Wow! Such a good movie.

What makes it different from others?

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

MURDER ON THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD is very interesting in that it attempts to present a "film noir" movie in the present. It works for the most part. Unfortunately, in the fast-cut TV/MTV world in which we live, we are not used to handling the (frequently) lingering camera looks and the generally slow unfolding of the story. It needs tighter editing. That said, the acting in most cases is very strong. One wishes that Ross Hagen's direction had matched the strength of his acting. His hard-bitten detective is the epitome of the stereotype, but with a depth of humanity that lifts the portrayal above the mundane. Ken Butler plays the tough-as-nails cop to very good effect. And it was a joy to see Nancy Kwan again! She's as beautiful as ever. The most exciting feature of the film is the cinematography. Gary Craver's photography, lighting and effects are superb, making it a beautiful experience. If you can adjust your viewing and mood to the slow pacing and tempo, this is a beautifully filmed and fun movie to see.

This was a wonderful who-done-it murder mystery that keeps you guessing throughout the film as to who the murderer actually is. The chemistry between actors Ken Butler, playing Detective Joe Patterson, and Ross Hagen, as Joe's former partner and now a P.I., was terrific. The scenery dovetails beautifully with the suspenseful story and helps to create a true sense of the darker side of Hollywood. The music score was also terrific, with its haunting melodies, sleek orchestrations, and a wonderful theme song. What was nice was watching a great murder mystery that didn't have and didn't need any gratuitous sex, violence, or mind numbing chase scenes. This movie was truly wonderful cinematic experience.

MURDER ON THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD is a fun to watch film that took me back to the back and white era of film-making. I was extremely impressed by both the story and character lines. It really tugged at my heart. The acting makes the film, led by Ken Butler's sensational portrayal of Detective Joe Patterson and Ross Hagen's superb portrayal of the P.I., Elwood Dick. Their friendship was so natural and down to earth, that it didn't seem like they were acting at all. The performance of Pilar Lastra as Gabrielle Mendez is also worth mentioning. She seems to be a relative newcomer, but her presence is undeniable. The same can be said for Charlene Fernetz as Rachel Dowd. She represents today's modern woman with dignity and style. I also loved the music, especially the theme song, Boulevard Of Dreams. Leslie Gillman's voice is haunting and soulful, fully realizing the music written by John Corlis and the lyrics written by Eric Belgau, who also wrote the screenplay. If you are a fan of murder mysteries, don't miss this one. It is definitely the best Yellow Brick Road to follow since the one to Oz.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film and the performances given by the actors. The story brought me back to the movies of yesteryear and I was held captive until the end, which took me by surprise.The roll of Joe Patterson, strongly portrayed by Ken Butler, was the ticket that kept the film rolling and me glued to the screen. The music was wonderful and really lent itself to the story. The film reminded me so much of the old black and white films that were so popular years back. The characters were right out of a Raymond Chandler novel and the actors were riveting in their performances. I would highly recommend this film to anyone and also tell them to not miss any movie that Ken Butler was in.