As a kid, when internet was not yet out there, board games were what helped us spend our weekends. How many of you know that the board games you enjoyed as kids also ended up becoming cult classics in Hollywood.
Clue – Clue (1985)
Based on the popular board game that originated in 1944, Clue starred Tim Curry and a bunch of well-known actors were a part of this murder mystery. The original game was patented by Anthony E Pratt, a musician by trade. He took part in several pre-WW2 after party events where they used to solve murder mysteries. Each character in the 1985 film of the same name is based on characters from the board game. Clue may not be as popular as other board games now but this movie remains a masterpiece of cinema.
Chess – Queen’s Gambit (2020)
The ultimate game of true intellectuals, Chess is the game that tests both your patience and mental acumen. It is a game of strategy and foresight. The Queen’s Gambit may not be the best of the lot that represents board games like chess. But it certainly is the most popular one right now. Beth Harmon is a gifted girl who has the mettle to defeat even the heavyweights and grandmasters of Chess. The show showed substance abuse and several other dark aspects that plagued the protagonist. The Netflix series became one of the top shows of last year.
Battleship – Battleship (2012)
The origins of board games like Battleship are lost to time. No one knows how Battleship came to be. Some claim there were some popular board games in 1890s America that featured partitioned playing boards, the very basis of Battleship. Some say the 2012 Battleship movie was one of Hollywood’s lowest points. But a decade later, this movie is seeing a surge in popularity and is about to enter the domain of cult-classics. The movie enjoys a sizable fan base even though many personally dislike it.
Ouija – Ouija (2014)
Capitalism has a tendency to package spirituality and sell it as a finished product. Ouija boards were used by ancient Chinese to talk to dead spirits. In the 1980s, an American businessman saw potential in such board games and patented it for the American market. The result was a board game that swept the nation. In 2014, Ouija hit theaters. A pseudo-scientific thriller based on fringe theories, the movie was a major hit despite getting a 6 percent rotten tomatoes rating. Ouija is now seen as a dark and gritty tale every horror genre fan should give a try.
Bonus: Warhammer – Warhammer 40,000
This is a cult classic but not from Hollywood but from the gaming world. It started out as a tabletop miniature game of the medieval fantasy genre. Warhammer is now the world’s most popular tabletop miniature wargame. The franchise began decades earlier but still entices fans in an age where internet is the absolute norm. Warhammer gave rise to the Warhammer 40,000 series of cult classic video games. First produced by Electronic Arts, the license then went to Strategic Simulations and then to THQ studios. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series of games remains one of the most popular video games of all time.
