Halloween with the New Addams Family

10/30/19771h 14m

TV Release (US)

~ Original cast reunited in comedy special! ~

Overview:

The original TV Addams Family members prepare for Halloween.

Director:

Dennis Steinmetz

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

monster
1970s
halloween
eccentric family
eccentricity
unconventional family

Cast

John Astin

~ as ~

Gomez Addams

Carolyn Jones

~ as ~

Morticia Addams/Ophelia Frump

Jackie Coogan

~ as ~

Uncle Fester

Henry Darrow

~ as ~

Pancho Addams

Jane Rose

~ as ~

Grandmama Addams

Elvia Allman

~ as ~

Mother Frump

Ted Cassidy

~ as ~

Lurch

Lisa Loring

~ as ~

Wednesday Addams Sr

Ken Weatherwax

~ as ~

Pugsley Addams Sr/Dr. Addams

Parley Baer

~ as ~

Bones Lafferty/John Quincy Addams/Boss Crook

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Wuchak
Written 2 year(s) ago
4
Stick with the original B&W TV series or the two early 90’s movies

Eleven years after the previous televised adventures of the Addams Family, Gomez’ brother, Pancho (Henry Darrow), visits just in time for a Halloween celebration. He’s still interested in Morticia (Carolyn Jones), which stirs the jealousy of Gomez (John Astin). Meanwhile some burglars (Vito Scotti, et al.) are interested in getting their hands on the family fortune. The cast also includes Ted Cassidy (Lurch), Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester) and Felix Silla (Cousin Itt), amongst others.

“Halloween with the New Addams Family” (1977) was considered a pilot for a revival series, which wasn’t picked up and wisely so. While I always prefer color over B&W, this is the exception because the color mixed with videotape, as opposed to film, give the proceedings a seriously amateur quality. It’s so bad you’ll be tempted to tune out in 5-10 minutes.

Also, the Addams’ house set is long gone and the real-life mansion used (cited below) just isn’t very effective by comparison. Then there are curious additions that don’t work, like Gomez’s brother who’s basically a replica of Gomez. It’s the same with Wednesday Jr. and Pugsley Jr., who add nothing to the proceedings. So why are they there? Lastly, the corny gags that were amusing in the mid-60s are now hackneyed and unfunny, like the spy (Vito Scotti) being scared by every little odd thing in the Addams’ creepy manor.

Thankfully, Carolyn still looks great and Lisa Loring as Wednesday Sr. is a highlight on the feminine front, being 18 during shooting. There are some entertaining bits, but this is strictly for die-hard fans of the 60’s show interested in a low-rent reunion over a decade later.

The flick runs 1 hour, 14 minutes, and was shot at Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch Mansion, Los Angeles.

GRADE: C-