This is one of my favorite movies, I've watched this movie more than I have fingers to count because this movie is tons of fun. Where can you go wrong with this movie? You can't when you've got an all-star cast like Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Madeline Kahn, it goes on and on. I love the campiness of this film, it just works for this kind of film. They take the whole whodunnit to a next level, especially with the deliberate alternate endings, in which they play ALL of them in the actual movie, it's brilliant. It pokes fun and the constant joke of who stepped in dog poo just has me giggling all throughout the movie.
Based on the board game, which I love already, they use the typical weapons that are in the board game, the candle stick, the revolver, the knife, the rope, the led pipe and the wrench. Each character is given a weapon to potentially use on the person who is blackmailing them. Some bodies come up dead so they have to figure who did it and with what, who would have guessed it, but the humor really makes this movie so enjoyable.
There are lines in this movie that are just so classic that I tend to quote them now and then because they are so memorable. The music that was used, they use it in many ways, to show suspense, terror and to mock something, they utilize the music to its utmost. Just watching this again and I just noticed that Debra Hill produced this movie, which was also involved in Halloween 1978, what a great fun fact to learn. The flames speech that Mrs. White speaks to convey her hatred towards the maid, Yvette was actually improvised by Madeline Kahn and it is definitely one of my favorite lines, among many more.
My favorite character is Mrs. White, I love the complexity of her because you don't know if she'd save you or if she'd kill you in your sleep. She's a mystery that I'm okay with not solving, it's entertaining to watch Madeline Kahn portray this character. She's been married five times, your typical black widow with a quick wit. She's calm when everyone else panics, she's got a cool collected vibe about her. She's flirtatious with Wadsworth but he'll never give her the time of day, knowing her track record with men.
Then we have Miss Scarlett played by the actress Lesley Ann Warren, she's quirky, she's seductive with a dark sense of humor. It works for her because it makes her that much more likable. She has a masculine quality about her that gives her a strong empowerment. She works at what I can assume is a brothel because she says she works at a hotel that provides the service for men to be accompanied by young ladies as she put it. Very up front and honest about why she is being blackmailed and not ashamed in the least.
Professor Plum who is played by Christopher Lloyd, is eager to give Miss Scarlett a ride when her car is broke down along the side of the road. She attracts his attention and it didn't take much for him to stop to pick her up only to realize they were going the same place anyway. You don't get much from Professor Plum, he is quiet but not shy, definitely perverse but only innocent. I do like his line when they pick straws because they have to team up to check the house to search for the "killer", he says to Mrs. Peacock when they pick the same length straws: "Looks like it's you and me honey bunch". Mrs. Peacock has an irritated look on her face, making a scoffing sound, knowing she's stuck with him.
Monkey brains being her favorite delicacy.......ewwwww.....Mrs. Peacock is played by Eileen Brennan who is the life of the party, trying to get everyone to talk to fill the awkward silence. Only then she makes it that more awkward with her fast paced chatting in an attempt to get to know everyone. She is a wife of a politician, standing firmly at his side, as a perfect hostess. She has many of the best lines, my favorite's when the chief poses as a doomsday proclaimer who comes to the door, warning them of the Armageddon, he's like: "Your souls are in danger", then she says: "Our lives are in danger, you beatnik" then she slams the door. CLASSIC.
Colonel Mustard played by Martin Mull, is apparently working on a secret on the next fusion bomb? He is level-headed but a tad air headed at times, but it only adds to the humor. Mr. Green is played by Michael McKean, he works for the state department and he is being blackmailed because he is gay, but it's actually a ruse. But really he is with the FBI to arrest the others and also when the day is done, he's going home to sleep with his wife. Yvette is played by Colleen Camp, she is overly sexualized but I feel like it's on purpose. She is connected in one way or another to most of the characters for this maid has more than just dusted some of their shelves, if you catch my drift. Can we also address how funny I think it is that there's a character named Mr. Boddy. We all know what will become of this character, he's the one who addresses that they are all being blackmailed, who equips them with the weapons that we all know are inspired by the board game. Played by Lee Ving, this man seems to die for than once. Guess he's like a cat with nine lives.
I left Wadsworth played by the incredible actor, Tim Curry for last, because his performance is top grade in this movie. He is a book of information, explaining to them and also to us the audience, what's going on at all times. He is a burst of energy, the way he runs around and he even admitted that this was one of his favorite roles that he has acted. I can feel it in his performance, how much he enjoyed portraying this character. He leaves us with so many memorable lines and the alternate endings are just brilliant, I love how if you have the dvd, you can decide if you want to watch all of them or just watch the chosen ending.
This board game inspired film is done to campy perfection, I love the underlying tones, the witty banter between characters, the purposely placed music and of course the colorful characters. This one is a re watch and I have watched it so many times, I'm not ashamed.
PAUSE.
Thank you. (Homage to Mr. Green)
Comments