Disc Reviews

The Killers Blu-ray Review

• 26th Feb 2014

Made in 1964, The Killers was originally made as the first TV made feature film (backed by MCA) but was considered too violent for a TV audience. A remake of the 1946 film noir classic which also happened to have been the film debut for Burt Lancaster, The Killers was ripe for a new TV audience. It certainly has a stellar cast in the form of future auteur John Cassavettes, Clu Gulagar, Angie Dickinson, future President Ronald Reagan and the first lead performance from the underrated actor Lee Marvin.

Opening with a jazzy soundtrack that sounds more like a livelier, less early morning jazz track that accompanied the dark Taxi Driver (1976) we are introduced to two assassins (Marvin and Gulager) who arrive at a blind school to carry out a hit against a man called Johnny North (Cassavettes). After the hit they discuss and are curious why he just stood there when everyone normally try to run before being shot. What follows is their investigation, more out of curiosity than anything else as to why he would do that and interview those involved (in nourish flashback style). Apparently North had been a racing driver who had been seduced by a woman called Sheila Farr (Dickinson) who it turns out is the mistress of a well known businessman and hood (Reagan) who had hired the driver to be a getaway man. But North’s relationship with Dickinson made him a target after a heist, even though she was trying to draw him into their web – a proper film noir femme-fatale. Reagan had then hired the killers to
carry out the hit and later they uncover why he had just stood there.

On completion Universal/MCA thought the film to be too violent to be shown on TV and instead released it theatrically. Released first in the UK, Marvin’s performance earned him a BAFTA in the UK and cult success for the film followed shortly after as well as launching Marvin into star making material and becoming an unlikely lead over the next 15 years transforming into the ultimate tough guy. Previous to this both Marvin and Cassavettes had been support actors with a variety of good roles under their belt. Meanwhile Dickinson (who had previously starred with John Wayne in Rio Bravo, 1959) would forge more of a career on TV. At the time of its production the film was made on a TV schedule and at times it definitely appears that is the case, but undeniably Marvin shines and dominates in every scene he is in, demonstrating that he was too good of an actor to be limited to TV at the time.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to see Ronald Reagan in such a mature role playing as he does such a ruthless character. This did not sit well with the future President who was throwing his hat in the ring as Governor of California and forging a political career. That awkwardness shows and as a result this was his last performance. Interestingly on an accompanying documentary Marvin had made it quite clear how much he detested the right winger Reagan . Equally interesting is a rooftop scene in which the future President shoots with a sniper rifle those who are after him, just one year after the assassination of JFK.

The film certainly has cult appeal and the viewer can see why the interplay between hitmen Marvin and Gulager was so referenced by Quentin Tarantino with Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction some 30 years later. Director Don Siegel, who later went on to direct Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry (1971) cuts his teeth in the crime genre in this film. The film is somewhat quirky with a great story driving it along but ultimately it is the scenes with Marvin that shine and stand out. There are some good documentaries accompanying this package from Arrow including an interview with Siegel and two profiles, one on Reagan and most interestingly one on Marvin looking at his career and personality in the context of The Killers.

Chris Hick