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Written by: Rob Zombie, Norm Liebmann & Ed Haas (based on characters developed by), Allan Burns & Chris Hayward (from a format by)
Directed by: Rob Zombie
Starring: Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Daniel Roebuck, Richard Brake, Jorge Garcia
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
Prequel to "The Munsters" series that followed a family of monsters who moves from Transylvania to an American suburb.
Verdict
This is such an odd movie. Even at the end, I wasn't sure if what I saw was the intended product or if this missed the mark. Is it making a joke or is it the joke? As a prequel this certainly bridges a gap, but the movie is more interested in its own campiness than telling a coherent story. My question throughout, what is this supposed to be? Often movies are bad because it's clear they fell shorts of the intended goal. This movie isn't good, but I think the outcome is exactly as it was intended.
It depends.
Review
I've seen many episodes of the original series, but it was so long ago that I have only a vague recollection. I was curious what a Rob Zombie take on The Munsters would be. After watching the trailer for this movie, I watched a few clips of the original series just to see if there was a difference in tone. The trailer is campy and looks like a b-movie. The clips I watched of the series weren't overly cheesy. It seemed like a generic '60s show, other than the premise.
With most bad movies, they're bad because it's clear their ambition was loftier than the achieved goal. With this movie, I don't know if it ever intended to be more than it is. That doesn't mean this is good, I just don't know what it is. That was a question I had at the beginning and even after this ended.
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| Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips play Lily, Herman |
With the combination of radiant colors and a theme park style production design this feels like a television show. Zombie has described this as a cartoon, and it certainly feels that way. Elements of the setting are anachronistic and only get more so. The first few scenes feel like they're out of a low budget horror parody.
I don't know how to take this. If it wasn't based on The Munsters, I'd think it must be a well funded parody. The art and production design is fun, but very over the top. This movie is a prequel that's also trying to bridge the gap between time periods. Then again, this doesn't seem to be set in a specific time period.
This opens with a scientist trying to create a man from corpses. It's the classic story of Frankenstein's monster, and this is how we're introduced to Herman. The acting is so far over the top. That's the thing, I don't know if the movie is trying to be funny and silly or that's just a result of the artistic decisions. I kept wondering what this is or what it's supposed to be. After watching the movie I still don't know.
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| Daniel Roebuck, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Sheri Moon Zombie play The Count, Herman, Lily |
This is a prequel that reveals how Herman and Lilly met, but it spends a lot of time on the scientist that created Herman and then Herman's brief music career. This does move the family and grandpa to Los Angeles, but it ends so suddenly, I thought I missed a scene or missed the ending. The clips I watched of the original series on Youtube seem to be a family sitcom, it just so happens that they're monsters. This movie makes some strange additions.
I don't think this is a good movie, but I also think this movie is exactly what it was intended. I don't think there were any budget constraints that hampered this. This is Rob Zombie's take on a what a modern version would be. He leans in on how a family of monsters in an otherwise normal should be campy. I feel like I'm missing the joke and simultaneously that the movie is missing the joke. If Rob Zombie stated this movie illustrates why this premise wouldn't work in today's culture and that's the joke, I could completely buy that. I just don't think that's the point he's making, though it would make this movie more interesting and certainly provide it a focus and basis for comedy.
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