The Dead Talk Back
The Dead Talk Back is a film that for some reason languished on a shelf before finally being released in the 1990s. From there, it got picked up by Mystery Science Theater 3000, where it aired in 1994.
The story concerns a rather bizarre opening monologue by Dr. Krasker (Aldo Farnese), a psychic researcher whom purports to have a method of speaking with the dead. This opening is quickly shelved as we transition to the rooming house Krasker lives in, where a new narrator essentially counts down to the death of a woman. Once the police exhaust the conventional methods of finding out who the killer is, they bring in Krasker to help out and hopefully finger the murderer.
Of course, along the way we meet a bunch of rather...odd characters.
For tropes and details relating to the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of the film, please see the episode recap page.
- Abhorrent Admirer: Ludwig Kreuger.
- Batman Gambit: How the real murderer is exposed.
- Chekhov's Gun:
- Subverted, as the methods talked about in the opening narration never figure in the solving of the case.
- Played straight with the "Buried Alive" alarm though.
- They don't bring anyone back from the dead but convincing the audience has the effect of making them believe right along with most of the cast that Dr Krasker is actually going to do this at the end and sells it as an effective bluff on the murderer, which makes for a decent twist and with a bit of Mind Screw thrown in.
- Funny Foreigner: Ludwig Kreuger.
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Aldo Farnese did more than you would think. He was a minor league pitcher and starred on a few children television puppet shows on the East Coast.
- Mind Screw: Its clear at the end that Dr Krasker was bluffing all the subjects. He sells it very well.
- Non-Indicative Name: Ultimately, the dead never talk back.
- Playing Gertrude: Aldo Farnese was only about twenty-one when he made this movie. They made him look older by graying his temples. Badly.
Servo: He went a little crazy with the Frost-N-Streak kit, didn't he?
- Sean Connery Is About to Shoot You: In-story -- a police detective interrogating Kruger takes a moment to cock the crossbow used for the murder and fire it (empty) in front of the suspect's face.
(Crossbow fires)
Crow: (sound of bolt hitting something.).
Servo: Yearrghh!!
Mike: (as detective) Sorry, Steve.
- What Do You Mean It's Not Heinous?: Murder is bad, true. But the cops treat being killed by a makeshift crossbow bolt as the most vicious, horrible murder they've ever seen.