Massive nostalgia no doubt – but fans are torn over how the remake looks
The first full trailer for director Rob Zombie’s upcoming remake of campy 60s TV classic The Munsters has officially dropped – and audiences all seem to be saying the same thing.
Originally airing from 1964 to 1966, any update in the visuals was no doubt going to be an improvement on this family-friendly comedy about a house full of harmless monsters.
That being said, people on social media have been taken aback by the jarring combination of outdated production tropes and the way that modern HD cameras have made this once-black and white show look.
Rob Zombie’s Halloween II is one of the worst things I have ever seen, but at least it looks like a human movie from planet earth. This looks like an alien made a porn parody of The Munsters and the budget was tight. https://t.co/FlaVXiXuPW
— Bafflegabs! (@Bafflegabs) July 13, 2022
Rated PG or not, it looks awful.
— Zoot (@TheReturnOfZ) July 14, 2022
Oh god the wacky retro cuts and effects with modern production pic.twitter.com/Y09splUw4N
— Moondyl (@Dyyyyllllaaaann) July 14, 2022
The movie itself will serve as a prequel to the original US sitcom which revolved around Frankenstein’s monster Herman Munster and his vampire wife Lily. Nestled comfortably in a creepy looking house in the suburbs, this fish-out-of-water premise also featured a grandad Dracula and werewolf son Eddie, alongside a whole host of other familiar horror and fantasy characters.
The description for the trailer itself dubs the project “the greatest love story ever told” and promises to follow the Munsters as they embark on a “hilarious trip from Transylvania to Hollywood.”
Zombie has made a living out of the horror genre – even trying his hand at a remake of genre classic Halloween. He’s even garnered quite the cult following in the process but it would seem this one might be the outlier even for some of his most die-hard fans.
I suppose they thought they were being extremely clever with the overly produced comedic elements and tone, but god this was cringe and bad
— The Direstar (@TheDirestar) July 14, 2022
“Y’know, that trailer for Rob Zombie’s The Munsters wasn’t half bad!”
“You’re right- it was ALL bad!”
“DOOHHHH HO-HO-HO-HOOOOO” pic.twitter.com/2OofzjADPQ— 💀Jack of All Graves💀 (@JackOfAllGraves) July 13, 2022
Whatever your feelings on Rob Zombie as a filmmaker, can we just all agree that #TheMunsters looks like it was made for the SyFy channel by The Asylum for $50? pic.twitter.com/YGl3B1BE61
— Death By DVD (@Deathbydvd) July 13, 2022
The 57-year-old musician and filmmaker’s visual style is often denoted by his distinct camerawork which often includes faster frame rates, techniques like handheld and rack zooms, as well as a general love for the metal-infused horror aesthetic.
With that in mind, this less gritty approach to a beloved soft horror series is somewhat unexpected for the same man who bought us House of 1000 Corpses, The Lords of Salem and 31.
On the other hand, Zombie’s other films like Zombie Horror Picture Show and Werewolf Women of the SS show he’s no stranger to leaning into the over-the-top comedic side of the genre – and if this trailer displays anything, it’s that this film is supposed to be funny in every aspect – including how it’s shot, as many online were quick to point out.
I honestly think it's a nice change for Rob to be honest. I'm rather excited for the Munsters.
— Fluff (@FLUFFBEAR01) July 14, 2022
i didnt know what to expect with rob zombie directing but it looks good.
yeah, its adding exaggeration to the campy comedy factor the original had while paying homage to it, and it looks like maybe theyre adding bits of hotel transylvania, as an origin story.
— wanna_play_vidya?🤓 (@I_Like_Doggos76) July 14, 2022
but then again it doesn’t even look like this movie trying to go for being “scary” anyway just satire
— K/56 ؟ (@Pink1Os) July 14, 2022
This is Zombie’s first film since 2019 when he made 3 From Hell, the third instalment in his Firefly Trilogy which received just 58 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 57.
Regardless of all the reaction, both positive and negative, it’s worth mentioning that Zombie is very much an auteur and has never been one to chase reviews.
https://twitter.com/CorgiHell/status/1547248421844578304?s=20&t=R9AzxoMmVClogFET-6Kx6A
Zombie’s The Munsters is due to release sometime in September 2022, though who knows if this initial reception will do anything to affect the schedule.
You can watch the full trailer down below and decide for yourself:
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