7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
A gang of thieves rent a room upstairs from an old woman, who thinks they're a musical band. Somehow, the woman inadvertently gets mixed up in their scheme without knowing it and then the gang must debate on whether to kill her or not, especially when they all like the poor old dame.
Starring: Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green (I)Crime | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1, 1.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.75:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Five-disc set (3 BDs, 1 DVD, 1 CD)
DVD copy
4K Ultra HD
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Alexander Mackendrick's"The Ladykillers" (1955) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio interviews with assistant director Tom Pevsner and production manager David Peers; audio commentary by author and critic Philip Kemp; new documentary; vintage promotional materials for the film; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The release is sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of the film and offers two versions of the film: one framed in 1.67:1 and another framed in 1.37:1. Each version can be accessed through the main menu.
The screencaptures that are included with our review appear in following order:
1. Screencaptures #1-19: taken from the Blu-ray in native 1080p.
2. Screencaptures #23-30: taken from the 4K Blu-ray but downconverted to 1080p.
3. Screencaptures #31-34: taken from the 4K Blu-ray but downconverted to 1080p.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
The new 4K restoration offers such a dramatic upgrade in quality that in a way it makes the previous presentation of this classic film look like a poor upscaled experiment. (In case you are wondering, the Lionsgate release is sourced from the same master that StudioCanal used to produce this Region-B release as well). Also, in native 4K the restoration looks quite a bit better than it does in 1080p, but I have to make it perfectly clear that even in 1080p the visual upgrade is rather striking. Clarity, delineation, depth, and fluidity are so good that there is actually an abundance of visuals information that is entirely unrecognizable on the previous release. Furthermore, the density levels are superb. Again, in native 4K the improvement is most striking, but in 1080p the upgrade is just as easy to appreciate. Colors are lush, nicely balanced, and as you can see from our screencaptures there are actually brand new ranges of nuances. Image stability is excellent. Finally, the entire film looks spotless as well.
BLU-RAY DISC
If you do not yet have 4K equipment and cannot play 4K Blu-ray discs, you should still consider upgrading your previous release of this classic film. In 1080p everything still looks much, much better. Delineation, clarity, depth, and fluidity are outstanding, so you are looking at an all-around superior presentation of the film. The color scheme is far more convincing as well, though I have to point out that in native 4K the restoration simply looks a tad more impressive. This is basically it. The 1080p presentation is as solid of an effort as I have seen done for a Technicolor film, and given the nature of the previous presentation there is really no need to scrutinize the different characteristics of the restoration. Simply put, the new restoration is the type of solid organic presentation that the film should have received when it initially transitioned to Blu-ray. Very nicely done. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I did not detect signs of age-related anomalies. The audio is crystal-clear, sharp, and actually very nicely balanced. I also thought that the dynamic intensity is really good, though in the footage with the passing trains it is very easy to tell that the recording equipment has limitations. There are no encoding anomalies to report in our review.
Note: All bonus features can be viewed with optional English SDH subtitles, which can be turned on/off via the main menu.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
StudioCanal's new 4K restoration of Alexander Mackendrick's The Ladykillers is a Technicolor stunner. This is exactly the type of brilliant makeover this classic film needed and to have it on 4K Blu-ray is truly special. The new Blu-ray release also offers a solid upgrade in quality, but the 4K Blu-ray release has the definitive presentation of the film. Hopefully, the folks at StudioCanal will continue to thrill us with many more such releases in 2021. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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1955
The Lady Killers
1955
The Lady Killers | Vintage Classics | 60th Anniversary Collector's Edition
1955
Vintage Classics / Restored
1955
Vintage Classics
1955
1970
Vintage Classics | Collector's Edition
1951
1962
Micmacs à tire-larigot
2009
Vintage Classics
1949
Vintage Classics
1947
1931
Masters of Cinema
1920
Indicator Series
1982
2008
2012
1917
Indicator Series
1973
Play Time / Restored
1967
2012
The Jacques Tati Collection
1958
Mr. Hulot's Holiday / Restored
1953
Charlie on the Farm
1915
The Big Day / The Jacques Tati Collection
1949
1966