History Film / FXMurderByIllusion

* PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician using his skills to help solve crimes. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable, experienced effects technicians[[note]]Conrad 'Connie' Brink and ''Franchise/JamesBond'' vet John Steers for the first (with makeup effects by the uncredited duo of John Caglione Jr. and Doug Drexler); Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the sequel, with Allard also serving as one of the Second Unit directors[[/note]] doing the actual effects.

* CreepyClown: One of Rollie's creations in the second film is a robot clown named Bluey.

* PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician using his skills to help solve crimes. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable, experienced effects technicians[[note]]Conrad 'Connie' Brink and ''Franchise/JamesBond'' vet John Steers for the first; Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second, Allard also serving as one of the Second Unit directors[[/note]] doing the actual effects.

''F/X: Murder by Illusion'' is a 1986 movie starring Creator/BryanBrown and Creator/BrianDennehy, about a movie special effects man, Rollie Tyler (Brown), who gets dragged into the criminal underworld when he is hired by the F.B.I.'s witness protection program to [[FakingTheDead fake the death]] of notorious [[TheMafia mob boss]] Nicholas [=DeFranco=] (Creator/JerryOrbach).

The F/X shoot [[GoneHorriblyWrong goes awry]], and now it looks like Rollie - through criminal negligence or deliberately - is responsible for the actual death of the man whose demise he was supposed to ''fake''.

While Rollie frantically tries to figure out what went wrong, [[BigApplesauce NYPD]] Detective Leo [=McCarthy=] (Dennehy) is investigating the same murder, and increasingly frustrated that the FBI [[ObstructiveBureaucrat is being less helpful than usual]].

Not to be confused with Creator/{{FX|Networks}}, the Disney-owned cable channel, or Music/{{FX}}, the South Korean GirlGroup.

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Both movies were followed up by ''Series/FXTheSeries'', which has its own page, and recast the roles of both Rollie and [=McCarthy=], likely for budget reasons.

%% * AlwaysABiggerFish: The plot of the sequel kicks in when a third party kills both the ex-husband of Rollie's girlfriend and the killer he was going to catch at the same time during a sting operation. Leading Rollie and [=McCarthy=] to try and catch him and his superiors.
%% * AutomobileOpening: used in the sequel as part of the FakeActionPrologue, with the camera following the car driven by the alien cyborg through the city before crashing it near a wino.

%% * ChekhovsArmory:
%% ** Any and all special effects equipment that is shown at one point in either movie ''will'' come in to play by the end for more than Rollie's work.
%% ** Also pay attention to any and all character traits mentioned, even if it's only once. [[BatmanGambit Rollie does]].
%% * ColdSniper: William Adams from the first film, who manages to shoot [[spoiler:Ellen.]]

%% * CreatorCameo: One of the effects artists being chewed out at the beginning of the sequel (specifically the one who sets off the cop car explosion too late) is played by an uncredited Eric Allard, the film's special effects supervisor and one of its second-unit directors.
%% * CreepyClown: One of Rollie's creations in the second film is a robot clown named Bluey.

%% * DirtyCop: Main villain of the second film.
%% * EnhanceButton: Makes an appearance in the second film to spot the killer in the reflection of a mirror.
%% * GadgeteerGenius: Rollie, as per his job as an effects technician. The sequel ups this by having him work on a robotic clown named Bluey during his off time.
%% * GroinAttack: Rollie uses Bluey to pull one of these on his attacker on the sequel.
%% * EasterEgg: In the sequel, a couple of props shown in Rollie's apartment workshop are from earlier projects by Eric Allard and All Effects. These include a robot head from ''Film/ClassOf1999'' and a toy robot from a pre-''Advertising/EnergizerBunny'' Energizer commercial.

%% * ItWorksBetterWithBullets: How Rollie disposes of the first movie's BigBad.

%% * {{MacGyvering}}: Rollie is a special effects wizard. If you ever get the chance, ask an effects man just how much of their job involves this trope.
%% * TheMafia: Appears in both movies.

%% * OfficerOHara: [=McCarthy=]'s a police officer played by FightingIrish-American actor Brian Dennehy. It can be speculated he shared the same heritage as his actor.
%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician using his skills to help solve crimes. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable, experienced effects technicians[[note]]Conrad 'Connie' Brink and ''Franchise/JamesBond'' vet John Steers for the first; Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second, Allard also serving as one of the Second Unit directors[[/note]] doing the actual effects.

%% * ShowerScene: Used to lure out the killer in the second movie. it works a little too well as the killer and the person used as bait are both taken out at the same time by a third party.
%% * SlashedThroat: Used to off the ex-husband and his killer in the second movie.
%% * SpecialEffectsEvolution: With the sequel, the film adds animatronics and robotics into the mix. Justified as the crew behind the film's effects were also responsible for the robotic effects in ''Film/ShortCircuit'' and ''Film/ClassOf1999'', with a skull from the latter being seen among Rollie's belongings as an EasterEgg.
%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien cyborg prop in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie. The animatronic runs haywire near the gathered crowd watching the shoot once the scene stops shooting, then Rollie jumps in and saves them by shorting it out despite the crew's irritation.
%% * StagedShooting: What Rollie is hired for in the first movie, based on the success of one he helped execute for a movie.
%% * StuffBlowingUp: The opening prologue of the sequel starts off with a cop car failing to blow up on cue, only for the effects team to do so just after the director chews them out. Rollie more effectively uses this against his would-be assailant by jerry-rigging some hair spray and canned beans at a supermarket.

%% * SlashedThroat: Used to off the ex-husband in the second movie.

%% * StagedShooting: What Rollie is hired for in the first movie.

* NumberedSequels: The second movie simply change ''F/X'' to ''F/X 2'' to create the sequel name.

%% * CreatorCameo: One of the effects artists being chewed out at the beginning of the sequel is played by an uncredited Eric Allard, the film's special effects supervisor and one of its second-unit directors.

%% ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt* AmoralAttorney

%% * GroinAttack

** For the second, a sci-fi alien movie inspired by ''Film/TheTerminator'' featuring an alien cyborg DisguisedInDrag is being filmed. The shoot ends in failure when the effects technician's explosion doesn't go off when it's supposed to. Soon things get further compounded when the "Quarter million dollar" animatronic prop used for the alien cyborg runs amok and threatens the safety of the gathered audience. Rollie jumps in to deactivate it, to the director's annoyance.

* MasterOfDisguise: Rollie makes full use of his makeup skills to appear as different people.

%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien cyborg prop in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie. The animatronic runs haywire near the gathered crowd watching the shoot once the scene stops shooting, then Rollie jumps in and saves them by shutting it off despite the crew's irritation.

%%*AutomobileOpening: used in the sequel as part of the FakeActionPrologue, with the camera following the car driven by the alien cyborg through the city.
%%* AmoralAttorney

%% * EasterEgg: In the sequel, a couple of props shown in Rollie's apartment workshop are from earlier projects by Eric Allard, the film's effects artist. These include a robot head from ''Film/ClassOf1999'' and a toy robot from a pre-''Advertising/EnergizerBunny'' Energizer commercial.

%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician using his skills to help solve crimes. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable, experienced effects technicians (Conrad 'Connie' Brink and ''Franchise/JamesBond'' vet John Steers for the first; Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second, Allard also serving as one of the Second Unit directors) doing the actual effects.

%%* GroinAttack

%% * SpecialEffectsEvolution: With the sequel, the film adds animatronics and robotics into the mix. Justified as the crew behind the film's effects were also responsible for the robotic effects in ''Film/ShortCircuit'' and ''Film/ClassOf1999''.

%% * TheyFightCrime: The second movie involves Rollie and [=McCarthy=] joining forces to track down the criminals.

** For the second, a sci-fi alien movie inspired by ''Film/TheTerminator'' featuring an alien cyborg DisguisedInDrag is being filmed. The shoot ends in failure when the effects technician's explosion doesn't go off when it's supposed to, things get further compounded when the "Quarter million dollar" animatronic prop used for the alien cyborg runs amok and threatens the safety of the gathered audience. Rollie jumps in to deactivate it, to the director's annoyance.

%% * GadgeteerGenius: Rollie

** For the second, a sci-fi alien movie inspired by ''Film/TheTerminator'' featuring an alien cyborg DisguisedInDrag is being filmed. Ending in failure when the effects technician's explosion doesn't go off when it's supposed to. It gets further compounded when the "Quarter million dollar" animatronic prop used for the alien cyborg runs amok and threatens the safety of the gathered audience. Rollie jumping in to deactivate it, to the film crew's annoyance.

* LatexPerfection: Justified in that Rollie not only employs significant computer resources to generating a full 3-D image of the head, but he also generates the "mask" in strips so that it moves naturally with the face.

%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable and experienced effects technicians (Conrad 'Connie' Brink and ''Franchise/JamesBond'' vet John Steers for the first, Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second) doing the actual effects.

%% * SpecialEffectsEvolution: With the sequel, the film adds in animatronics and robotics into the mix. Justified as the crew behind the effects in real life were also responsible for the robotic effects in ''Film/ShortCircuit'' and ''Film/ClassOf1999''.
%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie. The animatronic prop runs haywire near the gathered crowd watching the shoot once the scene stops shooting, Rollie saves them by shutting it off despite the crew's irritation.

%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician. Also the case in a meta sense, with both films having notable and experienced effects technicians (Conrad 'Connie' Brink and John Steers for the first, Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second) doing the actual effects.

%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician. Also played straight behind the scenes, with both films having notable effects technicians (Conrad 'Connie' Brink and John Steers for the first, Eric Allard and his team at All Effects for the second) doing the actual effects.

%% * KnifeNut: The killer in the second movie.

** For the second, a sci-fi alien movie inspired by ''Film/TheTerminator'' featuring an alien cyborg DressedInDrag is being filmed. Ending in failure when the effects technician's explosion doesn't go off when it's supposed to. It gets further compounded when the "Quarter million dollar" animatronic prop used for the alien cyborg runs amok and threatens the safety of the gathered audience. Rollie jumping in to deactivate it, to the film crew's annoyance.

%% * PracticalEffects: The point of both films, with Rollie himself being an effects technician. Also played straight behind the scenes, with both films having notable effects technicians (Conrad Brink for the first, Eric Allard for the second) doing the actual effects.

%% * ShowerScene: Used to lure out the killer in the second movie.

%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie. With the animatronic prop running heywire near the gathered crowd watching the shoot, Rollie saves them by shutting it off despite the crew's irritation.

%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie. With the animatronic running heywire near the gathered crowd watching the shoot, Rollie saves them by shutting it off despite the crew's irritation.

%% * SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie.

* CelebrityParadox: The ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' films exists in the film's universe, evidenced by the poster for the [[Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII second film]] in Rollie's apartment. Leo's actor Creator/BrianDennehy had played the BigBad of the [[[Film/FirstBlood first film]].

* JumpScare: Rollie has a latex movie monster set up to leap at his door while a recording of the monster's roar is played, whenever somebody comes in. An effective anti-intrusion method.

* [[ChekhovsArmory Chekhov's Armory]]:
** Any and all special effects equipment that is shown at one point in either movie ''will'' come in to play by the end for more than Rollie's work.
** Also pay attention to any and all character traits mentioned, even if it's only once. [[BatmanGambit Rollie does]].
* ColdSniper: William Adams from the first film, who manages to shoot [[spoiler:Ellen.]]
* CowboyCop: Leo [=McCarthy=] is seen as this in his department.
* CrypticBackgroundReference: There are plenty of mentions of Rollie's past work.

* DirtyCop: Main villain of the second film.
* EnhanceButton: Makes an appearance in the second film to spot the killer in the reflection of a mirror.
* GadgeteerGenius: Rollie

* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: How Rollie disposes of the first movie's BigBad.

* KnifeNut: The killer in the second movie.

* {{MacGyvering}}: Rollie is a special effects wizard. If you ever get the chance, ask an effects man just how much of their job involves this trope.
* TheMafia: Appears in both movies.

* OfficerOHara: [=McCarthy=]'s a police officer played by FightingIrish-American actor Brian Dennehy. It can be speculated he shared the same heritage as his actor.

* ShowerScene: Used to lure out the killer in the second movie.
* SlashedThroat: Used to off the ex-husband in the second movie.
* SpecialEffectFailure: Happens in-universe to the alien in the FakeActionPrologue of the second movie.
* StagedShooting: What Rollie is hired for in the first movie.

* JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: With his burly physique once again, Brian Dennehy channels the ComicBook/{{Batman}} character Detective Harvey Bullock through his role as Leo [=McCarthy=], albeit the Post-Crisis CowboyCop ally interpretation of the character, while Dennehy had previously channeled the Pre-Crisis DirtyCop antagonist interpretation of Bullock as Sheriff Will Teasle in ''Film/FirstBlood''. When the [=McCarthy=] is introduced, he is shown sleeping in his messy apartment room before getting a call from his precinct over a crime scene, which is something expected from a character like Bullock who in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' was compared by butler Alfred Pennyworth to an unmade bed. Then in the sequel, Leo became a private detective, much like how Bullock in the comics left the GCPD and become a private eye as well.
* TheyFightCrime: The second movie involves Rollie and [=McCarthy=] joining forces to track down the criminals.

''F/X: Murder by Illusion'' is a 1986 movie starring Creator/BryanBrown and Brian Dennehy, about a movie special effects man, Rollie Tyler (Brown), who gets dragged into the criminal underworld when he is hired by the F.B.I.'s witness protection program to [[FakingTheDead fake the death]] of notorious [[TheMafia mob boss]] Nicholas [=DeFranco=] (Creator/JerryOrbach).