MUNSTER, GO HOME! (1966)
Label: Scream Factory
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 97 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080P HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Earl Bellamy
Cast: Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Debbie Watson, Butch Patrick. Terry-Thomas, Hermione Gingold, Richard Dawson, John Carradine
Synopsis: Following the wildly popular Munsters TV series, original cast members Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster), Yvonne De Carlo (Lily Munster), Al Lewis (Grandpa) and Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster) are reunited in this hilarious movie as you’ve never seen them before ... in spooky color!
Not long after the TV series ended fans were gifted a Technicolor film presenting their favorite Franken-family in spooky-color on the big screen, the film didn't do all that well but has gone onto become a bit of a cult-classic. The premise has The Munsters on travelling to England to claim an inheritance left to Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne, Pet Sematary) by a distant relative, with Herman inheriting the a mansion and the title of 'Lord Munster'. Herman, his wife Lily (Yvonne De Carlo, Satan's Cheerleaders), son Eddie (Butch Patrick), normal-looking niece Marilyn (Debbie Watson), and the blood-drinking Grandpa (Al Lewis, Gremlins II: The New Batch) all hop into the bad-ass Munster Coach and then board a steamship headed to Shroudshire, England. Along the way Grandpa mixes up his medications and accidentally takes a "wolf-pill", which temporarily turns himself into a wolf 'natch, landing him in a dog cage down in the cargo hold of the ship, while Marilyn makes the acquaintance of a polite Brit Roger Moresby (Robert Pine, Empire of the Ants), a young chap who takes a liking to her.
In England they are greeted by their extended family, Lady Effigy Munster (Hermione Gingold, Bell, Book and Candle) and her gap-toothed son Freddie Munster (Terry Thomas, The Vault of Horror) and his sister Grace (Jeanne Arnold). It turns out that Lady effigy and her clan have little wish for their American relatives to stay at Munster Hall, and ill-advisedly set about trying to scare them out of the house with cheap frights, but the plan backfires when the fright-loving Munsters see their ploy a gesture of welcoming.
The reason the Brit Munsters want them gone is because their doing something illicit down in the creepy basement, something that involves a pair of delivery men arriving and leaving at various times with coffins, notably one of the delivery men is played by future Family Feud game-show host Richard Dawson (Hogan's Heroes). As the scares didn't go as planned the scheming cousins hatch a plot to kill Herman and make it look like an auto wreck during a planned race car event, in which Herman drives the legendary Drag-u-la.
It's a good bit of fiendish-fun, chock full of the sort of sight gags and slapstick humor we saw regularly in the TV series, but shot in widescreen and in dazzling color, which is very cool. I love the fun ghoulish make-up of the family, each frame filled with eye-popping color, particularly that sweet crushed purple velvet outfit worn by young Eddie Munster. If you're a fan of the series I don't think you're gonna be disappointed with this film in anyway, it's got everything you loved about The Munsters TV series plus some fantastic comic performances from a Brit cast including the legendary Terry Thomas.
In England they are greeted by their extended family, Lady Effigy Munster (Hermione Gingold, Bell, Book and Candle) and her gap-toothed son Freddie Munster (Terry Thomas, The Vault of Horror) and his sister Grace (Jeanne Arnold). It turns out that Lady effigy and her clan have little wish for their American relatives to stay at Munster Hall, and ill-advisedly set about trying to scare them out of the house with cheap frights, but the plan backfires when the fright-loving Munsters see their ploy a gesture of welcoming.
The reason the Brit Munsters want them gone is because their doing something illicit down in the creepy basement, something that involves a pair of delivery men arriving and leaving at various times with coffins, notably one of the delivery men is played by future Family Feud game-show host Richard Dawson (Hogan's Heroes). As the scares didn't go as planned the scheming cousins hatch a plot to kill Herman and make it look like an auto wreck during a planned race car event, in which Herman drives the legendary Drag-u-la.
It's a good bit of fiendish-fun, chock full of the sort of sight gags and slapstick humor we saw regularly in the TV series, but shot in widescreen and in dazzling color, which is very cool. I love the fun ghoulish make-up of the family, each frame filled with eye-popping color, particularly that sweet crushed purple velvet outfit worn by young Eddie Munster. If you're a fan of the series I don't think you're gonna be disappointed with this film in anyway, it's got everything you loved about The Munsters TV series plus some fantastic comic performances from a Brit cast including the legendary Terry Thomas.
Audio/Video: Munster, Go Home! (1966) arrives on Blu-ray from Scream Factory in 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. This is not advertised as a new scan of the elements but the Technicolor image looks mighty fine, from a clean source with good grain levels throughout. The colors are quite vivid with the primaries having a nice pop, and skin tones look perfectly unnatural. Black are decent, though a few of the darker scenes seem a bit too dark, losing some detail and texture, but overall I was quite pleased with it.
Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 with optional English subtitles. everything is crisp and clean, dialogue, score and wacky foley effects are well-balanced.
Screenshots from "The Munster's Revenge"
Extras kick-off with a bonus tele-film, The Munsters' Revenge (1981) in HD from a new 2k scan framed in 1.33:1 with Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio with optional English subtitles. It's a fun enough one-shot but not on par with the original series or the theatrical film. Again starring original cast members Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, and Al Lewis, but this time Eddie Munster is played by K.C. Martel (The Amityville Horror), with Marilyn Munster being played by Jo McDonnell (Island Claws). The movie has The Munster clan visiting a wax museum where they encounter wax effigies of themselves, unaware that the figures are all robots created by mad scientist Dr. Dustin Diablo (Sid Caesar, National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation). At night he activates the robots to loot jewelry stores and to wreak havoc on the public, which sets up The Munsters being framed for crime they didn't commit and going on the lam to solve the mystery. A cool extra but not a great film, the actors playing the kids are odd-fitting, but at least seeing the original trio together again is fun stuff.
Other extras include a feature length commentary on Munsters Go Home! (1966) with actor Butch Patrick and rocker/director Rob Zombie, moderated Justin Beam. A solid commentary that touches on the production of the series and films, the poorly rated show, it's syndication and cult status, Zombie's fascination with show and plenty of talk about the Munster vehicles The Munster Coach and Drag-u-la and it's designers at Barris Kustoms.
We also get 18-mins of archival radio interviews from Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis and Debbie Watson. It's all great stuff, lots of talk about the differences between making the series and the film, the make-up and wardrobe of the series.
The disc is buttoned-up with radio spots, trailers and some truly expansive still galleries. The single-disc release comes housed in a standard keepcase with a singe-sided sleeve of artwork featuring the original movie poster artwork, the same artwork is featured on the disc itself.
Special Features:
- Bonus Television Film - The Munsters’ Revenge (1981) – NEW 2K Scan (1.33:1)
- NEW Audio Commentary With Actor Butch Patrick And Musician/Filmmaker Rob Zombie
- Vintage Cast Radio Interviews (18 min)
- Radio Spots
- Theatrical Trailer (3 min)
- Extensive Still Galleries For Both Films – Behind-The-Scenes Photos (12 min), Movie Stills (6 min), And Posters (5 min) HD
More Screenshots from the Blu-ray
