Radioland Murders | 
| Director: Mel Smith
Actors: Brian Benben, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ned Beatty, George Burns, Scott Michael Campbell
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $6.67
You Save: $8.31 (55%)
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Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 32308
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 108 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 20124
UPC: 025192012426
EAN: 0025192012426
ASIN: B000FVQLKM
Theatrical Release Date: October 21, 1994
Release Date: August 22, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New! Factory Sealed 100%Satisfaction Guaranteed! Please allow 7-14 days for delivery.
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Product Description
From the mind of George Lucas Radioland Murders is a star-studded madcap murder-mystery that brings back the heyday of live radio and will keep you laughing and guessing until the show-stopping finale! An all-star ensemble cast comes together in this side-splitting whodunit that lovingly recreates an era known for its big band sound and art deco look.System Requirements:Running Time: 108 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 025192012426 Manufacturer No: 20124
Amazon.com
Despite George Lucas's name in the credits (as executive producer) and several experiments in computer-generated imagery (seamlessly included but to little avail), this film qualifies as a major dog, a door-slamming farce in which the doors are funnier than the people slamming them. Set in a radio studio on a night in 1939 that a new radio network is being launched, the frenetic and scattered story blends a growing pile of corpses, network and sponsor politics, the crazed efforts involved to put on radio shows, and the on-again, off-again marriage of head writer Roger (Brian Benben) and secretary Penny (Mary Stuart Masterson), the only one who seems to have it together. Benben has a Groucho-like sense of timing and delivery, but he can't elevate surprisingly weak comic material. --Marshall Fine
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 A Classic Comedic Murder Myster November 16, 2008
Jeffrey M. Williams
Brian Benben stars as a writer on at Radioland. Hilarity ensues when he gets accused of several murders during the station's live on air debut. This seemingly random Lucasfilm title is a comedic gem. Benben and company bring back to life the witty, slapstick, comedies of the 30's and 40's.
Wild, wacky, crazy, and hysterical! September 5, 2008
Jeff Rundberg (North Bend, Oregon)
'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.
 An Affectionate and Misunderstood Wave to Radio August 4, 2008
Bobby Underwood (Bakersfield, California United States)
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.
Nostalgic and funny June 22, 2008
PyeCat (SoCal)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
One of the only slapstick movies I love! April 22, 2008
Bethy (Nowhere, Colorado)
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.
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