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Six Degrees of ‘Clue’: A Comic Masterpiece with Serious Horror Connections

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In 1985, Paramount Pictures released what may very well be the finest comedic ensemble film the world has ever seen. It was called Clue, and it was based on the board game by the same name which had been a household staple since its release in 1949.

Though it wasn’t initially a success in theaters, the farcical mystery has gone on to garner cult status with a following that would make John Waters proud.

What many people may not know is that Clue, in a very Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon way, has ties to some of the greatest horror and horror comedy masterpieces of the last century.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the list of six films below, and see for yourself! With all of these talented horror minds, Clue could have been a very different movie!

An American Werewolf in London

Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London

Perhaps it’s not such a stretch to find out that An American Werewolf in London is connected to Clue. The classic werewolf film wasn’t short on winks and nods to its audience. Let’s not forget that hilarious scene in the British porn theater!

The truth is the two films share a common father of sorts. John Landis, who wrote the screenplay for Werewolf, also wrote the story that Clue‘s screenplay is based upon. This also ties Clue to two episodes of the often terrifying “Masters of Horror” television series and Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Halloween (1978)

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in 1978’s Halloween

Debra Hill was John Carpenter’s writing and producing partner when they brought Michael Myers into the horror world with the classic film Halloween. She would go on to also write The Fog (1980) as well as Escape from L.A. in 1996.

It just so happens that Hill also produced Clue.

Want a fun mental picture? Imagine Wadsworth (Tim Curry) producing evidence that Michael Myers had killed Mr. Boddy…in the kitchen…with a knife.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Speaking of Tim Curry…

They say you can tell a lot about a person from the first film in which they saw Tim Curry. For me, it was Clue. It would be years before I discovered The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and yet both classic cult films share the same star.

Now if only Curry could have had a bigger musical number in Clue than “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow” with the rest of the cast!

Young Frankenstein

Teri Garr, Gene Wilder, and Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein

One of my favorite things about Clue is the score. The driving strings, dramatic horns, and tone that runs from playful to dramatic in a matter of a few bars make for a soundscape reminiscent of the old Agatha Christie whodunits.

It was no surprise to learn, then, that composer John Morris created the scores for both Clue and Mel Brooks’ classic horror homage/spoof Young Frankenstein!

Audrey Rose

Susan Swift in Audrey Rose

Does anyone else love Audrey Rose? The 1977 film starring Marsha Mason and Anthony Hopkins centered on a young girl haunted by her past life and the terror her parents experience as she seems destined to die young, just as she did in that former existence.

The film was not only terrifying but also really beautiful largely due to the man behind the cinematography: Mr. Victor J. Kemper.

Kemper was also the cinematographer on Clue, making sure all those scenes in the mansion were beautifully lit and filmed. The Kemper connection also makes Clue the distant cousin of Eyes of Laura Mars and Magic (which also starred Anthony Hopkins)!

Jaws

Jeffrey Kramer in Jaws

It wasn’t only the big stars or the people behind the scenes who connect Clue to the horror world, however. Some of those ladies and gents in the smaller roles have solid horror pedigrees.

Take Jeffrey Kramer, for instance. Kramer was the poor stranded motorist who ended up getting his head bashed with the lead pipe. It just so happens that Kramer also played Deputy Hendricks in the classic shark features, Jaws and Jaws 2, AND to add another fun layer, Kramer also had a role in Halloween II which connects him to Debra Hill and Halloween!

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Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

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Horror Movies

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks. 

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story. 

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did. 

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD. 

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind. 

The Crow
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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

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Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
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