Stars: Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, and Rowan Atkinson
Writer: James Gunn
Based On A Story By: Craig Titley and James Gunn
Based On Characters Created By Hannah-Barbera Productions
Director: Raja Gosnell
Feature length: 86 minutes
Extras: Trailers
Languages: English Stereo Sound
Subtitles: Mandarin And Malay Language Subtitles
Packaging: Digipack Gatefold Within A Cardboard Slipcase
# Of Discs: 2
Sound: Stereo Sound
Year of Theatrical Release: 2002/VCD Release: 2002
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
Home Video Distributor: Movie Magic For Warner Home Video (In Malaysia Only)
MPAA Rating: PG
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
Mystery, Inc. is bought back together after a two year retirement to solve the mysteries surrounding the “Spooky Island” Amusement Park. Sometimes a part of pop culture is revived successfully into a feature film format like “The Brady Bunch” and sometimes something from one’s childhood is all but unwatchable unless you are a kid like “The Flintstones” with John Goodman. “Scooby-Doo” falls somewhere in between. One can see where they got certain aspects of the comedy right like Mathew Lillard’s dead on presentation of “Shaggy.” In fact the scenes in which he interacts with the CGI animated “Scooby-Doo” are clearly the film’s highpoints without a doubt. The film’s opening sequence complete with the obligatory surprise star cameo captures the look and feel of the animated series, but somewhere in between exploring and spoofing the dramatic possibilities to make both the parents, who grew up watching these characters Saturday mornings and their kids, who watch it now and laugh is lost.
I can’t point my finger on exactly what makes the film tank a bit except to note that the soundtrack music and having the characters speak in “whiteboy-ebonics” is terrible. I’m sorry, but it just stuck out like a sore thumb the way “Jar Jar Binks” called too much negative attention to “The Phantom Menace.” The original “Scooby-Doo” soundtrack song from the animated TV show should have been used and not altered. It is these elements that detract from “Scooby-Doo.” However the true target audience, which is obviously this generation’s kids, will love it anyway and with more than a hundred million in box office receipts, there will no doubt be a sequel.
Warner Home Video has released a VCD
edition of “Scooby-Doo” in Malaysia through Movie Magic. The film is spread
across two Video-CDs with disc one containing the first 48-minutes and 25
seconds while disc two has the final 39-minutes. The film is presented in a
(1.33:1) aspect ratio that has been modified from the original (1.85:1)
theatrical aspect ratio. Considering the limitations of MPEG-1 compression, I
found the picture quality to be definitely above average for a VCD. The image is
detailed with nice texture and no color bleeding. There are the expected MPEG-1
artifacts inherent to the format, but as crazy as this might read, I found it
made the cartoon like CGI characters look better when interacting with the live
action characters and sets. Do not get me wrong, the DVD has a superior picture
quality, but here the softer image seems to make the CGI less obvious and more
natural than on the DVD. The English Stereo Soundtrack is CD quality with
digital clarity and a higher volume level than the DVD. Mandarin and Malay
Language Subtitles are burned in at the bottom of the screen.
None of the extra features included on
the DVD are present on the VCD, but the packaging is better with both discs
resting within a Digipack gatefold within a cardboard slipcase. Home video
trailers for “Death To Smoochie” and “The Salton Sea” preceded the film.
At sales prices cheaper than the VHS and DVD, this is not a bad way to sample
“Scooby-Doo” without paying a high retail price. Please note that not all
DVD players can playback VCD titles. Check your player’s documentation to be
sure that your player can playback both PAL and NTSC VCD titles as well as DVD-Videos.
This film should be viewable on any PC with a compatible media-playing program.
“Scooby-Doo” is available on VCD and can be ordered directly from www.eurekamovies.com.
© Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.