Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2622 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-06-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) brings his distinctly cartoonish sensibility to this feature film version of the old Charles Addams comic strip. Anjelica Huston was born to play Morticia Addams, matriarch of the ghoulish Addams clan, while the late Raul Julia is a very agreeable, lusty Gomez. But it's Christina Ricci who arguably steals the show as their stone-faced daughter, Wednesday. As is often the problem with adaptations of comics or television shows, somehow an original story has to be implemented that doesn't clutter things up. But clutter is an issue here as the script gets tangled on a lame plot concerning efforts to steal the Addams' house and fortune. Still, it's fun to see an ideal cast reanimate an old favourite. --Tom Keogh

Synopsis
The outrageous Addams family cause mayhem in their own inimitable way.

Customer Reviews

Fantabulous!
I grew up with this film so maybe I'm biast. It was this film that made me fall in love with the delightful Christina Ricci and making Wednesday Addams my idol.

What's so lovable about these characters, is that they don't KNOW they're weird. To them burying a cat alive is perfectly normal. The reactions of those around them is hilarious and you can't help but wonder why someone wouldn't be impressed by the blood soaked Shakespere performance of Wednesday and Pugsley. Beautifully gothic sets suit the Addams perfectly.

Anyone watching this however should not expect a deep a meaningfull plot. That's not what these films are about. Funny, beautiful and an absolute delight. A great film for you to just sit and watch over and over again, each time noticing more and more things about not only the characters but everything around.

(A special note on the lighting which I always loved. The subtle effect of Mortisha's eyes always being highlighted while the rest of her face is shadowed.)

So if you like a good fun film to watch, a fan of mad outrageous sets and characters, then this is a film for you.

Great entertainment for all the family
This film has an uncanny knack for making the unnatural seem normal, and for making normality appear offensive. It is delightful in its absurdity and very cleverly put together as no detail was too small for notice. The actors were well chosen, as demonstrated by the electric vibe between Raul Julia and Angelica Huston, and by Christina Ricci (Wednesday), who dominates scenes on many occasions due to the superb dialogue (and her inimitable glare). In my opinion, this film is the best of the trilogy, although Addams Family Values is still well worth watching. (If watching both, note the return of the girl scout from the 'Addams Family' in the sequel.) This film is truly a family movie as it can appeal to both children and adults.

Magnificent!
This is an absolutely brilliant camp classic. The characters are charming and memorable, especially the understated Morticia, the swashbuckling Gomez, the stone-faced Wednesday and the villain, Dr Greta Penterschloss. The double entendres and ironic lines have since become part of the vocab of lovers of the Addams Family movies. Other interesting characters include the helpful "Thing," the weird butler and Fester, of course, while at the family ball Cousin It and the twins Flora and Fauna really impressed. The funniest scenes include the school play, the séance, the first visit of Fester to the vaults (where they watch an old home movie) and the psychotherapy session: "love, hate, hate, love - ze thoughts they bubble und collide." I have made a habit of watching this one at least once a year. It's a timeless classic, with great gags, excellent acting and a culture of its own. No wonder it has become a cult classic.