Before Barbie took the summer box office and awards season by storm there was another “unadaptable” property that did it as adroitly as the Greta Gerwig blockbuster, the adaptation of the board game Clue. Written and Directed by Jonathan Lynn the filmed version of the beloved murder mystery game is every bit of a perfect pop confection as has been put to film.
Col. Mustard (Martin Mull), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), and Ms. Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) have all been brought together by Wadsworth the Butler (Tim Curry) in the hopes that they will together stop Mr. Body (Lee Ving) and his associates from the horrendous blackmail scheme he has each under. Things do not go as planned by Wadsworth as Mr. Body is killed not once but twice! It is now up to them to figure out which one of them killed Mr. Body and the successive bodies that keep piling up. Who will it turn out to be, with what, and in what room???
Clue isn’t just a great murder mystery, it’s a great screwball comedy murder mystery. The film is edited and scripted by design to go a mile-a-minute with both visuals and verbal witty-ism that would make both Preston Sturges and George Cuckor proud. Every single cast member is on their A-Game making this feel more like a legendary Broadway production than a film. The way that the ensemble ebbs and flows with each other only gets better the more one watches the film. Never shellfish or hamming it up (well… maybe a little ham and cheese) to steal from the plot there is a layered approach to the acting and plot that builds upon the perfect house of cards. Though Tim Curry as Wadsworth is the singular standout for the final twenty-minute reveal of who the killer is.
Not satisfied with a singular ending, with a huge nod to the film’s game origins, the film has not one nor two but three endings. This unique approach to the third act feels organic to the rules that Clue has set up. Director Lynn working with the amazing cinematographer Victor Kemper and production designer John Lloyd has built a funhouse of mirrors that is heavy on laughs and smarts. They along with the other cast and crew have created a film so light in its effortlessness that three ends almost don’t seem like enough.
If one has that feeling, then Clue has done its job and cast a spell on you… one that makes you never want to leave. If you have that feeling, no worries, just start the whole thing over again. Like any good game, Clue only gets better with repeated attempts/viewings.
The Transfer
The new remaster from a 2023 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative ln Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) is an utter delight. The film retains all of its charms and beauty in filmic form in this UHD disc. The film grain, sharpness, and color reproduction are the highlights here. Clue has always been a bit of a muddled brownish affair on home video, which is resolved with this 4K UHD release. Bravo to Shout Studios for their continued effective and wonderful work bringing much-loved catalog titles back to vivid life with their 4K UHD releases.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC ONE (4K UHD):
3 Different Surprise Endings
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):
“The Perfect Motive: Directing Clue”
“The Scene of the Crime: Producing Clue”
“Not Just a Game: Scoring Clue”
3 Different Surprise Endings
Original Trailer
NOTE: The Movie’s special features reside on the Blu-ray disc (which also houses the movie as well).
3 Different Surprise Endings – Both the 4K and Blu-Ray editions allow you to view the film either A.) with one of the three different ends, similar to the original theatrical experience, or B.) the “all three ending” home video cut.
“The Perfect Motive: Directing Clue” (27:47) – in this all-new interview with Writer/Director Jonathan Lynn opens with how he got the writing assignment after Debra Hill attached herself as producer. Some of the details include the story development – including how he came about setting the film during the height of McCarthyism; that development and how he was able to meet some of the ex-patriates that were in England that left America because of being Blacklisted; the way that he developed the story using the actual board game while he wrote; turning in the script and how he got to direct the film; how they casted the film; the casting “what if’s” for Wadsworth that eventually went to Tim Curry; working with cinematographer Victor Kemper and the reasons why Debra Hill hired him to work with Lynn; his theory on directing comedy to keep it “fresh”; the finale – how it was achieved, the dictums that he invoked to ensure continuity, and the film references they used to invoke the Screwball comedy feel; the post-production – including the issues with the score, the various endings (including a “terrible ending”), how they decided to release the film with multiple endings, the cost of that ending; and much more. The interview done via Zoom is a great informative deep dive into the making of the film.
“The Scene of the Crime: Producing Clue” (22:04) – in this all-new interview with Associate Producer Jeffrey Chernov begins with how Producer Debra Hill gave him his shot after Escape From New York where he was 2nd AD. Some of the other details include his work with John Carpenter and John Carpenter; how he was hired on Clue and became Associate Producer on the film; how they designed and built the film during the development stage – including a discussion of how the script was built, the sets were built, why they chose a studio (and which studio lot was chosen) and a larger discussion about the work of John Llyod; the special rehearsal space they created for the cast and crew; filming in continuity; the hiring of Victor Kemper; the casting process and how Hill helped Lynn build cast; the four endings they shot; and much more. The interview done via Zoom is another informative deep dive into the making of the film – this looks primarily at the building of the very special sets for the film.
“Not Just a Game: Scoring Clue” (9:07) – in this all-new interview with Film Music Historian Daniel Schweiger about John Morris’s Score opens with how Morris’s collaboration with Mel Brooks got him started and how it relates to the composer’s work on Clue. Some of the details include Morris’s work outside of comedy; what Morris brought to Clue as a composer; the main score and the various themes for the various characters – the spotting of the score and its effectiveness; and much more. Schweiger gives a great context to Morris’s work in the film and context to a larger portion of his career.
Original Trailer (1:34)
The Final Thought
Shout Studios has done right by Clue giving this Cult Comedy Classic an excellent restored picture and sound with equally accomplished special features. Highest Possible Recommendations!!!
The Cult Comedy Mystery Classic Clue gets a beautiful remastered 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative from Shout Studios which makes its 4K UHD debut with this excellent Collector’s Edition.
The Film
Before Barbie took the summer box office and awards season by storm there was another “unadaptable” property that did it as adroitly as the Greta Gerwig blockbuster, the adaptation of the board game Clue. Written and Directed by Jonathan Lynn the filmed version of the beloved murder mystery game is every bit of a perfect pop confection as has been put to film.
Col. Mustard (Martin Mull), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), and Ms. Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) have all been brought together by Wadsworth the Butler (Tim Curry) in the hopes that they will together stop Mr. Body (Lee Ving) and his associates from the horrendous blackmail scheme he has each under. Things do not go as planned by Wadsworth as Mr. Body is killed not once but twice! It is now up to them to figure out which one of them killed Mr. Body and the successive bodies that keep piling up. Who will it turn out to be, with what, and in what room???
Clue isn’t just a great murder mystery, it’s a great screwball comedy murder mystery. The film is edited and scripted by design to go a mile-a-minute with both visuals and verbal witty-ism that would make both Preston Sturges and George Cuckor proud. Every single cast member is on their A-Game making this feel more like a legendary Broadway production than a film. The way that the ensemble ebbs and flows with each other only gets better the more one watches the film. Never shellfish or hamming it up (well… maybe a little ham and cheese) to steal from the plot there is a layered approach to the acting and plot that builds upon the perfect house of cards. Though Tim Curry as Wadsworth is the singular standout for the final twenty-minute reveal of who the killer is.
Not satisfied with a singular ending, with a huge nod to the film’s game origins, the film has not one nor two but three endings. This unique approach to the third act feels organic to the rules that Clue has set up. Director Lynn working with the amazing cinematographer Victor Kemper and production designer John Lloyd has built a funhouse of mirrors that is heavy on laughs and smarts. They along with the other cast and crew have created a film so light in its effortlessness that three ends almost don’t seem like enough.
If one has that feeling, then Clue has done its job and cast a spell on you… one that makes you never want to leave. If you have that feeling, no worries, just start the whole thing over again. Like any good game, Clue only gets better with repeated attempts/viewings.
The Transfer
The new remaster from a 2023 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative ln Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) is an utter delight. The film retains all of its charms and beauty in filmic form in this UHD disc. The film grain, sharpness, and color reproduction are the highlights here. Clue has always been a bit of a muddled brownish affair on home video, which is resolved with this 4K UHD release. Bravo to Shout Studios for their continued effective and wonderful work bringing much-loved catalog titles back to vivid life with their 4K UHD releases.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC ONE (4K UHD):
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):
NOTE: The Movie’s special features reside on the Blu-ray disc (which also houses the movie as well).
3 Different Surprise Endings – Both the 4K and Blu-Ray editions allow you to view the film either A.) with one of the three different ends, similar to the original theatrical experience, or B.) the “all three ending” home video cut.
“The Perfect Motive: Directing Clue” (27:47) – in this all-new interview with Writer/Director Jonathan Lynn opens with how he got the writing assignment after Debra Hill attached herself as producer. Some of the details include the story development – including how he came about setting the film during the height of McCarthyism; that development and how he was able to meet some of the ex-patriates that were in England that left America because of being Blacklisted; the way that he developed the story using the actual board game while he wrote; turning in the script and how he got to direct the film; how they casted the film; the casting “what if’s” for Wadsworth that eventually went to Tim Curry; working with cinematographer Victor Kemper and the reasons why Debra Hill hired him to work with Lynn; his theory on directing comedy to keep it “fresh”; the finale – how it was achieved, the dictums that he invoked to ensure continuity, and the film references they used to invoke the Screwball comedy feel; the post-production – including the issues with the score, the various endings (including a “terrible ending”), how they decided to release the film with multiple endings, the cost of that ending; and much more. The interview done via Zoom is a great informative deep dive into the making of the film.
“The Scene of the Crime: Producing Clue” (22:04) – in this all-new interview with Associate Producer Jeffrey Chernov begins with how Producer Debra Hill gave him his shot after Escape From New York where he was 2nd AD. Some of the other details include his work with John Carpenter and John Carpenter; how he was hired on Clue and became Associate Producer on the film; how they designed and built the film during the development stage – including a discussion of how the script was built, the sets were built, why they chose a studio (and which studio lot was chosen) and a larger discussion about the work of John Llyod; the special rehearsal space they created for the cast and crew; filming in continuity; the hiring of Victor Kemper; the casting process and how Hill helped Lynn build cast; the four endings they shot; and much more. The interview done via Zoom is another informative deep dive into the making of the film – this looks primarily at the building of the very special sets for the film.
“Not Just a Game: Scoring Clue” (9:07) – in this all-new interview with Film Music Historian Daniel Schweiger about John Morris’s Score opens with how Morris’s collaboration with Mel Brooks got him started and how it relates to the composer’s work on Clue. Some of the details include Morris’s work outside of comedy; what Morris brought to Clue as a composer; the main score and the various themes for the various characters – the spotting of the score and its effectiveness; and much more. Schweiger gives a great context to Morris’s work in the film and context to a larger portion of his career.
Original Trailer (1:34)
The Final Thought
Shout Studios has done right by Clue giving this Cult Comedy Classic an excellent restored picture and sound with equally accomplished special features. Highest Possible Recommendations!!!
Shout Studios’ 4K UHD Edition of Clue is out now.
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