ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES 4K Review

Not only is Halloween thankfully upon us, but the next major holiday, Thanksgiving, at least in America, is next. That can only mean one thing: it’s time for a re-watch of Addams Family Values!

Our friends at Paramount Home Entertainment sent me a copy of their newest release of the 1993 Barry Sonnenfeld film, which comes out tomorrow, October 29^th. You may have heard of Sonnenfeld, who not only directed the previous film, The Addams Family, as well as Men in Black and Get Shorty. Previously, he was the director of photography on a litany of Hollywood films, such as Misery, Miller’s Crossing, Big, Blood Simple, and many more.

The official synopsis: Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) welcome a new addition to the Addams household—Pubert, their soft, cuddly, and mustachioed baby boy. As Fester (Christopher Lloyd) falls hard for the new nanny (Joan Cusack), cynically suspicious Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) discover she's a black-widow murderess. Though they’re shipped off to summer camp, Wednesday still has a Thing or two planned to save Fester and the family.

First off, I recently re-watched The Addams Family, which is spooky, comedic fun, so I was excited to delve into the sequel again. Once again, I had a great time. They really don’t make ‘em like this anymore, big budget, four-quadrant comedies that are enjoyable for pretty much everyone.

Speaking of which, you actually cannot get away with some of the gallows humor that used to hit the screens. The film opens with a cat murder, ugh. I hate censorship, but I didn’t like seeing this; the scene very likely wouldn’t have made it into production these days, even if it was used to paint this family as macabre. There are a few more moments like this, but it’s mainly the overall plot device of children trying to kill each other that ultimately would make studios blink twice, even if these moments are hilarious.

The star-studded cast from the first film comes back for more shenanigans: Angelica Huston, Raul Julia (RIP), Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, who astonishes, so young here, Carol Kane, and the very notable addition of Joan Cusack.

Cusack makes an incredible femme fatale as Debbie, who’s a black widow, targeting rich men, killing them, taking their money, and moving on to the next guy. In this case, it happens to be Uncle Fester, a hilarious Lloyd. Every actor aside from the understate and, elegant Morticia (Huston), is over the top in the film, and it works. Don’t forget that The Addams Family began as a newspaper cartoon series before it was adapted into the subsequent (1966-64) television series, films, and Tim Burton’s recent Wednesday Netflix series.

In a nutshell: the various members of the Addams Family must contend with this killer nanny and murderer who’s trying to kill Fester and their own children trying to kill each other and the new baby Pubert, who was born with a tiny mustache in the image of Gomez. There’s also the summer camp diversion of Wednesday and Pugsley being sent off, resulting in that absolutely amazing, terrible-wonderful theatre production in which Wednesday the righteous takes over the reenactment of that first Thanksgiving Pilgrim dinner. It ends in flames, as it should.

And it’s such a good time.

The new 4K restoration looks quite good, and the sound is terrific as well.

Bonus Features:

• NEW! Commentary by director Barry Sonnenfeld and screenwriter Paul Rudnick— The writer and director of ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES reunite to watch their beloved comedy and provide new insight on the production and the film’s continuing legacy.
• NEW! Creating Family Values — The Paramount Archives digs up a collection of insightful behind-the-scenes images and interviews shot during the production of ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES — including director Barry Sonnenfeld, screenwriter Paul Rudnick, and stars Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, and Joan Cusack.

Our friends at Paramount Home Entertainment would also like you to know that this 4K release is also part of Fangoria’s Scream Greats, “which delivers classic thrills and chills to moviegoers across the country with special limited theatrical engagements. Addams Family Values will return to select theatres on November 10 & November 13.”

Addams Family Values is fun for the whole family, and also makes great gateway horror watching for the little ones.