The Addams Family

Rating:
Summary: A really good tv show based movie
Review: This movie from 1991 isn't as good as the show I don't think but it's still a really good movie. The show is better because they are nutty people but wouldn't hurt a hair on anyones head, well not on purpose anyway lol. Here they are a little too sadistic. I mean the original cast wouldn't pour a pot of hot fluids over the heads of christmas carolers. Still though I love the cast and think the late Raul Julia made an excellent Gomaz Addams. He was lively and fun in the role. He was talented and is too bad his last movie was StreetFighter. Anjelica Huston (Witches), Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow) and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) are really good as well. Although I liked his movie, I really wish the show would be released on dvd.

Rating:
Summary: A Worthy Successor To The 60's TV Show
Review: A near-worthy successor, to be more exact. The 1991 remake of the classic 60's series was taken into the hands of director Barry Sonnenfield (Men In Black films). Sonnenfield's use of computer enhanced effects and tongue-in-cheek, slapstick surrealism contributed to the success of this film, which spawned a sequel, "Addams Family Values" and a made for video film.

The 60's tv show magic is lost in the wake of modern cinema and even the actors, try as they did, could not match the sophisticated humor that John Astin and Carolyn Jones shared- they were the original Gomez and Morticia. But nevertheless, the film is worth watching, if anything for the special effects and performances by Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester and Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams. Noteworthy is also Lurch and Thing, whose dismembered hand is a computer generated illusion.

The plot of the film revolves around Uncle Fester's amnesia. He has returned from the Bermuda Triangle (something which in itself is impossible, says the doubting Christina Ricci's Wednesday) and brought home his mother. His "mother" is a villainous woman bent on claiming the Addams Family fortune, their estate. When she has managed to influence Fester, the rest of the Addams are forced out of their home and obligated to work for rent in a slum's apartment. Eventually, the villainous woman is defeated and the Addams reclaim their home, and Uncle Fester regains his memory.

The film has its comic moments, i.e. when Gomez (Raul Julia) is watching day time talk show Sally Jesse Raphael and asks where voodoo witch doctors have their meetings, when Pugsley and Wednesday engage in a play and duel (with fake, splurting blood) and the Halloween party in which all the Addams are invited- a host of grotesque, zombie creatures appear, including the two-headed sisters. Cousin Itt also makes an appearance.

Although Raul Julia and Angelica Houston try to imitate the artistic, witty repartee and passion that John Astin and Carolyn Jones shared, they fail to do so. Raul Julia can pass off for Gomez, especially because he is Latin, but Angelica Houston does not portray a convincing Morticia- cast only because Angelica Houston's has pale, dark, "witch" like features. A striking element in the film, besides its cinematography, is its music. The soundtrack, elegant, haunting, romantic, Gothic, which sounds like the same music to the scores of "Edward Scissorhands" or "The Nightmare Before Christmas"- orchestral subtle tones, lush romanticism, tango, etc. An enjoyable film, although what would have been preferable was for the producers of the original tv show (which ran from 1964 to 66), would be to have had John Astin, Carolyn Jones and the rest of the black and white tv show's cast- Ted Cassidy (Lurch) Blossom Rock (Grandmama) Lisa Loring (Wednesday), Ken Weatherwax (Pugsley) and Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester) to star in a color film directly after the show ended (1966) in an attempt to save the show from a brief syndication. Apparently, this was done in the late 70's, but by then the series had ended years before and a lot of the cast members were quite old.

Rating:
Summary: A triumphant return for the Addams family
Review: A treat for all fans of the popular sixties sitcom. This new cast (all but John Astin who played Gomez are now deceased) featuring Angelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and the late Raul Julia do the film and the Addams characters great justice. As the song says: "They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together hooky, the Addams family." It's very funny entertainment not just for Halloween, but all year long!

Rating:
Summary: OF COURSE IT WAS GREAT!
Review: Anyone my age would have to love this movie (I'm not telling how old that is) because we grew up seeing these characters every week on television. The plot......well someone is trying to take away the Addams house and fortune...interesting!
Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia were perfect for their roles and Raul Julia will be missed greatly by us all.
The children were great, spooky, ooky and everything you would expect to find in their personalities was there. Good job!
I enjoyed this one, it was quite entertaining!

Rating:
Summary: Fine Big-Screen Version of a Small-Screen Comic Classic
Review: As I have not read any of Charles Addams' material, my only standard for comparison is the old television series, which was a childhood favorite of mine. I expected to be disappointed by this film, as I did not think anyone could duplicate the original cast. The story is not the emphasis; the weird and zany cast is the emphasis. Therefore, I plan to review the performances more than the overall film.

Cast List
Anjelica Huston ... Morticia Addams - Truly outstanding, stunning! I didn't think anyone could match Carolyn Jones, but Ms. Huston pulls it off.
Raul Julia ... Gomez Addams - A little too suave for Gomez, who was suave-covering-goofy when played by John Astin.
Christopher Lloyd ... Uncle Fester - I didn't think he could do it, but he did.
Elizabeth Wilson ... Abigail Craven/Dr. Pinder Schloss - A bit overdone, although that fits the film.
Christina Ricci ... Wednesday Addams - Just as good for the role as Anjelica Huston was for Morticia!
Judith Malina ... Grandma - Okay, but not memorable.
Dan Hedaya ... Tully Alford - Perfectly sleazy.
Carel Struycken ... Lurch - Eerily reminiscent of the original.
Christopher Hart ... Thing - Steals every scene, as Thing always did.
Jimmy Workman ... Pugsley Addams - Okay, but not memorable.
John Franklin ... Cousin Itt - Voice was wrong, and a bit too tall, but otherwise fine.

Overall - A fun romp.

Rating:
Summary: CREEPY,SPOOKY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Review: Barry Sonnefeld does GREAT job directing this film based on the characters of cartoonist Charles Addams and the classic 1960s TV series. Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, and Christopher Lloyd give SUPERB performances in their roles of 'MORTICIA', 'GOMEZ', and 'UNCLE FESTER'. The roles made famous in the TV series by Carolyn Jones, John Astin and Jackie Coogan.

(NOTE: I have reviewed other films under the headings of [e-mail] and [e-mail] . If any viewer wants to write me concerning the reviews of these films plus my reviews of ALL the Abbott & Costello movies they can e-mail at [e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: The Addams Family
Review: Even though this is not a laugh out loud film, it is an excellent example of sarcastic humor. The theme of good vs evil is evident. What isn't so easily discerned is who is good and who is evil. In this film perception truely is everything.
Gomez(Raul Julia) and Moricia(Anjelica Huston) Addams are not your typical people next door. They do, however have an extended family to make them somewhat like a typical modern family. Daughter Wednesday(Christina Ricci), son Pugsley(Jimmy Workman), Grandma(Judith Malina) and Lurch, the butler(Carel Struycken) help fill the hideous family mansion with life and after-life.
The Addams' have family values they try to pass on to the children, though they are quite different from most value.
The trouble starts when so called normal people enter the picture. The family lawyer(Don Hedaya), Abigail Craven(Elizabeth Wilson) and her son(Christopher Lloyd) plot to steal the Addams family fortune. Using deciet and trechary, the son masquerades as Uncle Festor, Gomez's long lost brother. The schemes they hatch and the obsticales they encounter make for interest and entertainment. The family home is well worth a look. It is filled with props and devices that are a perfect compliment to this unsual family. The characters are protrayed with such skill, it makes them perfectly believable. In fact is is hard at times to tell who the main characters are for the entire cast moves in and out of the spot light to first take the lead than support each other as the story unflolds. A twist at the end makes the finish as unique and unsual as the rest of the picture. This is a great change of pace film fitting neatly between the hilarious and the riduclous.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining comic fantasy.
Review: Everyday at the house of the Addams Family (Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Workman, Carol Kane, Carel Stuycken & Christopher Hart) is always murder and mayhem. When a double crossing account (Dan Hedaya), a dangerous woman (Judith Malina) and her son that looks like the missing Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). While his mother brings the fake Uncle Fester in the home of the Addams Family, they accpect him quickly expect for Wesnesday (Ricci) belives, he`s not Uncle Fester. While the Phony quickly likes the Family. While the two another villians are searching for the treasure in the Addams Home.

This excellent fantasy dark humor comedy has Good Comic Performances by Huston, Julia, Lloyd and Ricci. One of the highest grossing film of 1991. Director:Barry Sonnerfield (Get Shorty, Men in Black, Wild Wild West) delivers his first feature film. Grade:B+.

Rating:
Summary: If you liked the Frankenstein movies, this film is for you.
Review: Funny and handsomely made movie by Barry Sonnenfeld, based on the comic strip by Charles Adams, and starring a cast of delightful actors who appear to have had a fun time making this movie.Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, and Christopher Lloyd all play the Addams Family, in character, and how so many fans have come to know them over the years.

Rating:
Summary: If you want a fun movie, you get a fun movie.
Review: I am a fan of movies that can be watched for fun again and again. I find both Addams family movies (with this same cast) up there with my favorite fun movies (Princess Bride, Ferris Bueller) and they are always there to bring a smile to a boring day.

Morticia and Gomez are played very well. Gomez is contagiously energetic and Morticia has such memorable lines ("Don't torture yourself Gomez, that's my job") that just seem to emit from her character. I have long been a Christina Ricci fan and she looks and plays the part to perfection as does Jimmy Workman. I am also a huge Christopher Lloyd fan and seeing him in Fester was wonderful. I do prefer Carol Kane (Princess Bride - Valerie) over this movie's grandma.

This is a delightful movie that just keeps you smiling and I highly recommend it for those boring days when you just are in the mood for a "fun" movie.