Clue, Cluedo, whatever. You probably know it as the board game that taught you which of your parents would be most likely to deduce that you were lying about where you were the night before, but that’s beside the point. The point is, back in 1985, Paramount Pictures thought the family-game-night whodunnit was a strong enough premise for a film. Turns out they were right. Well, at least right enough to get a cult hit out of it, anyway.

Together with John Landis, director Jonathan Lynn wrote a story featuring the colorful cast of the board game, with characters formerly differentiated only by the vibrant shade of their game token taking on human characteristics. Thus, Miss Scarlet becomes a quick-witted brothel operator, while Colonel Mustard becomes a lecherous flirt, etc. All find themselves invited to a dinner party at a New England mansion, where their host reveals that they are all being blackmailed. A slew of murders commence, with the film wrapping up with one of three different endings. What you’ll get at the Coolidge Corner screening is anyone’s guess!

—Alex Schab

Clue
1985
Jonathan Lynn
94 min
Part of the ongoing film series: After Midnite