Directed by Clifford Samforth
Running Time:  54 minutes
Body Count: 2

Picked up an oldie from 1935 called Murder By Television, starring Bela Lugosi.  I don't usually watch 'em this far back - the black and white, the quirky lines, the makeup...  I don't know.  Maybe it just reminds me of rainy sunday mornings when my father would be home, lumbering around in his briefs, making me eat thick crappy oatmeal and watch some crappy old Jerry Lewis movie.  -shivers-  I was a kid then, and unfortunately had no perspective on anything.  Therefore, I decided to give this a fair chance and see what kind of horror movie Murder By Television is.

Originally released as "The Houghland Murder Case" - James Houghland is an inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world.  He refuses to sell the process to television companies, who soon send agents out to acquire the invention any way they can.  On the night of his first broadcast, Houghland is mysteriously murdered in the middle of his demonstration - and it falls to Police Chief Nelson to determine who the murderer is from the many suspects present.

I'd never heard of this movie until recently coming across it after picking up Invitation to Murder (2006).  In my honest opinion, I'd have to say that this was more of a whodoneit with science fiction overtones, moreso than it was a horror movie.  Thats putting it mildly.  Horror film fans will really be pressing themselves to find their traditional values.  Bela Lugosi was the most interesting part of the film.  No matter what role he plays, he always reminds me of Dracula - or someone vile and sinister under the surface.  His input to Murder By Television made this movie barely watchable, as he plays a set of twins, good and evil.

Plot twists and turns are in abundance here.  The plot is hard enough to follow from the beginning - with the "red herrings" and the bland black and white banter that is tough to fully absorb, making this a labor to follow at some points.  I was down for some murder via television, but in essence, what you get is two people murdered in the most anti-graphic fashion you can film - pretty much they just drop to the floor and the audience is left with the task of figuring out who did it, amidst a slew of semi-interesting characters.

For anyone looking for a dose of Lugosi, I would probably venture elsewhere.  This isn't one of his more remarkable films, from what I've gathered.  If youre looking for horror, even old time black and white horror, you may find the faintest heartbeat - a questionable sign of life.  Otherwise the only people who will enjoy Murder By Television are nostalgics and mystery buffs.

Final Analysis:  Its only 50 something minutes long, has Bela Lugosi, and is subtly fun to try and figure out who is behind the killing in Murder By Television - so its not the worst thing you could put yourself through if you know what you're getting into with a movie from 1935.  But horror fans might be yawning and otherwise expressionless, as this is more of a mystery.  Death is pretty much someone dropping to the floor in this one.  Gore, monster, shock, and terror fans, avoid at all costs.

Get it HERE from Amazon.com