"ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE CHIPETTES"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: Paramount Back to DVD Review Home |  |
With the success of last year’s feature film “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” the industry has been given the green light to mine anything Chipmunk-related. One of the sources for this property is the old television series “Alvin and the Chipmunks” from the mid-1980s.
Even if you don’t remember the stories or the show per se, children of the 80s will recognize the theme song. Most of us watched this show either on Saturday mornings or after school. Before the live-action film with computer generated lead rodents, the cell-animated series was the only way to watch the characters.
Paramount Home Video has released a small compilation DVD of the series called “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes.” These six episodes, spanning several years, feature the female chipmunks added to the show to appeal to young girls. The Chipettes are new students at the school, and they have new adventures with Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
The episodes include: “May the Best Chipmunk Win,” which features an election for class president between Alvin and Brittney (and note that it appears that Alvin is a Democrat and Brittney is a Republican); “Operation Theodore,” in which Theodore is switched with a human tonsil patient that the Chipettes are caring for; “Sisters,” in which Brittany tries to join an elite sorority; “The Greatest Show-Offs on Earth,” in which both the Chipmunks and the Chipettes help a struggling circus owner; “My Fair Chipette,” featuring Jeanette in a beauty pageant; and “Tell it to the Judge,” where Alvin takes Dave’s new bike for a joy ride and crashes it.
Even though my kids never watched the original Chipmunks shows or movies, nor did they ever listen to the many original recordings the little guys had over the past fifty years, they fell in love with the live action film. After renting a couple videos of the characters, they knew the old television series, and even though this DVD features the female characters, my boys enjoyed it immensely.
Of course, a special chuckle was had with my wife and I as we looked back in time at the fashions depicted in the show (including Brittney’s leg-warmers) and the music selections of the day (including a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”).
While not a great example of stunning animation, the old “Alvin and the Chipmunks” series is still fun to watch. It definitely has the look, feel and quality of a mid-80s Saturday morning cartoon. But it’s still entertaining for kids and has a bit of nostalgia for parents.
