Why Clue is the Best Parody Mystery Movie

Фильм және анимация

Film analysis that explains why the movie Clue is the greatest ever parody of the mystery genre, despite being based on a board game.
00:00 Introduction
01:21 Clue as a Great Parody Mystery
06:15 Clue as the Greatest Parody Mystery
10:51 Conclusion
The Gemsbok site: thegemsbok.com/
The article that became this video: thegemsbok.com/clue
Clue on Amazon: amzn.to/3c7xDJI
Twitter: / the_gemsbok
Facebook: / thegemsbok
The media clips used in this video are expressly for review commentary, academic criticism, and comparison; their inclusion falls under the purview of Fair Use and does not violate copyright.

Пікірлер: 124

  • @TheGemsbok
    @TheGemsbok4 жыл бұрын

    Quick note: The section after the Clue spoiler warning also includes a visual spoiler for episode 8 of season 1 of the show Father Brown, a 2013 BBC program about a fictional Catholic priest who investigates murders. I selected it for that part of the video because I was confident no one would care about it, but my wife assures me the aversion of some people to spoilers-even for works they would never consume-is boundless.

  • @lapaba1236

    @lapaba1236

    4 жыл бұрын

    The Gemsbok Hey, I know that this is out of nowhere, but I really like your voice and your video. Thank you for putting out such quality content. Out of curiousity, have you seen The Kid with Bruce Willis? I'm curious what you thought of it if you have.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for that very nice comment! I'll be putting up a game video this week, but next month's topic is likely to be a movie again. Unfortunately, I haven't seen The Kid, so I can't offer any opinion on it. To be honest, outside of the 80s and 90s, I haven't really dug into Disney's live-action stuff much. Do you recommend the film?

  • @PaulSmall422

    @PaulSmall422

    3 ай бұрын

    As it happens I love Father Brown....but not as Mark Williams played him. The prior version was better but neither actor even came close to the actual character as Chesterton wrote him. Williams was and remains the farthest, almost as laughable a version as Cadfael was (I actually enjoyed the latter, but seriously, that kind of detective work in the 12th century?)

  • @rbpgamemaster
    @rbpgamemaster3 жыл бұрын

    "Don't worry there's nothing illegal about any of this!" "Are you sure?" "Of course, this is america" Aged like fine wine

  • @tgiacin435

    @tgiacin435

    2 жыл бұрын

    I didn’t know it was that free

  • @mikagrossmann5370

    @mikagrossmann5370

    10 ай бұрын

    "It's a free country!" "I didn't know it was THAT free..."

  • @yeltifeltino8070
    @yeltifeltino80704 жыл бұрын

    Finally you cover a movie that MATTERS

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hahaha, poor Andrei Tarkovsky . . .

  • @dramoth64
    @dramoth643 жыл бұрын

    The perfect cast, the script nailed down and awesome direction! The setting was great. This is definitely one of my all time favourite Tim Curry movies.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Agreed! Curry is an underrated actor in general. I find him consistently entertaining in pretty much all of his roles.

  • @dramoth64

    @dramoth64

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGemsbok He was a brilliant character actor when he was still able to work. I would put that down to his years of work in the theatre before moving to the big screen. His performance of Pennywise has probably caused more cases of coulrophobia (fear of clowns) than the modern version of Pennywise has. And the fact that most of his movies go on to be cult classics speaks well of his broadspread appeal to the masses.

  • @lightblueseaglass

    @lightblueseaglass

    Жыл бұрын

    I completely agree. The cast of this film was just outstanding! I 've often thought "I bet they had a lot of fun and laughs filming this."

  • @kazmosis5326
    @kazmosis53263 жыл бұрын

    I love this movie because it's perfectly cast and every ending scans when you see who is missing in some scenes. Very very clever and fun.

  • @kazmosis5326

    @kazmosis5326

    3 жыл бұрын

    Plus little jokes hidden in the dialog eg Prof Plum worked at 'united nations organization and world health organization' which spells out uno who lol

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Well said. It's really quite clever. That's what puts it a cut above similar mystery comedies and mystery parodies from my perspective.

  • @GreyWind1988
    @GreyWind19883 жыл бұрын

    Realistically you could have just said Tim Curry and left it at that. The best thing to me about the movie is the pacing. It starts with a nice slow burn. The characters are introduced quickly and effectively. You get a deal for who each character is. It doesn't overstay its introduction. As the tension builds, the movie starts getting faster and more suspenseful but certain moments give the audience time to breathe from both the humor and suspense. Then comes the back half. Tim Curry deserves an Oscar for that back half alone. Gone is the suspense and the jokes start flying, and boy do they all hit. Overall, this film is amazing.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Great analysis! And agreed: Curry carries a significant portion of the film on his back. But that's not to discount some incredibly funny delivery by Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Martin Mull, and Christopher Lloyd---and the quality of the writing/pacing by Jonathan Lynn and John Landis.

  • @GreyWind1988

    @GreyWind1988

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGemsbok looking back, it is amazing how they even got this cast assembled. Everyone plays their parts so well and they all work off each other amazingly well. And as you pointed out, the direction is fantastic with a great script with so many little jokes and jabs in there that it is really hard to find them all. Especially the political jokes about the UN, J Edgar Hoover and the like

  • @glock0292
    @glock02923 жыл бұрын

    Seen it probably 100 times since I was a kid. I guess I’ll put it on while I fall asleep. One of my favorite movies!

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes, given the premise, it's a surprisingly comforting film to watch.

  • @tattie.b8594

    @tattie.b8594

    2 жыл бұрын

    Omg yesss, people are shocked that I can fall asleep to it!

  • @prodbysycho4710

    @prodbysycho4710

    Ай бұрын

    I knew I wasn't the only one😂

  • @pem1974
    @pem19743 жыл бұрын

    Whenever I watch Clue on disc, I always let it pick an ending at random. I love literally not knowing who the killer will be until the end!

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    In theory, I love the idea of it picking a random ending. But in practice, at least on the DVD I had where that was an option, it always presented the same ending.

  • @pem1974

    @pem1974

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGemsbok keep tryin! The odds are 1:3 you'll get a different one! 😁

  • @skyden24195
    @skyden241953 жыл бұрын

    "...But here's what really happened..." Two things about the real ending, which contribute to the greatness that is "Clue" the motion picture: 1.) The butler did it. 2.) An ever possibility of the game play is to find out that the pawn piece (character) you are playing as turns out to be the killer. This is why Mr. Green saying, "If you want to know who killed Mr. Body; *I* did; in the hall; with the revolver." - a brilliant tie-in to the actual possible conclusion of a game-round. (fyi, if you don't know, "Mr. Body" is the name of the murder victim In the game, but I'm sure many, if not all, movie watched game players know.)

  • @daveycarter8190

    @daveycarter8190

    2 жыл бұрын

    This is the best movie ever made in Hollywood history

  • @Nabrashaa
    @Nabrashaa4 жыл бұрын

    You're so right!! I can never watch mystery films the same again... No wonder I love Clue!

  • @TexasRailfan2008
    @TexasRailfan20082 жыл бұрын

    I LOST IT when the singing telegram got shot 😂 😂

  • @Cybertoy00
    @Cybertoy00Ай бұрын

    I like how you've had the vocal clips go in time with your statements. Peacock: Oh, that guy doesn't matter!

  • @kellyntaylor8184
    @kellyntaylor81849 ай бұрын

    I was a big Tim Curry fan as I watched him in Annie (1982) since childhood. I loved watching his more mature films like It and my favorite The Three Musketeers. When my dad introduced this movie to me, I couldn’t help but watch it on loop as this movie had all the same fun I experienced in Tim Curry’s acting. I later introduced this movie to my sibling, who later one loved this movie and started quoting the movie

  • @nessafitch6818
    @nessafitch68183 жыл бұрын

    I just watched this for the first time and bloody hell it's possibly one of the best films I've watched! Great writing, great cast chemistry and definitely the best murder mystery ever...and that's coming from someone who religiously watches murder mysteries!

  • @legomeaker101potato
    @legomeaker101potato4 жыл бұрын

    As someone who doesn’t care for mystery stories (other than sherlock) i kinda want to watch this movie now

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Ha, well, ultimately it's a bit more comedy than mystery, so as long as you thought some of the clips shown in the video were funny, I think you will enjoy it.

  • @catherineparr5817

    @catherineparr5817

    3 жыл бұрын

    Tbh CLUE is what got me in to Murder Mystery’s. Tough it is a lot more comedy,for me it is definitely a re-watch!

  • @jayzepickle6637
    @jayzepickle6637 Жыл бұрын

    I LOVE clue! My family had it on DVD so I watched and rewatched it throughout my childhood, slowly understanding jokes more and more. Whenever we had movie night and couldnt decide what film to pick, the instant fix was clue. It never got old no matter how many times we watched it and we loved quoting the iconic lines. I cant believe it was considered a "flop" initially.

  • @lauranoble9578
    @lauranoble95782 жыл бұрын

    Clue is my comfort movie. Growing up, I always watched it when I was sick. Now I watch it when I want to feel better.

  • @loganmedia1142
    @loganmedia11429 ай бұрын

    It happened to be on television late one night in the early 1990s when I felt like watching something. I'd never heard of it before that. I discovered Heathers and Noises Off the same way.

  • @decusq
    @decusq2 жыл бұрын

    Something i love about this film is the Director and writers could have made endings for ALL of the characters when you think about it. The Maid Accessory makes it all possible for any of the characters at certain times to commit the murders. However I imagine there wasn't enough time to film them all so they chose Peacock and Scarlet to have the alternate endings. Personally i love the Scarlet ending the most but I can just as well like the other ideas too X3.

  • @ser132

    @ser132

    2 жыл бұрын

    the Scarlet ending is my fave, as well.

  • @Gravydog316
    @Gravydog3167 күн бұрын

    John Cleese was the one who came up with the idea of turning Cluedo/Clue into a movie, & wrote a script, & he was going to play the butler, but it was all re-written by Landis & Jonathan Lynn after Lynn came aboard

  • @ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1
    @ZOOTSUITBEATNICK13 жыл бұрын

    Nice job on this. It's my second or third most-watched movie. Whenever I need a laugh...it's on.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! And agreed: in addition to being a modern classic, it's also a very comfortable film to revisit.

  • @bradhirsch4845
    @bradhirsch48452 жыл бұрын

    I loved it AT THE TIME. I was nine years old when it came out and I loved it in the theater and when it came out on rental, I made my mom let me rent it several times. It was a camp favorite with me when it came out. Y'all found it later. I am an OG fan.

  • @FatherTime89
    @FatherTime89 Жыл бұрын

    I was always a fan of the board game and I randomly found Clue the movie in a blockbuster bargain bin. I thought "well since I really liked the board game and I've never heard of the movie it probably wasn't very good but I can get some enjoyment out of it". So I rented it and my brother and I thought it was hilarious. It's now one of my favorite comedies.

  • @sirloin9348
    @sirloin93482 жыл бұрын

    Dude, how do you not have millions of subscribers? This is easily one of the best film reviews I've ever seen. Please keep it up, good sir

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I will certainly keep it up. I just keep telling myself that my channel exploding in popularity is 'right around the corner' . . . ha.

  • @mandymorrow5473
    @mandymorrow54734 жыл бұрын

    I just watched this movie earlier today. I love it sooo much.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    It really is a gem!

  • @LearnandPlayEveryday
    @LearnandPlayEveryday2 жыл бұрын

    Clue is one of my all time favorite movies!!! It’s subtle humor & witty script make me laugh! Love it❤️

  • @Wonderlandisdestroyed
    @Wonderlandisdestroyed3 жыл бұрын

    Finally! A video about the movie that was not 9 years ago!

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Actually, all 5 of the movies I've covered in this series so far are more than 9 years old!

  • @Lostmonster
    @Lostmonster Жыл бұрын

    One of my top 3 favorite films of all time.

  • @boredracc
    @boredracc4 жыл бұрын

    Wow. This is a really well polished video. I’m glad I found this channel.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for that very nice comment! I think I'm finally getting the hang of this whole 'video editing' thing.

  • @peterfranks6243
    @peterfranks62433 жыл бұрын

    Loved it back then, love it now. Like fine wine it gets better with age. Classic

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Completely agreed.

  • @007sMoneyPenny
    @007sMoneyPenny2 жыл бұрын

    This is actually funny. All other famous murder series or films, with their outstanding characters, you showed here as well (Columbo, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, , Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone,..) are also my favorites. “Clue” is the first film in my A. Prime movies collection, I bought for years. And I pick this one multiple times a year and watch it. This well written and performed murder comedy is and will never boring me.

  • @Zodia195
    @Zodia1953 жыл бұрын

    I did watch this movie as a kid (I was 11 or 12) and pretty much 99% of the adult jokes went over my head haha. Like Ms. Scarlet's 'real job', I honestly didn't see anything wrong with it due to how it was phrased lol. Now that I know what it meant, I was like, "wow that's good writing" lol. I'll be honest, the Clue version my family owns has 4 extra chars so I was surprised they didn't show up. Learned the version we had was like a special made edition. The extra chars were Ms. Peach, Monsieur Brunette, Madam Rose, and Sgt. Gray.

  • @bandotaku

    @bandotaku

    3 жыл бұрын

    You had the VHS version, didn't you?

  • @Zodia195

    @Zodia195

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@bandotaku Yep I did.

  • @bandotaku

    @bandotaku

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Zodia195 Such a gem! My family plays the regular version normally, but picked up that version some years ago and we had a lot of fun with it.

  • @Corer
    @Corer4 жыл бұрын

    I've always loved this film, great video my man :)

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! As you might expect, I'm pretty fond of the film myself . . .

  • @PonjiNinja
    @PonjiNinja4 жыл бұрын

    This is actually really cool, now I need to watch clue lol. It might be nice to get a pop filter to avoid stuff like the air at the beginning but this was still a super fun watch.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the nice comment! In terms of 'the air,' do you just mean the plosives on the 'p' sounds? Because I already use a pop filter; those are just there because I have poor mic discipline and speak directly into it.

  • @PonjiNinja

    @PonjiNinja

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGemsbok Yeah that's what I meant. Angeling the mic away might help, your voice is really enjoyable to listen too when it's not happening.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Haha, again, very nice comment. Thanks. I'll see what I can do.

  • @samuelbarber6177
    @samuelbarber6177 Жыл бұрын

    For a movie based on a board game, it has literally zero right to be as good as it is. It literally has Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd and some genuinely hilarious jokes and lines. I think it might be one of the most quotable films I’ve ever seen.

  • @benhaggitt4466
    @benhaggitt4466 Жыл бұрын

    Honestly it's my favorite 80s film. There's so many jokes fitted in it's genius

  • @mrickard3621
    @mrickard36214 жыл бұрын

    GREAT FILM AND VERY GOOD MOVIE - WOULD APPRECIATE MORE FOCUS ON YOUR TEASE OF THE GREAT LOLLIPOP ADVENTURE.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 жыл бұрын

    Haha, yes . . . that's actually some kind of cheapo straight-to-DVD movie. Turns out there were fewer total boardgame-based films than I thought when I wrote the article, so I had to pad out that graphic with that one.

  • @Taverens_Pull
    @Taverens_Pull7 ай бұрын

    But there's just one thing I don't understand. (One thing?) How did Evette, Mrs Peacock and Prof Plum all get the candlestick up on top of the door frame?

  • @patrckhh20
    @patrckhh20 Жыл бұрын

    And did you notice the cars they drive at the beginning are the colors of their pseudonyms?

  • @zakaroonie
    @zakaroonie3 жыл бұрын

    Was the floor in the house intentional as squares like moving clue pieces? I've wondered that for years.

  • @Jackster1

    @Jackster1

    3 жыл бұрын

    I just noticed that!

  • @TheJedwardo
    @TheJedwardo2 жыл бұрын

    this is definitely in my top 5 movies along with fellow tim curry movie, rocky horror

  • @FatherTime89
    @FatherTime89 Жыл бұрын

    You know as much as I love the movie, part of me is glad it failed at the box office, so that other movies wouldn't imitate its "different theaters have different endings so you got to buy multiple tickets to see all of them" feature. It's fitting for Clue because the source material has randomized endings, but imagine if mainstream movies kept doing this to get more ticket sales.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    Жыл бұрын

    I see what you mean, and I agree. It was a great idea for this movie in particular (and benefits the movie immensely in all later distribution methods that put the three endings together---for reasons outlined in the video), but it's also a gimmick that would get old immediately if it spread.

  • @p_nk7279
    @p_nk72793 жыл бұрын

    I love Clue! I also like Murder by Death a lot - the names themselves crack me up! Jessica Marbles! Dick & Dora Charles! And many lines, etc. Peter Falk!

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    If nothing else, I can at least confirm that I am a great admirer of the work of Peter Falk---including in Murder By Death.

  • @jayjohnson2773

    @jayjohnson2773

    3 жыл бұрын

    IS the! IS the! Please say your articles and prepositions!

  • @Aardydarling

    @Aardydarling

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jayjohnson2773 who are you talking to

  • @jayjohnson2773

    @jayjohnson2773

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Aardydarling The person who posted the comment. It is a reference to Murder By Death.

  • @Aardydarling

    @Aardydarling

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jayjohnson2773 ohh ok

  • @Gravydog316
    @Gravydog3167 күн бұрын

    In high school, I auditioned to be Miss Scarlet, & everyone said I was Yvette because of my massive cleavage (LOL) but I did get to be the understudy for Miss Scarlet, & got to wear a $500 custom-made maid outfit just like in the movie.

  • @theriddler8695
    @theriddler86953 жыл бұрын

    Columbo having the first name of Frank is a myth....technically his name is never mentioned in the series!! Clue was a great flick for what it was worth. It has gained cult status. I just found out that Carrie Fisher was to have played Miss Scarlett but was shelved due to her battle with drug addiction. Leslie Ann Warren was her replacement. The Cook had a semi regular role in M*A*S*H and she just passed this year.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    Strictly speaking, it's not a myth. His first name being Frank *is* in the series, and I would consider it canonical. It's never said out loud, and they make some jokes about that periodically---but you can clearly see it on his police ID in a few episodes. Anyway, thank you for your comment.

  • @jessiebelle5316
    @jessiebelle53162 жыл бұрын

    This is just the only film I can seriously watch and not get sick of. Still laugh. I love it. Tim Curry can do no wrong. Tim Curry running around recounting the moments up to the death is to much. Amazing cast. Yet I ask my friends and they ha ent seen it. Watch it

  • @charlieclark9552
    @charlieclark95523 жыл бұрын

    I dont know man, judge wargrave gave me chills with his reveal

  • @sammythefunny8561
    @sammythefunny85612 жыл бұрын

    My favorite movie!!!

  • @dancolon47
    @dancolon473 жыл бұрын

    Check out "Murder By Death" ... one of the greatest mystery parodies ever!

  • @Sexysolja
    @Sexysolja2 жыл бұрын

    Love this movie

  • @zakaroonie
    @zakaroonie3 жыл бұрын

    Also part of movir is like house on Haunted Hill

  • @jaybrown4753
    @jaybrown4753 Жыл бұрын

    It's such a mild "sex" scene but they edit it out on cable.

  • @sanner.b.4460
    @sanner.b.44602 жыл бұрын

    I Love The Movie

  • @reiwelsch
    @reiwelsch3 жыл бұрын

    reason number 1: Tim Curry

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    reason number 2: Tim Curry

  • @johnrush910
    @johnrush9103 жыл бұрын

    Remember the actors like this. Tim Curry's health has declined.

  • @jyesucevitz
    @jyesucevitz3 жыл бұрын

    if you want to respect jumanji then call the best movies based on preexisting board games? have you done a clue movie vs Psych clue episode?

  • @TimpossibleOne
    @TimpossibleOne3 жыл бұрын

    CLUE IS THE BEST BOARD GAME MOVIE.

  • @freshtendrills5969
    @freshtendrills59692 жыл бұрын

    Yvette. Yum! Hey OHH!!!

  • @dh25000
    @dh250003 жыл бұрын

    I love Clue, but to imply that Murder by Death is somehow inferior doesn’t seem right to me. Both movies are hilarious and deserving of classic comedy status.

  • @NbSkaz
    @NbSkaz3 жыл бұрын

    I love Clue It's the most perfectly cast movie but you can't just be throwing out Columbo's first name like it's nothing lol c'mon man...

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    The world deserves to know.

  • @Terryfan
    @Terryfan Жыл бұрын

    When the movie came out each theater got a different ending

  • @PaulSmall422
    @PaulSmall4223 ай бұрын

    Why is your version flipped sidewise? I'm loving the content because I heartily agree. Murder by Death and the Cheap Detective are amateurish and flat by comparison (the latter far better than the former, which is a total waste).

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 ай бұрын

    Unfortunately, flipping the image horizontally is a necessary concession to prevent the video from facing numerous incorrect/automatic copyright strikes. I do try to avoid it where it would be particularly distracting or noticeable for most viewers, though.

  • @sonnestt
    @sonnestt Жыл бұрын

    I take umbridge with your headline....the greatest detective parody is "Murder by Death"...okay, we'll take turns, you look over the first dead naked body we find and I'll look over the second 🕵️‍♂️

  • @codyt.346
    @codyt.3463 ай бұрын

    The flipping of the video is hurting my brain, lol

  • @davidyoung
    @davidyoung6 ай бұрын

    You are incorrect about 'largely inaccessible to critics'. All three versions were shown to critics when the film came out.

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    6 ай бұрын

    All three separate versions of the film, or a version of the film that stacks all three endings like it does on VHS and DVD? Because the former being available to critics is obvious, but the sentiment in the video concerns the latter.

  • @davidyoung

    @davidyoung

    5 ай бұрын

    Watch the Siskel and Ebert review of the film. They were shown all three endings, just as the home-media releases showed.@@TheGemsbok

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    4 ай бұрын

    Interesting. I didn't know that. I assumed that all contemporary critics had the same experience as theater-goers, but I guess that was only true for most.

  • @lucyfuir6386
    @lucyfuir63865 ай бұрын

    Now I'm gonna go home and sleep with my wife

  • @jaybrown4753
    @jaybrown4753 Жыл бұрын

    Everythings backwards. Does this mean Mrs peacock was a man?

  • @Spottedfeather
    @Spottedfeather3 жыл бұрын

    Not a parody

  • @TheGemsbok

    @TheGemsbok

    3 жыл бұрын

    I can see why you would say that. But I would direct your attention to the second half of this video, in which I argue for the opposite point-of-view.

Келесі