Rob Zombie's The Munsters

[zombiehorror]

I would not be shocked if this is the lowest grossing film of the year from a major studio, but given the very negative reaction from pretty much well, everyone, to this trailer, I almost wouldn't be shocked if this ends up dumped on Peacock and skips theaters altogether.

Everything I've read from the moment of this film's announcement wads that it would be a Peacock release, it was never intended as a theatrical release although now I've been reading limited showings in select theaters.

[Haunted hearse]

I hope it is released to theaters. I don't use any streaming services. I would be willing to buy it, should it come out on DVD of Blu-Ray.

[Haunted hearse]

Some movies aren't released. They escape!

Easily the worst trailer for a major studio film in decades if not ever.

I genuinely feel bad for Dan. I know he tried.

Whatever they were going for they missed, by a mile. I know some people here may just have their "It's the Munsters I like it" blinders on and maybe some people were just happy that Herman isn't raping women and skinning them alive or whatever usual Zombie tropes there are, but no one can look at this and think it was good.

It's not a bad take on the Munsters, if I say so myself. It also has nothing to do with having"It's the Munsters I like it" blinders on, when it comes to me. This isn't the worst take I've seen on the Munsters. You had "Mini-Munsters" for that. I also wasn't a big fan of "Revenge of the Munsters"(1980) Fred and Al were good in it, but the writers forgot that the Munsters were not the "Fred Gwynee and Al Lewis" comedy show. In that show, not only was it a lame plot about look alike monsters robbing banks for an Egyptian Pharaoh. Lilly and Eddie didn't have much to do in this failed pilot. At least in "Munsters Today", Eddie was given characted development and growth. So what will this film be about? It's about Lilly and Herman meeting and falling in love, and it looks like their moving to Mockingbird Heights. So it will be a story about the Munsters, and not a movie about a situation they get involved with it. They also are clearly the Munsters. With "Mockingbird Lane", they decided to ditch the famous Frankenstein Monster look created by jack Pierce, and Eddie Izzard played Grandpa as psychotic force of evil. It was well made, and well written, but it just wasn't the Munsters to me. At least Rob Zombie seems to have a a love of the original series. When it came to Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" or Paul Fieg's "Ghostbusters" (2016), it was clear that those two films were made by people who had no love of the original properties they were based on.
   So, will Rob Zombie's film be popular or not? If it is, it will introduce new people like to the Munsters. If it isn't, well it will join other versions of the Munsters like Mockingbird Lane. Perhaps in another couple of decades, someone else will give us a new look at the Munsters. This is Rob Zombie's chance, and well see how well he does.

[aura of foreboding]

Here's one guy saying what I said about the black and white...  It's just such an easy fix.

https://youtu.be/x8wLmLPxZV0

[aura of foreboding]

And here's a version of the trailer in b/w and also fixes some of the jokes that didn't quite work...

https://youtu.be/eTyLDaXCXrY

[Mike Scott]

Maybe they could do a b/w version as an extra on the Blu-ray?

[judd]

Watching it again I see serious detail in the sets, make up and costumes.  To my eyes it doesn't appear to be a cheap looking production.  The lighting is textured and not flat like typical kids shows/movies.  The colors pop.
I think it has an energy lacking in the other Munster's sequels/spinoffs.
Some of my non fan coworkers thought it was cute.
I understand not everybody will be pleased with this project but I'll go in with an open mind and try to enjoy the show.
Question: What time period do you think this story takes place in?

[ODBJBG]

I think the reworked trailer looks better but simply putting it in black & white doesn't fix the issues that most people have with the trailer though, namely, the shoddy audio, cinematography and bad acting.

Reducing the garish colors helps in the sense that a lot doesn't look as cheap and the obvious green screen shots are slightly less obvious, but still, that stuff shouldn't be in a $40 million dollar movie to begin with.

I'll be curious if Universal doesn't do some tweaking based on the negative reception of the trailer... But again if you have to go in and fix the trailer, then you know, something's wrong.

[aura of foreboding]

IMO, black and white totally fixes the cinematography in a lot of the shots.  The issue, I believe, people had with the cinematography was the depth of the shots.  Like, I had a significant issue with that in color.  Now, I don't.  Not every single shot is fixed by this, but a lot are.  As for those Herman medium close up shots...  I don't know how they play into the film, so I can't speak to those...  Problematic alone?  Yes.  And the Mockingbird Lane scene...  Again, that probably just needs to be cut. 

Audio can easily be fixed in post.  Like, it's not unsalvageable at all.  And depending on your speaker quality, you may not have even noticed an issue, so it's fixable.  I haven't read more than a few comments (and I've read a lot of opinions on this) about the acting.  Everyone loves Dan. 

I think releasing this in black and white would be to the benefit of the film and Universal.   

[Haunted hearse]

I think the reworked trailer looks better but simply putting it in black & white doesn't fix the issues that most people have with the trailer though, namely, the shoddy audio, cinematography and bad acting.

To be honest, a lot of the negative reactions that people have to Rob Zombie's Munster movie, remind me of my reaction the first time I saw "Munsters Today".(1987-1991) It only took me one episode, to not want to watch the show. I guess 30 years can make a difference, because last year, I found a DVD set  on Ebay, and decided to give it a second look. I actually found myself enjoying it. It did lack the cinematic quality of the original TV series, and I don't think anyone will be as good as Fred Gwynee, Al Lewis, or Yvonne DeCarlo were playing Herman, Grandpa, or Lilly. However, for a sitcom about a family of monsters living in a spooky house, I did find myself enjoying it. You don't have to argue with me that it wasn't as good as the original, but for an 80s shot on video sitcom, I did enjoy it.  I actually like that Herman will go back to the Jack Pierce style of Frankenstein Monster with Herman, and that Grandpa will not be a psychotic and truly evil villain, which was the case of Mockingbird Lane. It was a well acted and well written show with great production values, but it just wasn't the Munsters to me. Unlike "Munsters Revenge", it will be about Herman, Lilly, and Grandpa; not just focusing on Grandpa and Herman on the run in a wacky crime comedy, with Lilly pushed to the background., so we could focus on the blossoming love affair with Marilyn and a detective. I'm not sure how good the Munster Movie will actually be, but I am seeing things I really like, and so I'm looking forward to it. If I like it at least as much as "Munsters Today", I know I'll enjoy it.

[John Pertwee]

Let me start by saying Dan, you nailed it. You created your own version of the character that is also close enough to the original portrayal to not be jarring to watch. As for Herman and Lily, I just don't get it. They sound like they are putting on a goofy voice instead of embodying a character. I know that this could just be the scenes used in the trailer and they could settle into a normal cadence and rhythm at some point, but it seems like they chose to sound funny to try to be funny.
I really want to enjoy this, and see 3 or 4 more films made. I will watch it as soon as it is available, that's for sure.

[ODBJBG]

Audio can easily be fixed in post. 

Agreed and it should be. But the reality is, it should have been fixed for the trailer. Again... There are audio pops in the voiceover. That's total amateur hour.

Why the rest of the audio mix is so bad, is also puzzling. Again, that goes to the whole larger point, this trailer was dreadful. Even if the film is fantastic. Whoever put this together should be fired.

Because either the film is just THAT BAD and this was the best they could do with what they were supplied, or the person putting it together was COMPLETELY incompetent.

I haven't read more than a few comments (and I've read a lot of opinions on this) about the acting. 

The acting was one of the chief complaints. Not sure where you've looked, but I've seen honestly probably hundreds of comments about it. Because to the layman that's the stuff that stands out even moreso than the bad cinematography, sound, etc. Again, most people like Dan, but Sherri does not come off well in this trailer and she's front and center. Herman isn't featured as much, but he's not doing a lot either and everything else is just passing moments so it's hard to really judge so people mostly grade on what they see the most of and that's Sherri.

To be honest, a lot of the negative reactions that people have to Rob Zombie's Munster movie, remind me of my reaction the first time I saw "Munsters Today".(1987-1991) It only took me one episode, to not want to watch the show. I guess 30 years can make a difference, because last year, I found a DVD set on Ebay, and decided to give it a second look. I actually found myself enjoying it.

I quite liked Munsters Today, but I know a lot of people didn't. Most even diehard Munster fans will dismiss it even today, despite it's great lengths to stay true to the original vision, same humor style, etc. It's not perfect, but it's a fine successor to the original given the constraints.

TBH though, I don't think that's the case here. It's not like it's just diehard Monster fans dismissing this. It was pretty much everyone who dismissed this based on the trailer, whether they were familiar with the property or only had a passing knowledge.


Anyway, I hope it turns out well. A lot of the promo shots looked good, I know a lot of the folks involved are big fans and wanted to do something good... But this trailer was bad, like, really bad. The intentions may be good, but the road to hell is paved with them and all that.

I guess we'll see in September!

[aura of foreboding]

Agreed and it should be. But the reality is, it should have been fixed for the trailer.

I have some thoughts on this.  They just wrapped filming like a few weeks back, and they are pushing out the film in two months...  I heard somewhere on YouTube it was a 10 month shoot...  That was really shocking to hear.  And now everything seems to be rushed to meet that September deadline.  Two months for post is kind of scary...  So everything is being rushed...  And, unless Zombie is going to try to use this negative publicity to negotiate big changes with the studio (a la the black and white thing... or maybe more time?), I am not sure what is going on.  Is it Universal demanding marketing start now?  Is it Universal pushing this as a September release?  Did Zombie just go way over on production time and we're facing the consequences of this now?  Is Zombie trying to push stuff out right now that doesn't look great to negotiate with Universal, and it's early enough that he has time to make the changes he wants?  If you think about how the teaser was done in black and white, and people didn't have a problem with it...  But then the trailer was in color, and people were like "NOOOOOOOO!"  It kinda makes you think there's a strategy here on Zombie's part.  But this final idea is all just wishful thinking on my part.  But it's good to have hope, I suppose.

Quite honestly, there is a problem with the trailers that is really significant.  I have not been able to figure out the titling on everything but the logo...  Like it's been so bad in both trailers.  "Now in Living Color..."  "Greatest Love Story Ever Told..."  The fonts, the styling, the animation...  is soooooooooo incredibly awful.  Like, it is just horrible.  And so maybe all these issues are just with the people editing the trailers.  Maybe the film is gonna be great.  But the trailers aren't?  That's another hope... 

The acting was one of the chief complaints. Not sure where you've looked, but I've seen honestly probably hundreds of comments about it. Because to the layman that's the stuff that stands out even moreso than the bad cinematography, sound, etc. Again, most people like Dan, but Sherri does not come off well in this trailer and she's front and center. Herman isn't featured as much, but he's not doing a lot either and everything else is just passing moments so it's hard to really judge so people mostly grade on what they see the most of and that's Sherri.

As I have watched more trailer reviews and read more comments, I am seeing more comments on the acting. 

One thing brought up in one review was the fact that the family dynamic is gone from this, which makes it a lot more Addams than Munsters...  This is more like a Gomez and Morticia story than a Munsters story, which really focused primarily on Herman and Grandpa and the family as a whole.  I know the folks concerned about Sherri can't hope for much here in terms of focusing less on Lily, because Sherri is Rob's wife, but it would be cool if they could get a story that focused more on Herman and Grandpa's relationship rather than Lily and Herman's.  Like, I think a Munsters' Revenge approach would be perfect here for the commenters who don't like Sherri.   

I am not going to judge any actor's performance based on a trailer, but I hope they have enough takes and enough footage to select the very best delivery and mannerisms.  My concern is that, because Sherri is married to the director, that we're not going to get the same push for "perfection" on set as we might without that relationship.  But I don't know anything about that.  Never met them or been on a set with them, so I can't speak to the professionalism.  But it's an arrangement that complicates a final product, but it's not impossible to pull off.  I am hoping for the best.  Yvonne De Carlo had an interesting way of acting.  Like it was unique.  But when I think of Lily Munster, I think of an almost curt matter-of-fact delivery, and Sherri is the opposite of that in this trailer.  Again, this is her interpretation of the character, but -- just like Fred Gwynne's voice and laugh -- you're gonna get obvious comparisons from viewers.  And so I hope the rest of the scenes will play a little differently. 

     

[aura of foreboding]

And it's straight to Netflix!  Wow.  What a rollercoaster.

[zombiehorror]

And it's straight to Netflix!  Wow.  What a rollercoaster.

Everything I read always stated this was always intended as a streaming release. It was assumed on Peacock since Universal is the parent company but looks like Netflix coughed up the dough to bring it to their service.