By Lee Pfeiffer
If you're a fan of "The Munsters" TV series, then your hearse has come in. MPI Video has released a terrific and fun DVD with the rather awkward title "Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Show Cast Members & More Lost Treasures". The centerpiece of the disc is an obscure 1965 TV special that finds the cast of the show (Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick and Pat Priest) paying a visit to the beloved California aquarium/theme park that operated from 1954 until 1987 when it was purchased by (and closed by) the villainous owners of Sea World in San Diego. The special was broadcast in B&W on CBS, the same network that aired the weekly sitcom, which was also in B&W. (The Munsters did appear in color on the big screen in the feature film "Munster, Go Home!" in 1966). The TV special is corny and acts primarily as an extended commercial for the park but it is also quaint and charming compared to the raw comedy that kids today are raised on. In the show, the Munsters remain oblivious to the fact that they stand out from everyday people. They believe a giant tank consisting of sharks and octopi is actually a pet store. Grandpa also takes to flagpole climbing and Butch and Marilyn join the audience for the dolphin show, where Herman joins the act, feeding one of the dolphins that is trained to make high leaps. The New Christy Minstrels, a popular folk singing group of the era, also perform a number of songs.
The release includes a treasure trove of TV rarities relating to the series:
- Fred Gwynne making guest appearances in costume for comedy sketches on "The Danny Kaye Show" and "The Red Skelton Hour".
- Yvonne De Carlo in a guest appearance from 1968 on Joey Bishop's chat show. She talks extensively and affectionately about the show and her fellow cast members but acknowledges that the two-hour procedure for applying makeup was a grueling ordeal that had to be undertaken five days a week. She also says that the series' run of two seasons was just long enough.
- A new interview with Butch Patrick in which he tells some highly interesting and amusing tales about filming the series. He relates that for the pilot, the roles of Eddie and his mother Lily were played by different actors. CBS approved the series but wanted those actors replaced, thus Patrick go the job. He has nothing but good things to say about the experience, noting he was eleven years-old but looked much younger. He recalls being thrilled to be filming at Universal because he was a fan of the studio's classic monster movies and got to see the stages where they were shot. He also liked seeing other films and TV series in production and meeting the makeup people and seeing their creations for horror and sci-fi films. He also recalls the making visits to the studio of George Barris, who created seemingly every legendary TV vehicle including the Munsters' distinctive car.
- A rare TV promo for the special as well as generic CBS promos for the regular series.
- There is also an abundance of unrelated promotions for other MPI video sets of TV shows and specials from the era starring Bob Cummings, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Donna Reed, and Doris Day that are available from the company.
The DVD begins with a disclaimer acknowledging that the source print for the TV material has imperfections but I thought it stood up remarkably well. I must confess that in the rivalry between fans of "The Munsters" and "The Addams Family", I was firmly on the Addams side of the debate. That show was more daring with its politically incorrect situations, funnier characters and blatant sexual overtones between Gomez and Morticia. But I have to admit that I very much enjoyed this MPI release and relished the admittedly dated and gentle humor. If you like the show, this is a "must-have".