The Film Detective announced nine new film restorations that
will be available as priced-to-collect DVD product offerings on Oct. 18.
Leading the way is director Edwin L. Marin’s 1933 film
adaptation of Madelon St. Dennis’ popular 1932 mystery novel, The Death
Kiss.
Following the success of Universal’s Dracula in 1931, Bela
Lugosi suddenly found himself a hot commodity and quickly appeared in a number
of interesting films from all different sorts of competing production sources
including 20th Century-Fox, United Artists, Universal Pictures and
indie World Wide Pictures, Inc., where he delivered the very effective
studio-themed The Death Kiss.
He plays Steiner, the production manager for Tonart Studios,
whose latest production, The Death Kiss, is thrown into chaos
when the star of the film (played by Edmund Burns) is killed during the filming
of a critical scene in the film. The
police are called in and it becomes a full-blown whodunit when a real bullet is
found that doesn’t match the caliber of the “stunt” gun.
Who did it? There
are plenty of suspects to be sure … and certainly Lugosi’s character has
secrets that might make him the killer!
The Death Kiss is a terrific early sound film that gives you a
glimpse into the movie-making process back then … in addition to providing an
entertainment mystery.
Also from the 1930s is director Sam Newfield’s 1936 Western
Sci-Fi thriller, Ghost Patrol, starring Tim McCoy and featuring a plot focusing
on the ability to bring down aircraft with radium ray. Cowboys, pre-war aeronautics and a
mysterious death ray … who could ask for more!
Also from 1936 is director Arthur Lubin’s Yellowstone,
which features a stash of stolen loot and a murder mystery all showcase against
the rugged backdrop of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (which is
pretty cool considering the technology to produce a sound film in 1936).
Additional film restorations coming from The Film Detective
on Oct. 18 include Black Gold (1936, with Frankie Darro), Boy! What A Girl! (1947
musical with Tim Moore and Elwood Smith), Crashing Through Danger (1936), Family
Enforcer (aka: The Death Collector) and the
webisode mystery, Whitlock: A Study in Starlet.
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