Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Munster, Go Home! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 19, 2020

In 1966, the powers that be were ready to say goodbye to “The Munsters” on television, with the popular series coming to a close after 70 episodes. Needing a big splash to help send the series off to syndication, a feature was ordered up, put right into production to capitalize on the show’s dissipating position in pop culture, and there was hope that such a leap from the small screen to movie theaters might trigger a second wind for the brand name, leading to various sequels for the residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. “Munster, Go Home!” is the strange title for the initial cinematic endeavor, but the production itself remains faithful to the blend of broad antics and sly comedy that made “The Munsters” such a hit, only here the scope of such mischief is widened for a potentially fresh audience. And there’s the addition of color, giving fans a chance to see the clan go about their wacky business in bright, deep hues, creating an ideal hook for the faithful, presenting The Munsters with their intended green skin and Technicolor shenanigans.

Learning of the death of a distant relative, Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) inherits an English manor and achieves the title of “Lord,” thrilling the working stiff. Traveling to rural England with wife Lily (Yvonne De Carlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), son Eddie (Butch Patrick), and niece Marilyn (Debbie Watson, replacing series star Pat Priest), Herman is ready for the good life in his new home, but cousins Freddie (Terry-Thomas) and Grace (Jeanne Arnold) aren’t ready to surrender the property, launching a campaign to push The Munsters out of the country, using underhanded ways to do so, joined by Lady Effigie (Hermione Gingold).

Getting The Munsters out of California is the top priority for “Munster, Go Home!” While the opening of the feature spends time at the iconic family residence, the action quickly shifts to a ship bound for England, permitting the characters to explore something of a new space, giving the screenwriters a chance to find fresh ways to pit the monsters against the humans, often without them even knowing it. Grandpa accidentally turns himself into a wolf and Herman has to deal with illness, but the real push for “Munster, Go Home!” is Marilyn, who’s offered a romantic quest in suitor Roger (Robert Pine), finding her love life turned into a major focal point for the picture, with producers clearly trying to court a teen audience with such a subplot. Thankfully, Marilyn doesn’t dominate the endeavor, leaving plenty of room for Herman’s saga of Lordship, unaware that his cousins want to kill him, protecting the secrets of the manor with all sorts of tomfoolery.

Munster, Go Home! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Munster, Go Home!" arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. It's not a fresh scan of the feature, but the palette is certainly powerful, with the production cranking up the hues to make the color experience of the picture memorable, creating a striking difference from the B&W television show. Primaries are distinct, with deep reds common, while the green makeup on the cast secures the monster mood, showcasing the strangeness of the Munsters as they mingle with humans and their natural skintones. Detail is soft but passable, with the innate particulars of the Munsters coming through with reasonable clarity, including borders on makeup application, especially on Butch Patrick. Sets are reasonably dimensional, along with outdoor encounters. Delineation struggles with solidification at times, losing information with dense outfits and evening activities. Grain is chunky. Source is in decent condition. (the last ten screencaps are for the bonus feature, "Munsters' Revenge").

Munster, Go Home! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA provides a straightforward listening experience, dealing with dialogue exchanges, which come through with clarity, securing comedic performances though conversations and broad slapstick. Scoring selections are also clear, offering decent instrumentation and support, often taking over the movie when the production tries out a few silent comedy-style shenanigans. Sound effects are direct, preserving the cartoon atmosphere of the effort.

Munster, Go Home! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features actor Butch Patrick and "Munsters" fan Rob Zombie, joined by moderator Justin Beam. While the pairing of these two men seems a little odd at first, the track settles into a comfort zone right away, with Patrick leading the conversation, well- rehearsed when it comes to sharing "Munsters" tales. Topics include the creation of "Munster, Go Home!" for syndication sales purposes, the change in actresses portraying Marilyn, work day memories, co-star behavior, and the finer points of the DRAG-U-LA car. Zombie and Patrick share an affinity for Universal horror and television shows from the 1960s, working through Patrick's career memories (including his time on "Lidsville") and his time roaming around the Universal Studios backlot. While the nuts and bolts of "Munster, Go Home!" aren't covered in the conversation, there's a lot of fun to be had here, finding the gang delighted to have a chance to talk "Munsters" and its enduring legacy, with Patrick still out there promoting the brand.

• "Munsters' Revenge" (96:14, HD) is a 1981 television endeavor starring Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, Yvonne De Carlo, K.C. Martel (as Eddie) and Jo McDonnell (as Marilyn). Sid Caesar also appears. The AVC encoded presentation is sourced from a new 2K scan of the movie, and features a 2.0 Dolby Digital sound mix.

• Cast Radio Interviews (17:59) presents some in-house promotion, with Universal providing actor conversations for nationwide use. Fred Gwynne discusses his time in the makeup chair, the differences between "Munster, Go Home!" and "The Munsters," being recognized in public with Al Lewis, and the movie's story. Yvonne De Carlo shares details from her special monster-themed car and makeup disappointments (wishing she could remove the gray streak from her wig). Al Lewis covers character interpretation, the cinematic demands of performance and makeup, and celebrates the hiring of co-stars Terry-Thomas and Hermione Gingold. And Debbie Watson is included to provide leadership for the wayward teens of America, and offers feelings concerning her first screen kiss with co-star Robert Pine.

• Radio Spots (2:26) include four commercials for "Munster, Go Home!"

• Image Gallery #1 (11:53) collects publicity snaps and film stills.

• Image Gallery #2 (3:49) collects publicity snaps, BTS photos, promotion tour pictures, and wardrobe tests.

• Image Gallery #3 (5:08) collects poster art, film stills, and lobby cards.

• "Munsters' Revenge" Image Gallery (6:27) collects publicity snaps, film stills, a VHS sales ad, and BTS pictures.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:49, HD) is included.

Munster, Go Home! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The joys of "Munster, Go Home!" remains with the primary cast, as there's nothing more entertaining than watching Lewis horse around as Grandpa and Gwynne give himself over to the role of Herman, finding a terrific scene partner in De Carlo. Gwynne embraces the big screen blow-up of "The Munsters," working his close-ups with welcome facial elasticity and full-body commitment. While the feature gets a little lost trying to recycle small screen zaniness, it does end with gusto, ordering up a car race that has Herman in the DRAG-U-LA narrowly avoiding death while the rest of his family fights to protect him. "Munster, Go Home!" is a cheapie production with a clear financial goal driving its creation, but that doesn't stop the production from offering a snappy sense of humor (with a few risqué jokes), and wisely spotlighting the show's greatest achievement: its gifted cast. Just letting the actors play with roles they know inside and out is enough to support the cinematic leap for "The Munsters."