Introduction
Welcome to my corner! This week, I'm sharing my thoughts on the film Addams Family Values for the Thanksgiving season. I realize this isn't usually the first movie you think of for Thanksgiving, but it does have some of the holiday elements. And, there really aren't that many Thanksgiving movies out there. Enjoy!
Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is a 1993 American supernatural black comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Paul Rudnick, based on the characters created by Charles Addams. It is the sequel to The Addams Family (1991). The film features almost all the main cast members from the original film, including Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Carel Struycken, Jimmy Workman and Christopher Hart. Joan Cusack and Carol Kane joined the cast for this film.
Compared to its predecessor, which retained something of the madcap approach of the 1960s sitcom, Addams Family Values is played more for very dark and macabre laughs. The film revolves around the family's adjustments to the birth of a new baby Pubert. Subplots include Uncle Fester marrying the new nanny Debbie Jellinsky, who is a serial killer intending to murder him for his inheritance; and teenagers Wednesday and Pugsley Addams being sent to summer camp.
The film was released by Paramount Pictures on November 19, 1993. In contrast to its predecessor's mixed reception, the film was well received by critics by it was not as financially successful, with a box office gross of $111 million against a budget of $47 million. In the decades since its release, the film has become acclaimed for its humor and performances. This would be Julia's final theatrical film released during his lifetime; he would appear posthumously in one more film, Street Fighter (1994). The film was followed by another sequel Addams Family Reunion.
Plot: The members of the odd Addams Family are up to more macabre antics in this sequel. This time round, Gomez Addams (Raul Julia) and his wife, Morticia (Anjelica Huston) are celebrating the arrival of a baby boy. But siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) are none too happy about the new addition and try their best to eliminate the infant. When nanny Debbie Jelinsky (Joan Cusack) appears to keep the kids in line, her presence leads to an unexpected treacherous twist.
Acting: Anjelica Huston played Morticia Addams. I love her Morticia, she plays it so well. She also has a powerful, sultry voice. Her four most notable titles currently are The Grifters, The Witches, Ever After: A Cinderella Story and Prizzi's Honor. My favorite is Barbie as Rapunzel.
Raul Julia played Gomez Addams. His Gomez was also very lovable. His four most notable titles are Street Fighter, The Addams Family, Addams Family Values and Presumed Innocent. I haven't seen much of his work, so The Addams Family movies are my favorite of his.
Christopher Lloyd played Fester Addams. If you don't like Christopher Lloyd, you're lying to yourself. He's the best! Also has a great voice. His four most notable titles currently are Back to the Future, The Addams Family, Addams Family Values and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It's hard to pick a favorite, I've seen so many. I think Anastasia (1997) is my favorite.
Joan Cusack played Debbie Jellinsky. Initially her voice annoys me, but I get over it eventually. Debbie was a fun character. Cusack's four most notable titles currently are In & Out, Grosse Pointe Blank, Working Girl and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. My favorite is Klaus.
Christina Ricci played Wednesday Addams. A great child actor and even better adult actor! Her four most notable titles are currently Buffalo '66, The Addams Family, Casper and Mermaids. My favorite is Penelope.
Minor roles included: Jimmy Workman as Pugsley Addams. David Krumholtz played Joel Glicker. Carol Kane as Grandmama Addams (replacing Judith Malina). Christopher Hart as Thing. Carel Struycken as Lurch. Peter MacNicol as Gary Granger. Christine Baranski as Becky Martin-Granger. *I forgot Christine Baranski was in this! I love her!* Mercedes McNab as Amanda Buckman.
Technical Aspects: The "family values" in the film's titles is a tongue-in-cheek reference by writer Paul Rudnick to a 1992 speech made by then-Vice President Dan Quayle. In the speech, Quayle controversially blamed the 1992 Los Angeles riots on a breakdown of "family values".
Production of Addams Family Values began in Los on February 8, 1993. According to Anjelica Huston, it became increasingly clear during filming that Raul Julia's health was deteriorating. He had trouble eating and was losing weight as a result. He died on October 1994, less than a year after the film was released.
Sequoia National Park, particularly Sequoia Lake, in the Sierra Nevada of California, was the site of the movie's "Camp Chippewa".
Adding more than just makeup to the character, Morticia Addams is always lit separately from everyone else in a scene. Her lighting always consists of one beam of light across her eyes that gradually fakes outward to enhance her classic look. *I always wondered why it looked like that only on Morticia.*
The baby's name, Pubert, was the name originally suggested (and rejected) for Pugsley by Charles Addams when he was asked by the producers of The Addams Family (1964) to name the hitherto unnamed characters in his cartoons. *Pubert is a horrible name. Enough said.*
Final Thoughts: I liked the original The Addams Family television series, which was based on The Addams Family comics by Charles Addams. And so far I've liked all of the iterations of The Addams Family that I've seen, some more than others. My favorite part of Addams Family Values is the Thanksgiving skit/play that the summer campers put on, which is why it's perfect for the Thanksgiving column.
Addams Family Values (1993) and its prequel The Addams Family (1991) are both good watches. And lucky for you all, the dvds come together! So, they're both at the library if you want to watch 'em!
Where to watch it: According to Google, Addams Family Values is not currently available on any streaming service. But, you can purchase or rent a digital copy for a few dollars. I've also donated a DVD copy of the film to the Emil M. Larson Public Library in Clark for you all to enjoy if you choose to.
That's it for this week! What were your thoughts? Feel free to share them with us! You can call us, email us, visit us at the office, leave us a comment or message on Facebook, or even mail us something. Keep the comments, suggestions, questions, submissions, etc. coming our way! We'd love to hear from you!
