Historically Halloween or All Hallows Eve is the day dedicated to remembering the dead. I didn’t particularly feel like doing that, so I settled for trying to think of the scary movies I like.

But, I don’t like horror movies. My main problem with them is not just that they are scary, but mostly they are plain depressing.

I don’t want to be terrified of losing my way returning from a hiking trip because of the psycho with a chain saw. I don’t want to get cursed watching some old video I borrowed from a friend. Neither do I want to get dragged under the bed by the lurking poltergeist of the old renovated house I have just spent my entire fortune buying. I don’t want to fear cockroaches spilling out of the bathroom sink when am half asleep in the morning and late for work. Definitely, when my shoulders ache, I don’t want to look into the mirror to see a deranged rape victim hanging onto me. And lets not forget, chances are high that I will meet new kids and there is no point staring at them to figure out if satan resides in the boy that likes to squash ladybugs.

So, come halloween when I tried to figure out what to write about, I was more or less at a loss, till I remembered one of my favourite shows as a kid. And it was perfect for the occasion.

 

They’re creepy and they’re kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They’re all together ooky,
The Addams Family.

This is an insane family with their absolute macabre sense of enjoyment. They live in a dilapidated mansion where canon balls could fall over unsuspecting heads, dust and cobwebs cover every surface. Rugs could snap at your ankles. Floors could crack and swallow you whole. Closets spit out corpses and there is something sinister behind every door. And a conveniently located cemetery, right on the grounds, ensure you can be buried whenever the time is right.

There is a psychic grandmother who cooks awful looking dishes consisting of even more awful creepy crawlies. Two grandchildren whose favourite pass time is to find ingenuously cruel ways to kill each other. The girl, Wednesday, is a morose natured thin lipped girl with 2 pigtails. Her brother Pugsley has a face the shape of a pumpkin and brains that compare to it. Their, uncle Fester, has hollow rimmed eyes, sharp pointed teeth and a disoriented grin that gives the impression that he fell on his head as a kid or was toasted alive by a random streak of lightening. They all love to blow things up.

The father, Gomez Addams, is athletic, destructive and impossibly rich. He adores his wife, Morticia Addams. Morticia, with her slender figure, crimson nails and flowing black gown fits perfectly in this haunting setting. She can be ruthless and is extremely particular. She and Gomez have quite a passionate relationship and get turned on by French, blood, death, screams in the night, howling winds, and any and every spooky thing. To complete the family, is Lurch, their giant Frankenstien-look-alike loyal house help. He moans, groans and plays the piano to add some eerie background music. Finally, there is a live disembodied hand, Thing, that has quite a brain of its own.

From as far back as I remember, I have loved watching the cartoon series (the tv series originally aired in 1964) and the various movies that have released over time. The first cartoon strip of the Addams family released in 1937 and there have been numerous remakes, stage shows, musicals and television and film reproduction of the series.

I often wonder how is it that over the years the theme has managed to remain the same. How the world might try to create problems for this weird family, but the Addams just don’t care. They continue to live their wacky lifestyle which never fails to have me in splits. Decades have passed, but watching these creepy characters trap unsuspecting neighbors, scare away children and cause general mayhem is always fun. And I swear the theme song has a spell on it. It refuses to leave my head.

So, though Halloween is over and done with, I am all set to sit back and enjoy a rewatch of this childhood favourite. They are mysterious and spooky.. the Addams Family. Have you seen them?

 

Pics and video credits to uploaders

AARWEN’S INDEX

 

originally posted on 04/11/2015.