Munster, Go Home, the 1966 colour spin-off movie from the original black-and-white ’60s TV series is being released on Blu-ray in the UK by Fabulous Films on 25th July 2022. The disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
Here’s our previous coverage of the film from June 2012:
Munster, Go Home! is a 1966 American comedy film based on the hit 1960s family television sitcom The Munsters. The Universal production was directed by Earl Bellamy, who also helmed a number of episodes in the series, from a screenplay by George Tibbles, Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher.
The movie reunited the original cast, except for Marilyn, who was played by Debbie Watson, plus Terry-Thomas (The Abominable Doctor Phibes; The Vault of Horror), Hermoine Gingold and John Carradine.
This film offered audiences an opportunity to see the Munsters in Technicolor rather than the black-and-white format of the television series but was not a commercial success.
Capsule review:
With the addition of the always watchable Terry-Thomas and John Carradine as a decrepit butler, a few amusing in-jokes (like Herman referencing Fred Gwynne’s earlier TV hit Car 54 Where Are You?) and a light touch that doesn’t try to expand the basic TV concept too much, Munster, Go Home! is pretty good fun and a nice coda to the TV series.
David Flint, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
” … while the film is fun and certainly enjoyable, it isn’t actually that good, in the traditional sense of the word. The flimsy plot and reliance on fish-out-of-water scenarios don’t hold up well over 96 minutes despite the best attempts of the cast to keep the spirit of the TV show going…” Flickering Myth
“Like the original TV series, the movie relies on a hammy mix of sight gags and puns for most of its humor but there’s a lot of very good-natured entertainment to be had here. Surprisingly enough, it doesn’t get old over the ninety-six-minute running time thanks to a decent script that keeps the story moving along nicely, even if almost all of the jokes are of the ‘fish out of water’ variety.” Rock! Shock! Pop!
“Though it’s a novelty to see the family in colour for the first time, we can’t help wondering if the original monochrome serves the characters better as a reminder of the old black and white films that inspired them.” Starburst
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
“The comedic music and corny sound effects that try to punctuate the humor during the so-called funny parts don’t help at all and only underscore the desperation of some of the gags. The cast is certainly game (and Debbie Watson fares just fine as the new Marilyn), but the material is just too thin to really click. It’s fun to see guys like John Carradine, Terry-Thomas, and Richard Dawson turning up in supporting roles…” The Video Vacuum
Choice dialogue:
Herman Munster: “Call the police. Call the FBI. Get Scotland Yard. Phone Batman. Car 54, where are you?”
Cast and characters:
Fred Gwynne … Herman Munster
Yvonne De Carlo … Lily Munster
Al Lewis … Grandpa
Butch Patrick … Eddie Munster
Debbie Watson … Marilyn Munster
Terry-Thomas … Freddie Munster
Hermione Gingold … Lady Effigie Munster
Robert Pine … Roger Moresby
John Carradine … Cruikshank
Bernard Fox … Squire Lester Moresby
Richard Dawson … Joey
Jeanne Arnold … Grace Munster
Maria Lennard … Millie Cruikshank
Cliff Norton … Herbert
Diana Chesney … Mrs Moresby
Arthur Malet … Alfie
Ben Wright … Hennesy
Filming locations:
Paramount Ranch – 2813 Cornell Road, Agoura, California (old racetrack on the site)
Backlot, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California (main titles, showing the Psycho house on Universal backlot)
Filming dates:
March 21, 1966
Technical details:
1 hour 36 minutes
Aspect ratio
1.85: 1
Trailer:
