The Munsters is an endearingly comedic romance story for those who find generic romcoms too cliche for their taste. The film will give you the vibes of all the lovelorn folks seeking their one true beau but it doesn’t stop there. It crosses boundaries into Transylvania and brings in our age-old literary monster from Frankenstein and throws some weirdness into the mix to create a delectable palette of drama that’s far from scary and anything but ghoulish.
Also read: The Munsters Review: The Worst Movie Of The Year
All There Is To Know and Love About The Munsters
The Munsters originated in the classically epic sitcom era of the early 60s. The show which ran from 1964 to 1966 was created by Ed Haas and Norm Liebmann. It first introduced its audience to the bumbling and dysfunctional family of monsters who spend their (undead) lives one misadventure at a time while trying to understand why people would react to them so strangely.
Also read: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Director Turning His Attention To A Horror Version Of Peter Pan
Rob Zombie brings back the beloved sitcom to the screens and although his claims of shooting the film in its original trope of black and white were refuted (much to his dismay), the film still attracted an audience who flocked for a touch of that 60’s era nostalgia. The rest who expected a feel-good dysfunctional comedic romance without any of the historical attachment that comes with this zesty and singularly unique story would be sure to come out of the theaters disappointed.
The Munsters Director, Rob Zombie, Snaps Back at Trolls
When Rob Zombie was approached with the film, it was a dream project, something that has been just too long in the making. In his vision, the statement that he wanted to put forth was a recreation of that childhood awe that this wacky comedy had brought into his life back in the day. Without following a true perception of time, the characters that exist in their own ephemeral suburbia light up every frame in shades of neon and surrealism.
“This is how I got into everything as a kid. This is for the next wave of monster fans coming our way. This movie is the gateway drug for more hardcore horror… It’s just a mishmash of everything that is frozen in time. That’s how I remember childhood. And that’s how I remember ‘The Munsters.’”
Also read: Fans Are Calling Werewolf by Night the Best MCU TV Series Yet
The director further spoke about the boldly colorful and stylistic choices that he had decided to go through for the film. Even though his original intent was to deliver the signature 60s-era black and white cinematography, in the end, the studio’s decision to go with color worked out in his favor.
“When I saw everyone in their makeup, I thought, ‘This looks like a live-action cartoon. They don’t even look like they’re actually real. They look like they’re made out of rubber. They look fake. It’s out of touch with the style of how people make movies now. But that was what I felt that it had to be. I approached it in other ways at first. What if I light it realistically? It didn’t seem right. It needs to be hyperreal.”
Rob Zombie then acknowledges the extremes that were prominently featured in his outlandish project — the over-the-top ensemble, the eccentric costumes, the offbeat dramedy, the surreal lighting, the fantastical script, and the equally ridiculous and madcap troupe that held it together, because according to Zombie, “any other director would tell them to tone it down.”
The Munsters is available for streaming on Netflix.
Source: Variety
