Cluedo Vintage Wood Bookshelf (Rev. Green)

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:23 pm

The White Pawn first brought this edition to my attention on another thread.

Basically the Cluedo version of the Vintage Wooden Bookshelf edition sold at Target in the US.

Notice, even though it says Cluedo it is identical to the 1963 US edition, for which there does not otherwise seem to be an international counterpart.

Love it or hate it, there's nothing vintage Cluedo about it. If anything they should have called it "Retro" Cluedo. But given that this was a US only version (as far as I know), I find myself wondering:

Since the board and cards obviously have been reprinted for the Cluedo version, does "Miss Scarlet" have a second "t" added to her name (it looks as if it might be in the picture)? Are the Knife, Wrench and Lead Pipe, changed to Dagger, Spanner and Leap Piping? Is "Mr. Green" changed to "Rev. Green" on the cards and/or the Board (it sure looks like it says "Reverend" on Green's Start space)? And finally, Mr. Green is depicted as something of a cigarette holder smoking aristocrat on this version. If the text was actually changed to reflect the good Reverend, was this drawing updated to reflect a reverend character as well? Or did they just change the name (if at all) to "Rev. Green" and leave the inexplicable aristocrat to represent him?

Perhaps some of our British or Australian counterparts who have seen this edition up close can offer more details? Googling turned up nothing for me.

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:46 pm

I don't know, if it's the original Clue version, I like it the way it is...!

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:53 pm

WarnerPlum wrote:I don't know, if it's the original Clue version, I like it the way it is...!

Huh? This version was NEVER original to Cluedo as far as I know. It was always just Clue with the US attributes. It appears to have been adapted for the UK Cluedo traits, specifically "Reverend" Green. The knife card, I just noticed, also appears to be labeled "Dagger".

In which case, this depiction of Green makes absolutely no sense:

Adam106 · Post by **Adam106** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:09 pm

I've got it. Unfortunately, I can't open it until Christmas. I was telling my parents how strange it was. Can't wait to see what's inside.

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:32 pm

Adam106 wrote:I've got it.

Great! I can't wait to get the details!

It would have been a simple matter to do a simple Photoshop re-touch of Green. Something like this ... though the smoking jacket still looks like a smoking jacket, so it would need a bit more work, and just removing the arm seems somewhat incomplete. But changing it too much seems sacrilegious somehow.

I wonder if Parker Bros. at the time actually did a version of the Reverend to offer to Waddingtons? Can't you just see Parker Bros. goading Waddingtons every time they create a new edition â€“Â "c'mon guys, use our new artwork, yours is the same old dull stodgy design from the 40s!" LOL

Maybe something like this mock-up I did ...

Black · Post by **Black** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:35 pm

I've got the wooden version.

Reverend Green has:
A. Blond Hair
B. A Cross in his hand
C. The collar. (which we can see in this version)

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:41 pm

Black wrote:I've got the wooden version.

Wow! Please post a pic of that. That's a new one for sure.

Same outfit? Wonder why he's a blonde since Scarlett already is, and Mustard is supposed to be too.

And a cross in his hand, REALLY!? Now that is scandalous!! I mean it's one thing to put him in a generic collar, or holding an implied bible, but it's quite another to have him actually be a suspected murderer holding an actual symbol of Christianity ... especially in such a cartoonish depiction. Wow. I think that's a first in any edition.

kova · Post by **kova** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:31 am

I don't have the Cluedo version but Green does look like he has dirty blonde hair in the Clue version. I don't see why he couldn't be blonde in the British with Mustard and Scarlet.

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:44 am

Murder by Death wrote:
WarnerPlum wrote:I don't know, if it's the original Clue version, I like it the way it is...!
Huh? This version was NEVER original to Cluedo as far as I know. It was always just Clue with the US attributes. It appears to have been adapted for the UK Cluedo traits, specifically "Reverend" Green. The knife card, I just noticed, also appears to be labeled "Dagger".

In which case, this depiction of Green makes absolutely no sense:

Well then, let us see thik edition...!

Black · Post by **Black** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:30 am

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:52 am

Hmm, interesting. Now if it had turned up in the 60's...!

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:35 pm

Black wrote:Can you see the differences

Thanks Black ... yes. They have evidently lengthened the smoking jacket to turn it into ecclesiastical robes â€“Â though I have never seen any with pockets. The collar is modified and the contrasting trim has been eliminated except on the sash, and they used a much darker green. The cross is just wrong though. They should have put an implied bible in his hands as has been done in other editions. The character has been totally re-drawn though, not Photoshoped, but I think it is a newly created one rather than one created in the 60s â€“Â I doubt anyone would create an outfit quite like that otherwise. They should have just bit-the-bullet and completely re-dressed him in the style rather than this bastardized hybrid.

This card also called attention to the fact that unlike the US version, they have removed the upside-down names at the bottom of the card. That seems to be a rather odd decision, especially considering that has been a hallmark of the UK edition since the beginning. Like the US editions, the artwork appears to be smaller than the original, but the background appears to be off-white, rather than the all-white cards used in US version.

The White Pawn has done an interesting analysis of the differences between the US editions in another thread.

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:41 pm

Well. That's just what happens when Parker Brothers does the job and not the original Waddingtons!

CluedoKid · Post by **CluedoKid** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:42 pm

I don't see any issue with the cross as it's just a prop. That's really cool that they took the effort to modify him as a Reverend.

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:49 pm

CluedoKid wrote:I don't see any issue with the cross as it's just a prop.

Yeah, see that's the problem. The crucifix is not just a "prop". This is the exact reason he was changed to "Mr. Green" in the US. While I personally don't have a problem with it, I can see others not appreciating it. And look how he's holding it. The green "eyeshadow" doesn't help the image either. This Green always looked like something of a "dandy" to me, rather than the image of the tough businessman they chose to push in the US. He looks much more like the Green from the film, if you know what I mean.

But I think Parker Bros. had nothing to do with this image. At the time this set was created around 1962, with the first Catholic president of the US, it is unlikely Parker would have been so cavalier with the crucifix. This is definitely a 21st century mentality about religion, where a cross can simply be a "prop". Either way, unless there is some obscure foreign edition of Cluedo I have not seen, this is the first time a crucifix has been depicted in a game of Cluedo.

CluedoKid wrote:That's really cool that they took the effort to modify him as a Reverend.

They would have to wouldn't they? I mean it's that or call him "Mr. Green". But in 2006 I don't think Hasbro was that brave. I would think a UK citizen would not consider it Cluedo without Rev. Green ... and the US version looks nothing like a Reverend. I definitely give them an "A" for effort.

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:06 pm

Murder by Death wrote:I mean it's that or call him "Mr. Green". But in 2006 I don't think Hasbro was that brave. I would think a UK citizen would not consider it Cluedo without Rev. Green ... and the US version looks nothing like a Reverend.

Well now you mention that, I had a thought - supposing they brought the original Cluedo into the US Nostalgia editions. So they'd have to turn Green into something like this:

Although while I think of it the Cluedo CDi game did have the Mr. Green and all..

Black · Post by **Black** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:10 pm

Does he look like Biggins or is it just me?

Murder by Death · Post by **Murder by Death** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:17 pm

WarnerPlum wrote: supposing they brought the original Cluedo into the US Nostalgia editions...Although while I think of it the Cluedo CDi game did have the Mr. Green and all..

I wouldn't mind that so much. When I found out what the original UK editions looked like I was flabbergasted. I love this design. Can you imagine what they thought when it was first revealed in 1949? It must have looked like genius! (and to me it still does). But I don't think Americans are nearly as artistic or willing to accept the abstract, which is why Parker Bros. in their infinite wisdom added bodies. So no, I don't think that idea would sell here. What would sell is the Cluedo edition for those who would buy it. Restoration Hardware could do worse than to import a few hundred thousand for their stores as nostalgic original English Cluedo.

As for creeping Mr. Green into Cluedo, I think that is part of the homogenization of the brand. I think Hasbro would have preferred to eliminate the good Reverend altogether, but perhaps found that idea didn't sell too well in the UK, so they just eliminated titles altogether and re-invented him as "Jacob" Green. Perhaps he too was once an evangelical minister (what were they thinking?).

WarnerPlum · Post by **WarnerPlum** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:26 pm

Murder by Death wrote:When I found out what the original UK editions looked like I was flabbergasted. I love this design. Can you imagine what they thought when it was first revealed in 1949? It must have looked like genius! (and to me it still does). But I don't think Americans are nearly as artistic or willing to accept the abstract, which is why Parker Bros. in their infinite wisdom added bodies.

Good grief, so that's why our Cluedo didn't change til 1996!

CluedoKid · Post by **CluedoKid** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:27 pm

Abstract doesn't mean more artistic. I prefer the bodies, and the US editions as a whole for that matter.