The Addams Family (1991)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Barry Sonnenfeld

Writers (WGA):

Charles Addams (characters)
Caroline Thompson (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

It's not the same old Thing.

Plot:

Con artists plan to fleece the eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long lost Uncle Fester.

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Uncle Fester | Eccentric | Accountant | Loan Shark

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Anjelica Huston	...	Morticia Addams
Raul Julia	...	Gomez Addams
Christopher Lloyd	...	Uncle Fester / Gordon Craven
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Abigail Craven / Dr. Greta Pinder-Schloss
Christina Ricci	...	Wednesday Addams
Judith Malina	...	Grandma
Dan Hedaya	...	Tully Alford, Addams' Attorney
Carel Struycken	...	Lurch
Paul Benedict	...	Judge Womack
Christopher Hart	...	Thing
Dana Ivey	...	Margaret Alford / Margaret Addams
Jimmy Workman	...	Pugsley Addams
John Franklin	...	Cousin Itt
Tony Azito	...	Digit Addams
Douglas Brian Martin	...	Dexter Addams
Steven M. Martin	...	Donald Addams
Allegra Kent	...	Cousin Ophelia Addams
Richard Korthaze	...	Slosh Addams
Ryan Holihan	...	Lumpy Addams
Maureen Sue Levin	...	Flora Amor
Darlene Levin	...	Fauna Amor
Kate McGregor-Stewart	...	Employment Agent
Lela Ivey	...	Susan Firkins, Wednesday's Teacher
Whit Hertford	...	Little Tully (as Whitby Hertford)
Patty Maloney	...	Lois Addams
Victoria Hall	...	Swedish Blonde
Jimmy Ross	...	Pre-Teen Gomez
Ryan Anderson	...	Pre-Teen Fester
Daniel Pikus	...	Teenage Gomez
Michael Hittesdorf	...	Teenage Fester
Lauren Walker	...	Teenage Flora
Valeri Walker	...	Teenage Fauna
Mercedes McNab	...	Girl Scout
Joe Zimmerman	...	Long Arm Addams
Steve Welles	...	Fingers Addams
Eugene Jackson	...	One-Armed Bass Player (as Eugene M. Jackson)
Richard Tanner	...	Snake Charmer
Marc Shaiman	...	Conductor
Jonathan Wee	...	Juggler
Owen Morse	...	Juggler
Sally Jessy Raphael	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Diane Burt	...	Caroler
Barry Sonnenfeld	...	Passenger on Gomez's train (uncredited)
Benny Wills	...	Elf (uncredited)

Directed by
Barry Sonnenfeld

Writing credits (WGA)
Charles Addams		(characters)
Caroline Thompson		(written by) &
Larry Wilson		(written by)

Produced by
Bonnie Arnold	....	associate producer
Jack Cummins	....	co-producer
Graham Place	....	executive producer
Paul Rosenberg	....	associate producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer

Original Music by
Marc Shaiman

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dede Allen
Jim Miller

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Richard Macdonald

Art Direction by
Margie Stone McShirley

Set Decoration by
Cheryal Kearney
John Sweeney		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Ruth Myers

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup designer
Kevin Haney	....	makeup artist
Paul Huntley	....	wig maker
Katherine James	....	makeup artist (as Kathrine James)
Louis Lazzara	....	special makeup effects artist
Christopher Shihar	....	hair stylist
Jim Eustermann	....	creature effects crew (uncredited)
Vance Hartwell	....	creature effects (uncredited)
Vance Hartwell	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Dayne Johnson	....	prosthetic makeup artist (uncredited)
Brian Penikas	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Rick Stratton	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jack Cummins	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Baxter	....	second second assistant director (as Michael Ryan Baxter)
Joe Camp III	....	first assistant director
Zia Iampietro	....	additional second assistant director
Joseph Brad Kluge	....	second second assistant director
Ian Woolf	....	second assistant director (as Ian Foster Woolf)

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Greg Benge	....	property person (as Greg R. Benge)
Randy Bostic	....	set dresser
Tamara Clinard	....	set dresser
Erin M. Cummins	....	assistant art director (as Erin Cummins)
Beverli Eagan	....	set designer
Michael Gastaldo	....	assistant property master
Ron Gress	....	scenic artist (as Ronald Gress)
Walton D. Hadfield	....	construction coordinator
Casey Hallenbeck	....	leadperson
Hugo Herrera	....	greens foreperson
Lawrence A. Hubbs	....	set designer (as Lawrence Hubbs)
Steven Curtis Husch	....	set dresser (as Steven C. Husch)
Nicholas C. John	....	production painter
Nancy Mickelberry	....	set designer
Robin L. Miller	....	property master (as Robin Miller)
John Stewart	....	scenic artist
John Tyrrell	....	paint foreperson
James F. Walker	....	construction foreperson
Wayne Daddio	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Christopher Gilman	....	props (uncredited)
Yael Haffner	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Jeffery J. Jenkins	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
Masako Masuda	....	set designer (uncredited)
Dan Platt	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Christopher S. Ross	....	props designer (uncredited)
Paul Sonski	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Bob Baron	....	adr recordist
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
John Benson	....	sound effects editor
Pamela Bentkowski	....	supervising foley editor
Steve Bowerman	....	boom operator
Fred Burke	....	foley editor
Jean Marie Carroll	....	cable person
Anne Couk	....	assistant sound editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
Gloria D'Alessandro	....	dialogue editor
Christine Danelski	....	foley editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Juno J. Ellis	....	supervising adr editor
John P. Fasal	....	additional sound effects creator
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Howell Gibbens	....	sound effects editor
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Robert Hyams	....	assistant sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound effects editor
Trevor Jolly	....	sound effects editor
Constance A. Kazmer	....	dialogue editor
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	adr editor (as Nicholas V. Korda)
Peter F. Kurland	....	sound mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark 'Frito' Long	....	sound recordist
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob O'Brien	....	dialogue editor
Paul O'Bryan	....	apprentice sound editor
Jonathan Phillips	....	apprentice sound editor
John Pospisil	....	additional sound effects creator
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Frank Serafine	....	additional sound effects creator
Frank Serafine	....	sound effects editor
Craig Sims	....	assistant sound editor
Thomas W. Small	....	assistant sound editor
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Beth Sterner	....	sound effects editor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marshall Winn	....	sound effects editor
Gary Wright	....	co-supervising sound editor
Randy Smith	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Albiez	....	special effects foreperson (as Peter H. Albiez)
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects technician
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects foreperson
Tony Gardner	....	special prosthetics and meachanical devices: Alterian Studios, Inc.
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects coordinator
David B. Miller	....	prosthetics and puppets: "thing", David Miller Studios (as David Miller)
Tom Williamson	....	animatronics
Wes C. Caefer	....	animatronics (uncredited)
Kevin Hudson	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Carolyn Oros	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Douglas J. Stewart	....	special character effects (uncredited)
Tim Turner	....	special makeup effects: Alterian Studios (uncredited)
Don Waller	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jim Aupperle	....	visual effects director of photography (as Jim Auperrel)
Janine Monique Brauns	....	visual effects continuity (as Janine Brauns)
Thomas Burke	....	visual effects key assistant
Chuck Comisky	....	visual effects co-supervisor
William S. Conner	....	photographic effects: VCE (as Bill Conner)
Albert J. Dunk	....	visual effects director of photography (as Bert Dunk)
Syd Dutton	....	matte art composites: Illusion Arts
David Emerson	....	optical effects line-up: VCE
Paul Gentry	....	photographic effects: VCE
Gary George	....	photographic effects: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	optical effects line-up: VCE
Todd Hall	....	optical printing: VCE
Rick Hannigan	....	optical printing: VCE
Ron Harris	....	visual effects storyboards
Jessica Huebner	....	visual effects coordinator
Mentor Huebner	....	visual effects primary production illustrator
David Jarrell	....	visual effects chief lighting technician
R. Scott Judge	....	visual effects first company grip (as Scott Judge)
Peter Kuran	....	optical composites: VCE (as Pete Kuran)
Kevin Kutchaver	....	animation effects: VCE
George Lockwood	....	optical effects line-up: VCE
Al Magliochetti	....	animation effects: VCE (as Al Mag)
William Manning	....	visual effects first company grip (as William T. Manning)
Steven Mann	....	visual effects camera assistant (as Steve Mann)
Gary Martin	....	optical printing: VCE
Jo Martin	....	visual effects editorial: VCE
Alan Munro	....	visual effects supervisor
Marilyn Nave	....	administration: VCE
Christopher Nibley	....	visual effects director of photography
Luc G. Nicknair	....	visual effects camera assistant (as Luc Nicknair)
Bill Pope	....	visual effects director of photography
John Rodgers	....	visual effects chief lighting technician (as John C. Rogers)
Rick Schaff	....	visual effects production assistant
Tim Segulin	....	optical effects line-up: VCE
Tracey Singleton	....	visual effects editorial: VCE (as Tracy Singleton)
Mike Stromp	....	visual effects chief lighting technician (as Mike Strump)
Gregor Tavenner	....	visual effects camera assistant
Bill Taylor	....	matte art composites: Illusion Arts
Fred Toye	....	visual effects production assistant (as Fred E.O. Toye)
David Tucker	....	optical printing: VCE
Pam Vick	....	animation effects: VCE
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administration: VCE
Tom Jensen	....	additional first assistant camera: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Gray Marshall	....	motion control operator (uncredited)
Juniko Moody	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Don Waller	....	stop motion animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Randy Kovitz	....	stunts
Mary Peters	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
David Welch	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gayle Sherman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rebecca Baehler	....	film loader
Michael A. Chavez	....	first assistant camera (as Michael Chavez)
Michael B. Corbett	....	lighting technician
Ian Fox	....	first assistant camera (as Ian M. Fox)
Carl R. Gibson Jr.	....	second company grip
Randy Glass	....	chief lighting technician
Eric J. Goldstein	....	additional photographer
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Rob Hahn	....	camera operator
M. Todd Henry	....	camera operator (as Todd Henry)
Gary Holt	....	chief lighting technician
Paul Jacobsen	....	chief rigging lighting technician
Bob E. Krattiger	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Robert Krattiger)
Robert LaBonge	....	camera operator (as Robert La Bonge)
Michael Liakos	....	dolly grip
David Luckenbach	....	second assistant camera
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip (as David Merrill)
Don Nesmith	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Donald Nesmith)
Tim Ryan	....	first company grip
Richard Scarpone	....	video assistant (as Rich Scarpone)
Chris Squires	....	camera operator
Mark Streapy	....	second assistant camera (as Mark R. Streapy)
Gale Tattersall	....	additional photographer
Ronald Viveros	....	second company grip
Peter Wagner	....	first company grip
Brian Q. Kelley	....	cinematography support (uncredited)
Steven Mann	....	first assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Brennan L. Price	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Rex Anson Rhorer	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Charlie Messenger	....	extras casting
Debra Zane	....	casting associate
Paul Garnica	....	background casting (uncredited)
Suzy Sachs	....	casting: Seattle (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robin Borman	....	costumer
William A. Campbell	....	costumer (as Bill Campbell)
Linda Henrikson	....	costumer
Mitchell Ray Kenney	....	costumer (as Mitchell Kenney)
Murray Lantz	....	costumer
Barbara Matera	....	costumer
Linda Matthews	....	costume supervisor (as Linda A. Matthews)
Carmen Mazarow	....	cutter/fitter (as Carmen C. Mazarow)
Randi Mavestrand	....	costumer (uncredited)
Alexis Scott	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gordon Antell	....	assistant film editor
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Bruce Johnson	....	assistant film editor
Heather Persons	....	apprentice film editor
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Karen Rasch	....	first assistant film editor
Grace Valenti	....	assistant film editor
Gladys Vega	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Steve Bartek	....	additional orchestrator
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Tim Boyle	....	music scoring mixer
Ralph Burns	....	additional orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Dennis Dreith	....	additional orchestrator
Jack Eskew	....	additional orchestrator
Peter Golub	....	music arranger: dance music
Hummie Mann	....	conductor
Hummie Mann	....	music score producer
George A. Martin	....	music editor
Mark McKenzie	....	orchestrator
Marc Shaiman	....	music score producer
Thomas Richard Sharp	....	additional orchestrator (as Thom Sharp)
Nick Vidar	....	music programmer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
David Siegel	....	transportation coordinator
Dwight Wood	....	transportation captain
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Joe M. Aguilar	....	production accountant (as Joe Aguilar)
Peter Anastos	....	choreographer
Vanessa G. Bardliving	....	assistant production coordinator
B.H. Barry	....	fencing choreographer
Douglas R. Boyle	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Robert C. Campion	....	assistant production accountant
Stephanie Claxton	....	assistant production accountant
Lee Dollar	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Jim Eustermann	....	puppeteer (as J. Eustermann)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer
Eric Fiedler	....	puppeteer
Bruce Fuller	....	puppeteer
Victoria Hall	....	assistant choreographer
Vic Heutschy	....	unit publicist
David Hickey	....	assistant production accountant
Brian Jochum	....	key production assistant (as Brian W. Jochum)
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor (as Tom Johnston)
Catherine M. Jones	....	assistant production accountant
Antoinette Levine	....	location manager
Bruce Loeb	....	security officer
Hank McGill	....	first aid
Judi McKee	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim McPherson	....	puppeteer
Cheryl Meier	....	assistant location manager
Allison A. Millican	....	production secretary
Sharon Morov	....	production coordinator
Karen M. Murphy	....	assistant: Mr. Sonnenfeld
John Panzarella	....	location manager
David Penikas	....	puppeteer
John Robles	....	puppeteer
Molly Shaw	....	assistant: Ms. Huston (as Molly Shaw Gibbs)
Dianna Smith	....	puppeteer
Karen S. Spiegel	....	assistant: Mr. Sonnenfeld
Bill Sturgeon	....	puppeteer (as William Sturgeon)
Mark Waldie	....	assistant production coordinator
Tom Williamson	....	puppeteer (as Tommy Williamson Jr.)
Iain York	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Wes C. Caefer	....	puppeteer (uncredited)
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic (uncredited)
Mike Elizalde	....	lead puppeteer (uncredited)
Dan Gorman	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Bill Bernstein	....	special thanks
Lady Colyton	....	grateful acknowledgment: consulting services and assistance (as The Lady Colyton)
Ron Lynch	....	special thanks
Marc E. Platt	....	special thanks (as Marc Platt)
Susan Ringo	....	special thanks
William Sherak	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Paramount Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1992) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1992) (Germany) (video)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Pictures Corporation (1991) (non-USA) (all media)
• Paramount Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1991) (UK) (theatrical)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1992) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Falcon (Czech Republic)
• Filmayer (Spain)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)

Special Effects

• Alterian
• David Miller Creations (prosthetics) (as David Miller Studios)
• Illusion Arts (matte paintings)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Capitol Records  score album
• Capitol Records  soundtrack
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (as Chapman)
• Lacy Street Production Center  sound stages
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Skywalker Sound  re-recording facilities
• Technicolor  prints
• Warner Bros. Studio Facilities  score recorded at

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Germany:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #30985) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Brentwood Theatre - 11000 Wilshire Blvd., Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The original director of photography, Owen Roizman, quit the production after about a month to go work on another film. His replacement, Gale Tattersall, had his contribution cut short not long afterwards when he had to quit after being rushed to hospital with a severe sinus infection. Fed up with the situation, director Barry Sonnenfeld took over the cinematography himself, reasoning that if anything happened to him then production would be shut down, so he didn't have much to lose.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Fester tells Wednesday to "Aim for a major artery: the jugular!" However, the jugular is a vein; the major artery in the neck is the carotid.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gomez: [to Thing] Think of it, Thing. For twenty-five years we've attempted to contact Fester in the great beyond, and for twenty-five years, nothing. I'm beginning to think my brother truly is lost.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Rocket Attack U.S.A. (#3.5)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

Mamushka

Not brilliant but consistently amusing, well performed and solid enough to stand as its own beast

The Addams family are far from being normal but they are rich and as such are their attorney's only chance of getting rich. Tully has debts up the yazoo and the only thing that stops his knees being violently replaced with fresh air is the fact that Abigail Craven's son Gordon looks eerily like Gomez's missing brother Fester. Shaving his head, Gordon enters the Addams home as Fester and tries to use his spare time to get into the family vault. However Gomez's joy at his return is gradually marred by a sneaking feeling that Fester is not himself – meanwhile Wednesday has no such doubts at all and is out to expose the impostor.

One of the few remakes that actually works, The Addams Family takes the Gothic humour of the TV series and makes it feel fresh and entertaining. The story is essentially a nail for us to hang our coats on so we can watch the gags come but even with this it is actually pretty good. Making one of the family a "new character" is a clever way of adding to the formula without having to bring in new characters to lead the film and it does work. Within this frame the twisted comedy is rather entertaining and, although rarely laugh out loud funny, it is still consistently amusing and enjoyable.

The cast are roundly good. Julia is a perfect Gomez and Huston is a great Morticia despite the latter being a fairly one-note affair. Lloyd is enjoyable in the lead and manages to do well to carry the "new character" aspect of Fester without disrupting the dynamic of the family. Ricci is excellent and the only downside is that the film doesn't give her enough to do; Workman is also good and has good chemistry with her. Hedaya, Wilson, Ivey and others are strong in support and generally do well to shore up the story.

Overall a kooky affair that is enjoyable in you are in the mood for its particular brand of dark silliness. The plot is more than enough to act as a frame, the jokes maybe don't hit many real highs but they do consistently get very close to the target and the fact that the actors all buy into the joke makes it that little bit better. An enjoyable remake that succeeds because it has the strength to stand as its own beast.