The Dead Talk Back (1957)

The Dead Talk Back (1957)

THE DEAD TALK BACK is a very basic murder mystery injected with parameters of psychical research (albeit poorly understood).

The story begins with an introduction by a private research investigator doctor of plainly weird phenomena (considering the character is identified by different occupations throughout the film, it just seemed appropriate to combine them all). The most obvious element of the introduction is that this actor did not graduate from Juliard. The doctor (etc.) explains (with punctuated speech) about his research into psychical phenomena and his development of a radio that would permit commnication with the departed (again punctuated, to an extreme). We are also informed that this is a true story (but brought to us unbelieveably).

The movie then takes us to a few days earlier, the day of the murder, where we are introduced to all the suspects and the victim having dinner at a rooming house, including the doctor. At this point we are also painfully aware that the acting is not going to get any better. And just in case you lose track of time, not to worry, the narrator is constantly reminding us of how much time the victim has to live and reminding us that these events are based on the only eyewitness accounts.

Finally the victim is murdered (surprise). The murderer then sets himself up by leaving every possible clue he can. Not to worry though as the police in this movie are too stupid to follow a good clue. For the viewer, the fact that the killer calls out the victim's name is a dead giveaway since only one of the actors sounds like that.

Since the police are stumped trying to find a killer whose identity is already known to the audience, we can take umbrage in the police requesting the doctor's assistance in communicating with the departed victim (which means more punctuated dialogue).

THE DEAD TALK BACK (didn't their mothers teach them any better than to talk back) is a fairly enjoyable 65 minute film that (strangely) does not drag. It does give plenty of fodder for the bad movie fan. The acting and consistent use of the same set, with the furniture changed to protect the guilty, are just examples. Not to mention a police detective who likes to enter the office from a supply closet and a model who can identify a photographer from a photograph the photographer took (huh?).

THE DEAD TALK BACK interestingly enough was made in 1957 but never released. A company, which bought it in 1993, sold it to Sinister Cinema, which now holds the copyright. This is interesting, since the movie was never released it was considered unpublished. As such upon release, irregardless the amount of time, it is considered published at release and thus can be copyrighted.

THE DEAD TALK BACK was shot in black & white and has a runtime of 65 minutes. It is available on VHS from Sinister Cinema or can be purchased through Movies Unlimited.