Rob Zombie is an incredibly polarizing filmmaker. You either love his work or despise anything the man has ever put to screen. House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects are the only two films he made that get a pass from most horror fans. But every other Zombie film, especially the Halloween remakes, is very divisive. The man may be a legend when it comes to music, but he’s a symbol of discordance in film.
I am one of those fans who pretty much likes what Rob Zombie has to offer. My Spotify playlist is filled with songs from Rob and his band, White Zombie. His music videos are almost indistinguishable from his Hollywood projects, which may be the source of some of his criticism. The music is definitely not for everyone. It’s raw, gritty and downright vulgar, which can be said for much of the dialogue and action in his movies. But it very much fits his persona.
Just look at the man. He doesn’t fit the mold of a rock star. In fact, I have heard stories of him being barred from entering his own concerts because he looks like a grimy homeless man. And that very much transfers over to everything the man does.
Based on his previous films, many people were very concerned when Zombie was given the green light to bring his version of The Munsters to the big screen. I was too, mainly ’cause I grew up watching the show on some of the local stations here in Tennessee. I adored Herman and Lilly Munster and honestly did not want to see them become hyper-sexualized, extremely foul-mouthed or covered in gore. Rob has a stigma, and even though I liked most of his work, I felt he was not the man for the job.
Man was I wrong!
The Munsters on Netflix is the prequel to the television series. In this tale, Dr. Henry Augustus Wolfgang (Richard Brake) seeks out the parts to build the perfect reanimated man. But after his assistant, Floop (Jorge Garcia), accidentally steals the brain of a comedian and not the brain of the genius, Wolfgang is horrified to find his creation is a giant laughing buffoon, whom Floop names Herman Munster (Jeff Daniel Phillips).
After seeing him on a TV show, Lily Gruesella (Sheri Moon Zombie) becomes infatuated with Herman, much to the chagrin of her father, The Count (Daniel Roebuck). His opposition to their relationship grows to even greater heights when Herman makes a deal with Lily’s brother, Lester (Tomas Boykin), that causes The Count to lose his castle to his ex-wife, Zoya (Catherine Schell).
Can the relationship with his future father-in-law be saved, or will the couple be forever plagued with an angry relative?
As I said, at first glance The Munsters sounds like it will be another Zombie crapshoot. But Rob did an excellent job with the film. There are a few subtle hints of sexuality and some bleeped-out cursing, but other than that, The Munsters is extremely faithful to the source material. There is no blood or violence. The scares are cartoon in style. And the acting is both cheesy and perfect at the same time.
I know a lot of people would hate to admit it, but Rob Zombie did what can only be called a great homage to the show. He captured the style, essence and comedy of the sitcom by Allan Burns and Chris Hayward.
The Munsters gets four out of five stars. Rob Zombie should be commended for his restraint in using director discretion and artistic view to make changes to the property. The cast plays up to their roles to perfection. I really felt like I was watching a modernized version of the ’60s show. The only complaint I have is that it is almost too colorful! But that does not take away from this fantastic piece of cinema.
