Radioland Murders | | Cast : | Brian Benben, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ned Beatty | | Director : | Mel Smith | | Studio : | Image Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | October 21, 1994 | | DVD Released Date : | October 17, 2000 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | May 28, 2005 | | Summary | No wonder Star Wars fell apart..... | Content
 | This was the first movie that George worked with producer Rick MeCallum. It's easy to see why Episode III was so bad, and why the Indiana Jones TV show failed. It was because these two worked more on the technology side of making the movie and paid little attention to the casting or how good or bad the script was. This was also the first movie that they tried to shoot it using a new ditigal camera system. Well regardless of how they shot it, or how much technology was involved behind the camera, If you have a bad script, then you have a bad movie, and Bad movie is what this piece of celloid trash really was. About as Bad as Howard the Duck and as Wooden as THX-1138 was. End. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 26, 2005 | | Summary | Return Now to Those Glorious Days of Yesteryear | Content
| As far as I'm concerned, you can ignore the plot of Radioland Murders; it's thinner than a sheet of tissue paper. However, what you shouldn't ignore is the marvelous inside look at what life during the Golden Age of Radio was like for everyone involved with the medium.
The premise is that in 1939 WBN, a Chicago-based radio 'superstation,' is attempting to launch a national network to compete with NBC, CBS, Dumont and Mutual. (Note: one thing that makes me as a fan of old-time radio grit his teeth is the movie's constant reference to launching a 'fourth' network when in fact there were already four - five, if you count NBC Blue and NBC Red (later ABC) as two separate networks. It's a glaring mistake and one that could have been fixed with one lousy line of dialogue!) During the inaugural network broadcast, a series of murders of important players in the enterprise takes place within the walls of the station. Suspicion falls on the head of the station's writing team, who is about to be divorced by his wife, the station's assistant manager. He has to figure out who the murderer is and solve the case, while simultaneously staying out of the hands of the cops AND continuing to write half a dozen different radio scripts.
As I said, a thin plot. However, what makes this movie worth watching is the look behind the radio broadcasts of the period. The attention paid to authenticity is remarkable, not least because of the homages to many Golden Age radio entertainers. Among those honored are Orson Welles (The Shadow), Gene Autry (The Singing Cowboy), Spike Jones and his City Slickers (the interpretation of Kacheturian's "Sabre Dance" done on tuned bottles is right up Spike's alley), Cab Calloway and Glenn Miller. There are also performances by two actual radio stars of the period, Rosemary Clooney and George Burns.
However, for my money the show is stolen by Christopher Lloyd as Zoltan, the sound-effects genius who creates the settings in the mind's eye of the listeners. Using the actual techniques that were used in live radio, you get to see how it was done back in the day and just how effective a total pro who must produce dozens of effects per show could be, back before the days when any effect you wanted could be found on a record or in the computer and you had to get it right the first time, in real time. It will give you a whole new appreciation of the radio sound effects' spiritual descendants, the Foley Artists of the movies.
Bottom line: Don't watch this because you like murder mysteries. Watch it because you are a fan of old-time radio and want to see what it must have been like to be present in the studio for a live broadcast, and you'll enjoy yourself hugely. |
| Rating | | | Date | November 02, 2003 | | Summary | Don't listen to critics... | Content
| This is a manic, crazy and fun film, largely due to the Keaton-like performance of Brian Benben. Mary Stuart Masterson is known for great dramatic talent, but this is the first comedy I've seen her in, and she's a natural. This was directed by Mel Smith; is it the same Mel Smith that had a small but hysterical part in "The Princess Bride"? I wonder if this film was given a bad rap because it came out the same year as Woody Allen's brilliant "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994). There are comparisons to be made, if only for period and music. Otherwise, this film takes on its very own character. A wonderful ensemble cast , including Ned Beatty, Michael Lerner, Jeffrey Tambor & Christopher Lloyd, must be commended. Cameo appearances from George Burns and Rosemary Clooney are wonderful. Whatever this film lacks in plot, is made up for with energetic performances, quick editing, and loads of great one-liners. There's also a lot of great period music to entertain. I DO enjoy this film a lot, and at the reasonable price and a great 2.35:1 Widescreen, the DVD is a bargain. If you like "silly", you'll love this. And Brian Benben is marvelous. Too bad the stuck-up critics didn't like it. We, the audience, know better. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 28, 2002 | | Summary | Remember? | Content
| I'm conducting a wake for Rosemary Clooney (Born May 23, 1928 . Died June 30, 2002.) I read "Girl Singer:an autobiography" and got the conveniently packaged "Songs from the Girl Singer: a musical autobiography "CD set. Like Girranimals, the similarly titled pieces have the same picture on the front so that the purchaser will know that they go together. I heartily recommend both. I also recommend this madcap musical murder mystery movie that manages to pay homage to Radio Days Gone By while keeping audiences of all eras entertained. It's the 1939 opening night live extravagnaze broadcast of the fictional WBN in Chicago, a 4th national network. Who's killing the participants? What played in Peoria? Meanwhile, "the Show must go on" and the viewer is treated to a mature Rosemary Clooney, (maybe as a metaphor to her own life, Rosemary sings a heart-rendingly beautiful "That Old Feeling" while pandemonium rages off-stage,) George Burns (Gracie had long since left the building by the time this movie was filmed) and others. Christopher Lloyd as the Sound Effects guy and his noise are a real hoot, as are the "Bubbly" live and drop dead commercials and Corbin Bernsen as the smarmy (think his later role as LA Law-yer Arnie Becker) announcer. Radioland Murders works on many levels. Like the box says: "It's a side-splitting, edge-of-your-seat adventure, part farce, part mystery, and all fun!" |
| Rating | | | Date | May 21, 2002 | | Summary | Radioland Murders | Content
| I thought this movie was not main stream, and was well written. If you hate those movies that crittics and main stream Hollywood try to slam down your throats and call it a brillant cinamatic masterpeice, then this a refreshing change of pace for you. Yes it was campy, and, no it wasn't Forrest Gump or Titanic (which I thought they weren't even worth the paper they were written on), but a movie that you can curl up with some popcorn and escape for a few hours. I loved the characters, I loved the idea, and it was an alround good story that was never given a chance. |
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