terrible... so disappointed.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

DEATH FROM A DISTANCE is a US murder mystery made in 1935 and featuring a hardboiled cop teaming up with a female reporter. By teaming up I mean that he typically seems to lecture her around in a mildly sexist fashion while she sticks up for herself. The opening murder sequence is the best part of the film as it takes place in a planetarium during a lecture by an astronomer. A gun fires and an audience member lies dead, so the detective has to follow the clues and solve the mystery.This opening scene is reminiscent of Hitchcock and actually predates a similar moment in his version of THE 39 STEPS. Unfortunately the rest of the film is largely slow-paced and rather bloated with red herrings and the like. It's not the kind of film to engross you, rather the type of film to fall asleep to. The two main stars do their best but DEATH FROM A DISTANCE is a film that's dated more than anything else.

Frank Strayer's direction here is a grade higher than his usual humdrum level. As usual however, he eschews reverse angles, but on this occasion he has gone easy on close-ups. Most of the scenes are handled in rather long takes, but the camera-work has more movement here than is the director's norm. The movie also exhibits some typical trademarks of Invincible Pictures. Most of the action is confined to the one set, although it is well designed and large enough to accommodate a rather extensive cast of character players and extras. As usual, there is no background music at all except under the opening and end credits. Fortunately, this lack is skilfully disguised by the brisk pace of the plot. The cast too is not without interest, although the identity of the killer is pretty obvious. All told, however, the script is more accomplished than then usual Invincible effort, thanks not so much to its routine plot but to some bright, crisp dialogue, expertly delivered here by Russell Hopton and Lola Lane. George Marion must be included in our praises too. In fact his presence alone is worth at least half the price of the DVD.

"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

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).