James Houghland, inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies, who then send agents to acquire the invention any way they can. On the night of his initial broadcast Houghland is mysteriously murdered in the middle of his demonstration and it falls to Police Chief Nelson to determine who the murderer is from the many suspects present.
Is it worth your time? Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s poverty row cinema. If you need tight pacing or a mystery that actually makes sense, stay away. But if you want to watch Bela Lugosi lean against walls and look vaguely menacing while people talk about television signals, you might find a weird sor...
Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
Clifford Sanforth
Robert Thornby
Community
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"Is it worth your time? Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s poverty row cinema. If you need tight pacing or a mystery that actually makes sense, stay away. But if you want to watch Bela Lugosi lean against walls and look vaguely menacing while people talk about television signals, you might find a weird sort of charm here. The plot is basically just a stage play that forgot it wasn't on a stage. It’s 1935, and everyone is losing their minds over the invention of global television. J..."
Henry Mowbray
Karl R. Coolidge, Clarence Hennecke, Joseph O'Donnell
United States
Mystery, Thriller
Deep dive into the cult classic
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