User reviews

Marred on a DVD transfer by a poor soundtrack that makes some dialogue unintelligible, "Death from a Distance" is a 1935 B crime story that has some good acting along with the inevitable cliches that reflect the times.

A doctor is shot to death during a planetarium lecture. The killer is in the room and the audience is there when the cops arrive, a wisecracking homicide lieutenant in charge. A pretty gal reporter tangles with the cop and her investigative skills are equal to her blatant flirting.

In 71 minutes the story moves by small leaps and not great bounds to a clever uncovering of the killer. Some potted astronomical theory is central to solving the case.

Every stereotype from that era is present: smart detective and dumb as dishwater detective, hardboiled city room editor and ambitious female reporter, gentle Viennese scientist and the "Hindu," a man with a past. And there's more.

This movie won't make either the AMC or TCM channels, not in a century of retrospectives. It's available for as little as $5.99 and as a glance backwards into the time when the Hollywood studio giants co-existed with producers of second-rate features, "Death from a Distance" is a minor treat. But it's a treat nonetheless.

6/10 (for its genre and period).

The setting is the real central figure in this film. A murder is committed during a planetarium show held for a group of well known scientists. A hard boiled detective and an impulsive female reporter set out to solve the crime. Actually, she just seems to get in the way and must be regularly lectured by the big guy. The problem is that no one has the ability to have committed the crime. A series of diversions and set ups take place, trying to lure the real criminal out. There are professional jealousies at work which will hopefully result in an Achilles' heel. The story is slow and drawn out and the characters are often silly and stereotypical. Still, I found myself watching it carefully because I wanted to know how the murder was committed. if your not too fussy and don't mind a period piece, it's not too bad.

The film's title implies that death strikes from afar, and in a clever way, it does...

This low-budget little whodunit will NEVER be aired on TV, so you will have to find a rental, or more likely, buy a copy to see how this ingenious little murder is worked out.

I won't spoil it for anyone by telling you that the victim is in the audience of a planetarium, and naturally-- so is the murderer! The police are called in, and the entire story is acted out pretty much on that one set.

Filmed on one of the lowest budgets possible, "Death From A Distance" will still keep you watching, and guessing, right to the surprise ending.

Not bad, to say the least. To B-movie mystery buffs, I say: Buy it, if you can find it, and enjoy.

"A murder is committed at the Forest Park Planetarium during a lecture by the celebrated Astronomer, Professor Ernst Einfeld (Lee Kohlmar). The fatal shot is fired in semi-darkness while a distinguished audience observes the stars projected on the dome above them. A hardboiled homicide detective (Russell Hopton) trades verbal jabs with a wisecracking gal reporter (Lola Lane) as they attempt to unravel the mysterious killing," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis. In a very dull manner.

The "gal reporter" character played by Lola Lane was, in part, writer Jerry Siegel's inspiration for Superman's Girl Friend, "Lois Lane"; however, Ms. Lane's later "Torchy Blane" characterization is a more accurate reference point. Perhaps, "Death from a Distance is most notable as featuring the penultimate performance of George F. Marion (as Jim Gray), who so memorably played the father of Pauline Lord (1921), Blanche Sweet (1923), and Greta Garbo (1930) in Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie".

*** Death from a Distance (9/17/35) Frank Strayer ~ Russell Hopton, Lola Lane, George F. Marion

"Death from a Distance" (which in the end, as we almost suspected, proves a QUITE appropriate title) may be no masterpiece of mystery, but it's a very solid crime puzzle which, like so often in the 30s, teams a cop with a girl reporter to solve the murder.

The performances, especially by Lola Lane as the cheeky, fresh young reporter, are not at all bad: quite convincing, and containing a good dose of humor! Not that the murder case isn't handled seriously: the police methods are portrayed in a realistic way - while, on the other 'side', the newsroom's atmosphere with all its male and female news hounds, who are sometimes nerve-racking, sometimes PRETTY helpful for the cops, is once again depicted in a wonderfully authentic way.

But the most stunning feature of this particular movie that otherwise would be one of many average 30s' murder mysteries are the settings of the murder scene: here we actually get to see how a planetarium of the 1930s looked like and worked - certainly a kind of time document today...

While Professor Lee Kohlmar is lecturing about Arcturus to an invitation-only group at the planetarium, a member of the audience is shot dead. Police detective Russel Hopton is called in. He orders reporter Lola Lane out of the room and questions the crowd. Then he sends everyone home and asks Miss Lane for a date. She slaps his face.

It's a nicely done murder mystery under the direction of Frank R. Strayer. Good actors, a decent script and a good pace keeps things rolling along until.... well, before the second murder -- there's always a second murder in a good mystery, although usually the second victim is the first person you suspect -- I had figured out the victim of the second murder, and the method. Since I was far enough ahead, I started to figure out who committed the murders.

Even though there was a twist that surprised me -- always a good thing -- I soon settled on the two people who most likely had committed the murders, just by the structure of this movie. The trouble was, I couldn't figure out why; that was only revealed after the answer to the mystery had been revealed.

Well, that's not fair. That's not playing the game. So although everything else was pretty good for a cheap B murder mystery, with good players and even a twist, even though it was very watchable, in the end, it failed as a mystery. Pity.

During a lecture at a planetarium, a man is murdered. However, despite this occurring in a room full of people, it isn't clear exactly who is responsible.

This is a super-low budget film that isn't horrible, but it isn't particularly good either. Much of the fault for it being such a poor film are the result of poor writing (with a WAY over-complicated murder scheme), an annoying and clichéd character (Lola Lane playing a very stereotypical "pushy female reporter") and an overall lack of energy. In fact, as I watched the film, I kept found myself falling asleep because there wasn't much to interest me and the lack of incidental music made the film seem very static and subdued. As far as I am concerned, that was an hour of my life I wish I could have back! Amateurish but watchable--not exactly a glowing endorsement.

During a lecture at a planetarium one of the people in the audience is killed. The police are called and with the help of, or possibly despite the interference of a female reporter the killer is eventually unmasked.

If nothing else this film has a unique location which is played up a great deal as the film milks it for all its worth. What is worth is plenty since this is a snappy mystery with great dialog and a decent mystery. The acting is good and the cast is made up of troopers who you've probably seen in countless other films.

This is one of those movie that's worth seeking out and worth buying. Alpha Video is putting it out shortly in a cheap edition and I'll be picking up copies for friends who like the really good mysteries. Keep an eye on Amazon, you won't be disappointed.

Routine whodunit distinguished by unusual setting-- an observatory with a big window on the stars. So who shot Dr.Stone while a gallery of spectators sat entranced by a ceiling of stellar lights. Detective Mallory is doing his best to find out, but it's all rather puzzling with no apparent motive. Then too, comedy relief from Det. Regan's no help, while feisty girl journalist Palmer wants a scoop no matter what. So how will it all turn out, which amounts to the "why" as much as the "who".

Too bad actress Lane doesn't get more screentime. She's a lively presence that picks up the often bland proceedings. In fact, her snappy lines aimed at Mallory remain a highlight. Then too, Prof. Einfeld and fumbling flunkie Jim lend some color to an otherwise rather bland male cast. Unfortunately, director Strayer adds nothing in the way of atmosphere, usually an important element in a whodunit. Here it would have been easy given the exotic setting. At the same time, few scenes take place outside the observatory. I wish that crucial setting were credited by IMDB. Looks to me like the giant telescope had to be real, and my guess would be Mt. Palomar Observatory also located in southern California.

Anyway, the novel touches remain about the only reason to catch up with this uneven indie production.

The sound and picture are just terrible! This badly needs a restoration, but at this point, probably unlikely. During a presentation on the night sky, someone in the audience is knocked off. Russ hopton is detective mallory, from the police, questioning everyone. Kay palmer (lola lane) is from the local rag to invest-y-gate. And of course, none of the witnesses agree on a description of the suspect. The coppers and the reporters all run in circles for a while. I call shenanigans on the story and ending. It's all too silly and unlikely.if the sound and picture quality weren't so awful, this probably would have been parodied on mystery science theater! Even the captions aren't synched up... sometimes they are ahead, and sometimes behind. The most interesting thing here is that someone's last name is "griffith".. and this came out the same year that the griffith observatory opened in los angeles! Directed by frank strayer. Story by john kraft. Hopton offed himself ten years after this film, at age 45.

Death from a Distance features a murder at a planetarium. As most of the film's action takes place in the one large room, it's probably a good thing that the room contains a large telescope and a ceiling painted with stars, a setting unique enough to remain somewhat viewable for 70 minutes. The lead characters are not as unique—Russell Hopton is the police detective investigating, Lola Lane the girl reporter getting in his way. Hopton and Lane do their best to put some life into their roles, but the bits of witty banter they are given are somewhat few and far between.

The other characters fare little better. Most lively is Lee Kohlmar as Professor Einfeld, who is supposedly one of the three greatest scientists in the world and is therefore rather unkempt and absent-minded but ultimately sharp enough to aid in solving the mystery. There are, of course, also a dumb assistant detective, a couple of scientists with shady pasts, and a curator. (By the way, Einfeld also speaks in a European accent and has a messy shock of hair. Ein-what?)

The murder device is cleverly conceived, I have to say. However, the detective work and the uncovering of clues are all somewhat hazy. Ultimately, Death from a Distance lacks snap, but the mystery is at least deep enough to keep us watching until the end.

Yes, this is an absolute alien mystery thriller, the over the best of bland director Frank Strayer, whose films are not that widely known and even less shown. VAMPIRE BAT was rather famous for thirties horror films buffs, but that's all. Some of talkies Strayer's movies are in the public domain now, in terms of copyrights elements, even available on some DVD retailers but I am sure no one watches them. This one is a mystery, as I have told, yarn, as there there thousands of them in those decades, before TV industry takes it for its own purpose. I am not a great fan of those most of the time boring plots, but this one is very amusing, intriguing, unusual.