A kinder, gentler Addams Family?

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 1:46am

Is it just me, or has this adaptation of The Addams Family amped up the sexual aspects of the family and tuned down all the malevolence and sinister nature that has persisted from the earliest comics on.

The comic Fester lured the innocent to their deaths as a fun pastime by beckoning pedestrians into the path of oncoming cars, in one memorable gag. Now, he's an endearing goofball in love with the moon. Morticia was once a sinister, witchlike woman- though not necessarily canon, the film series establishes Morticia in no uncertain terms as a devil-worshipper and disciple of Satan. Now she's a wife afraid of becoming a frump (ironically, her maiden name).

What do you think? Is this sudden cuddliness still in tune with the Addams Family, or have they been softened down too much to pack a punch?

[aaaaamy]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:23am

Updated On: 5/2/12 at 11:23 AM

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:25am

There were a lot of time I found myself thinking "Hm, that seems out of context for me.", but I think it will still work. I can see the show in it's present state have a nice little run on Broadway but probably nothing more than two years really.

[RainbowJude]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:54pm

aaaaamy: Also, I think a lot of it has to do with Wednesday asking them to be normal for the night.

So when we get down to it, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is basically YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU with a little bit of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER? thrown in for fun. Hmmmm....

Updated On: 11/30/09 at 10:54 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 8:42am

Exactly. I know movies-into-musicals are frowned on here, but if they were going to do The Addams Family, it kind of disappoints me they didn't just adapt the first movie, which had the feel of a great screwball musical, and already had one big showstopping number in it.

[trombonist]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 9:02am

They made it very clear from the start that this was NOt a musicalization of the movies. I don't see why people are so surprised it isn't.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 10:37am

Well, I, for one, am still excited to see this show. I tend to go into new shows with no expectations and we've all been warned that this production isn't a musical version of either one of the films. It sounds like the core of what makes the Addams family so loved is still set in stone...their sinister quirkiness and what not...

How extravagant are the sets?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 12:47pm

"They made it very clear from the start that this was NOt a musicalization of the movies. I don't see why people are so surprised it isn't."

I don't think it's so much surprise that it isn't an adaptation of the movie, but having now seen it it seems people are wishing that it was. I'll hold off my own opinions until I see it, but I do agree with darquegk that the plot of the movie did seem ready to become a musical (and yes, I would love to see the Mamushka as a full blown production number).