Product: Murder by Death (1976)
Rating: 5.0
Jessica Marbles: "Yes dear, we're going to have a lovely murderpoo."
The 80's home edition of Neil Simon's MURDER BY DEATH (with b&w; cover photo) is a good quality transfer. Its box is designed for security, with the tape removed for playing from the side rather than the bottom; a side flap tucks in to prevent the video from accidentally falling out.In this classic mid-70s farce, five detectives (based on such fictional characters as Sam Spade and Hercule Poirot) and their sidekicks are invited to an atmospheric mansion for dinner and an opportunity to solve a murder that will occur at exactly midnight. People, and even the house itself are not what they appear to be: false identities, trick rooms and hidden passages add to the challenge.An all-star cast, Robert Moore's direction and one of Simon's wittiest scripts make this who-dun-it a delight throughout. (TRIVIA: The screaming doorbell is Fay Wray from the 1933 RKO feature, KING KONG.) (VHS) (DVD)"Murder By Death" is available onDVD.Also recommended:Peter Falk reprised his Bogie imitation (as Lou Peckinpaugh) in THE CHEAP DETECTIVE (1978), also from the talented team of Moore and Simon. (VHS) (DVD)Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.(7.3) Murder By Death (1976) - Eileen Brennan/Truman Capote/James Coco/Peter Falk/Alec Guinness/Elsa Lanchester/David Niven/Peter Sellers/Maggie Smith/Nancy Walker/Estelle Winwood/James Cromwell/Richard Narita