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"SCOOBY-DOO WHERE ARE YOU! VOLUME 4: SPOOKED BAYOU" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Available on DVD October 19 Official Kids WB site Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The fourth volume of the original “Scooby-Doo Where Are You!” series is available on DVD in an affordable single-disc. Going back to the start of the entire Scooby-Doo phenomenon in 1969, these original shorts launched a franchise that has spanned decades. The disc includes the episodes “Which Witch Is Which?,” “Go Away Ghost Ship,” “Spooky Space Kook” and “A Night of Fright Is No Delight.”
WHAT I LIKED
I grew up in the 1970s, so I remember watching these episodes of “Scooby-Doo Where Are You!” only a few years after they were made. There were few choices between this and later incarnations, so if you didn’t like these shows, you were out of luck. Fortunately I liked these shows, and I was in luck.
These are some of the earliest episodes of the series, featuring all the now-famous cliches... people trying to scare away folks so they can profit from land development, Shaggy and Scooby overeating (and not in a vegetarian way, as voice actor Casey Kasem later demanded) and several versions of the “I would have gotten away with it too...” lines.
The episodes are crudely animated, taking advantage of the bargain production style of Hanna-Barbera back in the day. The video transfers are not remastered and are as dusty as Joan Rivers’ panties, but these are still a joy to watch, especially for someone like me who grew up with the series.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
My only complaint with these short volumes is that they feature episodes that can be found on many different releases. I’ve seen “Which Witch Is Which?” in multiple collections, so there’s a loss of exclusivity. Still, the saving grace to this is that these volumes are very affordable for the parents to buy their kids. They may not feature the most up-to-date animation style, but they’re still awesome in my book.
DVD FEATURES
The DVD features a few trailers for other Warner Bros. cartoon releases and video games. The only real bonus material beyond that is an episode of the “Shaggy & Scooby Doo Get a Clue” series (easily the worst modern incarnation of the series) called “Lightning Strikes Twice.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Scooby-Doo fans who want to go back to the beginning.
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"SPACE CHIMPS 2: ZARTOG STRIKES BACK" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) Rated PG Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The space-faring primates from the 2008 theatrical release “Space Chimps” return for another galactic adventure. This installment focuses on Comet, the tech geek of the bunch. A mishap at mission control causes him to shoot through space to the Planet Malgor where he finally gets a chance to meet up with his friend Kilowatt. Back on earth, Hamm and the other space chimps have to stop the evil Zartog from taking over the space agency after he’s freed from his statuesque prison.
WHAT I LIKED
I’m not wild about the “Space Chimps” franchise, and I thought the theatrical release a few years back was a little soft. However, I can respect the film for being a fun adventure with the kids. I took my young sons to see “Space Chimps” in 2008, and while it wasn’t a fantastic film, it was a nice way to spend an afternoon with them.
Similarly, “Space Chimps 2” is made for kids, and much of it will be uninteresting (and possibly even annoying) to an adult. But it does have a certain amount of appropriateness being a direct-to-DVD release. Considering the slate of releases from Vanguard animation (including “Happily N’Ever After” and “Valiant”), the “Space Chimps” films could be worse.
I did find the animation to be pretty well done, especially for a junior production house. It’s nowhere near the awesomeness of Pixar or DreamWorks PDI, but it still looks decent on your home television. Space adventures tend to lend themselves to a gee whiz factor of animation.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The biggest problem with this film is that it has virtually no plot. Sure, they try to fit in a story with Comet and Kilowatt having a little vacation together, but this whole diversion really has no impact on the rest of the film. It seems to be more situational than story driven.
Similarly, with a name like “Zartog Strikes Back,” you would expect some real striking going on, care of Zartog. However, he really is nothing more than a tertiary character that has a pretty squishy plan on how to take over the space agency. I’m not sure why the film didn’t use more action – or even evil villain elements – to his character since he and the other characters around him were designed and available from the first film.
“Space Chimps 2” looks pretty and has some obligatory adventure elements but ultimately it’s a bit of a misfire. But rest assured... they leave things open for “Space Chimps 3.”
DVD FEATURES
There are two special features on this disc. One is a really low-rent music video “Liftoff” by Shada. The other is an extended dance sequence from the movie.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Kids.
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"HE’S YOUR DOG, CHARLIE BROWN" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Available on DVD September 21 Official Peanuts DVD site Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
After releasing most of the Peanuts television special library, Warner Bros. is digging through the vault to find more remastered episodes to release on DVD. The latest is “He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown,” which includes this half-hour episode along with “Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown.” In “He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown,” the kids in the neighborhood are fed up with Snoopy and demand that he go back to obedience school. However, when Snoopy treats it as a vacation at Peppermint Patty’s house, Charlie Brown must find a way to get him back home.
“Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown” follows a similar plot line, in which Snoopy visits a traveling circus and ends up getting locked in one of the animal cages. After using his wily charms to become the star of the show, he must make a decision about the hard life on the rode and the demands of show business.
WHAT I LIKED
Like the “Scooby-Doo” series, I love the Peanuts specials. I remember as a kid scouring the TV Guide for the air date of the latest episode. And without DVRs (and having VCRs just recently coming on the market), it was something we watched live. I don’t particularly remember these specials, though I’m pretty sure I caught “Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown” in its early broadcasts.
These two Peanuts specials are cute and fun, and they focus almost exclusively on Snoopy, who really became the break-out star of these shows. They’re definitely cute, and they’re something to share with your kids now that you’re all grown up. All the charm from the Peanuts specials are there, so you can enjoy them as installments in a greater series.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Even though Snoopy became the de facto poster child for the Peanuts characters, I did miss the interaction with all the characters in these episodes. Snoopy is best used in the television specials as a walk-on element of comic relief. Too much of him is like having too much sugar in your coffee. It’s sweet and not unappealing, but it’s not as full bodied as it could be.
While these films were good and not as lackluster as “The Mayflower Voyagers” follow-up to the Thanksgiving special, they’re not the most memorable Peanuts shows.
DVD FEATURES
Along with a slate of trailers, there’s a 25-minute documentary about the ice skating rink that Charles Schulz built. It’s a sweet story, but it seems pretty out-of-place in both theme and tone to the rest of the content on the disc.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who can’t get enough Snoopy.
