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The Ladykillers (Tueurs de Dames) [Blu-Ray]

Alec Guinness (Acteur), Cecil Parker (Acteur), Alexander Mackendrick (Réalisateur) Classé: Tous publics Format : Blu-ray
4,5 sur 5 étoiles 891 évaluations
29,11 €
Autres formats Blu-ray Édition Disques
Prix Amazon
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Blu-ray
2 décembre 2010 		—
1
3,81 €
3,81 € 3,81 €
Blu-ray
16 février 2010 		—
1
29,11 €
49,95 € 29,11 €
Blu-ray
7 septembre 2015 		—
1
23,49 €
— 23,49 €
Genre Comédie
Format Importé, Blu-ray, Edition de collection
Contributeur Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, Herbert Lom, Alexander Mackendrick Voir plus
Langue Français, Allemand, Anglais, Espagnol
Durée d’exécution 1 heure et 31 minutes
Studio Universal
Nombre de disques 1
Fabricant Studiocanal

Description du produit

Livret rédigé par David Parkinson, critique de film, historien, écrivain et journaliste à Empire (20 pages)

Détails sur le produit

  • Rapport de forme ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
  • Production interrompue par le fabricant ‏ : ‎ Non
  • Dimensions du colis ‏ : ‎ 18,03 x 13,76 x 1,48 cm; 80 grammes
  • Référence constructeur ‏ : ‎ 5050582715460
  • Réalisateur ‏ : ‎ Alexander Mackendrick
  • Format ‏ : ‎ Importé, Blu-ray, Edition de collection
  • Durée ‏ : ‎ 1 heure et 31 minutes
  • Date de sortie ‏ : ‎ 16 février 2010
  • Acteurs ‏ : ‎ Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green
  • Doublé : ‏ : ‎ Espagnol, Allemand, Anglais, Français
  • Sous-titres : ‏ : ‎ Néerlandais, Allemand, Norvégien, Français, Finnois, Espagnol, Danois, Japonais, Suédois
  • Langue ‏ : ‎ Allemand (Dolby Digital 2.0), Espagnol (Dolby Digital 2.0), Anglais (DTS-HD 2.0), Français (DTS-HD 2.0)
  • Studio  ‏ : ‎ Studiocanal
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002YEQRQG
  • Nombre de disques ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Commentaires client :
    4,5 sur 5 étoiles 891 évaluations

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4,5 étoiles sur 5
891 évaluations globales

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Témoignages de clients

Les clients apprécient le film pour son humour noir et ses bons fous rires. Il est un chef d'œuvre, qualifié de classique par Alexander Mackendrick. De plus, ils soulignent la qualité du produit en Blu-ray, notamment sa restauration des images et du son.

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6 mention des clients "Humour"6 positifs0 négatifs

Les clients apprécient le film pour son humour noir et ses bons fous rires. Il est un chef d'oeuvre, offrant des moments de suspense et de bons fous rieurs. De plus, ils mentionnent que c'est un grand classique du cinéma avec Alec Guiness et Alexander Mackendrick.

"Ce film est délicieux et si drôle. Bonne qualité de film" Développer

"The Ladykillers est un grand classique de Alexander Mackendrick où y joue un acteur déjà talentueux, Alec Guinness, que de nombreux fans connaîtront..." Développer

"...Excellents acteurs, très bon rythme, du suspense et de bons fous rires en plus ! Il m'est parvenu rapidement en excellent état." Développer

"un chef d'oeuvre d'humour noir à l'anglaise..." Développer

3 mention des clients "Qualité"3 positifs0 négatifs

Les clients apprécient la qualité du film. Ils mentionnent que le Blu-ray est de meilleure qualité, notamment pour les images et son bien restaurés.

"Ce film est délicieux et si drôle. Bonne qualité de film" Développer

"Blue Ray de bonne qualité, image et son bien restaurés. Nombreux bonus fort intéressants sur les studios Ealing et sur la genèse du film...." Développer

"...Il a été ravi de l'avoir en version Blu-ray pour une meilleure qualité d'image et de son." Développer

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  • Client d'Amazon
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles Ce film est un bijou
    Avis laissé en France le 12 novembre 2024
    Achat vérifié
    Ce film est délicieux et si drôle. Bonne qualité de film
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  • Amazon Customer
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles The Ladykillers [Blu-ray] [Import anglais]
    Avis laissé en France le 16 octobre 2015
    THE LADYKILLERS [1955/2015] [60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] The Most Hilarious Gangster Film Ever Made! The Titan of Comedy in the most hilarious frolic!

    Ealing Studios’ output from the 1940s and the 1950s helped define what was arguably the Golden Age for British Cinema. It fostered great directors such as Alexander MacKendrick and Robert Hamer, while giving stars such as Sir Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers the chance to shine.

    With iconic performances from Sir Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ is quintessential Ealing Studios. Direct Alexander MacKendrick’s film centres on a criminal gang planning their next job, who find themselves boarding with an innocent old lady who thinks they are musicians. When the gang set out to kill Mrs. Wilberforce, they run into one problem after another, and get what they deserve. Alexander MacKendrick’s last film as director before his move to Hollywood. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ remains one of the best British comedies ever made.

    FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: BAFTA® Awards: Win: Best Actress in a Leading Role for Katie Johnson. Win: Best British Screenplay for William Rose. Nominated: Writing Original Screenplay for William Rose. Nominated: Best Film, British Film and Film from any Source. The comedian Frankie Howerd has a small role as an agitated barrow boy, as does Kenneth Connor as a taxi driver. A young Stratford Johns (Charlie Barlow from BBC TV Series ‘Z-Cars’) plays the driver of the security van that gets robbed. Mrs. Wilberforce's house, No. 57, was a set built at the western end of Frederica Street, in Barnsbury, North London. In the 1970s a new housing estate was built in that area. However, the views from her house are of Argyle Street, some distance away, with the tower of St Pancras railway station in the background. The film poster was by Reginald Mount.

    Cast: Sir Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, Katie Johnson, Philip Stainton, Frankie Howerd, Madge Brindley (uncredited), Hélène Burls (uncredited), Kenneth Connor (uncredited), Michael Corcoran (uncredited), Harold Goodwin (uncredited), Fred Griffiths (uncredited), Lucy Griffiths (uncredited), George Hilsdon (uncredited), Phoebe Hodgson (uncredited), Vincent Holman (uncredited), Anthony John (uncredited), Stratford Johns (uncredited), Evelyn Kerry (uncredited), Sam Kydd (uncredited), Aileen Lewis (uncredited), Edie Martin (uncredited), Jack Melford (uncredited), Robert Moore (uncredited), Arthur Mullard (uncredited), Ewan Roberts (uncredited), George Roderick (uncredited), John Rudling (uncredited), Leonard Sharp (uncredited), Peter Williams (uncredited) and Neil Wilson (uncredited)

    Director: Alexander Mackendrick

    Producers: Michael Balcon and Seth Holt

    Screenplay: William Rose (story and screenplay) and Jimmy O'Connor (uncredited)

    Composer: Tristram Cary

    Cinematography: Otto Heller

    Video Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]

    Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1

    Audio: English: 2.0 LPCM Mono Audio and English: 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio

    Subtitles: English SDH

    Running Time: 90 minutes

    Region: Region B/2

    Number of discs: 1

    Studio: Ealing Studios / STUDIOCANAL

    Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: One of the most popular films produced by Ealing Studios during their peak years, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955] is a delightful black comedy that has aged much better than some of the other Ealing Studios entertainments from the same period. For one thing, the clever script by William Rose, which was of course was nominated for an OOSCAR® and is so impeccably British, conjuring up a portrait of post-war London that is both idealised and of its time. And the central premise is hard to top. A gang of thieves, headed by Professor Marcus [Sir Alec Guinness], and takes two rooms at a boarding-house run by the eccentric Mrs. Wilberforce [Katie Johnson]. Here they pretend to be a practicing string quartet as a cover for their true intention is a security van robbery. Although the gang successfully carry off their heist, the criminals are eventually undone by their own greed and their various, unsuccessful attempts to murder their meddling landlady who remains oblivious to their crime or does she?

    A gang of robbers posing as a string quartet hole up in seedy King’s Cross in ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ and we discover a glimpse of a vanished London in the past. Alexander Mackendrick’s 1955 black comedy crime caper ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ is imbued with the seedy, grimy urban frontier feel that the King’s Cross district oozed in 1950s England and the last of the brilliant Ealing Studios Comedies, and the film centres on a rag-tag gang of crooks, led by Sir Alec Guinness’s sinister Professor Marcus, who pull off an audacious security van robbery at King’s Cross station. At the time of filming, King’s Cross station and its immediate vicinity was a very far cry from the gentrified area it has only recently become.

    The gang, posing as a string quartet, holed up in a lodging room in the area to plan the robbery. However, they meet their match in the form of their apparently frail old landlady, Mrs Wilberforce, charmingly portrayed by Katie Johnson. As the 1950s dawned, that part of North London was thick with coal grime from the constant flow of steam trains in and out of the capital’s busiest station, and ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was made a year before lawmakers introduced the Clean Air Act. As a major gateway to and from the rest of Great Britain, King’s Cross station was surrounded by myriad boarding houses, vans transporting sacks of wages unloaded from trains, and trolley buses choking the streets. It all made the likelihood of the crime happening at King’s Cross station all the more authentic.

    The setting for Mrs Wilberforce’s house was built so that it would have no perfect right angles and everything was designed to look dilapidated and broken. And Alexander Mackendrick said he wanted the house to be “dwarfed by the grim landscape of railway yards and screaming express trains as an anachronism in the contemporary world”. So the set was built not in Ealing Studios, but on a vacant lot at the end of a through-road named Frederica Street, about a mile to the north of King’s Cross. But the view out of the windows and the street was actually Argyle Street, closer to the station.

    For the film’s set-piece robbery, Alexander Mackendrick and his crew began shooting on the cobbled streets behind King’s Cross station at the junction of Battle Bridge Road and Goods Way. The famous Victorian Gasometers loom large in the shots while several scenes, including one with Mrs Wilberforce, are shot in the cavernous Victorian station itself. Other streets in the area used include Cheney Road and St Chad’s Street, while a red telephone box on Vernon Square is used by Guinness’s professor to make phone calls to a fellow gang member. And the Copenhagen rail track tunnel, whose walls can still be seen today, provides the location for the film’s grisliest scene when the body of gang member Harry, played by Peter Sellers, is disposed of. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ marked Mackendrick’s last film adventure on British streets before he took off for the sunnier, altogether less grimy streets of Hollywood.

    According to the film's producer that in his autobiography “Michael Balcon Presents . . . A Lifetime of Films,” screenwriter William Rose "literally dreamed up ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ the germ of the idea came to him while he was asleep and at a time when he confessed that his brain was barren of ideas. He had been working at high pressure and felt creatively exhausted. Happily for us, he recalled the dream one day while talking with [director Alexander] "Sandy" MacKendrick, and so was born the story of the somewhat pixilated old lady getting involved in the doings of an extraordinary gang of crooks." The interesting thing about ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ which is set in a precisely detailed world of English manners and tradition, is the fact that William Rose was actually an American. Who defected to Canada prior to World War II and joined the army there, later coming to England where he attempted to enter the film industry. He eventually went to work at Ealing where he worked on ‘Genevieve’ [1953], ‘Touch and Go’ [1955] and other features.

    Other cast members who would go on to greater fame and fortune after ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ were Kenneth Connor and Frankie Howard, who appeared in several of the popular British Carry On comedy films and, of course, Herbert Lom, who would team up with Peter Sellers years later, playing his nemesis in a series of the Pink Panther films. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ marked Alexander MacKendrick's final film for Ealing Studios; he soon departed for America where he would direct ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ in 1957, and a film which was a complete departure from his forte, especially British comedy films. In 2004, the Coen Brothers remade ‘The Ladykillers’ with Tom Hanks and moved the setting from London to Biloxi, Mississippi and was a total ghastly disaster and should have never ever of been contemplated and to try and improve over the original 1955 ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ as it was a total insult to do so.

    Blu-ray Video Quality – ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ offers a stunning knockout transfer for an Ealing Studios film of this vintage. This new Blu-ray release adds information back with wider black bars to each side, and accurately displays the restored negatives in the manner they were originally shot generate an image capable of filling a greater portion of our TV widescreen display. STUDIOCANAL’s new 2015 release transfer looks even much improved for its 1955 age. Fine object detail comes close to the clarity of a modern production, and it's a natural element of the period in which the classic film was shot. Regarding the black levels, contrast, and colouring, the film has never looked better. In the end, fans of ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ and classic cinema in general will be very pleased with the stunning visual upgrade on this 2015 STUDIOCANAL’s Blu-ray release. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications

    Blu-ray Audio Quality – This very welcome upgrade with the 2.0 LPCM Mono Audio, and offers a very subtle increase in brilliant clarity and has brilliant gains in audio balance. Listening to the dialogue Mono Audio track, I never noticed a shred of distortion, hiss, or dropout, and the vocal nuances of each character were reproduced with a high level of accuracy. Environmental sound effects are well-balance with the rest of the elements in the mix without coming across overbearing, and the whimsical musical score by first-time composer Tristram Cary adds a brilliant touch of character to the overall track. In my assessment, this is a perfectly capable audio experience that remains true to the nature of the original sound recording of this upgraded 2015 STUDIOCANAL release.

    Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

    Audio Commentary: Commentary by Philip Kemp: Film historian Philip Kemp delivers a well-researched commentary, although his delivery is rather dry. It felt too much like he was reading form a script rather than reacting to what he saw, which is understandable considering all the information he offers, but at the same time after a while he starts rambling on about other films relating to the Ealing Studios and is very off putting. The audio commentary track is somewhat dry at times, but the wealth of information collected by Kemp is astounding. From conversations on the set to anecdotes regarding Alexander Mackendrick's compulsive desire for perfection, Philip Kemp literally transports viewers back to 1955. One interesting fact we hear about, is that they were going to hire Sir Richard Attenborough because of his early career as an actor in British films, but in the end they changed their minds. Alexander MacKendrick was keen to get Peter Sellers because of his time in the BBC Radio “The Goon Show” and the way he uses his voice to create different characters and as a bonus, Peter Sellers does all the voices for Mrs. Wilberforce’s 3 parrots. A word of warning, because this audio commentary by Philip Kemp is in 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio, when he stops his rambling coherent audio commentary and allows the film to proceed in hearing the actors speak in the film, you will notice the actors lip sync is out and luckily at times you only get brief moments like this, as hearing the voices not working with the lips is very off putting. And so ends this audio commentary that was partly interesting, but a lot of the time Philip Kemp goes off rambling in lots of different directions on information about other films that came out of the Ealing Studios, but instead should stick to information about ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ as Philip Kemp certainly likes the sound of his own voice and after a while you wish he would be silent more often now and again. So all in all I can only give a 5 out of 10 star rating for his effort in doing this audio commentary.

    Special Feature: Introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam [2012] [1080i] [1.37:1] [2:58] This brief interview, that was filmed in an empty studio, is with the talented director Terry Gilliam, who demonstrates the level of appreciation he has for the classic film productions of the Ealing Studios, yet he barely scratches the surface behind his reasoning. But he informs us that when lived in the San Fernando Valley in California his youth is 1955, and the area where he lived was very boring, flat and bleached out, but when ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was released in his local cinema he felt London looked very exotic city landscape, compared to the boring landscape of the San Fernando Valley. We also find out that the King’s Cross location of the film, was where he first lodged when he moved to the UK and in fact was very near to where they filmed ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Terry Gilliam informs us that he loved the film’s moody lighting and the characters were always in the shadows, which gives the impression of a constant threat and that something could go terribly wrong. Terry Gilliam also praises the director Alexander MacKendrick’s use of the camera, especially when the little old ladies are milling about in the hallway. Also another reason he loves the film is because it has brilliant acting performances, as well as brilliant comedy timing and especially that they are real characters with real ideas, real passions, real dreams, real frustrations and of course, ultimately real greed. Which at this point the filming ends abruptly. Sadly this is far too short, but still interesting. But you can see why Terry Gilliam loves the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’

    Special Feature: Forever Ealing [2002] [1080i] [1.37:1] [49:36] This Documentary is about the history of the British Ealing Studios, from its beginnings in 1902, that is located in a quiet suburb of West London, where all the funniest British Comedy Films were conjured up. This Documentary celebrates the history and influence of England's Ealing Studios with the documentary of ‘Forever Ealing’ [2002]. Narrated by Daniel Day-Lewis, whose grandfather, Sir Michael Balcon, ran the studio during its heyday, the documentary explores the enduring popularity of the quirky studio responsible for defining British comedy on the big screen. The documentary features interviews with Ealing Studios' stars, craftsmen, and contemporary filmmakers and actors who were influenced by the studio, as well as clips from many of the great films produced at Ealing. It also explores the studio's history from its origins in 1902 through its most prolific and popular decades of the 1940s and '50s, when it produced such films as ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955], the story of innocence triumphing over evil as an elderly lady turns the table on her would-be assassins; ‘THE LAVENDER HILL MOB’ [1951], a tongue-in-cheek crime comedy starring Sir Alec Guinness as a gold thief who eventually gets arrested for his troubles; and ‘KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS’ [1949], in which Sir Alec Guinness plays numerous roles as different members of the snobbish D'Ascoyne family, each of whom eventually get exactly what they deserve at the hands of a disowned relative. The documentary also traces the Ealing Studios historic production of films and then the BBC television productions output and ends by exploring the contemporary rebirth of Ealing Studios as the home for films including, ‘An Ideal Husband’ [1999] and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ [2002], as well as the desire of the present owners to re-create the spirit of the Ealing Studios from the 1940s and '50s. Interviewees include Ealing Studios Googie Withers [Actress] and John McCallum [Actor] watching their own films and commenting on their romantic relationship on and off screen. OSCAR® winning screenwriter Tibby E. B. Clarke and cinematographer Douglas Slocombe shares their stories about the creative atmosphere at Ealing Studios, the main goal of craftsmanship and quality filmmaking, as well as the contributions made by those who worked on films for the studio. We also get other contributions from the great British luminaries like Jill Balcon [Widow of Michael Balcon]; Lord Richard Attenborough [Director] discusses how the films made at Ealing Studios have entertained and influenced them. Sir John Mills [Actor]; Derek Bond [Actor]; Martin Scorsese [Director] relates that ‘KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS’ was an influence on his film ‘Goodfellas’ [1990]. Philip Kemp [Film Historian]; Stephen Frears [Director]; Terry Gilliam [Director] discusses the inspiration ‘THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT’ [1951] which gave him the stolen idea for his film ‘BRAZIL’ [1985]. John Landis [Director] shares his views of the film studio system, including the thought that "Ealing Studios created wit of an extremely refined, stylised level." Barnaby Thompson [Producer] who is the New Studio Head of Ealing Studios. Colin Firth [Actor]; Rupert Everett [Actor] and John McCallum [Producer/Actor]. We also get Clips, including the only few seconds remaining of Ealing Studios first feature, the film ‘60 Years A Queen’ [1902]; ‘The Captive Heart’ [1946]; ‘SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC’ [1948]; ‘The Big Blockade’ [1941]; ‘THE CRUEL SEA’ [1953] and ‘PASSPORT TO PIMLICO’ [1949]. But one last bit of bonus we get, is where we are informed that Peter Sellers while filming ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ produced his own personal audio film trailer via a reel-to-reel tape recorder, to entertain the cast and crew and it is the first time it has been heard, and while it is broadcast, we get a last look round the Ealing Studios. Directed by Andrew Snell. Produced by Andrew Solomon, Avril MacRory, Brendan Hughes, Caroline Thomas and Ron Halpern. Music by Tom Green. Cinematography by John Howarth. This special documentary was by Silver Apples Media in association with STUDIOCANAL and Channel 4 Television Corporation.

    Special Feature: Interview with Screenwriter/Producer Allan Scott [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [49:36] Here we get the intimate thoughts of Allan Scott and talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Allen Scott says people say the film is a horror comic, but disagrees, but instead says it is a funny film. Allan Scott says the little old lady fascinated him and also says that Alexander MacKendrick always said “that comedy was the best way of not making life unbearable and that his films were extraordinary towards humanity” and also said, “that laughter without sympathy is intolerable and that laughter at yourself and your pain and faults is the best kind of joke.” Allan praises Sir Alec Guinness and says he gave a wonderful performance, but also liked the other characters in the film and that none of Alexander MacKendrisk’s films has dated and that he was very fussy and critical of his film, but at the same found him to be a very sweet guy, but also had a troubled life, both professionally and personally, but was also a brilliant teacher, and students worshipped him. And so all in all ends a fascinating insight into the direct Alexander MacKendrick and especially finding out about his brilliant work directing classic Ealing Studios films at Ealing Studios, but most important Allan Scott tells it all in a very interesting and fascinating way.

    Special Feature: Interview with Director Terence Davies [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [13:48] With this second special interview we again get the intimate thoughts of Terence Davis and also talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Terrence Davies was a student under the direction of Alexander MacKendrick and praised him greatly and said what a wonderful teacher he was, especially when in Alexander MacKendrick’s classes he would put on films like ‘The Third Man’ and discuss its merits and techniques of filming and was a total revelation. Terrence Davies says Alexander MacKendrick’s films had a great influence in his directing technique, and especially with the use of Technicolor, and of course raves over the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ which he equally tells us that he adores the film. Terrence Davies loved Sir Alec Guinness as Professor Marcus, but most of all we are informed that Alexander MacKendrick thought Sir Alec Guinness was a genius in the film and also praises the actress and says her performance was “gorgeous” and instantly feel in love with her character, but sadly when the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was released Katie Johnson sadly passed away and never got to see the film. Terrence Davies mentions director Robert Hamer, who made ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ and felt it was his greatest comedy film and and points out that Alexander MacKendrick and Robert Hamer’s films were all about class, plus also about revenge, and also feel life has robbed them of their privileges and we hoped they would get away with it. Terrence Davies feels ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ has not dated at all, especially as it has a cosy effect about it, but it also has something different about it. So ends another fascinating interview special, especially with Terence Davies who is very interesting and engaging person and is well worth a view, especially hearing all the informative stuff about the director Alexander MacKendrick.

    Special Feature: Interview with Screenwriter Ronald Harwood [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [7:14] With this third and final special interview we again get the intimate thoughts of Ronald Harwood and also talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Ronald Harwood informs us that Alexander MacKendrick was the first director he has ever worked for, and was a very charming experience and became a very good friend to Alexander MacKendrick and was co-writer to the film ‘A High Wind in Jamaica. Ronald Harwood tells us that Alexander MacKendrick had a good sense when it came to a story, which is very important, but there was a definite a dark side to Alexander MacKendrick’s personality. Ronald Harwood is asked if ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ has dated and says, “Oh No, because you can see it has not dated, but mentions the ghastly American re-make that has definitely dated.” And so ends another fascinating and brilliant interesting interview special.

    Special Feature: Locations Feature [2015] [1080p] [1.77:1] [7:14] Here we have the BBC Radio 4's Alan Dein [Broadcaster and Oral Historian] with his special anniversary film talk tour and we also get screenings of some of the iconic comedy clips of the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ pointing out at the same time where it was actually filmed. It is 60 years since the release of this iconic classic film comedy by Ealing Studios the tour starts off in Argyle Street that was repeatedly used throughout the film and also the main view of Mrs. Wilberforce’s house and was just a prop that was built in Frederica Street, London. We also find out that the famous Red Telephone Box that is used by the Professor and the Major that is no longer there. Next location is St. Chad's Street, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8BD, where the Major bumps into Peter Sellers and where the police delivers the trunk full of the stolen money. The next location is Field Street, Kings Cross, London WC1X 9DA and this is where the abandoned car was filmed. Allen Dein also gives us more views around the King’s Cross area where a lot of the filming was done and the director Alexander MacKendrick loved the area a lot in 1955, as it still had the Dickensian look of the 1880s and the spot where Mrs. Wilberforce house was built and was on top of the Copenhagen Tunnel where the actors get bumped off and at that point we get few moments near the end of the film and without warning suddenly ends abruptly, but despite this, Allen Dein does a brilliant job with this special feature.

    Special Feature: Audio Interview with Tom Pevsner [1926-2014] [1 Hour 31 minutes and 29 seconds] With this particular interview, we are not informed who conducted the interview, but I can tell you it is totally boring, as the interviewer is totally boring and has not done his homewaork. Tom Pevsner was born on 2nd October, 1926 in Dresden, Germany, and was the son of the distinguished architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner. His parents were German and were originally from Russia, and due to a decline in the fur trade, moved to Europe. Tom Pevsner eventually entered the film industry under the direction of Sir Michael Balcon at the famed Ealing Studios. He eventually became a third assistant director and moved up to first Assistant Director with Ealing Studios productions, such as ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955]. Tom Pevsner later served as Associate Producer on such films as ‘A High Wind in Jamaica’ [1965], Fred Zinnemann's ‘JULIA’ [1977] and John Badham's ‘DRACULA’ [1979]. Tom Pevsner served as Executive Producer for the first and only time on the 1995 relaunch of the James Bond films. But at the end we get a notice informing us this was in memory of Tom Pevsner, who passed away on the 18th August, 2014.

    Special Feature: Audio Interview with David Peers [1 Hour 32 minutes and 34 seconds] Once again we have this idiot doing another audio interview. David Peers was born in 1924 in London in the Notting Hill Gate area, which was his home and working area for most of his life, but now resides in the countryside. When he as 9 years of age his Parents sent him up to a boarding school in Yorkshire, which always departed from King’s Cross Station. But he informs us of a tragic fire that happened with one of carriages caught fire on the journey up to Yorkshire, where six boys were killed, but luckily David had a lucky escape. In 1942 he entered the army and spent the rest of that period in the Second World War. He is asked how he became involved with the film industry, which all came about via his father, who was one of the earliest pioneers in the film industry in. David Peers then went onto the Gate Film Studios, and then moved onto the Ealing. David Peers talk about Ealing Studios and Michael Balcon who had a moral outlook. David Peers praised the direct Alexander MacKendrick and David Peers does most of the talking and is a joy to hear and is also totally fascinating and very informative on his life and times in the film industry and it is a totally sheer delight and joy of 1 hour 32 minutes and 34 seconds.

    Special Feature: Cleaning Up ‘The Ladykillers’ [2015] [1080p] [1.37:1] [5:06] This feature had general dirt and sparkle throughout the film, but also some very dirty optical images. It also suffered in places from some very severe blue staining. Nearly half of the feature film had static dirt; and these particular scenes were run the Regional Fill Filter to automatically remove the dirt. The “Clean Up” reveals what actions were taken to clean up the imperfections, and split-screens show original/restored comparisons, but there is no sound and it is an amazing bit of work was done and the team should be quite proud of their professional work.

    Special Feature: Stills Gallery [2015] [1080p] [1.37:1] You get to view 27 stunning rare Black-and-White Promotional images of never before behind-the-scenes look at the filming of ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ plus some rare images of the special ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ “Street Tea Party” in celebration of the Ealing Studios filming and you get to see some of the stars helping out.

    Theatrical Trailer [1955] [1080p] [1.37:1] [2:34] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ and it is a totally brilliant trailer and is also really brilliant presentation especially with the voice over announcer and is as good as the film itself!

    Finally, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ is a must-own this 2015 upgraded Blu-ray title, especially for all fans of classic Ealing Studios dark comedy films. Because it combines lasting appeal, a first-rate professional cast actors, exceptional directing, and very clever witty dialogue, and the film's relevance is undeniable. This new high-definition presentation offers a definitive technical presentation that exceeds all prior previous Blu-ray versions in every possible way, while also managing to deliver an extensive brilliant supplemental package of value-added material. If you've been waiting for the right time to buy ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ this special upgraded 2015 Blu-ray release, then this is the one for you. Very Highly Recommended!

    Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Fan
    Le Cinema Paradiso
    WARE, United Kingdom
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  • guy v.
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles un chef d'oeuvre d'humour noir à l'anglaise
    Avis laissé en France le 13 décembre 2015
    Achat vérifié
    Tueurs de dames est un petit bijou d'humour noir à l'anglaise. Cette bande de pieds nickelés, au demeurant dangereux, dont certains du reste sont plus bêtes que méchants nous amusent ou nous angoissent tour à tour. Chacun a sa personnalité et joue sa partition avec brio.
    Alec Guinness (tout droit sorti d'un film d'horreur de la Hammer), Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom (inquiétant et sadique à souhait), Danny Green (brute au grand cœur) et Peter Sellers sont excellents.
    Katie Johnson, en vieille dame so british, est impayable.
    Alexander Mackendrick se révèle un très bon réalisateur, que ce soit au niveau des plans séquences, de la mise en scène ou au niveau de la couleur magistralement utilisée.
    Un classique à voir et à revoir.
    A noter que l'exemplaire que j'ai reçu est bien en VOST.
    7 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
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  • David
    4,0 sur 5 étoiles Une bonne comédie mêlant humour et absurde: on regrette juste de petites longueurs ou scènes forcées
    Avis laissé en France le 1 février 2023
    A sa toute première apparition Alec Guinness se dresse par sa silhouette menaçante de dos, tel un détrousseur de vieilles dames. Il fait évidemment référence à Mabuse ou le tueur de Londres.

    La charmante et aimable hôtesse est agile sous ses dehors prévenants. On la définit même telle « une charmante vieille dame » dans son intérieur cosy, préservé, fourni, aux manières polies et exquises.
    Pour les besoins de cette comédie policière cette dame respectable sera entrainée dans des quiproquos et utilisée pour son innocence bien comme il faut. Pourvue de ses principes et habitudes elle ne semble pas du tout dangereuse ni farouche, pas même pour deux sous… quoique. Avec ses perroquets elle est à sa manière un peu fantasque.

    Ténébreux ou légèrement agité, armé de son sourire de qui sait à l’avance ce qu’il va répondre à ses demandeurs, calme et inquiétant sous ses cheveux blancs, Alec Guinness règne sur cette équipe de pieds nickelés réunis pour l’occasion. Des larrons malgré tout respectueux des usages de leur bonne logeuse, hors l’homme au chapeau, toujours méfiant, impatient et jamais souriant. C’est le principe de ce genre de métrage, où les protagonistes mis en présence sont complètement opposés et n’auraient jamais dû se croiser : d’où l’intérêt de son traitement.
    L’armoire à glace au langage grave et simplet est l’archétype du benêt ; le chef évoqué ci-dessus est toujours calme et maître de lui mais peut aussi partir en live ; le froid tueur à l’arme blanche reste toujours coiffé de son couvre-chef ; le frêle téméraire aux belles baccantes reste toujours affublé de son pardessus et le jeune et irrésistible Peter Sellers ferme le ban et clôture la bande.
    Ils fomentent leur coup et le plan est bien ficelé et le stratagème habile, qui réussit. Après ça se complique malencontreusement…

    L’humour est avant tout basé sur un certain absurde des situations, par la couverture musicale, avec des effets volontairement répétitifs dans le côté sériel. Et encore une fois, on vérifie presque par la théorie que c’est le côté humain qui pèche toujours, surtout dans une précipitation irréfléchie.
    On montre comment ils doivent tenter de réagir à une situation in extremis imprévue. Finalement les bons bougres sont plutôt gentils : ils se feront davantage de mal entre eux qu’à leur hôtesse.

    Rythme alerte (parsemé de quelques moments d’attente ou de suspense au salon), gags visuels à gogo, répliques pince-sans-rire : « Tueurs de dames » incarne l’âge d’or (années 1950-60) de la comédie anglaise à l’humour délicieusement british (tautologie), avec le toujours parfait Alec Guinness en maniganceur et la très bonne prestation de Katie Johnson en madame Wilberforce, parfaite et drôle lorsqu’elle emploie l’argot et répond aux agents de manière automatique, à l’opposé de sa chaste langue et ses égards courtois.
    Le cocasse vient sur la bande de cinq gaillards se trouve penauds lorsque leur pot-aux-roses est découvert. Ils sont même gênés, confus, honteux. Les lurons en viendront à se déchirer, pas pour le butin comme on aurait pu le penser, ou leur trahison fortuite, mais de la manière de bien liquider un témoin gênant…

    De réalisation classique on regrette deux ou trois petites longueurs (comme la scène de la cabine téléphonique qui convoque tous les protagonistes ou celle du cheval, longuette qui force trop le trait), et l’on éprouve plutôt des sourires que des éclats de rire francs – mais quelques-uns tout de même – mais c’est surtout cet esprit loufoque qui nous intéresse et qui maintient nos intérêt et sympathie.

    Avec en fin de compte une sorte de morale à deux niveaux : comme souvent lors des ennuis chacun tente de sauver sa peau, et puis c’est l’innocente raflera tout…comme une sorte de dédommagement. L’entrée en matière introductive et le périple de la vénérable veuve peuvent sembler un peu long mais ils auront finalement leur nécessité dans leurs réminiscences utiles.
    Souriant par son sujet et son traitement, il prend le flambeau de la comédie policière humoristique à l’ancienne de « Arsenic et vieilles dentelles » avec Gary Grant (1944).
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  • Ray
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles Die musikalischen Untermieter der Mrs. Wimmerforce....
    Avis laissé en Allemagne le 22 juillet 2018
    Achat vérifié
    "Ladykillers" aus derm Jahr 1955 entstand in den legendären britischen Ealing Studios und ist vielleicht inzwischen etwas in die Jahre gekommen. Dennoch rangiert dieser Film-Evergreen immer noch ganz weit oben in den von dem Britischen Film Institut veröffentlichten Top 100 der besten britischen Filme aller Zeiten. Dort liegt "Ladykillers" auf einem formidablen 13. Rang - auch der Vorgängerfilm von "Ladykillers" Regisseur Alexander Mackendrick "Der Mann im weißen Anzug" schaffte es auf den 58. Rang - ein Grund für den Regisseur in Hollywood sein Glück zu suchen. Doch sein 1957 entstandener Film Noir "Dein Schicksal in meiner Hand" war zu seiner Zeit kein Erfolg beschieden - erst viel später erkannte man auch in dieser Arbeit ein Meisterwerk.
    "Ladykillers" war MacKendricks letzter und schwärzester Film für die Ealing Studios. Und Otto Hellers Farbkamera und Jim Morahans Ausstattung sind sehr hilfreich dabei, eine Gefühl zu erzeugen für eine in der Vergangenheit verhaftete Gesellschaft, die Mühe hat moderne Wege zu gehen.

    Die Geschichte spielt in einem eher beschaulichen Stadtteil von London. Dort in der Nähe des Bahnhofs steht das Häuschen der alten, alleinstehenden Mrs. Wimmerforce (Kathie Johnson), die dort mit ihren drei Papageien lebt und gelegentlich Kaffeekränzchen für ihre Freundinnen Constance (Phoebe Hogson), Appolonia (Helene Burls), Lenchen (Edie Martin) und Amelia (Evelyn Kerry) gibt. Die gutmütige alte Dame ist etwas einsam und manchmal taucht sie bei der Polizei auf und erzählt etwas über die UFO-Erfahrungen ihrer Nachbarin und hat auch andere sonderbare Beobachtungen, die sie den Gesetzeshütern mitteilt. Sie ist ein lieber Mensch und hat nun entschieden die oberen Zimmer in ihrem Haus zu vermieten. Tatsächlich klingelt eines Abends ein gewisser Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) bei ihr und bekundet Interesse die beiden Zimmer im ersten Stock zu mieten. Da er einen guten Eindruck macht, ist der Vertrag schnell geschlossen. Noch mehr freut die alte Dame, dass er immer mal wieder Besuch von seinen Kollegen bekommt - gemeinsam wären sie ein Hobbystreichquartett und machen Musik. Und sogar sehr gute - wie Mrs. Wimmerforce im Parterre hören kann. Doch sie ahnt ja nicht, dass die Musik von der Schallplatte kommt, die die Herren auflegen - und dass die Gentlemen währenddessen einen großen, raffinierten Überfall auf einen Geldtransport am Kings Cross planen. Zu der Band gehören ein gewisser Major Courtney (Cecil Parker), der noch jugenhafte Harry Robinson (Peter Sellers), der einfältige Pfannkuchen (Danny Greene) und der kaltschnäuzige Louis Harvey (Herbert Lom). Tatsächlich klappt der Coup - sogar mit Mrs. Wimmerforce als Joker, die unwissend zur Komplizin des Raubs gemacht wird - und alles wäre anders ausgegangen, wenn nicht das Band des Cellokastens von Pfannkuchen in Mrs. Wimmerforces Haustür geraten wäre...

    So entdeckt die durch und durch anständige Dame, dass sie Gangster beherbergt hat und darüberhinaus auch noch "mitgehangen - mitgefangen" ist. Doch die Lady besteht darauf, dass man sich stellt und die Beute wieder zurückbringt. Alle Argumente der Diebesbande sind vergeblich - dies führt dazu, dass die Diebe nun auch einen Mordplan realsieren müssten. Aber keiner der Männer bringt es übers Herz, der alten "Mrs. Überkandidelt" etwas anzutun. So nimmt die Geschichte ihren rabenschwarzen und todbringenden Verlauf. Unvergessen bleibt natürlich die Darstellung von Katie Johnson. Für diese Rolle erhielt sie auch 1956 den Preis der British Film Academy als beste Schauspielerin. Ein Jahr später am 4. Mai 1957 starb die Theaterschauspielerin im Alter von 79 Jahren. Ihr Partner Peter Sellers wurde diesen Film berühmt und festigte seinen großartigen Ruf als führender Komödiant des britischen Kinos.
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  • cookieman108
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles "What could possibly go wrong now?"
    Avis laissé aux États-Unis le 22 mars 2005
    Achat vérifié
    Now that's an ominous movie line if I ever heard one, spoken by Professor Marcus, with regards to his plans to commit the perfect crime. The only thing he didn't figure on was the disastrous affects that one, kindly old lady named Mrs. Louisa Wilberforce would have on said plans. The Ladykillers (1955), written by William Rose (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner) and directed by Alexander Mackendrick (The Man in the White Suit), stars Sir Alec Guinness (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Murder by Death), Herbert Lom (A Shot in the Dark, The Return of the Pink Panther), and Katie Johnson (How to Murder a Rich Uncle). Also appearing is Cecil Parker (The Man Who Changed His Mind), Danny Green (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), Jack Warner (The Quatermass Xperiment), and Peter Sellers (The Mouse That Roared, The Pink Panther) in his first, major screen role.

    The story begins innocently enough, as we meet Mrs. Wilberforce (Johnson), a dear, elderly widowed woman who lives in a small English town, in a small, slanted house (the `subsidence' occurred due to the bombing of a previous war, you see, and so one effect is none of the pictures in the house hang correctly) with her three birds. Interested in taking on a border (perhaps as much for company as well as the extra income), she posts an ad, one that's answered by Professor Marcus (Guinness), an odd-looking fellow with more in mind than just renting a room. Turns out Professor Marcus is a criminal mastermind, and he and his gang, featuring Louis (Lom), Harry (Sellers), Claude (Parker), and One-Round (Green) are preparing to steal a great deal of money, and are not only using Mrs. Wilberforce's home as a headquarters and hideout, but Marcus' diabolical scheme also involves using her as an unwitting sixth member. The score goes off relatively hitch free, but little do they know the amount of trouble about to be brought down upon their collective heads as this kindly, old lady continuously, albeit inadvertently, mucks up their cunning designs, eventually becoming wise, forcing the men to take desperate measures in now they must eliminate this sweet, old woman, or surely be caught. Five harden criminals against a lone, elderly woman? They don't stand a chance...

    Of all the Ealing Studios/Alec Guinness dark comedies I've seen, The Ladykillers is probably my favorite, although I have yet to see Kind Hearts and Coronets (1950), which I've heard is also excellent. The comedic caricatures presented here are truly wonderful, in the hardened career criminal Louis (Lom), the seemingly sophisticated prim and proper Claude (Parker), whose classy veneer hides a cowardly core, the slick and excitable Harry (Sellers), the loutish, dimwitted One-Round (Green), who's the muscle of the group, and finally the ever cunning, devious, slimy bucktoothed (he wore specially made false teeth for the role), yet slyly witty, Professor Marcus, played by Guinness. The supporting cast provides much, but the real star is Guinness. His ability to assume the role of his characters is among the best I've ever seen. From the way he talks, walks, his mannerism, facial expressions, and even they way he sits all are intended to work together to achieve the desired result. And he does this with such seeming ease, garnering the accolade, rightly so, of being the acting equivalent of a chameleon. He does have his hands full in that of Katie Johnson, as she threatens to steal nearly every scene she's in as the sweet, seemingly frail Mrs. Wilberforce. She's the small, unassuming, gracious, genial elderly woman with the kindest heart, sweetest disposition (that is unless she thinks you're hurting an animal), and friendliest manner I've ever seen. You'd think all of this would come off as phony, but it truly seems like it's part of her nature, like she's someone plucked off the street, placed amongst these characters and is not acting, but being herself amidst these actors, or at least that was the impression I got...she also had some of my favorite scenes. The gang posed as a stringed quartet as to cover their reason for being in her home, and so while they met to make with their plans, they would put on a record playing some classical piece, to which she would often comment quite verbosely on later, usually to One-Round for his exceptional cello playing, to which One-Round would have absolutely no idea what she was talking about, and just nod with a idiotic look on his face. Another favorite scene is when she finally discovers what the gang has been up to, and proceeds to admonish them in her own way, calling their behavior shocking and appalling, much like a parent would register his or her disappointment in a child. And the men, these dangerous criminal types, stand there, taking it, with hangdog expressions. There's a great many funny scenes, both of the low brow and the sophisticated kind. This is a fine example of so many elements, the writing, direction, script, music, etc., working in tune with each other to create one of the funniest comedies I'll probably ever see. There has been a remake, released in 2004, made by the Coen Brothers, starring Tom Hanks, which I haven't seen, but given how much I like this original version, I can't say I'm eager to watch the newer version as I doubt, even despite Mr. Hanks and the Coens talents, that they could come close to matching the level of entertainment provided here.

    Anchor Bay Entertainment provides a beautiful widescreen picture (1.66:1), enhanced for 16 X 9 TVs, on this DVD, and the monaural Dolby Digital 1.0 is decent (I could have used some subtitles, as the English accents made some of the dialogue hard to understand, but this was an infrequent event, and didn't spoil the film whatsoever). Special features include a theatrical trailer for the film, along with an extensive biography of Alec Guinness, and also a reproduction of a poster for the film, printed on a heavy cardboard insert (chapter stops on the back). If I learned anything from this film, it's the invaluable nature of having direct access to a train yard when the need arises to dispose of a body...

    Cookieman108
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  • Amazon Customer
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles THE LADYKILLERS [1955/2015] [60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray]
    Avis laissé au Royaume-Uni le 16 octobre 2015
    Achat vérifié
    THE LADYKILLERS [1955/2015] [60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray] The Most Hilarious Gangster Film Ever Made! The Titan of Comedy in the most hilarious frolic!

    Ealing Studios’ output from the 1940s and the 1950s helped define what was arguably the Golden Age for British Cinema. It fostered great directors such as Alexander MacKendrick and Robert Hamer, while giving stars such as Sir Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers the chance to shine.

    With iconic performances from Sir Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ is quintessential Ealing Studios. Direct Alexander MacKendrick’s film centres on a criminal gang planning their next job, who find themselves boarding with an innocent old lady who thinks they are musicians. When the gang set out to kill Mrs. Wilberforce, they run into one problem after another, and get what they deserve. Alexander MacKendrick’s last film as director before his move to Hollywood. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ remains one of the best British comedies ever made.

    FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: BAFTA® Awards: Win: Best Actress in a Leading Role for Katie Johnson. Win: Best British Screenplay for William Rose. Nominated: Writing Original Screenplay for William Rose. Nominated: Best Film, British Film and Film from any Source. The comedian Frankie Howerd has a small role as an agitated barrow boy, as does Kenneth Connor as a taxi driver. A young Stratford Johns (Charlie Barlow from BBC TV Series ‘Z-Cars’) plays the driver of the security van that gets robbed. Mrs. Wilberforce's house, No. 57, was a set built at the western end of Frederica Street, in Barnsbury, North London. In the 1970s a new housing estate was built in that area. However, the views from her house are of Argyle Street, some distance away, with the tower of St Pancras railway station in the background. The film poster was by Reginald Mount.

    Cast: Sir Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, Katie Johnson, Philip Stainton, Frankie Howerd, Madge Brindley (uncredited), Hélène Burls (uncredited), Kenneth Connor (uncredited), Michael Corcoran (uncredited), Harold Goodwin (uncredited), Fred Griffiths (uncredited), Lucy Griffiths (uncredited), George Hilsdon (uncredited), Phoebe Hodgson (uncredited), Vincent Holman (uncredited), Anthony John (uncredited), Stratford Johns (uncredited), Evelyn Kerry (uncredited), Sam Kydd (uncredited), Aileen Lewis (uncredited), Edie Martin (uncredited), Jack Melford (uncredited), Robert Moore (uncredited), Arthur Mullard (uncredited), Ewan Roberts (uncredited), George Roderick (uncredited), John Rudling (uncredited), Leonard Sharp (uncredited), Peter Williams (uncredited) and Neil Wilson (uncredited)

    Director: Alexander Mackendrick

    Producers: Michael Balcon and Seth Holt

    Screenplay: William Rose (story and screenplay) and Jimmy O'Connor (uncredited)

    Composer: Tristram Cary

    Cinematography: Otto Heller

    Video Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]

    Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1

    Audio: English: 2.0 LPCM Mono Audio and English: 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio

    Subtitles: English SDH

    Running Time: 90 minutes

    Region: Region B/2

    Number of discs: 1

    Studio: Ealing Studios / STUDIOCANAL

    Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: One of the most popular films produced by Ealing Studios during their peak years, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955] is a delightful black comedy that has aged much better than some of the other Ealing Studios entertainments from the same period. For one thing, the clever script by William Rose, which was of course was nominated for an OOSCAR® and is so impeccably British, conjuring up a portrait of post-war London that is both idealised and of its time. And the central premise is hard to top. A gang of thieves, headed by Professor Marcus [Sir Alec Guinness], and takes two rooms at a boarding-house run by the eccentric Mrs. Wilberforce [Katie Johnson]. Here they pretend to be a practicing string quartet as a cover for their true intention is a security van robbery. Although the gang successfully carry off their heist, the criminals are eventually undone by their own greed and their various, unsuccessful attempts to murder their meddling landlady who remains oblivious to their crime or does she?

    A gang of robbers posing as a string quartet hole up in seedy King’s Cross in ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ and we discover a glimpse of a vanished London in the past. Alexander Mackendrick’s 1955 black comedy crime caper ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ is imbued with the seedy, grimy urban frontier feel that the King’s Cross district oozed in 1950s England and the last of the brilliant Ealing Studios Comedies, and the film centres on a rag-tag gang of crooks, led by Sir Alec Guinness’s sinister Professor Marcus, who pull off an audacious security van robbery at King’s Cross station. At the time of filming, King’s Cross station and its immediate vicinity was a very far cry from the gentrified area it has only recently become.

    The gang, posing as a string quartet, holed up in a lodging room in the area to plan the robbery. However, they meet their match in the form of their apparently frail old landlady, Mrs Wilberforce, charmingly portrayed by Katie Johnson. As the 1950s dawned, that part of North London was thick with coal grime from the constant flow of steam trains in and out of the capital’s busiest station, and ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was made a year before lawmakers introduced the Clean Air Act. As a major gateway to and from the rest of Great Britain, King’s Cross station was surrounded by myriad boarding houses, vans transporting sacks of wages unloaded from trains, and trolley buses choking the streets. It all made the likelihood of the crime happening at King’s Cross station all the more authentic.

    The setting for Mrs Wilberforce’s house was built so that it would have no perfect right angles and everything was designed to look dilapidated and broken. And Alexander Mackendrick said he wanted the house to be “dwarfed by the grim landscape of railway yards and screaming express trains as an anachronism in the contemporary world”. So the set was built not in Ealing Studios, but on a vacant lot at the end of a through-road named Frederica Street, about a mile to the north of King’s Cross. But the view out of the windows and the street was actually Argyle Street, closer to the station.

    For the film’s set-piece robbery, Alexander Mackendrick and his crew began shooting on the cobbled streets behind King’s Cross station at the junction of Battle Bridge Road and Goods Way. The famous Victorian Gasometers loom large in the shots while several scenes, including one with Mrs Wilberforce, are shot in the cavernous Victorian station itself. Other streets in the area used include Cheney Road and St Chad’s Street, while a red telephone box on Vernon Square is used by Guinness’s professor to make phone calls to a fellow gang member. And the Copenhagen rail track tunnel, whose walls can still be seen today, provides the location for the film’s grisliest scene when the body of gang member Harry, played by Peter Sellers, is disposed of. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ marked Mackendrick’s last film adventure on British streets before he took off for the sunnier, altogether less grimy streets of Hollywood.

    According to the film's producer that in his autobiography “Michael Balcon Presents . . . A Lifetime of Films,” screenwriter William Rose "literally dreamed up ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ the germ of the idea came to him while he was asleep and at a time when he confessed that his brain was barren of ideas. He had been working at high pressure and felt creatively exhausted. Happily for us, he recalled the dream one day while talking with [director Alexander] "Sandy" MacKendrick, and so was born the story of the somewhat pixilated old lady getting involved in the doings of an extraordinary gang of crooks." The interesting thing about ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ which is set in a precisely detailed world of English manners and tradition, is the fact that William Rose was actually an American. Who defected to Canada prior to World War II and joined the army there, later coming to England where he attempted to enter the film industry. He eventually went to work at Ealing where he worked on ‘Genevieve’ [1953], ‘Touch and Go’ [1955] and other features.

    Other cast members who would go on to greater fame and fortune after ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ were Kenneth Connor and Frankie Howard, who appeared in several of the popular British Carry On comedy films and, of course, Herbert Lom, who would team up with Peter Sellers years later, playing his nemesis in a series of the Pink Panther films. ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ marked Alexander MacKendrick's final film for Ealing Studios; he soon departed for America where he would direct ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ in 1957, and a film which was a complete departure from his forte, especially British comedy films. In 2004, the Coen Brothers remade ‘The Ladykillers’ with Tom Hanks and moved the setting from London to Biloxi, Mississippi and was a total ghastly disaster and should have never ever of been contemplated and to try and improve over the original 1955 ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ as it was a total insult to do so.

    Blu-ray Video Quality – ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ offers a stunning knockout transfer for an Ealing Studios film of this vintage. This new Blu-ray release adds information back with wider black bars to each side, and accurately displays the restored negatives in the manner they were originally shot generate an image capable of filling a greater portion of our TV widescreen display. STUDIOCANAL’s new 2015 release transfer looks even much improved for its 1955 age. Fine object detail comes close to the clarity of a modern production, and it's a natural element of the period in which the classic film was shot. Regarding the black levels, contrast, and colouring, the film has never looked better. In the end, fans of ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ and classic cinema in general will be very pleased with the stunning visual upgrade on this 2015 STUDIOCANAL’s Blu-ray release. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.

    Blu-ray Audio Quality – This very welcome upgrade with the 2.0 LPCM Mono Audio, and offers a very subtle increase in brilliant clarity and has brilliant gains in audio balance. Listening to the dialogue Mono Audio track, I never noticed a shred of distortion, hiss, or dropout, and the vocal nuances of each character were reproduced with a high level of accuracy. Environmental sound effects are well-balance with the rest of the elements in the mix without coming across overbearing, and the whimsical musical score by first-time composer Tristram Cary adds a brilliant touch of character to the overall track. In my assessment, this is a perfectly capable audio experience that remains true to the nature of the original sound recording of this upgraded 2015 STUDIOCANAL release.

    Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

    Audio Commentary: Commentary by Philip Kemp: Film historian Philip Kemp delivers a well-researched commentary, although his delivery is rather dry. It felt too much like he was reading form a script rather than reacting to what he saw, which is understandable considering all the information he offers, but at the same time after a while he starts rambling on about other films relating to the Ealing Studios and is very off putting. The audio commentary track is somewhat dry at times, but the wealth of information collected by Kemp is astounding. From conversations on the set to anecdotes regarding Alexander Mackendrick's compulsive desire for perfection, Philip Kemp literally transports viewers back to 1955. One interesting fact we hear about, is that they were going to hire Sir Richard Attenborough because of his early career as an actor in British films, but in the end they changed their minds. Alexander MacKendrick was keen to get Peter Sellers because of his time in the BBC Radio “The Goon Show” and the way he uses his voice to create different characters and as a bonus, Peter Sellers does all the voices for Mrs. Wilberforce’s 3 parrots. A word of warning, because this audio commentary by Philip Kemp is in 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio, when he stops his rambling coherent audio commentary and allows the film to proceed in hearing the actors speak in the film, you will notice the actors lip sync is out and luckily at times you only get brief moments like this, as hearing the voices not working with the lips is very off putting. And so ends this audio commentary that was partly interesting, but a lot of the time Philip Kemp goes off rambling in lots of different directions on information about other films that came out of the Ealing Studios, but instead should stick to information about ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ as Philip Kemp certainly likes the sound of his own voice and after a while you wish he would be silent more often now and again. So all in all I can only give a 5 out of 10 star rating for his effort in doing this audio commentary.

    Special Feature: Introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam [2012] [1080i] [1.37:1] [2:58] This brief interview, that was filmed in an empty studio, is with the talented director Terry Gilliam, who demonstrates the level of appreciation he has for the classic film productions of the Ealing Studios, yet he barely scratches the surface behind his reasoning. But he informs us that when lived in the San Fernando Valley in California his youth is 1955, and the area where he lived was very boring, flat and bleached out, but when ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was released in his local cinema he felt London looked very exotic city landscape, compared to the boring landscape of the San Fernando Valley. We also find out that the King’s Cross location of the film, was where he first lodged when he moved to the UK and in fact was very near to where they filmed ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Terry Gilliam informs us that he loved the film’s moody lighting and the characters were always in the shadows, which gives the impression of a constant threat and that something could go terribly wrong. Terry Gilliam also praises the director Alexander MacKendrick’s use of the camera, especially when the little old ladies are milling about in the hallway. Also another reason he loves the film is because it has brilliant acting performances, as well as brilliant comedy timing and especially that they are real characters with real ideas, real passions, real dreams, real frustrations and of course, ultimately real greed. Which at this point the filming ends abruptly. Sadly this is far too short, but still interesting. But you can see why Terry Gilliam loves the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’

    Special Feature: Forever Ealing [2002] [1080i] [1.37:1] [49:36] This Documentary is about the history of the British Ealing Studios, from its beginnings in 1902, that is located in a quiet suburb of West London, where all the funniest British Comedy Films were conjured up. This Documentary celebrates the history and influence of England's Ealing Studios with the documentary of ‘Forever Ealing’ [2002]. Narrated by Daniel Day-Lewis, whose grandfather, Sir Michael Balcon, ran the studio during its heyday, the documentary explores the enduring popularity of the quirky studio responsible for defining British comedy on the big screen. The documentary features interviews with Ealing Studios' stars, craftsmen, and contemporary filmmakers and actors who were influenced by the studio, as well as clips from many of the great films produced at Ealing. It also explores the studio's history from its origins in 1902 through its most prolific and popular decades of the 1940s and '50s, when it produced such films as ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955], the story of innocence triumphing over evil as an elderly lady turns the table on her would-be assassins; ‘THE LAVENDER HILL MOB’ [1951], a tongue-in-cheek crime comedy starring Sir Alec Guinness as a gold thief who eventually gets arrested for his troubles; and ‘KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS’ [1949], in which Sir Alec Guinness plays numerous roles as different members of the snobbish D'Ascoyne family, each of whom eventually get exactly what they deserve at the hands of a disowned relative. The documentary also traces the Ealing Studios historic production of films and then the BBC television productions output and ends by exploring the contemporary rebirth of Ealing Studios as the home for films including, ‘An Ideal Husband’ [1999] and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ [2002], as well as the desire of the present owners to re-create the spirit of the Ealing Studios from the 1940s and '50s. Interviewees include Ealing Studios Googie Withers [Actress] and John McCallum [Actor] watching their own films and commenting on their romantic relationship on and off screen. OSCAR® winning screenwriter Tibby E. B. Clarke and cinematographer Douglas Slocombe shares their stories about the creative atmosphere at Ealing Studios, the main goal of craftsmanship and quality filmmaking, as well as the contributions made by those who worked on films for the studio. We also get other contributions from the great British luminaries like Jill Balcon [Widow of Michael Balcon]; Lord Richard Attenborough [Director] discusses how the films made at Ealing Studios have entertained and influenced them. Sir John Mills [Actor]; Derek Bond [Actor]; Martin Scorsese [Director] relates that ‘KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS’ was an influence on his film ‘Goodfellas’ [1990]. Philip Kemp [Film Historian]; Stephen Frears [Director]; Terry Gilliam [Director] discusses the inspiration ‘THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT’ [1951] which gave him the stolen idea for his film ‘BRAZIL’ [1985]. John Landis [Director] shares his views of the film studio system, including the thought that "Ealing Studios created wit of an extremely refined, stylised level." Barnaby Thompson [Producer] who is the New Studio Head of Ealing Studios. Colin Firth [Actor]; Rupert Everett [Actor] and John McCallum [Producer/Actor]. We also get Clips, including the only few seconds remaining of Ealing Studios first feature, the film ‘60 Years A Queen’ [1902]; ‘The Captive Heart’ [1946]; ‘SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC’ [1948]; ‘The Big Blockade’ [1941]; ‘THE CRUEL SEA’ [1953] and ‘PASSPORT TO PIMLICO’ [1949]. But one last bit of bonus we get, is where we are informed that Peter Sellers while filming ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ produced his own personal audio film trailer via a reel-to-reel tape recorder, to entertain the cast and crew and it is the first time it has been heard, and while it is broadcast, we get a last look round the Ealing Studios. Directed by Andrew Snell. Produced by Andrew Solomon, Avril MacRory, Brendan Hughes, Caroline Thomas and Ron Halpern. Music by Tom Green. Cinematography by John Howarth. This special documentary was by Silver Apples Media in association with STUDIOCANAL and Channel 4 Television Corporation.

    Special Feature: Interview with Screenwriter/Producer Allan Scott [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [49:36] Here we get the intimate thoughts of Allan Scott and talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Allen Scott says people say the film is a horror comic, but disagrees, but instead says it is a funny film. Allan Scott says the little old lady fascinated him and also says that Alexander MacKendrick always said “that comedy was the best way of not making life unbearable and that his films were extraordinary towards humanity” and also said, “that laughter without sympathy is intolerable and that laughter at yourself and your pain and faults is the best kind of joke.” Allan praises Sir Alec Guinness and says he gave a wonderful performance, but also liked the other characters in the film and that none of Alexander MacKendrisk’s films has dated and that he was very fussy and critical of his film, but at the same found him to be a very sweet guy, but also had a troubled life, both professionally and personally, but was also a brilliant teacher, and students worshipped him. And so all in all ends a fascinating insight into the direct Alexander MacKendrick and especially finding out about his brilliant work directing classic Ealing Studios films at Ealing Studios, but most important Allan Scott tells it all in a very interesting and fascinating way.

    Special Feature: Interview with Director Terence Davies [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [13:48] With this second special interview we again get the intimate thoughts of Terence Davis and also talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Terrence Davies was a student under the direction of Alexander MacKendrick and praised him greatly and said what a wonderful teacher he was, especially when in Alexander MacKendrick’s classes he would put on films like ‘The Third Man’ and discuss its merits and techniques of filming and was a total revelation. Terrence Davies says Alexander MacKendrick’s films had a great influence in his directing technique, and especially with the use of Technicolor, and of course raves over the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ which he equally tells us that he adores the film. Terrence Davies loved Sir Alec Guinness as Professor Marcus, but most of all we are informed that Alexander MacKendrick thought Sir Alec Guinness was a genius in the film and also praises the actress and says her performance was “gorgeous” and instantly feel in love with her character, but sadly when the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ was released Katie Johnson sadly passed away and never got to see the film. Terrence Davies mentions director Robert Hamer, who made ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ and felt it was his greatest comedy film and and points out that Alexander MacKendrick and Robert Hamer’s films were all about class, plus also about revenge, and also feel life has robbed them of their privileges and we hoped they would get away with it. Terrence Davies feels ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ has not dated at all, especially as it has a cosy effect about it, but it also has something different about it. So ends another fascinating interview special, especially with Terence Davies who is very interesting and engaging person and is well worth a view, especially hearing all the informative stuff about the director Alexander MacKendrick.

    Special Feature: Interview with Screenwriter Ronald Harwood [2015] [1080i] [1.77:1] [7:14] With this third and final special interview we again get the intimate thoughts of Ronald Harwood and also talks extensively about the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS.’ Ronald Harwood informs us that Alexander MacKendrick was the first director he has ever worked for, and was a very charming experience and became a very good friend to Alexander MacKendrick and was co-writer to the film ‘A High Wind in Jamaica. Ronald Harwood tells us that Alexander MacKendrick had a good sense when it came to a story, which is very important, but there was a definite a dark side to Alexander MacKendrick’s personality. Ronald Harwood is asked if ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ has dated and says, “Oh No, because you can see it has not dated, but mentions the ghastly American re-make that has definitely dated.” And so ends another fascinating and brilliant interesting interview special.

    Special Feature: Locations Feature [2015] [1080p] [1.77:1] [7:14] Here we have the BBC Radio 4's Alan Dein [Broadcaster and Oral Historian] with his special anniversary film talk tour and we also get screenings of some of the iconic comedy clips of the film ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ pointing out at the same time where it was actually filmed. It is 60 years since the release of this iconic classic film comedy by Ealing Studios the tour starts off in Argyle Street that was repeatedly used throughout the film and also the main view of Mrs. Wilberforce’s house and was just a prop that was built in Frederica Street, London. We also find out that the famous Red Telephone Box that is used by the Professor and the Major that is no longer there. Next location is St. Chad's Street, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8BD, where the Major bumps into Peter Sellers and where the police delivers the trunk full of the stolen money. The next location is Field Street, Kings Cross, London WC1X 9DA and this is where the abandoned car was filmed. Allen Dein also gives us more views around the King’s Cross area where a lot of the filming was done and the director Alexander MacKendrick loved the area a lot in 1955, as it still had the Dickensian look of the 1880s and the spot where Mrs. Wilberforce house was built and was on top of the Copenhagen Tunnel where the actors get bumped off and at that point we get few moments near the end of the film and without warning suddenly ends abruptly, but despite this, Allen Dein does a brilliant job with this special feature.

    Special Feature: Audio Interview with Tom Pevsner [1926-2014] [1 Hour 31 minutes and 29 seconds] With this particular interview, we are not informed who conducted the interview, but I can tell you it is totally boring, as the interviewer is totally boring and has not done his homewaork. Tom Pevsner was born on 2nd October, 1926 in Dresden, Germany, and was the son of the distinguished architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner. His parents were German and were originally from Russia, and due to a decline in the fur trade, moved to Europe. Tom Pevsner eventually entered the film industry under the direction of Sir Michael Balcon at the famed Ealing Studios. He eventually became a third assistant director and moved up to first Assistant Director with Ealing Studios productions, such as ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ [1955]. Tom Pevsner later served as Associate Producer on such films as ‘A High Wind in Jamaica’ [1965], Fred Zinnemann's ‘JULIA’ [1977] and John Badham's ‘DRACULA’ [1979]. Tom Pevsner served as Executive Producer for the first and only time on the 1995 relaunch of the James Bond films. But at the end we get a notice informing us this was in memory of Tom Pevsner, who passed away on the 18th August, 2014.

    Special Feature: Audio Interview with David Peers [1 Hour 32 minutes and 34 seconds] Once again we have this idiot doing another audio interview. David Peers was born in 1924 in London in the Notting Hill Gate area, which was his home and working area for most of his life, but now resides in the countryside. When he as 9 years of age his Parents sent him up to a boarding school in Yorkshire, which always departed from King’s Cross Station. But he informs us of a tragic fire that happened with one of carriages caught fire on the journey up to Yorkshire, where six boys were killed, but luckily David had a lucky escape. In 1942 he entered the army and spent the rest of that period in the Second World War. He is asked how he became involved with the film industry, which all came about via his father, who was one of the earliest pioneers in the film industry in. David Peers then went onto the Gate Film Studios, and then moved onto the Ealing. David Peers talk about Ealing Studios and Michael Balcon who had a moral outlook. David Peers praised the direct Alexander MacKendrick and David Peers does most of the talking and is a joy to hear and is also totally fascinating and very informative on his life and times in the film industry and it is a totally sheer delight and joy of 1 hour 32 minutes and 34 seconds.

    Special Feature: Cleaning Up ‘The Ladykillers’ [2015] [1080p] [1.37:1] [5:06] This feature had general dirt and sparkle throughout the film, but also some very dirty optical images. It also suffered in places from some very severe blue staining. Nearly half of the feature film had static dirt; and these particular scenes were run the Regional Fill Filter to automatically remove the dirt. The “Clean Up” reveals what actions were taken to clean up the imperfections, and split-screens show original/restored comparisons, but there is no sound and it is an amazing bit of work was done and the team should be quite proud of their professional work.

    Special Feature: Stills Gallery [2015] [1080p] [1.37:1] You get to view 27 stunning rare Black-and-White Promotional images of never before behind-the-scenes look at the filming of ‘THE LADYKILLERS,’ plus some rare images of the special ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ “Street Tea Party” in celebration of the Ealing Studios filming and you get to see some of the stars helping out.

    Theatrical Trailer [1955] [1080p] [1.37:1] [2:34] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ and it is a totally brilliant trailer and is also really brilliant presentation especially with the voice over announcer and is as good as the film itself!

    Finally, ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ is a must-own this 2015 upgraded Blu-ray title, especially for all fans of classic Ealing Studios dark comedy films. Because it combines lasting appeal, a first-rate professional cast actors, exceptional directing, and very clever witty dialogue, and the film's relevance is undeniable. This new high-definition presentation offers a definitive technical presentation that exceeds all prior previous Blu-ray versions in every possible way, while also managing to deliver an extensive brilliant supplemental package of value-added material. If you've been waiting for the right time to buy ‘THE LADYKILLERS’ this special upgraded 2015 Blu-ray release, then this is the one for you. Very Highly Recommended!

    Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Fan
    Le Cinema Paradiso
    WARE, United Kingdom
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  • David Gwynne
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles Classic British comedy. Lots of extra information about the great studio that crated these films.
    Avis laissé au Canada le 24 janvier 2021
    Achat vérifié
    They don't make films like this anymore. A quality movie with superb acting. Not long enough!
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  • cristina
    5,0 sur 5 étoiles Eccellente!
    Avis laissé en Italie le 2 mars 2024
    Achat vérifié
    Servizio ottimo. Consegna celere e dvd in perfette condizioni.
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