Knock, Knock, Who's There? is a weird little time capsule

Is it worth the time?

Look, if you are looking for a story, you're going to have a bad time. Nobody is going to like this unless they are already deep into the hole of 1930s musical shorts or have a weird obsession with radio history.

It’s barely a movie. It’s more of a performance capture that feels like it fell out of a dusty trunk.

The Vibe

Vincent Lopez is front and center here, and he’s got that specific energy of a guy who really loves his band. The Hotel Taft setting is pure atmosphere, even if it feels like they just set up a camera in the corner of a room and hoped for the best. 📻

The pacing is non-existent. It just sort of starts, plays some tunes, and then stops.

It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Wagon Show, though without the grit. It’s way cleaner and feels much more like a polished product, which is both a plus and a minus.

Odd Observations

• The audio quality is exactly what you’d expect from this era, which is to say it’s a bit crunchy.
• The musicians look like they are trying to stay serious while the cameras are rolling.
• There is a moment where the trombone player looks directly into the lens and I swear he forgot where he was for a second.

It’s not as interesting as the oddball charm you find in Tea Pot Town. That one has a weirdness to it that this one just lacks. This is just… professional.

Honestly? It’s a very specific taste. I watched it while eating lunch and it didn't distract me too much. That’s probably the best way to consume it. Don’t overthink it.

Sometimes I wonder if people in 1936 realized we’d be watching their work on pocket computers eighty years later. Probably not.