Munster, Go Home!

Munster, Go Home!
Directed by Earl Bellamy
Produced by Joe Connelly
Bob Mosher
Written by Joe Connelly
Bob Mosher
George Tibbles
Earl Bellamy
Starring Fred Gwynne
Yvonne De Carlo
Al Lewis
Butch Patrick
Debbie Watson
Robert Pine
Terry-Thomas
Hermione Gingold
Jeanne Arnold
John Carradine
Music by Jack Marshall
Distributed by Universal Studios
Release dates
  • June 15, 1966
Running time
 96 mins
Country United States
Language English

Munster, Go Home! is a 1966 American film based on the hit 1960s family television sitcom The Munsters. It was directed by Earl Bellamy, who also directed a number of episodes in the series. The film reunited the original cast, except for Marilyn, who was played by Debbie Watson.

This film offered audiences an opportunity to see the Munsters in Technicolor rather than the black-and-white format of the television series, but was not a commercial success upon its original theatrical release. The film also features the DRAG-U-LA custom dragster designed by George Barris.

Although most of the film is set in "Shroudshire, England" the automobile racing scenes were shot at the Universal Studios Ranch in Agoura, California.

Plot

Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) and his wife, Lily (Yvonne De Carlo) learn from Cavanaugh Munster's will that they have inherited an English manor known as Munster Hall in Shroudshire, England, and that Herman has inherited the designation Lord Munster. The family boards the SS United States to England. Herman gets seasick, Marilyn (Debbie Watson) encounters Roger Moresby (Robert Pine), and Grandpa (Al Lewis) gets turned into a wolf upon accidentally consuming a wolf pill. Grandpa is sneaked through customs.

Cousin Grace (Jeanne Arnold) and Freddie (Terry-Thomas) are furious that the American Munsters are getting the house, and that Herman will be Lord Munster instead of Freddie. Grace and Freddie, with the help of Lady Effigie (Hermione Gingold), try to get rid of the Munsters, so the estate can be theirs. The American Munster couple feels right at home when Herman's relatives try to scare them. Freddie disguises himself as a ghost, but screams and runs away when he encounters Herman. Grandpa sneaks out of bed to find out the secret of Munster Hall: a counterfeiting operation is at work in the basement.

Later, Herman enters a race, driving Grandpa's custom dragster, Drag-u-la. Grace and Freddie attempt to interfere with him winning the race, by setting up a plot to kill him. Herman wins the race with the help of Lily. The British Munsters, including their butler, Cruikshank (John Carradine) are all exposed and apprehended by the authorities. Herman arrests Freddie and Grace by tossing tires on them. Lady Effigie is sent to Shroudshire's police station with her butler by Lily and Eddie (Butch Patrick). Herman and his family donate the land and Munster Hall to the city. Roger and Marilyn get together and hope to see each other again. Herman and his family head for their American home.

Cast

VHS & DVD releases

In 1997, GoodTimes Entertainment released Munster, Go Home! on VHS alongside the 1981 made-for-TV reunion movie The Munsters' Revenge. The VHS version of Munster, Go Home! is sourced from a theatrical print featuring the original 1:33:1 aspect ratio. In 2001, GoodTimes Entertainment released a DVD version of the film using the same transfer. In 2006, Universal Home Entertainment released a two-feature DVD featuring Munster, Go Home! and The Munsters' Revenge. The Universal transfer is sourced from an original print; however, the film is presented in a cropped 16:9 format.

References

    External links