The Ladykillers Vs. The Ladykillers

[Architeuthis Dux]

Saw the original a couple of nights ago on Turner Classic Movies.

It was good. Surprisingly dark. And Alec Guiness -- What an actor! I didn't know he was capable of being so . . . creepy. Granted, it was a comedy, but he had this whole Nosferatu thing going that I never would have expected. Excellent direction, too -- lots of interesting little touches that made it more suspenseful than the remake.

I was also surprised at how close, plotwise, the remake was, but it gave me a better appreciation of what the Coen brothers and their cast added to the story, namely lowbrow farce. The new one was actually a lot funnier than the old one.

Glad I saw 'em both.

[Pencey]

Christ, how can anyone like that movie? Hanks was the sole redeeming factor in a very boring film.

[billythrilly7]

Atrocious, both of them.

Never saw either of them, but I know.....Oh....I know.

[refriedwhiskey]

The remake was a lot of fun. I'll have to see the original.

[whitenavel]

Never saw the original.

But I loved the remake. And I know I'm the only one. Everytime a thread pops up about this movie, I have to praise it. It gets back to the Coen's classic, ridiculous, but hilarious comedies a la Raising Arizona and Lebowski, also two of my favorite comedies EVER!
Great casting.

[Hairy Lime]

navel. You're not the only one. I consistently praise this movie too. It was the funniest movie I saw last year. No question.

I've seen them both and I far prefer the remake to the original. This is probably a generational thing, but also I saw the remake in a packed theater and people were actually falling out of their seats with laughter. The original I saw on DVD all alone. Comedies always lose something when watched alone.

[vig]

watchable movie. great ending.

vig

[Biohazard]

Comedies always lose something when watched alone.

I feel the same way. I watched some classic comedies by myself and thought "what's all the fuss about?" Then I watched then again and again and they just get better and funnier every time.

[Jake Schuster]

I haven't seen the remake, but the original is an old favorite that I've seen many times over the years. The comedy in it is delicate, and plays off the contrast between the characters, all brilliantly-cast and acted. I have a feeling it'll remain a classic long after the remake is forgotten.

I don't subscribe to the "seeing it in an audience" concept. I've sat with audiences who've been terrified of the dumbest horror flicks, and audiences that've peed themselves silly at every fart, breast and ass joke. Doesn't make the movie necessarily work for me. I leave mass hysteria to dictators.

:D