Arrives on Blu-ray January 19, 2027, from Kino Lorber
A forgotten Hollywood mystery from the pre-Code era is getting a new home-video release as Kino Lorber prepares to bring Edward Sloman’s Murder by the Clock (1931) to Blu-ray, featuring a brand-new 4K master and two newly recorded audio commentaries.
Blending eerie atmosphere, unexpected humour, and a classic murder mystery, the film centres on Julia Endicott (Blanche Friderici), a neurotic family matriarch with an overwhelming fear of being buried alive. So terrified is she of the possibility that she installs a loud safety alarm inside the family mausoleum.
When Julia changes her will and leaves the enormous Endicott family fortune to her drunken nephew, a series of strange and seemingly supernatural deaths begins to unfold around the family’s dark, imposing estate. As the mysterious burial alarm starts ringing from inside the crypt, Lieutenant Valcour (William “Stage” Boyd) is called in to investigate the bizarre events and unravel the secrets surrounding the Endicott family.
The film also features Irving Pichel as Julia’s disturbed son, while Lilyan Tashman brings plenty of screen presence as one of the early examples of Hollywood’s femme fatale.
Murder by the Clock
- Director: Edward Sloman
- Starring: William 'Stage' Boyd, Lilyan Tashman, Irving Pichel, Regis Toomey, Sally O'Neil, Blanche Friderici, Walter McGrail, Lester Vail
- Genre: Horror, Mystery
- Runtime: 76 mins
- User Rating: ★ 6.4
Cast
- William “Stage” Boyd
- Lilyan Tashman
- Irving Pichel
- Regis Toomey
- Sally O’Neil
- Blanche Friderici
Blu-ray Special Features
Kino Lorber’s release includes a new 4K master sourced from a 35mm composite fine-grain element, along with two newly produced audio commentaries:
- NEW: 4K master from a 35mm composite fine-grain
- NEW: Audio commentary by film historian David Del Valle and film historian/archivist Stan Shaffer
- NEW: Audio commentary by film historians Tom Weaver and Gary L. Prange
Blu-ray Details
- Title: Murder by the Clock (1931)
- Genre: Horror / Mystery
- Runtime: 1 hour, 16 minutes
- Director: Edward Sloman
- Distributor: Kino Lorber
- Format: Blu-ray
- Release Date: January 19, 2027
