RADIOLAND MURDERS
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1994 Ben Hoffman
Director Mel Smith has the top-rated TV comedy show in Great Britain but if this frantic comedy is to be taken as an indication of his directorial abilities, he had better stick to comedic acting.
Given a superb cast with which to work he failed to utilize their abilities, instead employing what appears to be a scatter shot approach with hysterical non-stop running around in circles to the point where it leaves the audience exhausted; somewhere in the film you have to slow down for a moment so when the pace picks up again it is noted and appreciated. This just becomes tiresome, seeming longer than its 112 minutes running time.
To see what could have been accomplished, let us just list the cast: Mary Stuart Masterson, Brian Benben, Ned Beatty, George Burns, Scott Michael Campbell, Brion James, Michael Lerner, Michael McKean, Jeffrey Tambor, Stephen Tobolowsky and Christopher Lloyd. With few exceptions, it was a waste of talent.
Smaller roles included Harvey Korman, Robert Klein, Bo Hoskins, Billy Barty, Bobcat Goldthwait, Corbin Bernsen and Rosemary Clooney, among others.
The story, in brief: In the olden days of pre-TV, millions of people tuned in their radios each night to comedy, mystery and romance. In addition to the three major radio networks, a fourth one is making its debut. While out in the studio's audience the show is going on, the dancers are dancing, the singers are singing, the comedians are being comedic and the orchestra with its genial, smiling conductor is waving his baton. Backstage, all is bedlam.
There are murders, there are the producers and directors trying to keep the show going so the studio audience is unaware of what is happening behind the curtains. And there is even a love story. This hodgepodge is flung at us to the point that we do not care who or why anyone is murdered; rather the concentration is on when is this thing going to end?
Story by George Lucas. You never can tell.
1.5 Bytes 4 Bytes = Absolutely must see. 3 Bytes = Too good to be missed. 2 Bytes = So so. 1 Byte = Save your money.
Ben Hoffman
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