Alan Smithee Esq.
Undisputed evidence that a classic Parker Bros. board game can be adapted into a wonderfully entertaining murder mystery/comedy with a stellar ensemble cast including Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd and Michael McKean. Plus there's multiple endings that you can choose from. But which one(s) is actually plausible?
julian kennedy
Some movies from the eighties have aged poorly (cough The Big Chill Cough). I have to admit that I fully expected this to be one of them. I have good memories of Clue but it had been a few decades and who knows how my memory was selective. Even without the veil of nostalgia Clue is a delight. A slightly campier take on Murder by Death it has a star-studded cast bringing the board game to life. Tim Curry and Madeline Kahn lead the delightful cast with surprisingly entertaining turns by underrated Martin Mull and Colleen Camp.One nice kids today aspect of the film is the realization that the recent trend of turning games such as Ouija and Battleship into movies is hardly a new one. Clue is not just the granddaddy of the genre but is the reigning champ. It is as good as you remember and better than it had to be or should have ever been.
Leofwine_draca
CLUE is one in a spate of 1970s/1980s comedies that mercilessly spoofed the old dark house murder mystery genre popular in the 1930s. It shares much in common with the all-star MURDER BY DEATH, for example. However, I think CLUE has the edge when it comes to entertainment, as this film's always been a favourite of mine ever since I was a kid. It has a manic, madcap energy going on that makes it an often delight to watch.Much of the humour and quirkiness comes from the presence of Tim Curry playing the butler in the story. Curry takes centre stage in the story and runs away with part, reminding me of Lee Evans with his sweaty, running-about-a-lot performance. It's my personal favourite performance of his, and it takes some beating. Thankfully, an ensemble cast of seasoned professionals don't disappoint either. Michael McKean is the stand-offish Mr. Green, Martin Mull the blustering Colonel Mustard, and Eileen Brennan the eccentric Mrs. Peacock. Colleen Camp has an eye-poppingly voluptuous turn as the French maid but my personal favourite of the ladies is Lesley Ann Warren as femme fatale Miss Scarlet, whose dress seems to have some magical anti-gravity device.CLUE tells a fast-paced story in which the gags come thick and fast and rarely disappoint. The level of ghoulish humour is second to none and certainly superior to that seen in contemporary fare like HIGH SPIRITS or HAUNTED HONEYMOON. I also liked the way that the film has multiple shot endings which gives it an odd and unique feel. Films based on board games are few and far between and rarely successful (BATTLESHIP anyone?) but this one's the exception to that rule.
