The Murder in the Museum is a weird, dusty relic

Should you watch The Murder in the Museum? If you have an hour to kill and a weird affection for movies that feel like they were filmed in someone's drafty basement, sure. It’s not going to change your life, but it has a certain crumbly charm.

Fans of old detective flicks will probably find it cute. If you are the type of person who needs a modern edit with quick cuts and actual tension, you are going to be bored out of your mind within ten minutes.

The whole thing takes place in this museum that is honestly just a graveyard for leftover props. It feels like the filmmakers just walked into a storage room and said, 'Yeah, put a fake mummy here, that looks scary.' I found myself staring at the background more than the actual actors.

There is this moment where the reporter is trying to be all heroic and investigative, but the camera work makes it look like he is just sort of wandering around looking for the bathroom. It’s charmingly incompetent.

The dialogue is about as snappy as a wet noodle. People just walk into rooms and announce exactly what they are doing. 'I am going to check the back room now,' they say, like a video game character that hasn't been programmed with any depth.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Murder in the Museum (1934) through its definitive frames.

It reminds me a little bit of the energy in The Pest, though obviously a different kind of mess. It’s got that same 'we just need to get this finished before lunch' vibe that permeates these older low-budget productions.

The sideshow aspect is just window dressing. They mention drug dealing, but it’s really just a reason to keep everyone in one location where they can bump into each other. Every time a new character walks in, they look like they just learned their lines in the hallway five seconds prior.

One scene goes on for an eternity while two people talk about a councilman who we barely met. I caught myself counting the shadows on the wall just to stay focused. It’s not high art, but it’s weirdly hypnotic in how little it tries to impress you.

Maybe it’s the lack of polish, but there is something honest about it. It’s not trying to be a masterpiece. It is just a movie about a guy who got killed in a room full of wax figures. That is enough.

Don't expect the mystery to keep you up at night. You will probably guess the killer halfway through because the movie isn't exactly playing 4D chess with the audience.

• The bizarre collection of 'museum' items that look like they were bought at a yard sale.
• The reporter’s hat, which seems to have a personality of its own.
• Watching the actors try to navigate around those mannequins without knocking them over.

It’s a dusty, strange little film. Keep your expectations on the floor and you might actually have a good time with it. 🕵️‍♂️