The unnecessary reboot/remake of the week thread

Let's step back and remember Clue. Nobody thought it could work, but it's ended up a classic.

 

I seem to recall that Ridley Scott was attached to a Monopoly movie quite a few years ago. If a pro hack like him can't make it work, who can?

 

One thing Clue had going for it though was some characters. Monopoly has Mr Monopoly who is really just a symbol. I suppose the movie could focus on Robbie and Mr Monopoly in completion from their corporation to buy up all this property so they can build some hotels. Maybe one guy who owns a race track and likes to race in his race car is stubborn and refuses to sale.

 

After being framed for a crime she didn't commit Tracey "Top" Hatt (Robbie) is released from Jail and wants to reclaim her life, starting with her beloved pet pooch and her classic sports car. She takes a job ironing clothes to earn her first $200 but can she really win back control of her property empire from her evil former fiance Jack Chance? Maybe, just maybe with the help of the local Community she can.

 

I saw it on VHS way back in the day and found it to be just ho-hum. Then, a couple of years ago, I was part of a local stage production of it. It was so much fun and completely insane. Our cast attended a screening of the film at a small theater around the same time and I found a much greater appreciation for it.

 

I was sure I saw it back in the day but now I wonder if I've always mistaken it for Murder by Death. Anyway I did see it last month for either the first time or the first time in decades and I was a tad underwhelmed. I thought its saving graces were the bonkers final act and Tim Curry who always understands the assignment.

 

Agreed. Tim Curry adds gravitas to anything he's in. I think the fact of being in the play kind of elevated it, in my eyes. Is it a great movie? No, but I think time and a bit of nostalgia has been kinder to it over the years.

 

Which is why I appreciate third parties more than some.

It's certainly possible to be educated by a good movie. But it's more likely they'll ''reveal'' common conclusions we should already know. The CARRIE threemake had good acting, but still felt it necessary to remind us bullying is bad in the closing narration. We know. And the ignorant few who don't never will by that point.

 

I could be wrong, but I thought “clue” was one of those movies that did poorly at the box office, and only became a cult hit years later due to cable tv.

 

I have never seen Clue, but did play the game when younger. Word of mouth on the film was not good in 1985.

 

Funny. I saw Clue in the theaters back in the day (but can't recall which ending they showed), and then about 3 months ago I decided to stream it. I got about 35 minutes into it and had to turn it off, because I had no freaking 'clue' what was happening in that movie despite recalling that I liked it back in 1985. Huh.

 

I think that is how it played out. More of a cult hit than a financial hit at the time. I am guessing people at the time must have thought the idea of doing a movie over a board game was just to dumb to take seriously. Granted I am thinking that might still be the case today but people today I think are little more open minded when it comes to giving those kind of movies a chance.

 

A little surfing says it was released to mixed reviews and it was up against the following films when it came out: Rocky IV, Spies like Us, Jewel of the Nile, the Color Purple and Out of Africa (among others). Couple that with the fact that most of the actors were best known for TV (Rev. Jim, Lenny Kosnowski, Barth Gimble, TVs Cinderella, etc.), and first-time director, and I think it had a tough row to hoe even if it weren't based on a board game

 

CLUE was not a major moneymaker, though you might say say it tripled its own capability of being one.

 

That's putting it mildly. It grossed $14M on a $15M budget.

 

It's not. It's a very poor film propped up by an incredible cast.

 

Tim Curry's summary of the movie towards the end is incredibly funny.

 

Part of the problem with Clue is that there were three different endings depending upon which theater you saw it in. The studio might have been banking on viewers going to see the movie multiple times to get the other endings, and viewers probably weren't interested in trying to find out which theater was showing the other two versions. I don't think you could watch all three endings until it showed up on cable or VHS.

 

Seeing all the different endings is the best part of the movie. I would not be surprised if that inspired the ending to the first "Wayne's World" movie as well with it's 3 different endings.

 

Speaking of. . .
Hasbro and Sony Pictures are in talks for a Clue remake.