Long before Netflix reignited the popularity of ‘The Addams Family’ with the recent ‘Wandinha’, the funny (and morbid) characters made it big in audiovisuals. Having its origins in comics, in the 1930s, the family was first brought to TV in 1964, in a series that has become a classic. But for many people, one of their favorite adaptations are the ’90s movies that introduced the Addams to a new generation. Below, recall the productions and find out more about the cast.
A (a) typical American family
By the time it hit theaters in 1991, The Addams Family had already amassed a successful track record. Cartoons by Charles Addams (1912-1988), published from 1938 onwards in the magazine New Yorkerit had been transposed on TV in two series and the arrival in the cinemas increased the popularity of the characters.
Recently, Charles Addams’ original comics, most of them unpublished in Brazil, have been collected in the book The Addams Family: Family Album (Darkside Books, 256 pages, $99). Just like in the comics, the movie “The Addams Family” was a satire of the idealized traditional North American family, but with some peculiarities, shall we say. Despite being aristocrats, they don’t fit standards and have a rather morbid demeanor.
The director of the film and its sequel, “The Addams Family 2” (1993) is Barry Sonnenfeld, who would become known for commanding the “Men in Black” franchise years later.
In the first feature we meet the seemingly dysfunctional, yet extremely loving Addams family, led by patriarch Gomez and his wife Mortícia, as well as their two children: Wandinha and Feioso. The plot follows Uncle Chico’s return to the family, decades after a disagreement with his brother Gomez. What the Addamses don’t know, however, is that the alleged Uncle Chico is actually a forger who is plotting to steal the family’s wealth.
The first film adaptation had a sequel released two years later, with the same cast, whose main names you can see below.
Raúl Julia (Gomez Addams)
The Puerto Rican actor played Gomez Addams in what was arguably his most famous role. After participating in “The Addams Family”, he played the Brazilian rubber player Chico Mendes in the film “Amazônia em chamas” (1994). During the recordings, he suffered severe food poisoning which required stomach surgery, from which he has never recovered. His last big job was playing Mr. Bison in the infamous film adaptation of ‘Street Fighter’ (1994), in which he appears somewhat despondent due to ill health. He died in 1994, aged 54.
Anjelica Huston (Morticia Addams)
In one of the most celebrated roles of her career, Anjelica Huston brought Morticia to life, being a fan of the character herself. The actress also revealed that she, in childhood, she pretended to be the glamorous and brooding figure of hers, who, after all, was the head of the household. Huston continues to act, even as a voice actress, having participated in productions such as “BoJack Horseman” and “American Dad!”. One of her most recent work of her in front of the camera was in “John Wick 3: Parabellum”.
Christopher Lloyd (Uncle Chico)
The Eternal Doc Brown from ‘Back to the Future’ also gave one of the best performances of Uncle Chico. Despite the character’s dark circles and baldness, it is inevitable to recognize the expressive actor, still active today, who mainly participates in television productions. One of his last cinematic experiences was in “Anonymous” (2021), an entertaining action thriller in which he shares the screen with another actor also famous for comedies: Bob Odenkirk.
Cristina Ricci (Wandinha)
We can say that Christina Ricci walked so that Jenna Ortega could run today in “Wandinha”. Aged 11 at the time of the taping, Ricci was a younger Wandinha than her current TV version, but equally dark and oddly endearing. Besides playing Marilyn Thornhil in the Netflix series, the actress was recently in ‘Matrix Resurrections’ (2021).
Jimmy Workman (ugly)
An example of a child actor who ended up almost exclusively associated with one role, Jimmy Workman ended up having no glittering career other than Feioso, Wandinha’s brother and fellow troublemaker. However, he continues in the audiovisual sector, as a production technician for television.
Carel Struycken (Tripping)
Before being Tropeço’s notable butler, Carel Struycken was already famous for playing another peculiar chap. After all, the 2.13m actor made his name on TV playing the Giant in ‘Twin Peaks’. He also participated in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as Mr. Homn. In 2017, he starred in the revival of ‘Twin Peaks’ and most recently was in theaters in ‘Doctor Sleep’ (2019).
More Addams in theaters
In addition to the two famous films, there is a third live action version for theaters, much less known: “The Return of the Addams Family” (1998). Starring Daryl Hannah (Mortícia) and Tim Curry (Gomez), the reboot failed. More interesting are the recent animations released in 2019 and 2021 by Universal Pictures.
The post Beyond “Wandinha”: Remember ’90s ‘The Addams Family’ Movies and Cast first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
