I recently watched both The Addams FamilyandAddams Family Values for the first time in twenty odd years, and it was quite the eye-opening experience. My memory of the films was essentially limited to the fact that Christina Ricci had essentially single-handedly introduced me to the concept of being attracted to women. Beyond that, it was all a blank.
Therefore, I was surprised by how much the second film improved on the first. The Addams Family is a complete misfire of a film, completely inept at elements as basic as understanding that the appeal of the Addams is watching them juxtaposed with normal folks. Addams Family Values, on the other hand, builds both it’s A and B story such clashes of culture. (The fact that it also improves the pacing, story structure, and gags also helps.)
But the real surprise came at the end of Addams Family Values.
Specifically, I mean when the credits start to roll and Tag Team’s “Addams Family (Whoomp!)” started to play. If I’m being honest, I lost my mind a little bit. How could I not? The only acceptable response is maddening laughter. I mean, who watched Raul Julia and Angelica Huston vamping around and thought “I’ve got it! Miami bass music!”
What makes it even more hilarious is how seriously Tag Team takes their job of providing a theme song to the film. Some film songs are barely related to the movies they support, but not this one. This one has references to every major character in the film, and even relays major plot points. DC and Steve Roll’n were paid to do a job and they were gonna do it, by God! No one was gonna forget Cousin Itt on their watch!
When you really think about it, though, the song makes a bit more sense. While on the surface the marriage of gently creepy kids characters and horny Miami bass rap sounds like an odd leap, it’s actually pretty much in line with Tag Team’s general M.O. After all, as we’ve noted before on this blog, “Whoomp! (There It Is)” is essentially a pseudo-cleaned up reworking of 95 South’s “Whoot, There It Is.” If sanitizing booty-shaking music got you to the top, wouldn’t you consider doubling down on it? Tag Team sure did. They followed up “Addams Family (Whoomp)” with “Whoomp! (There It Went)” which featured Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy, and “Pig Power In The House” from the movie Gordy (aka The Pig Movie That Isn’t Babe).
That, of course, does nothing to diminish the joy that can be found in listening to a dude talk about a family of kindly spooky goths the way that ScHoolboy Q talks about Hoover Street.
Addams Family runnin’ thangs, indeed.
- TWG
PS: Charles Addams, the creator of the Addams Family, is one of my favorite cartoonists of all time. If you’ve never checked out his work, this postscript is officially encouraging you to do so.
PPS: I guess this also kinda counts as a Medium Wellentry?
