ADDAMS FAMILY (DVD)WS ENHANCED 16X9/DOLBY DIGITAL ENG 5.1 SURR DVD

The Addams Family
Inspired more by the 1960s TV series than by the original Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons, The Addams Family proved to be one of the more successful of the TV shows-turned-movies of the 1990s. The film opens on a recreation of the magazine cartoon wherein the ghoulish Addamses prepare to pour hot oil upon a group of merry Christmas carolers. After a series of vignettes which establish the characters of Gomez (Raul Julia), Morticia (Anjelica Huston), Wednesday (Christina Ricci), Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) and family servants Lurch (Carel Struycken) and Thing (Christopher Hart), the plot proper gets under way. A stranger, played by Christopher Lloyd, shows up on the Addams doorstep, claiming to be long-lost Uncle Fester. It appears, however, that Lloyd is a ringer, in cahoots with attorney Tully Alford (Dan Hedaya) to strip the Addamses of their fortune. In their usual against-the-grain fashion, the Addams Family seems to delight in the possibility that they're being hoodwinked-indeed, not even kidnapping or death threats dampen the Addams clan's joy of living (or should we say dying?). The Addams Family served as the directorial debut of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams Raul Julia as Gomez Addams Christopher Lloyd as Gordon Craven Dan Hedaya as Tully Alford Elizabeth Wilson as Abigail Craven Carel Struycken as Lurch Judith Malina as Granny Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams Dana Ivey as Margaret Alford Paul Benedict as Judge Womack Jimmy Workman as Pugsley Addams

Crew Marjorie Stone McShirley - Art Director Paul Rosenberg - Associate Producer Bonnie Arnold - Associate Producer David Rubin - Casting Peter Anastos - Choreography Jack Cummins - Co-producer Ruth Myers - Costume Designer Joe Camp III - First Assistant Director Barry Sonnenfeld - Director Dede Allen - Editor Jim Miller - Editor James M. Miller - Editor Graham Place - Executive Producer Marc Shaiman - Composer (Music Score) Richard Macdonald - Production Designer Owen Roizman - Cinematographer Scott Rudin - Producer Cheryal Kearney - Set Designer David R. Ellis - Stunts Randy Kovitz - Stunts Mary Peters - Stunts David Welch - Stunts Keith Campbell - Stunts Danny Rogers - Stunts Larry Wilson - Screenwriter Paul Rudnick - Screenwriter Caroline Thompson - Screenwriter

The Addams Family
Uncannily cast and visually opulent, The Addams Family is a case of pure contagious delight. TV shows made into movies have failed more often than not, but Barry Sonnenfeld breathes life into a creatively stunted genre with his gleeful take on Gomez, Morticia, et al. Sonnenfeld's status as a former cinematographer is a real boon to the production, as the Addams home spirals away into a gothic maze that rivals anything in the films of Tim Burton. As lively as the sets and costumes are, it's the devilish good time displayed by the actors that makes The Addams Family such a grin. Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston are relaxed and clearly suited to their roles. The film's three credited scribes produce plenty of fodder for their pun-heavy, campy portrayals. Equally dead on is Christopher Lloyd claiming to be Uncle Fester, as bald-headed and bug-eyed as anyone could want. Eleven-year-old Christina Ricci, whose dour yet mischievous Wednesday Addams earned endless superlatives about her future in acting, has gone on to realize that potential. Tone is this film's most important attribute. Beyond the actors and snazzy art direction, there's an additional flawless special effect that nearly steals the show -- namely, Thing, the disembodied hand, which scurries about the house, interacts humorously with the characters, and displays the identifiable quirks that make it an equivalent member of this offbeat clan. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

Anjelica Huston: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or C (nominated) Ruth Myers: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Costume Design (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: 5.1: 5 full-range channels. Includes 3 for the front speakers, 2 surround channels for rear speakers, & 1 low-frequency effects (LFE) channel to carry deep bass effects Additional Features: Widescreen version enhanced for 16x9 Dolby Digital: English 5.1 Surround; English Dolby Surround English subtitles Interactive menus Scene selection 2 theatrical trailers DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 99 min Part of Series: Paramount Widescreen Collection