Radioland Murders (1994)

Wild, wacky, crazy, and hysterical!

'Radioland Murders' is a great little movie that unfortunately most people probably missed. It's a screwball comedy that is nonstop entertainment from start to finish. The story, interestingly, was written by George Lucas, who you can usually count on for a good yarn. The script itself was written by frequent Lucas collaborators, Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck, who are responsible for 'American Graffiti' and 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom', among others (one of which is the acquired taste: 'Howard the Duck').

Mary Stuart Masterson and Brian Benben are the leads (although this is really an ensemble film) as the separated and constantly bickering couple, both working at a radio station in the '30s where a series of bizarre murders take place during the opening night broadcast. It's a multilayered story that doesn't really give the viewer anytime to rest. Not many actors can handle this kind of rapid fire and comedic dialogue mixed with physical comedy, but Masterson and Benben are naturals and it shows. The supporting cast includes a bevy of fantastic actors playing assorted off-the-wall characters. Check out this list: Ned Beatty, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael McKean, Christopher Lloyd, Bobcat Goldthwait, Stephen Tobolowsky, Larry Miller, Peter MacNicol, and Michael Lerner just to name some of the many. It amazes me how the filmmakers can harness all of these crazy characters and the insane script into a cohesive movie. Well, they do it quite well in this film.

'Radioland Murders' is a nice mix of Marx brothers' craziness, frequent slapstick, murder mystery, and maybe even a little bit of love story thrown in for good measure. Anybody with a sense of humor (which is pretty much everybody) will find something to enjoy in this movie. September 5, 2008

An Affectionate and Misunderstood Wave to Radio

Since George Lucas had enough money from his Star Wars empire not to care what critics would say, he wrote and produced this affectionate nod to old time radio. It is a whacky slapstick farce with charm, moving faster than a speeding bullet. It is dopey and dumb, sweet and innocent, cornball and old-fashioned, just as it was meant to be. The jarring breakneck speed of it had critics thinking it should have been a riot, and it was received by and large like a slap in the face.

If you can get past the machine gun speed and accept it on the level that George Lucas intended, there is a sweet wonderful film here, however. It all takes place during radio's heyday on the night WBN attempts to go national and become the fourth major radio network. There is a beautiful 1930's retro look which almost gets lost in the crazy and corny atmosphere of this film. The radio station itself is teriffic, as are the period details in Lucas' loving homage to all that was great about this forgotten medium.

The main crux of the story is the relationship of Roger (Brian Benben) and Penny ( Mary Stuart Masterson). She practically runs the station and he's one of the writers. She thinks he was messing around with their sexy star Claudette (Anita Morris) and wants a divorce. He wasn't, of course, and has to talk her out of it since he loves her.

As she is sending WBN's page, Billy (Michael Scott Campbell), back and forth to the writer's room to get her stories page by page, a phantom voice keeps interrupting the broadcast with riddles. Some very real murders behind the mike bring Lt. Cross (Michael Lerner) to the station, where everything points to Ben, the bodies piling up fast.

Lucas allows us to see the makings of old radio as Roger tries to clear himself and find the culprit. Christopher Lloyd is on hand as the frantic sound effects man and Corbin Bernsen is the radio announcer. Robert Klein, Peter MacNicol, and Harvey Korman are part of the writing team, but it is Leighann Lord as the cleaning lady, Morgan, who comes up with all the last second ideas for the show.

The murders occur in ways often used in old time radio and that is part of its charm. Lucas had this filmed in a fast and furious fashion, as if the movie itself was an old radio show. None of it is to be taken seriously as it is only entertainment, there to make us smile. It was a time in entertainment when even murder had a sort of a screwy innocence about it. So does this film.

Considered a huge failure upon its release, this film has slowly garnered a following in recent years. If you can get past the pace and the dopey slapstick antics, you'll find a lot of charm here, and an innocence in entertainment we'll never see again. August 4, 2008

Nostalgic and funny

This is a movie set in the golden age of radio, and in a madcap whirl of murder during the launch of a new network. "Murder" and "madcap" don't normally go together, but appropriate for the mix of frantic radio production and fiendish deeds that fill the screen.

Not as sentimental as "A Prairie Home Companion", "Radioland Murders" tries to re-create the programs from the Golden Age of Radio. I can't speak to the accuracy, but I found this part of the movie equally as charming as the main plot.

In addition to the headline stars, you'll see a number of familiar faces -- Stephen Tobolowsky, Michael Lerner, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and others -- as part of a strong ensemble cast. There's even a short appearance by George Burns, in his last credit as an actor.

It's nostalgic and funny, and even though radio didn't last, you'll wish it had. June 22, 2008

One of the only slapstick movies I love!

This is one of the cutest movies I've ever watched.
The movie starts out as Penny, a radio producer, is rushing around making sure everyone is in place for WBN's radio show. Her soon-to-be-ex(Roger) rushes around with her, trying to convince her that the affair he supposedly had, wasn't really what happened.
the radio show starts with music, drama, jokes and lots of laughter until a threatening voice tells of death. Not ten minutes later, a man is dead. The studio directors shoo it away, thinking it was an accident.
The show must go on! It does, but not until many more people are killed, all following the threatening voice, giving a riddle.
Roger, trying to discover why this is happening, is framed for the murder and is on the run, hiding from the police in wacked-up costumes. After being chased, hanging from the ledge of WBN, being punched and hit in the face by swinging doors, Roger discovers the murderer and tells the police through the radio drama Gork: Son of Fire.
Cleared for the murders, Roger finally wins the heart of his wife by uncovering the truth about the supposed affair.
This movie is funny, exciting, dramatic, and just plain fun for the entire family. I would recommend this movie for anyone who loves Nero Wolfe or any such mysteries. April 22, 2008

Great Slapstick Comedy Set in the Old Radio Days!

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.
April 22, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...