Here Come the Munsters

I've been looking for another Addams Family film for a long time, not finding any. This is the closes I've gotten so far. I've never seen the Munsters TV-series, so I didn't know exactly what to expect.

The film started perfectly, with a black and white tribute to old horror films. That sequence was absolutely brilliant in every aspect.

However, the rest of the film didn't come close to the excellence of the beginning, in fact it was terribly dull, boring and a complete and utter waste of time.

Thanks to the excellent beginning the film still saves a 3 out of 10, but nothing more...

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!

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")

Ok, so I'm 23 years behind. I am a major Munsters fan... only of the original show... until now! Actually, I didn't even know that this movie existed until fairly recently.

I was 6 when The Munsters first aired on TV. We watched it whenever the outdoor antenna pulled it in.

When I found out about "The Munsters Today" with new actors playing the roles I didn't have any interest in it. The Munsters were Gwynne, Lewis, De Carlo, Priest and Patrick. Period.

The more that I've read about some of the original actors in these day of infinite information via the WWW, the more I realized that I"m really more a fan of the characters than the actors (though I will always prefer the originals).

I decided to see how bad the replacements were. I was quite surprised. If the original Munsters didn't exist, this would hold it's own very well.

The new actors do try to imitate the original actors for the most part so the originals were foundational to the cast for this movie.

It was actually very entertaining and funny, especially with the inside jokes which original Munsters fans will get. The guest appearance by Yvonne, Al, Pat and Butch was awesome and seems like a stamp of approval and a passing of the baton.

I very much enjoyed the movie and am glad to own it. Nothing will replace the original classic show but "Here Come The Munsters" kept the legacy alive.

Now I have to check out "The Munsters Today." I'm catching up.

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.