murders comedy mystery film directed written produced set atmosphere old time radio pays homage comedy films 1930s film tells story writer trying settle relationship issues wife dealing murder mystery radio station films stars ensemble cast including features numerous small roles cameo appearances including final film appearance began development film 1970s originally attached director script commenced pre production approached leads murders development hell years lucas told universal advances computer generated imagery owned particularly digital help bring relatively low budget million eventually rose million hired direct filming lasted october december released october negative reviews critics bombed box office grossing million totals plot new radio network based station chicago illinois begins inaugural night station owner general depends employees impress main sponsor includes writer assistant director roger wife seeking divorce page boy engineer conductor announcer director stage manager king commissions radio scripts writers angry adding fact paid weeks trumpet player falls dead rat poisoning series events director hanged mysterious killer makes look like suicide father general involved solve murder mysteries nightly radio performance continues killed attempting fix main stage machinery penny appointed stage manager director deaths writer tries solve killings annoyance police led roger unfortunately appears scene crime murders place ruled prime suspect roger announcer die ignores warning killed going private documents file room roger finds victims previously worked radio station illinois secretive scandal king laughing gas falls elevator shaft die roger warning causing suspicion police escaping custody roger uses billy communicate send scripts penny programs son fire roger attempts write script self events proving mysterious killer actually sound engineer max explains killings revenge scheme dealt stock holders patents specifically detailing invention television scientists copied roger penny taken max atop radio tower gunpoint max eventually killed shows guns impressed nightly performance sponsors decide fund roger penny reconcile complex relationship decide divorce cast writer husband penny police force roger murder mystery stressed secretary promoted director stage manager deaths initially intends divorce roger catching position later reconcile relationship page boy roger communicate penny send scripts despite fact trying hide police lieutenant cross short tempered policeman roger general owner commands staff military like work environment general dies falling elevator shaft james king main sponsor sense humor king eventually dies laughing gas sound engineer found responsible murders max dies getting shot atop radio tower band conductor appeared boss dream station announcer smoking habit dies ignoring roger billy warning wild writer violent writer famous singer wife penny catches roger presumably having sex appears prank created roger originally believes responsible killings final acting role died seven months film release general wearing son director german stage manager die aware multiple affairs employees eccentric sound designer writer confirms death came poisoning detective cross idiot assistant drunk trumpet player rochester band die cameo appearances provided final feature film year old comedian parents singers production genesis came executive producer writer obsession old time radio lucas conceived storyline film writing phase viewing homage films primarily star solving murder radio station shares inspiration accepted lucas allowed studio look deals untitled science fiction film eventually basis star wars lucas eventually negotiated deal produce universal shortly successful release late prepared rough draft based lucas film treatment universal confident announce pre production soon lucas set direct producing original script roger penny married couple seeking divorce boyfriend girlfriend love hate relationship script included controversy invention radio july lucas revealed development approached leads script rewritten planned start date 1970s early 1990s remained development hell time lucas commissioned perform rewrite lucas told universal advances computer generated imagery owned particularly digital help bring relatively low budget million eventually rose million universal agreed lucas update script script contained parodies old time radio general public 1970s likely acknowledge universal reasoned script modified attempt audiences based recommendation lucas hired known work update screenplay shooting script prepared lucas combined favorite elements draft original script 1970s lucas hired direct recommended lead role lucas specifically choose smith believed british comedian filmmaker handle murders form comedy dark humor universal adamant ensemble cast filled popular stars early 1990s agreed small appearance eccentric sound designer agreement scenes shot day principal photography began october wilmington north_carolina brief filming took place production designer star wars disguised film limited rooms structure larger areas notably exterior building transmission tower roof created augmented digital added visual effects supervisor lost world star wars episode phantom menace following break lucas director editor reviewed footage new digital editing system successor cast crew weeks filming principal photography murders ended december release market universal attached film trailer studio believed films specifically appeal originally set theatrically released september pushed film released united_states october theaters grossing million ultimately film bombed box office million budget ranks widely released films having biggest second weekend drop box office dropping critical reception received negative reviews rotten_tomatoes calculated approval rating based reviews collected roger_ebert criticized film containing comedy instead subtle humor praised art direction visual effects believed movie doesn work action character situation comedy starts soon lasts long don opportunity meet care characters way actions funny writing time magazine gave mixed review mainly criticizing film fast pacing new_york_times dismissed film trying hard pay homage comedy films 1930s san_francisco_chronicle gave mixed reaction feeling filmmakers failed attempting audiences nostalgia internet reviewer called film horrible elements brain donors setting world air film gags production work home media region dvd release came march released film dvd august
Radioland Murders