrett, and William Conrad. In English, not subtitled. (30 min, 1080p).
  
  3. Andrei Tarkovsky's The Killers - presented here is Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky's (Solaris, Ivan's Childhood) first film, co-directed with his classmates Alexander Gordon and Marika Beiku in the autumn of 1956 at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). In Russian, with optional English subtitles. (21 min/1080p/Russian Dolby Digital 1.0).
  
  4. More About Andrei Tarkovsky's The Killers - additional information about Andrei Tarkovsky's student film, presented in text-format. (1080p).

• Leaflet - illustrated leaflet featuring essays by novelist Jonathan Lethem and critic Geoffrey O'Brien.

The Killers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Robert Siodmak's adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's short tale The Killers is a stylish film noir that launched the careers of Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. It is one of three adaptations included on Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release of The Killers (the other two are Don Siegel's 1964 color version and Andrei Tarkovsky's 1956 student film). Please note that Siodmak and Siegel's films are reviewed individually. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.