Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Judith Malina, Carel Struycken, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Workman, Christopher Hart, John Franklin, Joan Cusack
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Writers: Caroline Thompson, Larry Wilson

With a new animated film coming out, Paramount felt it was as good a time as any to release a Blu-ray double feature of The Addams Family and its sequel Addams Family Values. While the set is a reissue of the original movies, it does provide collectors their first chance at owning the sequel on Blu-ray. But is it worth your hard-earned money? Only one way they find out.

The Movies

The Addams Family

The movie begins by introducing the audience to the cast of characters. We find out quickly that Uncle Fester has been missing for quite some time. Gomez Addams blames himself for the fact that his brother has gone missing as a family squabble was the lead up to his disappearance. While this is the introduction of the movie, the true plot begins as the family lawyer shows up for a meeting. Unbeknownst to Gomez, Tully (the family lawyer) is in deep with a con-artist loan shark.

As it turns out, the con-artist’s son is an exact match for the aforementioned missing Uncle Fester. To try to get out of debt, the lawyer hatches a plan. The con-artist’s son will embed himself into the family posing as Uncle Fester. He will help steal the wealth the Addams family has saved over the years. While the joyous family reunion takes place, over time, both Gomez and Wednesday come to be wary of their long-lost relative.

As someone who grew up watching re-runs of the original show, the character designs and casting were spot on. Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston fill their roles perfectly. Their mannerisms, voice, and characteristics all capture the essence of the original designs. Christina Ricci plays the role of Wednesday Addams as if she was born for the role. It is one that, really, she has become synonymous for. Christopher Lloyd is known for his ability to play quirky characters, and his performance as Fester Addams is no exception.

Addams Family Values

Two years later, this sequel returned most of the cast from the original movie. Following the surprise ending of The Addams Family, Gomez and Morticia are celebrating the birth of their son Pubert. As tends to happen, the two eldest children are not as enthusiastic about the arrival of a baby brother, who seems to be cutting in on their territory. To keep the two older siblings from getting rid of their little brother, Gomez and Morticia decide that it would be best to send the kids off to summer camp.

Meanwhile, the new nanny has caught the eye of Uncle Fester. It seems like Fester has finally found love. Soon enough, it also seems as if Fester’s love may be more in love with his money than him. Oh, and she has a tendency of murdering her husbands.

Things that worked in the first movie work just as well within the sequel. The ability to bring back most of the cast allows for the same chemistry to be seen on screen. In the end, we end up with a true rarity, which is a sequel that is every bit as delightful as the original.

The Extras?

If you collect Blu-rays for all of the extras, then you will be sorely disappointed with this 2-disk collection. Other than the theatrical trailers, no other extras exist. That is not to say that this is not a collection worth owning. Coming in at $16.99, this is a great value for a set of movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

If you want a chance to win a copy of these two films, check out the giveaway for 2-Movie Collection of The Addams Family / Addams Family Values! The giveaway starts on 10/16/2019 and ends on 10/23/2019!