Was it Colonel Mustard in the study with the gun? Miss Scarlet in the billiard room with the rope? Or was it Wadsworth the butler? Meet all of the notorious suspects and discover all of their foul playthings. You’ll love their dastardly doings as the bodies and the laughs pile up before your eyes. Here is the murderously funny movie based on the world-famous CLUE® board game and brought to crackling life by an all-star cast including Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Michael McKean, Colleen Camp, and more! And now you can see all three surprise endings!

For thoughts on Clue, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/S1McjAZp5Gs?si=aZHwEcdiNd46Kiad&t=55]

Video Quality

Shout! Studios presents Clue with a fantastic 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by Paramount over a decade ago in 2012 which was derived from an older source. When judging this upgrade against that release, the 4K UHD release shows some tremendous improvements, blessing this film with the presentation it has always deserved. Even judging against the included Blu-Ray from the same master, itself a big enough upgrade for those not 4K UHD capable, the 4K UHD wins out win some very appealing attributes.

The transfer dazzles with the natural film grain intact that resolves evenly with subtle texture in the ornate production design, the iconic outfits, and more. The grain never veers into noise as it remains consistent with nothing ever clumping, swarming, or spiking. This new transfer does a heavenly job of eliminating all possibility of print damage that popped up on the previous source. This is actualized with a strong encode that does not stumble with any dips in quality. The Dolby Vision presentation harnesses a world of nuance from the colors on display. The film features a natural color palette that pops when it needs to, especially in the craft elements. Black levels are terrific with great detail and no signs of crush or other artifacts. Highlights never veer into blooming in any room. Shout! Studios has delivered something worthy of great praise with this one.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc arrives with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track which delivers a crisp and clear sonic experience. While some may criticize the lack of an updated audio experience, we are thankful to have the original audio included in great quality. The playful score sounds clean and appropriately bright without any sign of age-related wear and tear. Environmental noises such as some of the weapons being wielded come through with an enviable definition. Dialogue is the key element of the film, and it always shines through when it comes to clarity. The low end of the track delivers a minimal amount of texture due to the sonic limitations. The film delivers an audio experience that never comes up short when it comes to fidelity. Shout! Studios has knocked it out of the park. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

The Perfect Motive – Directing Clue: A new 28-minute interview with director Jonathan Lynn is provided in which he discusses how he became involved with Clue, bringing the mood of McCarthyism to the story, incorporating all of the elements from the board game, filming on the stage where Hitchcock shot Rear Window, the production design and costumes, and much more that is enlightening.

Scene of the Crime – Producing Clue: A new 22-minute interview with Associate Producer Jeffrey Chernov the editor in which he discusses his history, getting involved with Clue, memories of the performers, shooting three different endings, and more.

Not Just A Game – Scoring Clue: A nine-minute interview with Film Music Historian Daniel Schweiger about John Morris’s score, the recurring themes in the music, the impactful nature of the music, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Clue is something of a marvel, taking a classic board game and making a truly zany and hilarious film out of it. The plot is pretty straightforward even if you have never played the game; the thing that matters here is the truly talented ensemble that brings together some of the funniest comedic voices to bounce off of one another in a heightened setting. The film is breezy and clever, and only slightly dated in a few regards. It has no right to be as good as it is, but it is a comedy classic. Shout! Studios has provided this one with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a grand A/V presentation and a nice selection of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this is an essential upgrade Recommended

Clue (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.