Movies that are appreciated as being "so bad, they're good" aren't usually aiming for that right from the start. On the other hand, I always thought the original show was ridiculously unfunny.
When you're 9 years old, everything is awesome. Star Wars Muppets, poorly drawn robots, fucking Cabbage Patch Kids? Kids are dumb.
Exactly. The Addams Family tried to be clever and ironic, and sometimes succeeded. The Munsters tried to be stupid, and succeeded every time. It got higher ratings, but I couldn't get through an episode of it either first time around or in syndication.
^ "Yeah!....that's the ticket!!" Fred Gwynn (Herman Munster) fine an actor as he was, played a henpecked sap who Lily had cowering. Al Lewis (Granpa) was tired 'borscht belt schtick' (he and Gwynn previously starred in a NYPD sit-com "Car 54" projecting the same characters/same vibe). Lily Munster was simply a one-dimensional nagging bitch. On the other hand, the Addams Family centered around a couple who were in perpetual lust: wickedly leering Gomez and seductive Morticia sashaying in that tight, form-fitting dress. Lurch vs. Grandpa Munster? No contest. Lurch rocked out on the harpsichord, Ken Weatherwax (Pugsley) blew up trains, daughter Wednesday (Lisa Loring) was an adorable little girl who got off on decapitating her Marie Antoinette dolls. Uncle Fester? Lightbulbs anyone? Grandmama? Gotta love an actress whose real name was Blossom Rock. But here's why the Addams ruled: the Munsters (besides their cliched 'munster' trappings) were essentially an uptight, conventional family who dearly wanted to be accepted by society...."oh Herman, Eddie's friends at school made fun of him!" The subversive Addams on the other hand viewed society as the ones who were screwed up. If the Munsters' Pat Priest suddenly went from token miss goody two shoes to sporting a leather teddy and a riding crop then maybe.........nah.... Addams ftw..............by a mile........... "Tish!............that's French!"
Yeah.... Marilyn couldn't hold a candle to sexy Morticia... ... or (the later in real life) Wednesday. p.s. I remember Gomez as the one blowing up model trains... Wednesday all growed up...
Actually, her ‘real name’ was Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald, not McDonald. #persnicketymeetsanalretentive
Gomez was indeed the one who usually blew up his Lionels, but Pugsley was given the honors every once in a while (sexier than him playing with his tarantula..which was never shown). As for Wednesday (Lisa Loring), one of her many husbands was porn actor Jerry Butler (not to be confused with “the ice man” singer of the same name. Speaking of singing I met her in a recording studio many years back; she did some background vox on a soap opera stars LP. She looked ‘lifestyle worn’ (druggie-ish) but underneath it she still had her Wednesday good looks.
I knew Jerry (sleazeball) a bit and crossed paths with Lisa a few times back in the late 80's... Don't ask me about Ron Jeremy...