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Licensor Information
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Featuring: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Dekker, Sam Levene, Vince Barnett, Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes, Clu Gulager, Claude Akins, Norman Fell, Ronald Reagan, Seymour Cassel
Why would a man welcome his own murder?
Ernest Hemingway's gripping short story "The Killers" has fascinated readers and filmmakers for generations. Its first screen incarnation came in 1946, when director Robert Siodmak unleashed The Killers, helping to define the film noir style and launching the careers of Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner in this archetypal masterpiece. In 1956, then-film student Andrei Tarkovsky tackled the story with a faithful 19-minute short. In 1964, Don Siegel-initially slated to direct the 1946 version-took it on, creating the first-ever made-for-TV feature, which would prove too violent for American audiences in the wake of JFK's assassination. The Criterion Collection presents all three versions of this classic tale of amorality that asks why a man would silently welcome his fate with the passivity of a man already dead.
Ernest Hemingway's gripping short story "The Killers" has fascinated readers and filmmakers for generations. Its first screen incarnation came in 1946, when director Robert Siodmak unleashed The Killers, helping to define the film noir style and launching the careers of Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner in this archetypal masterpiece. In 1956, then-film student Andrei Tarkovsky tackled the story with a faithful 19-minute short. In 1964, Don Siegel-initially slated to direct the 1946 version-took it on, creating the first-ever made-for-TV feature, which would prove too violent for American audiences in the wake of JFK's assassination. The Criterion Collection presents all three versions of this classic tale of amorality that asks why a man would silently welcome his fate with the passivity of a man already dead.
Details by Film
The Killers
Year: 1946
Time: 102
Aspect Ratios
1.33:1
Audio
English Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Streaming Options
7900.
+3485
Stream
Rent
The Killers
Year: 1964
Time: 94
Aspect Ratios
1.33:1
Audio
English Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Disc:
DVD-9 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33:1
Audio Options:
English Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Short Film, Interview, Audio Recording, Radio Program, Insert, Gallery, Theatrical Trailer, Text, Alternate Soundtrack
- Andrei Tarkovsky's short film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "The Killers," made when he was a student in 1956
- Interview from 2002 with writer Stuart M. Kaminsky about both films
- Screen Directors's Playhouse radio adaptation from 1949 of the 1946 film, starring Burt Lancaster and Shelley Winters
- Audio recording from 2002 of actor Stacy Keach reading Hemingway's short story
- 1946 Version: Production and publicity stills with actor biographies, rare behind-the-scenes stills gallery, original press books, and ads
- Collection of trailers for Robert Siodmak films
- Writer/director Paul Schrader's seminal 1972 essay "notes on film noir"
- Music and effects track
- Interview from 2002 with actor Clu Gulager
- Audio excerpt from director Don Siegel's autobiography, A Siegel Film, read by actor and director Hampton Fancher
- 1964 Version: Production correspondence including memos from Don Siegel, broadcasting standards reports, and casting suggestions
- 1964 Version: Production and publicity stills with actor biographies, rare behind-the-scenes stills gallery, and advertisements
- Music and effects track
- Two inserts, one featuring an essay on the 1946 version by Jonathan Lethem and another featuring an essay on the 1964 version by Geoffrey O'Brien
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The Killers
The Killers
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Artwork: Lucien S. Y. Yang
Producer: Susan Arosteguy
Producer: Kate Elmore
Release Notes on Restoration
The Killers
The 1946 version of Ernest Hemingway's The Killers is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. This new digital transfer was created from a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master positive on a high-definition Spirit Datacine. The soundtrack was mastered from a 35mm 3-track magnetic audio master. To further enhance the image, the MTI Digital Restoration System was used to remove thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches. The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit; audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle.
The Killers