Alfred Hitchcock Clue

[Tannerman]

In 1999, a special edition of the boardgame Clue was released to honor the 100th birthday of Alfred Hitchcock. Amy & I are such big fans of the game, so this version caught our eye.

Alfred Hitchcock Clue

After all, we do own an obsessive number of different versions, puzzles, spinoffs, and DVD adaptations. We also like to play with friends and host large-scale events. However it wasn't until last November that I got my hands on a copy of Alfred Hitchcock Clue via eBay. It's long been out of print and sometimes hard to track down.

Awesomely-designed black & white board

The first thing you notice about this version of the game is that it's done in black-and-white, with just a tad bit of red highlights. The storyline? Officially, it reads as follows:

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In celebration of Hitchcock's centennial, a gala event is held on the Hitchcock sound stage, site of the preserved sets of the classic scenes from his films. The Clue characters have been invited to attend, in costume of course, as their favorite Hitchcock character.

Each room is a "set" from a Hitchcock film

Mr. Boddy has fallen victim to one of Hitchcock's notorious weapons. To win, you must determine the answers to these three questions: Who done it? Where? And with What Weapon?

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So, that's how the game can combine so many different universes together on one board. It's an interesting premise... maybe stretching things a bit, but c'mon, if we wanted to be realistic, then we'd point out how stupid Mr. Boddy is. The guy just keeps showing up to these parties with his friends and gets killed every time. You'd think he'd learn!

An interesting mix of weapons are included

The selection of Hitchcock films seems rather peculiar, as some you'd expect to be represented aren't (such as classics like Rear Window and North by Northwest), while others are represented twice on the gameboard (like The Birds). My best guess is related to licensing. Looking at the copyright notices, it seems that the folks who put this version together (USAopoly, under license from Hasbro, who also made the Scooby Doo version we have) probably relied on the films currently handled by Universal Studios, which left some off the list.

The Clue characters assume "roles"


I really like the card design

In any case, your cast of characters includes the following:

• Colonel Mustard as Barry Kane (Saboteur)
• Professor Plum as Michael Armstrong (Torn Curtain)
• Mr. Green as Mother (Psycho)
• Mrs. Peacock as Marnie Edgar (Marnie)
• Miss Scarlet as Melanie Daniels (The Birds)
• Mrs. White as Jo McKenna (The Man Who Knew Too Much)

Room selection is so-so


Standard look for a location card (with movie noted)

The room locations on this version also mimic the movies represented by the characters, so it's obvious that only certain movies were licensed for the game:

• Statue of Liberty Torch (Saboteur)
• Bates Motel Room #1 (Psycho)
• Family Room (The Birds)
• Farmhouse Kitchen (Torn Curtain)
• Opera House (The Man Who Knew Too Much)
• Horse Stables (Marnie)
• Hitchcock's Screening Room
• Diner (The Birds)
• Brenda's Office (Frenzy)

Amy and I found it rather odd that "Hitchcock's Screening Room" was considered an official location in this version of Clue. This one felt like a stretch!

Amazing variety of goofy weapons


Stunning monochromatic illustrations

The awesome part of this edition is the weapons. I mean, they are pretty screwy. For example, Mr. Boddy can be killed with an oven. Yes, an oven! How crazy is that? Here's the weapons breakdown:

• Knife (Psycho)
• Seagull (The Birds)
• Necktie (Frenzy)
• Fireplace Poker (Marnie)
• Oven (Torn Curtain)
• Bomb (Saboteur)

See that box? It's an oven!

The weapons are nice silver-colored metal pieces. Good weight to them. As for the pawns, they are your standard Clue markers, colored plastic. The die is rather special (yes, this version only comes with one). It's transparent with black dots. That played into the B/W color scheme of the game nicely. The "Confidential" solution envelope is also the standard Clue-issued manila file folder.

Gameplay is the same as you'd see in any other game of Clue. There are no differences or special features added to the Alfred Hitchcock edition. It was interesting, however, to explore the rooms on the gameboard to see what sort of "props" were included on those "sets". We'll be the first to admit that we haven't seen most of the Hitchcock films noted in this edition.

Overall, Alfred Hitchcock Clue is a fun version of the classic game that obviously skews older in its appreciation. I can't really see a kid getting into this, but that was never the target audience. It possesses some great design elements and a nice touch of class, which really helps this version stand out. Next time you are over at our place, we'll have to play a game!

[FernLaplante]

This looks like fun. I can't wait to play it at the Clue party this year.

BTW, do you have the Clue keychain game? I see it on eBay for $5

[Tannerman]

Originally Posted by FernLaplante

BTW, do you have the Clue keychain game? I see it on eBay for $5

I own a Haunted Mansion version of the keychain, but not a standard one.