The Addams Family (1991)

Director:

Barry Sonnenfeld

Writers (WGA):

Charles Addams (characters)
Caroline Thompson (written by) ...

Release Date:

22 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Family

Tagline:

It's not the same old Thing.

Plot:

Con artists plan to fleece the eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long lost Uncle Fester.

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Fish Out Of Water | Escapade | Uncle | Whimsical

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Anjelica Huston	...	Morticia Addams
Raul Julia	...	Gomez Addams
Christopher Lloyd	...	Uncle Fester / Gordon Craven
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Abigail Craven / Dr. Greta Pinder-Schloss
Christina Ricci	...	Wednesday Addams
Judith Malina	...	Grandma
Dan Hedaya	...	Tully Alford, Addams' Attorney
Carel Struycken	...	Lurch
Paul Benedict	...	Judge Womack
Christopher Hart	...	Thing
Dana Ivey	...	Margaret Alford / Margaret Addams
Jimmy Workman	...	Pugsley Addams
John Franklin	...	Cousin Itt
Tony Azito	...	Digit Addams
Douglas Brian Martin	...	Dexter Addams

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Germany:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Brentwood Theatre - 11000 Wilshire Blvd., Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Cher wanted to play the role of "Morticia", but Anjelica Huston was cast instead.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Wednesday and Pugsley are selling lemonade there is only one sign behind them, but when Morticia goes to talk to Fester, she walks by the same spot and the sign is moved and another is there with the original next to it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gomez: Think of it, Thing. For twenty- five years we've attempted to contact Fester in the great beyond, and for twenty-five years, nothing. I'm beginning to think my my brother truly is lost.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

Soundtrack:

This Is The Way We Roll

A morbid joy

Extremely enjoyable update to the old t.v. show retains the eccentric spookiness and oddball humor of old, then proceeds to update the warped family familiarity with a rousing sense of decadent glee. The unexpectedly classy affair benefits greatly from the amazing casting that went into choosing all the Addams clan. What is nothing short of ensemble perfection, a sense of fun had by all on set during production remains undeniably infectious throughout, lending the amusing proceedings a distinct level of class.

Directed by easily digestible Barry Sonnenfeld, The Addams Family may be a bit intense for young kids but should stay a delight to all others. A wonderful, gentle perversity that hangs over the entire family might have pushed things a little too far to justify this family film to the younger set, but will stay surprisingly balanced with an outpouring of heart and morality,simply flipped inside out here, for comedic intent.

Wonderful set and prop design mixed with it's politely warped sense of humor would have been enough to make Addams Family the success it became, although it was the brilliant casting which continues to uphold a credibility for this film. Led by the outstanding (and sadly missed) Raul Julia, nearly every single family member wears their role with an unreal amount of dignity, making the fairly standard plot completely memorable.