| Review | Radioland Murders (1994) | Director | Mel Smith |
|---|---|
| Writers | Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeff Reno and Ron Osborn. Story by George Lucas |
| Cast | Brian Benben, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ned Beatty, Scott Michael Campbell, Stephen Tobolowsky, Corbin Bernsen, Michael Lerner, Jeffrey Tambor, Anita Morris, Larry Miller, Brion James, Bo Hopkins, Candy Clark, Dylan Baker, Michael McKean, Bobcat Goldthwait, Peter MacNicol, Anne DeSalvo, Christopher Lloyd, George Burns, Billy Barty and Rosemary Clooney |
“Radio will never die. It would be like killing imagination” – Roger
It’s the year 1939. A radio station, WBN, is going national and the roster is packed with entertainment. Station owner General Walt Whalen (Beatty) has a huge number of potential investors so nothing can go wrong. Station manager Penny Henderson (Masterson) has a number of projects and staff to oversee and, not least, her frantic serial writer husband Roger (Benben) among them. Their marriage is on the rocks as Penny suspects Roger of infidelity but he keeps pleading his innocence.
Early in the evening things begin to fall apart when a band player collapses and dies. Soon after more of the staff perish and it’s clear that a murderer is on the loose at WBN. Lieutenant Cross (Lerner) is on the case and his main suspect is Roger. As the evening goes on Roger eludes the authorities trying to find the real murderer and Penny tries her best to get on with the show while also lending a helping hand to her estranged husband.
The story was conceived by George Lucas around the same time he was jotting down a certain space flick that took off like a rocket. Quite humorously this film is, in fact, a semi-prequel to Lucas’s classic “American Graffiti” (1973) as Roger and Penny are the parents of Richard Dreyfuss’s character in that film. “Radioland Murders” is a loving homage to screwball farces of the ´30’s, ‘40’s and ‘50´s and nostalgically re-creates a time and place where radio was a major source of entertainment with serial writing and live actors but television was on the cusp of luring audiences away.
The movie-going public in ’94 could’ve looked at the ensemble gathered here, noted that George Lucas was credited with the story and served as executive producer and expect some good things. But the reality was that no one really bothered as the film royally tanked at the box office and received universally disastrous reviews. And maybe it’s not that hard to see, at least partially, why it wasn’t well received. To call this film energetic would be a massive understatement. It’s positively frenetic with non-stop slapstick, manic encounters and actors rushing through their dialogue at great speed. And a lot of shouting! The film can, in fact, be quite exhausting and you’ll wish for it to slow down a bit and breathe.
But that’s one of the things that makes it so unique; it seems this was destined for cult status and some re-appraisal much later. It really is a kick to watch this non-stop rollercoaster plough through scene after scene with such energy and actually maintain an agreeable murder mystery. The gags don’t all land but there are quite a few that induce hearty belly laughs. Then there is the side story (which in reality should probably have been more the centre of the story) dealing with estranged married couple Roger and Penny which anchors the on-screen mayhem with Benben and Masterson playing well off one another.
Then there is the re-creation of the late 30’s radio environment inside the WBN station that’s very well realized. With all the craziness going on with the staff there’s a whole separate show actually taking place in front of a live audience. It’s all quite manic and fast paced but it’s fun to watch. Making cameo appearances here are the likes of Billy Barty (“Foul Play”) and comic legend George Burns in his final film performance. There’s also a lot of lively musical numbers. A lot of effort went into this film, that’s quite apparent.
The cast here is pretty good. Benben has the most screentime and shoulders a lot of the burden here and he’s up to the task. I’m quite a fan of his. I really liked his work on the HBO sitcom “Dream On” (1990-1996), he was a scene stealer in the goofy but tremendously entertaining “Dark Angel” (1990) and excellent in my favourite “Masters of Horror” episode (John Landis’s “Deer Woman”). It’s a shame he hasn’t landed more high-profile roles. Masterson is terrific here as well, not as manic as Benben but no less impressive. Beatty is quite forceful, Campbell well into the spirit of things, Tambor pretty funny and Lerner chews the scenery but others don’t have much chance to make an impact. And that’s some list of “others” that are popping up throughout the film!
I quite enjoy “Radioland Murders” and found it even better on the second viewing. It’s not for all tastes, but then; what movie that’s firmly landed in the cult arena by default does appeal to the masses? This is how Lucas wanted it and he stuck to his guns as the executive producer and saw to it that his vision got through. It wouldn’t be the first time that Lucas’s vision got a favourable re-appraisal many years later (a certain prequel trilogy that was heavily criticized at the time of release) and, in my opinion, “Radioland Murders” is overdue with some loving.
Physical Copy
My copy of “Radioland Murders” is the region A Blu-ray that was issued by Kino Lorber in 2025. It looks and sounds just fine. The extras consist of a quite solid commentary and a fun and insightful interview with star Benben.
Why physical copy?
I always encourage the acquisition of physical copies as I dread the day when films will only exist as files on computers and through streaming services. The companies that put the effort into making the discs, create new artwork or reproduce the originals, issue booklets and much more deserve all the financial support they can. Therefore I will always mention the Blu-rays or DVD’s (and yes; also if I review something streamed through Netflix or the like) even though I gain nothing from it personally.
