Barry Sonnenfeld directed Addams Family Values, a sequel comedy to the 1991 The Addams Family, which was better received by critics but failed at the box office. (See below).
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Theatrical release poster
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The script, improved by the fact that it was only written by Paul Rudnick, is based on the characters created by Charles Addams.
The film features almost all the main cast members from the original film, including Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Carel Struycken, Jimmy Workman and Christopher Hart. J
Joan Cusack plays Debbie Jellinsky, a serial killer who marries Fester Addams (Lloyd), while planning to murder him for his inheritance.
Meanwhile, the teenagers Wednesday (Ricci) and Pugsley (Workman) are sent to summer camp.
Compared to its predecessor, which retained something of the madcap approach of the 1960s sitcom, Addams Family Values is played more for darker macabre laughs.
Like the first movie, this one is essentially a string of sight gags and one-liners, lacking coherent structure or character definition.
The film was well received by critics, in contrast to the mixed reception of its 1991 predecessor. However, unlike the first movie, it was a box office disappointment, earning $48.9 million on a budget of $47 million.
This was also the final film starring Julia to be released in his lifetime.
Credits:
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
Written by Paul Rudnick, based on Characters by Charles Addams
Produced by Scott Rudin
Cinematography Donald Peterman
Edited by Arthur Schmidt, Jim Miller
Music by Marc Shaiman
Production company: Scott Rudin Productions
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date: November 19, 1993 (US)
Running time: 94 minutes
Budget $47 million
Box office $48.9 million
