I'll be honest with you, dear reader, and maybe this will invalidate my opinion for you: I could not finish watching this. Before you write me off, let me tell you why.
During the 1970s and into the 80s, a ton of classic TV comedies were brought back though made for TV movies. What revivals of "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Leave it to Beaver", "The Andy Griffith Show", "Green Acres" and other programs have in common is that the reunion shows were painful to watch.
This isn't a review of the whole show, though it's clear they didn't put a lot of effort into it.One thing that really bugs me about this right away is that in the credits, Carolyn Jones is called the "special guest star.
When Charles Addams' cartoon of a family who was too far into Halloween than most families were, he probably wasn't sure what a success it would be. When his creation was adapted into the 1964 show, the characters became larger than life with their unique personalities and interests.
There does seem to be something about the 1970's that leads to awkward TV movies and specials. Just one year later the Star Wars holiday special was inflicted upon the public.
After being off the air for so many years, it was nice to see ANY new Addams Family adventure. Their first (and only) appearance in color, unfortunately helped to show how old many of them had grown.
This low-budget, color video followup to the 1960s Addams Family series was a hardcore stinker. The original series, which in my opinion was never as clever as the original Charles Addams cartoons which inspired it, nevertheless had a certain charm and atmosphere that made a big impact on me as a kid.
Some people wonder why anyone would make a black-and-white film in the era of color films. There are many reasons, and this film is an excellent example.
Like so many movies that revisit an old TV series, this one misses the mark. The stark look of the video tape it was shot on, the bright color, and the set lighting that looks more like a nighttime landscape showcase do nothing to capture the charm of the old show.
