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Murder by Death

Murder by Death

List Price: $24.95
Your Price: $18.71
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DVD is flawless.
Review: If you loved this movie on VHS, take a look at the DVD copy. The image is crisp and the colors are incredibly vivid. It was like watching the movie again for the first time. I must admit, a lot of the time I don't see great variation between the VHS copy and the DVD. But, if you love this movie as much as I do, it pays to replace your VHS copy. You'll find yourself saying things like "My God, the carpeting is actually GREEN!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic Comedy - Neil Simon as his best!
Review: I have waited for a very long time for "Murder by Death" to appear on DVD since I've almost worn out my tape. It's one of those movies you can watch over and over again and keep discovering something new. The cast is impecible, the direction sharp and the writing fast and funny. There are also quite a few extras on the disc that make it worthwhile if you already have the tape.

The basic plotline is fairly simple - the worlds greatest detectives have been invited to the house of Lionel Twain for dinner and a murder. Several of literature's most beloved detectives are gently skewered for our enjoyment (like Miss Jessica Marbles and Mr. Perrier). During the course of the night almost every plot hole that has ever existed in a dime novel thriller or bad 1940's moviei exploited hilariously. And at the break of dawn the next morning you're left scratching your head as to what actually happened, but instead of being frustrated your laughing yourself silly.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Karlo Herzogio Speaks
Review: This is the best movie ever!
It's really funny, and your friends will be glad you made them watch it with you.

If you see one DVD this year, it should be this. And you should try and see some more.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Murder By Death - Murder by Laughter
Review: The five greatest classical detectives are invited to a dinner.....and a murder. Sight gags run amok; plot twists go giggling down the darkened hall; and the cast in this parody of the great 1930 mystery movies includes: Alec Guinness ("the dead, naked, blind butler in the kitchen"); David Niven (Dick Charleston); Peter Falk (Sam Diamond), Peter Sellers (Inspector Wang); James Coco (Monsieur Perrier) and Elsa Lanchester (Jessica Marbles). They're joined by Truman Capote (the host....and the victim?) as well as a hilarious supporting cast in this tongue-in-cheek whodunnit from a Neil Simon stage play.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "DINNER AND ATE"
Review: "Oh Dickie, what would one do with a naked, dead body...?" "Well, Dora, there ARE some people WHO ......"[whisper,whisper,whisper] "Oh Dickie, that's tacky! Really Tacky!" {with great apology to Neil Simon!}

It's a tremendously "fun movie" - a confusing "whodunnit" with everybody [Sellers,Coco,Falk,Elsa Lanchester, and even Estelle Winwood, and then some]. also zingers like Eileen Brennan to Peter Falk "What are all those pictures of naked men doing in your desk?" Falk [Sam Diamond, pointblankfaced]: "Research!" A delightful work from the mid 1970ies, still available, but not quite surpassed [imitations have followed], and the stars out do each other with comedic timing - don't miss late Alec Guinness as the blind butler, or Nancy Walker as the mute maid. There's a moment when Miss Walker enters the dining room "Screaming", Maggie Smith calmly retorts : "I think she's trying to tell us something....."

A full-screen DVd version would be nice, possibly there might be outtakes in a vault somewhere in town - - good family entertainment for any holiday season.

The rent a few of the originals - "Charlie Chan", "Thin Man", etc.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Not-so-Classic Caper
Review: This is yet another Murder Mystery-gone comedy. This is actually one of (if not the) earliest ones. This movie is very funny and the actors and actresses play their roles well. This murder mystery comes complete with unbelieveable surprise ending. This movie can be fun for older kids, but adults are more likely to understand the jokes. If you liked this movie you should check out these movies, or if you like one of these movies you should check out the rest: "Private Eyes" "Clue" "Once Upon a Crime"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A classic, but where's the DVD, Columbia???
Review: One of the funniest films ever made, this is a non-stop barrage of political incorrectness from start to end - and it's great. Peter Sellers, Alec Guinness, David Niven, Peter Falk, and the rest of the cast all give fine performances.

Sure, the plot has more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese, but why carp? Sit back and enjoy watching some of the finest comedic actors of the 20th century at the top of their game.

It's truly a crime that this classic has not yet made it to DVD. I can only hope that it's been held back because Columbia's got big plans for a blockbuster special edition DVD loaded with goodies. I've got my fingers crossed!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Spoofing the Great Detectives
Review: Anyone who is a fan of the old fashioned detective mysteries will want to see this film. It spoofs murder mysteries as several world famous detectives are invited to a mysterious house. The detectives are thinly disguised versions of Nick and Nora Charles (the Thin Man), Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Charlie Chan, and Sam Spade. They are told by their lisping host Truman Capote that a murder will take place at midnight, and they must try and solve it. Can the great detective minds figure it all out? Everyone in the all star cast seems to be having a good time, with especially funny bits provided by Peter Sellers as the Charlie Chan character, Maggie Smith as the Nora Charles character, Eileen Brennan as Spade's girlfriend, and Alec Guinness and Nancy Walker as the servants. Some of the jokes are very obvious, but fans of the genre will enjoy the accurate spoofs plus the commentary supplied by Capote's character about the frustrations of solving the crimes in mystery novels. This one is a lot of fun.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Conversation like television set on honeymoon; unnecessary.
Review: Peter Sellers is so incredibly great in this movie. Really, the whole cast is. They don't make movies like this anymore. Especially comedies. You have to actually pay attention to this film to get all the fine points of the gags and dialogue. I think I can quote it pretty much all the way through. My brother and I communicate solely through the use of movie quotations; this is our verbal tongue.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: The cast list may be enough for 5 stars. But, this film goes over the top with the story. Various top-notch, super fame, genius detectives are invited to a mansion for the weekend. Somebody dies and everyone in the elite group is pit against each other as well as a rampant killer and eclectic host.

I saw this film in high school, a private school where I think the teaching clergy believed this film to be rated G. When you see the scene where the "butler" is in the kitchen and David Nivens is investigating, you will understand what a lasting memory it was for me and my student peers. The nuns couldn't stop the bombastic laughter!


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