A new assessment of the physics of the luminosity function of planetary nebulae is presented, based on our grid of nebular evolutionary sequences computed with a 1D radiation-hydrodynamics code. The nebular evolution is followed from the formation stage in the vicinity of the asymptotic-giant branch across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram until the white-dwarf domain is reached, for various central-star models coupled to different initial envelope configurations. Along each sequence the relevant line luminosities of the nebulae are computed and analyzed. Our models predict that reasonably dense initial circumstellar envelopes with central stars of slightly above 0.6 $M$_{\odot}$$ will remain nearly optically thick and are able to provide the observed 5007 Å cutoff luminosity. We cannot support the claim of Marigo et al. (2004) according to which only planetary nebulae with central stars of $> 0.7$$M_{\odot}$ are able to provide sufficient 5007 Å line emission to account for the bright end of the luminosity function.