Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death - carpenter

Alton Mosher - Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death carpenter in the 1950s

This is one of our favorite photos of Alton Mosher - the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death carpenter. This rare photo was taken at The Rocks estate in New Hampshire in the 1950s. Alton took over the carpentry work for his father Ralph. We interview Alton recently for our next documentary film. He's truly a gem who handled his strict boss, France Glessner Lee, with grace. In return, she remembered him in her will.

Don't forget, you can buy the Of Dolls & Murder DVD directly from us!

Inside The Speakeasy Dollhouse Documentary Film Trailer

Getting into the act

www.crainsnewyork.com

Click for our newest documentary film trailer, Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse - starring Cynthia von Buhler.

You can buy the DVD here or buy a ticket to the play and get a DVD together here.

You can also buy the Of Dolls & Murder DVD here. And watch the trailer here.

Also, you are awesome.

Buy Documentary Film about the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Three Room Dwelling - one of the most compelling Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

We get a lot of questions about buying our DVD, so this is for all the folks who are interested in owning our film.

The good news is our DVD is inexpensive and we ship anywhere, plus we ship next day.

The Of Dolls & Murder DVD has tons of bonus material! Click here, to order yours.

Watch the trailer here.

Of Dolls & Murder makes a great gift with Passover, Easter and Mother's Day right around the corner! ;-)

Fan Letters for Frances Glessner Lee

While researching some recently unearthed Frances Glessner Lee's files, we came across some gems. Like this folder of fan mail to Frances Glessner Lee. Curiously, several letters were written from inmates from criminally insane institutions in the 1940s-1950s. They were poor souls claiming to be innocent and locked up against their will - hoping Capt. Lee could help them out.

Of Dolls & Murder Screening in Minneapolis 3/21/13

Forensic Pioneer, Frances Glessner Lee with one of her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Great little writeup by Chris Hewitt about our screening on Thursday - March 21st in Minneapolis.


Think of "Of Dolls and Murder" like this: Barbie's Dreamhouse, after a maniac tore through it on a blood-soaked rampage. 

Minneapolis filmmaker Susan Marks' "Of Dolls and Murder" documentary will be screened at Bryant Lake Bowl on Thursday, March 21. And it's a doozy. 

Marks -- who previously made the Betty Crocker story, "The Betty Mystique" -- focuses on Frances Glessner Lee, a Baltimore resident who created detailed, dollhouse-like crime scene replicas in the 1930s and 1940s. That's detailed, as in tiny blood spatters on the wall behind a victim and tiny, faded spots on the wallpaper where it was bleached by the sun. Continue

Dead Dolls & Betty Crocker

In our archival research we unearthed a letter from the Betty Crocker radio show, "Magazine of the Air" inviting Frances Glessner Lee to be a guest on the show. (1949) Considering I've made documentary films about both Betty Crocker and Frances Glessner Lee, my mind is forever blown.

For the record, there was a carbon copy of the reply letter and Frances politely declined.

Minneapolis Screening of Of Dolls & Murder

Dolls, Murder & other Guilty Pleasures
Bryant Lake Bowl (Minneapolis, MN)
March 21st.
Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
http://bryantlakebowl.com/

810 W. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Doors 8-9
Film at 9
Music 10:15

The evening will showcase Of Dolls & Murder, a sneak preview of our documentary short, Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse and music by Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures!

Frances Glessner Lee

We're discovering so many wonderful, new things about Frances Glessner Lee. Some of them are even a bit surprising. (Like her connection to J. Edgar Hoover!) In the meantime, if you need some old, background info on the Patron Saint of Forensics, I suggest you:

Watch Of Dolls & Murder
Read The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Frances Glessner Lee's First Miniatures

No crime here, just the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on display at the Glessner House. The exhibit recently ended, but fear not, we will showcase a little bit of it in our new documentary film, Murder in a Nutshell.

Learn more about this mini masterpiece.

Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death - 2nd Documentary

Alton Mosher - Carpenter for the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death and one hell of a guy.

Yep! It's really happening. We are making another documentary film about Frances Glessner Lee and her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Why two, you ask? New information came to light after we finished, Of Dolls & Murder, so we decided to chase down more of this amazing story. The working title is, Murder in a Nutshell.

If we aren't tired of Frances' dolls yet, we know you won't be either.

We have several research trips planned and we have a few big shoots that we are lining up. We already film with Alton Mosher  (above) - one of Frances' carpenters. The other carpenter was Alton's father, Ralph Mosher.

We don't need to tell how cool Alton is. You can tell from the photo, no?

New Documentary Film - Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse!

Poster for Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse

Our new documentary film, Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse is finished and ready for you! 

Inspired by a collection of dollhouse crime scenes known as “The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death,” Cynthia von Buhler recreates the story of her grandfather’s prohibition-era murder with a dollhouse replica of his speakeasy club and bakery.

This documentary film goes inside Cynthia’s world of miniature murder and steps back in time through her off-Broadway immersive play. With these investigative techniques she attempts to unravel the curious mystery surrounding her grandfather’s death.

Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse DVD includes the documentary film (Running time 17:38) and special PDF files of Cynthia von Buhler's graphic novel "Speakeasy Dollhouse, The Bloody Beginning" and an Evidence Booklet Playbill.

Buy your DVD here. Need tickets for the play? Go here. Thank you for your support of independent film and theater!