Clue is one of those comedies that have stood the test of time. The actors are so funny and perfectly cast for their respective roles and despite being based on a board game, and as inane/forced as the plot is, it’s reasonably mysterious to go along with the comedy.
Clue
— Shout Select | Collector’s Edition —
(1985)
Genre(s): Comedy, Crime
Shout Factory | PG – 96 min. / 87 min. / 86 min. – $39.98 | December 12, 2023
Date Published: 12/16/2023 | Author: The Movieman
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Shout Factory provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note #1: The screen captures were taken from the included Blu-ray disc.
Note #2: Portions of this was copied from my 2012 Blu-ray review.
THE MOVIE — 3¾/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: We open in the year 1954 at a secluded New England mansion where six strangers, using pseudonyms, meet for a night of dinner, idle chatter, blackmail and, of course, murder. The host for the night is butler Wadsworth (TIM CURRY) and the guests include Mrs. Peacock (EILEEN BRENNAN), Mrs. White (MADELINE KAHN), Professor Plum (CHRISTOPHER LLOYD), Mr. Green (MICHAEL MCKEAN), Colonel Mustard (MARTIN MULL) and Miss Scarlet (LESLEY ANN WARREN) and are joined by the sexy/well endowed maid, Yvette (COLLEEN CAMP).
While at first these six seem to have little in common but soon discover they are connected. The first is they each live or at least work in the Washington D.C. area and the second is that they each are being blackmailed by the same person, one Mr. Boddy (LEE VING). And there are connections between certain characters which are unveiled throughout the movie but as the bodies pile up, who is behind it all? Quick Hit Review: I had seen Clue several years ago, probably back somewhere in the mid-90s, and as a kid I didn’t really “get” the comedy but seeing it again, I found it quite funny and it never lets up. Despite the silly premise and really lame way of introducing the murder weapons but in all the silliness, it all works thanks to the comedic timing of the entire cast… and having a sexy maid played by Colleen Camp doesn’t hurt matters.
If for whatever reason you have yet to see Clue, this is the right time to do so. It’s an incredibly funny crime-comedy and one of the few successful adaptations amongst so many others which have fallen flat. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3½/5 |
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This “Shout Select” (#152) comes with a matted slip cover. Interviews:
While there’s not a plethora of interviews, and totals nearly an hour, it’s certainly a vast upgrade over the previous Blu-ray which was pretty much bare bones save for the trailer. Theatrical Trailer (1:34) |
4K VIDEO – 4½/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4½/5 |
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Clue makes its debut on 4K Ultra HD courtesy of Shout Factory and is presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 2160p high-definition transfer. Along with the 4K disc, the Blu-ray was also newly remastered from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, which this movie was in needed. This was already a rather darkly — but rich as well — lit movie as it takes place entirely at night, during a thunderstorm inside a mansion. Detail was well defined throughout while black levels were nice and stark without appearing crushed. This is another solid transfer and a decent upgrade over the old Blu-ray. |
AUDIO – 3¼/5 |
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The Mono DTS-HD Master Audio isn’t bad but nothing incredible either. As you can imagine, the single channel track has all the action and dialogue coming from the center speaker so it’s not going to exactly engulf the room but at the same time, it’s certainly adequate. |
OVERALL — 4/5 |
| Clue is one of those comedies that have stood the test of time. The actors are so funny and perfectly cast for their respective roles and despite being based on a board game, and as inane/forced as the plot is, it’s reasonably mysterious to go along with the comedy. |