Radioland Murders [DVD]

Fast pace, slapstick, sight gags, hilarious dialogue: you need to pay attention. If you are familiar with romantic Rom-coms of the 30s and Thin Man murder mysteries this one is for you. (And the characters!!)There actually was a trumpet player like that.I can't believe they did the Spike Jones presentation as well as they did.

I dunno know why, but this whodunit has always been one of my favorites. And the fact that it takes place here in Chicago always makes me smile. Def worth watching. A lot of great classic actors (like George Burns). DVD was new, in package, and shipping came in earlier than expected.

1994 was a strange year for cinema, in that a lot of nostalgia was in the air and not everyone entertaining the Cineplex was capable of breathing ("The Shadow", with Alec Baldwin, has long been a favorite of mine, but it got the silent treatment from audiences, who were either cultural amnesiacs or just plain dismissive because they were too busy holding their noses up high in the air). I was happy to be alive at that point in cinema history, because it seemed like Universal studios was going to be leading the way back to common sense in entertainment offerings by calling upon the wisdom and techniques of 1940s-era moviemaking. Unfortunately, "Radioland Murders" is a movie for nostalgic folks (like myself) more than it is for casual audiences. Lucas obviously had fun while putting together the scraps to make up this story, but sometimes the results feel forced and labored (not a good thing for a fun, happy-go-lucky tribute to the mindset of Howard Hawks). I think it's neat that some reviewers on this site have noticed that the movie tries hard to outwit the audience by staying lightning fast quick ahead of it, but, for me personally, it all doesn't add up to that much fun or amusement. I think of a perfect entertainment treat from back in the 1940s ("The Ghost Breakers" with Bob Hope comes to mind as an example of a wonderful script that blended genres successfully so that getting bored was less easy to do while watching it) and compare it to this homage and I find myself wanting more. Nonetheless, I think it pays tribute to a more innocent age quite well, and I can't give it a poor grade as a result of my fondness for what this movie was/is trying to do. In time, historians may come to appreciate it more. Yes, I am one of those slowly paced critics who likes to watch movies that are more "boring" to the general populace and less concerned with entertainment and spectacle in the end. However, "Radioland Murders" has some interesting scenes, and it's more watchable than most critics have led us to believe.

This is a very entertaining movie with lots of great music and comedy. It well worth watching more than once.

RADIOLAND MURDERS is one of my favorite movies to put in when I've had a hard week and want to go brain-dead with something familiar. My love of Old Time Radio probably spurs this on because the movie is set there with love by George Lucas and his people.I'm too young to have been around for OTR (as it's referred to these days), but I learned to love it all the same. THE SHADOW, THE LONE RANGER, THE GREEN HORNET and dozens of other shows that later became movies and television series came out of those years.I still listen to episodes in my car and get carried away by Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in BOLD VENTURE. There's just something magical about radio because you have to create so much of the world and the characters in your mind.That's the way it is with this movie. It's got the rapid-fire dialogue and insane pacing of a radio show. There's no spare meat on the story, and throw-away lines are used over and over again to tie the events together. Even old jokes that are groaners materialize on the sets and it's marvelous to see them carried out again.The conceit of the story is that a series of murders are committed on the opening night of a brand-new radio station, WBN, in 1939. A husband and wife whose relationship is struggling because of a possible infidelity is caught in the crossfire.Brian Benben plays Roger, the head writer for the studio, and delivers a great performance. His walk, his mannerism, his wild-eyed stares, and even his delivery were rooted in Groucho Marx's insane, quick-witted characters. I've seen him in other things, but I'm still amazed at how well he pulls the role off.Mary Stuart Masterson play Penny, the girl Friday that the studio desperately needs to keep everything moving smoothly. Not that it does. But watching Penny desperately trying to keep the ship from sinking while dealing with Roger and the murders is a treat.The other characters run the gamut. Ned Betty plays the studio owner who runs the place like a military commander. Corbin Bernsen plays the smarmy announcer. Christopher Lloyd portrays an intense, over-the-top sound man that's a sheer joy to watch. Michael Lerner delivers and outstanding hardboiled Hollywood cop. Michael McKean is a hilarious band director.The film didn't do all that well at the box office, but I love it because it plays homage to OTR and because I love movies that have dialogue instead of just being pieces glued together with the latest Top 40. Maybe the dialogue isn't all that original or especially funny to someone not in the mood or who hasn't developed a taste for it, but for those of use that have, it's a perfect gem of a film.Topping off the film, the music is great, running the gamut of the big band era, and sounds fantastic. If you're in the mood for a no-brainer, something that's a delightfully thin mix of comedy, mystery, and thriller, RADIOLAND MURDERS will provide a couple hours' entertainment.

As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking what a clever idea for a comedic murder mystery. The actual presentation was not up to the quality I desired, and expected. Perhaps a stronger director...I really don't know. Some of the "story behind the story" couldn't be heard clearly over the noise of the action.

Frankly, the only reason I bought this is because I was hired as the drummer in the band. The first drummer, Doug, was let go early in the shooting because he wasn't really a drummer and couldn't read music. I spent 10 days on the Wilmington set, but only got about 5 seconds of face time, which was behind Joey Lawrence's number. My hands and drumsticks were shown on Big Noise From Winnetka, which was shot at 4am. Anyway, it was an interesting experience and met a lot of great people.

Un mix tra comico e giallo targato Lucas (come produzione però). Presenza di alcuni comprimari conosciuti soprattutto ad Hollywood (giusto si riconosce un dinamico Christopher Lloyd in una parte marginale) e presenza di alcune vecchie glorie della cinematografia americana.Filmetto per chi è avezzo a commedie veloci, piene di personaggi. Divertente.

Good little film, glad to have a clean copy on dvd. Fast delivery, good packaging, cute stickers and company letter inside!

great movie over looked by a alot of people don't be one of them

Funny movie! The film deserves more prominence than it has.A hilarious and fun murder mystery full of plot twists and slap stick

This is a little gem that you should check out.