World Famous Comics: The Ladykillers (Widescreen Edition)
The Ladykillers (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Irma P. Hall, Marlon Wayans, J.K. Simmons, Tzi Ma Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: September 07, 2004 Running Time: 104 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 26, 2004
Description: Academy Award(R)-winning Tom Hanks (Best Actor, FORREST GUMP, 1994; PHILADELPHIA, 1993) turns in a hilariously original performance in THE LADYKILLERS, the laugh-out-loud comedy that explodes with outrageous wit and slapstick humor from the Coen Brothers (O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, FARGO). Underneath Professor G.H. Dorr's (Hanks) silver-tongued southern gentleman persona is a devious criminal who has assembled a motley gang of thieves to commit the heist of the century by tunneling through his churchgoing landlady's root cellar to a casino's vault of riches. But these cons are far from pros. As their scheme begins blowing up in their faces, their landlady smells a rat. And when she threatens to call the police, they figure they'll just bump her off. After all, how hard can that be? Wickedly funny from start to finish, it would be a crime to miss THE LADYKILLERS.
Amazon.com: If you've never enjoyed Alec Guinness in the classic 1955 British comedy that inspired it, the Coen brothers' remake of The Ladykillers may well prove hilarious. For starters, it's got Tom Hanks in a variation of the Guinness role, eccentrically channeling Colonel Sanders, Tennessee Williams, and Edgar Allan Poe in his southern-fried performance as Prof. Goldthwait Higgins Dorr, Ph.D. (named after an actual arts institute curator from the Coens' native Minnesota), a deliciously verbose con man who needs a secret headquarters for his five-man plot to rob a riverboat casino moored on the Mississippi. In the film's funniest and least-caricatured role (and even she can't elude the Coens' comedic stereotyping), Irma P. Hall plays the churchgoing widow who rents a room to Dorr, whose crew of "musicians" (in keeping with the original's plot) use the lady's root cellar to tunnel to the casino's cash-rich counting room. Rampant mishaps ensue, the body count rises among Dorr's band of idiots (including Marlon Wayans, spouting nonstop profanities), and the Coens put their uniquely stylish stamp on everything. It's a funny movie, allowing for some nagging flatness to the material, but if you've seen the original (and other vintage comedies from the heyday of Britain's low-budget Ealing Studios), you'll eventually wonder, what were they thinking? Accounting for all the qualities that grace any Coen movie (this being the first time the brothers have officially shared directorial credit), this revamped Ladykillers is a mixed blessing, both entertaining and superfluous. --Jeff Shannon
Edgar Allen Poe meets his Raven Hey, I liked it. This is a remake of the wonderful film of the same name starring Alec Guiness. It does not quite live up to the original but it's good in and of itself. The scene has changed from London to Hattiesburg, Mississippi and the Guiness character is Tom Hanks as the Edgar Allen Poe look alike, a silver-tongued cad. He cons an old lady into renting him a room and permitting him and his band members to practice their renaissance rococco music in her root cellar.
The problem is, these guys aren't musicians. They are a group of criminal misfits bent on digging a tunnel from the root cellar into the vault of a nearby casino. There are numerous misadventures including the premature detonation of a bomb which blows off one of the crook's fingers. There are also personal animosities especially between one of the white hoodlums and a black crook who can't speak without the use of four letter words. Hanks, with his quick wit, charm and smooth talk, is always there to mediate between his stupid and otherwise murderous brethren.
On the day of the planned heist, Hanks gets the old lady out of the house by buying her a ticket to a gospel singing concert. The robbery goes off as planned but the old lady has come home early, planning on a tea and a music recital for her friends. A bomb is blown to collapse the tunnel behind them and the old lady is alerted to foul play.
Hanks is obliged to admit that they are truly outlaws but, after all, they only stole from a den of iniquity and half of the proceeds of the robbery are to be donated to Bob Jones University. The old lady won't compromise their principles but tells them she won't inform on them if they give the money back and attend church with her next Sunday. Hanks says he'll have to confer with his gang.
Confer he does...Confer as to who will bump the old lady off. Nobody wants to do it so they draw straws. There is a whole series of deadly misadventures in which the whole gang methodically bumps each other off. Hanks is the only one left. Standing on the bridge, quoting his favorite poet--Edgar Allen Poe--a nearby raven knocks a stone off a tower and hits Hanks in the head. Along with his criminal partners, he falls from the bridge. The old lady give all the money to Bob Jones University.
Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico
Another One... So the Coen Bros. have done it again. Somehow they created another movie, and I know that a lot of people did not quite enjoy this one, but I did. The Coen brothers have done such an amazing job with all of their films of showing a weird, innocent, and dark side of human nature that no other directors seem to capture. This film is funny and thought-provoking, as for the nature of good and evil. I recommend it.
Coen Brothers: Film # 11 There was something deviously and devilishly fun about this film. The moment you see one person die and realize a whole line of people are about to die, your grin widens and you get more comfortable in your chair.
I simply adored this film. I loved Hanks' southern gent professor character. I loved all the oddball hoodlums. I loved the church loving land lord. I loved the idea that Hanks and his goons were "played" in a band using instruments from the Renaissance. I loved how the sheriff thought the old woman was out of her mind. I loved chuckling. Yes, actually chuckling at this scene. (FYI:rarely do I laugh while viewing a film).
I do not know why reviews were so bad, but I can understand that since this was the Coen Brother's first film that they directed but did not write, they may have lost some grip on the whole flow of the film. Perhaps I can understand this and I did see this in the film. Otherwise, what a great film this was.
Loved it! Tom Hanks plays his professor character with a depth that makes it truly classic. His portrayal of the wordy, erudite and slightly shady Professor Dorr is letter-perfect. The rest of the characters also put on excellent performances which truly makes this a great film. The "slap reel" was fun too.
Worst Movie I've Ever Seen! I started watching this video, and had to turn if off after about 15 minutes! When I saw the scene about a dog being suffocated from wearing a gas mask (which was supposed to be funny), I just couldn't take it anymore and shut it off. This is a disgusting movie - a shame - because the original is so good!
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