Les monstres

I have always been a mad fan of the Munsters. I loved the show when it was on prime time (CBS) from the first time I watched the show in 1964, right till the end when it was canceled in 1966.

I even sent a postcard to CBS in protest of the proposed cancellation. (At least I think I did. If I didn't, well, I wish I did. It's the thought that counts, right?)

When the Munsters hit the silver screen in 1966 with "Munster Go Home", I made it a point not to miss it when it came to a theater near me! I loved the movie!

In 1988, I saw "The Munsters Today". I hated it! The characters may had looked like the original Munsters. But the series was so dry, so bland and so un-funny that it was sheer torture to sit through it. I decided that there was only one "Herman" and only the one and only Fred Gwynne could tackle the role.

In 1995, with the memory of "The Munsters Today" still fresh on my mind, I was apprehensive about watching this TV-movie.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was really funny! The cast was good.

The scene with Herman's first (and last) day as a butler, was classic comedy at its best and alone, well worth the trouble in finding this movie! The surviving members of the original series, making a cameo appearance as "sympathetic customers who thought that Herman, as a waiter, was good", was the icing on the cake.

The cast of "Here Come the Munsters", not only succeeded in continuing where the original (1964-66) cast left off, but obviously won the seal of approval from the surviving cast members, whose cameo appearance was the icing on the cake.

Could you imagine Al Lewis & company making such an appearance on "The Munsters Today"? I can't. I rest my case!

OK, it wasn't the original series. *NOTHING* will be the original series. That said, it was a worthy followup.

Let's get the honesty part out of the way. I am a major fan of The Munsters. I thought the update "The Munsters Today" was horrible - because it violated the basic premise of the show. In "The Munsters Today", a good part of it had to do with the Munsters wanting to be "normal" - Eddie even changing his clothes and hairstyle. The main premise of The Munsters is that the family believed that they *WERE* "normal". That was it's charm.

In this version, the Munsters were what we knew and loved. They saw themselves as the average family. It gave us a bit of background to their being here. I *LOVED* Eddie actually changing into a werewolf - and Lilly biting someone on the neck.

I wish this had gone to series - it would have almost made up for "The Munsters Today". I wouldn't have had the chemistry of the original cast - but it did have a good one of it's own.

The Munsters aren't dead ... they're just waiting to rise again - and I can hardly wait.

In all my life I have never been so appalled at a film. In my mind this is without any shadow of doubt the very worst ever made. Number 1. Numero Uno.

The acting in it was truly dire, the plot line was ridiculous, the characters were diabolical, the sets were sparse, the 'effects' were what one might expect at a school play, the cameos of the remaining original cast were embarrassing. I have to this date never seen such a senseless waste of film stock and effort. I have probably seen the entire film now thanks to the blessings of repeats on cable but the most I could withstand was 20 minutes straight before either slipping into a coma or beating my head against the wall. If you have the misfortune to see this film in the listings, avoid it at ALL costs. I'm sorry to the makers and actors in this film, truly I am, for leaving such a negative review, but in my humble opinion it should have never been made.

When Elvis shot the television, he was watching this film.

I feel this film was very well attempted. I thought the plot was quite interesting and the characters were well portrayed. I especially liked Edward Hermann as Herman Munster. Although this film did change some of the original features in the TV sitcom, such as Marilyn being related on Herman's site instead of Lily's, i think overall, a very good attempt. I wasn't that disappointed with the different house, because this one still looked very creepy and Munster-like. I think it's film worth watching to Munster fans. I especially liked the idea of seeing Herman and Lily's wolf-boy son actually turn into a werewolf on a full moon, as this element was never portrayed in the original sitcom.

A well worth watching film!, a good cast of actors!

In Transylvania, a raged crowd expels the Munster family from their castle. While escaping from the villagers, Herman (Edward Herrmann) finds a piece of a letter from his sister Elsa Munster Hyde (Judy Gold) and his brother-in-law Norman Hyde (Max Grodénchik) from North America and the family decides to travel to California. When they meet their niece Marilyn (Christine Taylor), they are informed that Norman is missing and his wife is in coma due to her loss. On the next days, the Munster family faces problem with the adaptation in the new country: Lily (Veronica Hamel) meets her snoopy neighbors; Grandpa (Robert Morse) researches in the laboratory a cure for Elsa and finds a videotape that shows what has happened with Norman; and Eddie (Matthew Botuchis) goes to the school and has problem with the local bully. When the candidate to the Senate Brent Jeckyll (Jeff Trachta) arrives in the location in campaign, Grandpa discloses the truth about the past of the bigoted candidate.

"Here Come the Munsters" is a delightful homage to a great TV series. The gags are hilarious, a journey to my childhood, and the cameo appearance of Yvonne de Carlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick and Pat Priest is a plus in this funny, but unfortunately underrated, movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Os Monstros Estão de Volta" ("The Monsters Are Back")