The Addams Family: Volume Two

I have reviewed a fair number of DVD sets that collect TV series, and have tried to focus on the original content while disregarding the larger aspects of the DVD package. After all, the majority of fans buy these packages for the original episodes, and DVD bonus items are usually inconsequential gravy. I even discussed this same matter in my review for Addams Family Volume 1. But alas, for Volume 2, I am compelled to break my own rules and dock the DVD package one star for reasons that have nothing to do with the greatness of the original episodes. MGM must be criticized for stretching the two original seasons into three DVD releases, regardless of their PR about making each set more affordable. What really creates the expense is the addition of modern bonus material, and here, that material is so thin and weak that it reveals, harshly, MGM's real motives for putting the Addams Family show on DVD. The key bonus item is a brief and poorly-produced documentary on a squishy subject - the influence of the show on pop culture - with most of the commentary coming from C-list cronies and hangers-on who crowd out the under-utilized John Astin. The other bonus items here are even less useful, including unfunny "commentary" on a few episodes by stand-ins for Thing and Cousin Itt, and a feature called "Tombstone Trivia" on a couple of episodes, which is merely pop-up tidbits that appear on the screen an average of once every several minutes.So beware that your love of the classic Addams Family show is being manipulated by modern cheaply-created corporate filler. As for the show itself, hopefully it will still be easy for you to love the episodes that are presented here. Rest assured that these episodes still brutally satirize the typical middle-American sitcom family and subversively reveal much deeper family values. These episodes also feature many crucial character developments. Important advancements include "Morticia Meets Royalty" in which Thing falls in love, and "Lurch the Teenage Idol" in which our faithful butler accidentally becomes a rock star. The highlight of this package is surely the two-part "Morticia's Romance," in which the sexy Carolyn Jones manages to be fetching in three different ways - as the present Morticia, the younger Morticia, and her sister Ophelia. That episode also features Margaret (Wicked Witch of the West) Hamilton as Morticia's mother. As noted above, I have broken my own rule about ignoring modern DVD packaging practices while assessing only the original content. But here, try not to let your love for the episodes be damaged by the weaknesses of the package. [~doomsdayer520~]

Picking up where Volume One left off, The Addams Family - Volume Two ends the show's first season with the remaining 12 Season One episodes, and starts the second season with the first 9 Season Two episodes. The 2nd of 3 cost-friendly volumes, The Addams Family - Volume Two is a 3-disc (546 min.) set which features Full Frame (1.33:1) video; English, French (on select episodes) and Spanish mono audio; English and Spanish subtitles. Here are how the discs will be configured, plus a list of extras:Disc 1 Side A:1. Thing is Missing2. Crisis in the Addams Family3. Lurch and His Harpsichord4. Morticia, the BreadwinnerDisc 1 Side B:5. The Addams Family and the Spaceman6. My Son, the Chimp7. Morticia's Favorite Charity8. Progress and the Addams FamilyDisc 2 Side A:9. Uncle Fester's Toupee10. Cousin Itt and the Vocational Counselor11. Lurch, the Teenage Idol12. The Winning of Morticia AddamsDisc 2 Side B:13. My Fair Cousin Itt14. Morticia's Romance, Part 115. Morticia's Romance, Part 216. Morticia Meets RoyaltyDisc 3 Side A:17. Gomez, the People's Choice18. Cousin Itt's Problem19. Halloween, Addams Style20. Morticia, the WriterDisc 3 Side B:21. Morticia, the SculptressSpecial Features:* Commentary: On select scenes by Thing and Cousin Itt* Commentary: On "Morticia Meets Royalty" by Steven Cox, author of "The Addams Chronicles"* Featurette: "Mad About The Addams"* Tombstone Trivia: On "Morticia's Romance" (Part I)* Bonus: Guest Star Seance with Parley Baer, Milton Frome, Vito Scotti, Elizabeth Frazer, Richard Deacon, Sig Ruman, Margaret Hamilton, Elvia Allman, Eddie Quillan and Peter BonerzThe Addams Family - Volume TwoMarch 27th!Two Snaps Up!

The Addams family hijinks is back in all of its crazy glory. I still watch these with my own son who thinks this is the craziest family that he has every seen. The parents that tango, the giagantic butler, kids that blow stuff up and a uncle that is a human light bulb, what more could you want? As crazy as the characters are they display more healthy family dynamics than most modern day families. Considering that these were make when most TV parents were not affectionate, Mortica and Gomez come off as down right sexual, but within boundaries because the kids are watching you know! If your looking for more headless roses and crazy visits from "normal people" than watch some of these episodes. Great to watch if your sick or snowed in, too!

sice i am a big addamsfan i have longed for this release of the old tv-series. we have had them on the telly back in early 1980 in sweden as a replay but i could not get hold of them ,so i am very pleased with my purchase.the original episodes were broadcast in sweden when i was just five or six years old but i still remember that i was fashionated of them,even thoug i was not allowed to watch it.today i am 43 years old and i get setteled in the couch with a good glas of red wine and i watch two or three episodes in a row.i especially like the comments from the actors and the special features given to me from the dvd.i can really recomend this dvd .carina

Even with the movies, you can not beat the originals. The 1965 season collection came along just in time to show how creepy and kooky they are.

Wonderful condition thank you .now I have a complete set!

SUPER

This is the second box-set of DVDs containing the original "Addams Family" series made in the 1960's, featuring John Astin ("Return of the Killer Tomatoes") as Gomez and Carolyn Jones ("Invasion of the Body Snatchers") as Morticia.Having seen the episodes featured on the first box-set, I was keen to see more, having warmed to the original series quickly and taken a liking to the clever blend of thrills and humour that made it just right. Thankfully, this second helping provides just that, too. Another good point was that Pugsley and Wednesday were given much more screen-time in these episodes - the first few featured in Volume One confined them to one or two lines each and both appeared in only a few episodes. Cousin Itt, who appeared only once in the first box-set, is also making his mark, and Lurch's character is expanded upon to the point where one wonders why he never had his own series.The only bad point I could find - and believe me, I was not looking for one when I watched these DVDs - is that the writers were beginning to focus more on issues in real life than humour. The one episode I am particularly thinking of is "Morticia Meets Royalty", found on the second disc in this set. Unlike the other episodes on the disc, which were indeed very funny, this episode contains virtually no humour and follows the worn-out concept of a spoilt member of a foreign royal family acting incredibly bossy around others. If there were any jokes in that episode, I failed to spot them.But don't let this one episode spoil it, because creative drainage aside, this box-set is a wonderful compliment to the first selection of "Addams Family" episodes, and will bring much entertainment to those who like their TV shows to be creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky.

Diese Serie lief 1964-66 im US-Fernsehen und aus welchen Gründen auch immer habe ich in den 70ger Jahren nur ein paar Folgen beim NDR gesehen. Erst durch eine Wiederholung einer der Spielfilme habe ich mich wieder an diese Serie erinnert und sie nun komplett auf DVD gekauft. Der morbide Humor war nicht jedermanns Sache und so wurde diese Serie vom Publikum eher verhalten aufgenommen. Nach 64 Episoden war Schluss. Vielleicht lag es auch daran, dass sie in schwarz-weiß produziert wurden. Die Bildqualität der DVDs ist gut, digital nachgearbeitet wurde nichts. Ein paar Szenen, die rausgeschnitten wurden, sind nun wieder eingefügt. Im Original, daher nicht synchronisiert aber mit Untertiteln. Auffallend ist auch, dass die Darsteller relativ alt aussehen. Dabei waren die beiden Hauptdarsteller gerade mal Anfang 30 und "Onkel Fester"-Darsteller Jacki Coogan war erst 50. Er gilt als einer der ersten Kinderstars des Films und wurde an der Seite von Charlie Chaplin im Film "The Kid" weltberühmt.

This collection is on a 3 dvd set, double sided, which is unpleasant, but price is good.Also volume 1, of this collection, does not contain the French track. Volume 2 and 3 does have the French track.

Disks were not secured in the case properly