As a director, Rob Zombie is responsible for igniting what genre fans lovingly call “white trash horror.” The filmmaker’s titles have no shortage of mean-spirited, love-to-hate (and hate-to-hate) characters whose expletive-filled dialogue would make the devil weep. Since the announcement that Zombie’s latest feature film, The Munsters, is rated PG, fans have eagerly awaited the release.
Serving as a reboot and prequel to the beloved 1960s TV series of the same name, Rob Zombie’s The Munsters shows how Herman (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie) met and fell in love. Alongside the couple is The Count, aka Grandpa (Daniel Roebuck) and Lily’s father. The story takes the trio from Transylvania to the Hollywood Hills.
Looking back at the Munsters film franchise — the last released before Zombie’s was The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas (1996) — one would find silliness in every direction. From the make-up and FX to the dialogue and story, it aims for corny, wholesome fun. Rob Zombie’s The Munsters was made in the same vein and doesn’t skimp on the cheese.
Zombie wisely featured several locations around Transylvania and beyond, giving viewers a tour of the streets and alleys, The Count’s castle, the nightlife scene, Dr. Henry Augustus Wolfgang’s lab, and more. The film combines a brightly-colored ’60s aesthetic with heavy gothic settings, blending to perfection to create gorgeous, dreadfully cheery scenes.
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During production, Zombie kept followers updated as the crew filmed in Budapest, promising to build Mockingbird Lane. While the California suburb looked great once the trio arrived, it is a shame the neighborhood and house weren’t further explored. If Zombie makes a follow-up film, let’s hope we see as much of the bright and sunny locale as we did Transylvania. The make-up and FX were top-notch for the various creatures who made appearances along with the sets.
Zombie is a filmmaker who loves working with his gang of frequent collaborators, and The Munsters is no different. Jeff Daniel Phillips has starred in Halloween II, The Lords of Salem, 3 from Hell, and 31, while Daniel Roebuck has been featured in The Devil’s Rejects, Halloween I and II, 3 from Hell, and 31. And, of course, Sheri Moon Zombie needs no introduction to Zombie film fans. Other than the family-friendly rating, this cast has been hotly debated, with some doubtful that Herman and Lily’s wholesome demeanor and almost childlike innocence can be portrayed.
To much surprise (and relief), Phillips is delightfully dorky as the big oaf. During Herman’s creation in the lab, part of a recently deceased standup comedian was stitched in, giving Herman the same traits. The over-the-top silliness and intentional bad humor were well-executed by Phillips, keeping the integrity of the character intact. Much of the humor fell on Phillips and Daniel Roebuck, the latter of which played the best Grandpa in the franchise since the original. Even next to a green giant, Roebuck had no issues stealing the scene.
Sheri Moon Zombie may have had much to compete with in shared scenes, but she held her own as the whimsical, witty, love-struck Lily. Her dating scene with Nosferatu is one of the most entertaining moments in the film. Together, the three actors were a delight to watch. The cast genuinely seemed to have a fun time filming, while the sets and nods to the original series showed Rob Zombie’s passion for the franchise.
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This version of The Munsters may not please everyone. The dated cornball jokes don’t always land, and the film focuses more on style than substance. But others will enjoy it for what it is — a lighthearted, colorful story about one of TV’s most beloved couples… and Grandpa.
The Munsters is now streaming on Netflix and available on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD.
