|
|
ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 4.3 - JUNE 1999
Home Video
Milton The Monster Released On Video. Siren Entertainment, an Australian
company, has released eight volumes of The Milton The Monster Show,
available in both VHS PAL and NTSC formats. In the fall of 1964, The Munsters
and The Addams Family, sitcoms about families of monsters, appeared
on US TV. Attempting to cash in on their subsequent success, Hal Seeger Productions
produced The Milton The Monster Show for ABC's 1965-1966 season. Milton
is a giant Frankenstein monster-type created by Professor Weirdo and Count
Kook. His creators meant Milton to be scary, but he turns out to be a good-hearted
monster who attempts to make friends with everyone he meets. His voice sounds
a bit like Gomer Pyle, a character played by Jim Nabors on the US sitcom,
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-70), and his companions have names such
as Heebee and Geebee, and Abercrombie the Zombie. (Did Tim Burton name the
dog, Abercrombie, in his short film, Vincent, in homage to Milton?)
If you like Rankin/Bass' Mad Monster Party, you will probably like
Milton. The animation is limited, but the bizarre character designs
are memorable. Each half hour show also includes two other cartoons starring
various characters. Unfortunately, these characters are not as interesting
as Milton. Fearless Fly is a superhero fly whose power comes from his eyeglasses;
Stuffy Durma is a hobo who inherits ten million dollars, hires an advisor
to handle his affairs, and opens his mansion to his hobo friends. Other supporting
series are Penny Penguin, Muggy-Doo, and Flukey Luke, a cowboy with a lucky
streak who lives in a city. Each tape includes three half hour shows. Siren
Entertainment also distributes two volumes of Ralph Bakshi's Spicy City
(PAL only), as well as several other animation titles. For more information
contact Siren Entertainment, 23 Wangaratta St., Richmond, Victoria, Australia
3121. TEL. (03) 9429 9555; FAX (03) 9429 9333; or e-mail: alley@sirenent.com.au;
or visit www.sirenent.com.au.
New
Disney Videos. On Tuesday, May 25th in the USA, Buena Vista Home Entertainment
released two new videos. The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad, Disney's
11th animated feature which debuted in 1949, is really a collection of two
films. One is an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's novel The Wind In The
Willows (Mr. Toad); the other is a version of Washington Irving's short
story The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow (Ichabod). (Tim Burton's new film
Sleepy Hollow, due out this November in the USA, is also based on the
Irving story.) Also out on May 25th from Buena Vista was The Brave Little
Toaster To The Rescue, the third and final chapter in the series that
began with The Brave Little Toaster and continued with The Brave
Little Toaster Goes To Mars. In Rescue, Toaster and his pals rescue
campus lab animals who are in danger of being sold for lab experiments.
A Bug's Life Video Debuts At #1. Released on video and DVD on April
20th in the USA, Pixar's A Bug's Life was that week's best selling
video and DVD title. Other best selling VHS titles for the week include The
Rugrats Movie, which finished third; Scooby-Doo's Greatest Mysteries,
in its second week of release (it includes the classic episodes "A Clue
for Scooby-Doo!," "Hassle in the Castle!," "Jeepers, It's
the Creeper!" and "The Backstage Rage"), finished fourth; Mulan
finished 8th; 101 Dalmations finished 9th; and The Rescuers
finished 12th. A Bug's Life has already sold enough copies to put it
at No. 4 on the list of the year's best selling videos, and No. 10 on the
list of the year's best selling DVDs. It is already ahead of Antz and
just behind The Rugrats Movie, but still well behind Mulan in
overall sales. (There are no plans to release the Pixar film on laser disc.)
To get a handle on the great number of Disney tapes being sold read "Dig
This! Millions of Disney Videos" by Zahra Dowlatabadi in the
November 1998 issue of Animation World Magazine.
The World Of Sid & Marty Krofft Comes To Video. A boxed set
of TV shows made by Sid and Marty Krofft in the 1970's collects episodes from
thirteen Krofft programs, including the short programs that were part of The
Krofft Super Show, and were released by Rhino Home Video on May 18 in
the USA. These shows are not animated, but their cheesy "special effects"
have a camp appeal for many fans of animation, especially for the children
of the Seventies.
Tape 1 (120 mins.) includes:
H.R. PUFNSTUF - BOOK, FLUTE & CANDLE
Episode 12. Jimmy finds Freddie The Flute has been turned into a mushroom
by the touch of Witchiepoo's evil mushrooms. The cure can be found only in
a book inside Witchiepoo's castle. H.R. Pufnstuf, Kling & Klang, Jimmy,
Dr. Blinky, and Waxy must steal the spell from Witchiepoo's castle to change
Freddie back. Starring Jack Wild.
THE BUGALOOS - BENITA'S DOUBLE TROUBLE
Episode 14. When Peter Platter asks the Bugaloos to host his radio show for
a few days, Benita Bizarre throws a fit. She decides to kidnap Peter and forces
him to tell the Bugaloos that she will be hosting the show instead. Starring
Martha Raye.
LIDSVILLE - TAKE ME TO YOUR RABBIT
Episode 7. Hoo Doo and Raunchy Rabbit fly the hatamaran into a thunder storm
where a bolt of lightning transfers Hoo Doo's powers to the frightened bunny.
Now it's the furry henchman who has the power. Will Hoo Doo get his power
back? Starring Charles Nelson Reilly.
SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS - TRICK OR TREAT
Episode 13. It's Halloween, and Sigmund takes this opportunity to get into
"costume" and go trick-or-treating with Johnny and Scott. His evil
brothers, Blurp and Slurp, kidnap him when they find out he's the winner of
a contest worth a lot of "clams." Starring Johnny Whitaker.
Tape 2 (120 mins.) includes:
LAND OF THE LOST - SKYLONS
Episode 5. The action turns colorful and exciting as Marshall, Will, and Holly
find the Land Of The Lost has gone insane with wild weather, a multi-colored
Sky Snake, and a plague of biting white bugs.
FAR OUT SPACE NUTS - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Episode 13. Junior and Barney arrive on the planet Vultron, inhabited by a
race of bird people. The bird people capture the Space Nuts and force them
to sit on an enormous egg until it hatches. Starring Bob Denver and Chuck
McCann.
THE LOST SAUCER - RETURN TO THE VALLEY OF THE CHICKAPHANTS
Episode 10. When the saucer inhabitants visit a prehistoric land where a hybrid
chicken-elephant creature lives, the Dorse brings aboard a chickaphant egg
that soon hatches. Starring Jim Nabors and Ruth Buzzi.
ELECTRAWOMAN AND DYNAGIRL - THE PHARAOH
Episode 6. When the greedy Pharaoh steals a powerful pyramid-prism from the
town museum to take over the world, ElectraWoman and DynaGirl are quick to
confront the threat. Starring Deidre Hall and Judy Strangis.
Tape 3 (150 mins.) includes:
DR. SHRINKER - SLOWLY I TURN
Episode 9. The deranged doctor concludes that the only way he'll catch a Shrinkie
is to return one of them (Gordie) temporarily to his normal size. Gordie then
suffers amnesia and is tricked into thinking he's Dr. Shrinker to help capture
Brad and B.J. Starring Jay Robinson and Billy Barty.
WONDERBUG - MALTESE GOONEYBIRD
Episodes 5. Susan collides with a sinister-looking patron as she leaves the
post office and accidentally picks up the wrong package. The kids discover
the switch and find a microfilm canister inside the Maltese Gooneybird statue.
Mayhem ensues, but Wonderbug eventually saves the day.
MAGIC MONGO - HULI'S VACATION
Episode 8. Donald, Kristy, and Loraine watch Huli's hotdog hut while he goes
on vacation. Ace and Duncey pose as armored truck guards and rob the hut.
BIGFOOT AND WILDBOY - RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE
Episode 17. When treasure hunters use explosives to unearth golden treasure,
they dig up more than they bargained for: the Countess, a beautiful, fierce
female vampire. She makes the prospectors her slaves and recruits Bigfoot
and Cindy into her coven. It's up to Wildboy to try and rescue his friends.
PRYOR'S PLACE - VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF THE DUMB
Who needs school? Some cool kids play hooky and take Rich with them. But a
special game at the arcade gives them food for thought. Starring Richard Pryor.
The release of individual episodes of HR PUFNSTUF, SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS,
LAND OF THE LOST, BUGALOOS, LIDSVILLE, and FAR OUT SPACE NUTS will follow
the box set on July 13. In October, the HR PUFNSTUF Gift Box (17 episodes,
4 tapes) and the SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS Gift Box (25 episodes, 5 tapes)
will arrive. For more information visit www.rhino.com.
 |
 |
Warner Offers Two Tweety Videos. Tweety: Tweet & Lovely
gives US fans of the lovable little canary and his always-hungry pursuer,
Sylvester, 10 of their funniest Warner cartoons. Included are Red Riding
Hoodwinked, Fowl Weather, A Pizza Tweety Pie, Tugboat Granny, Rebel Without
Claws, Tweety's Circus, Greedy for Tweety, Hawaiian Aye Aye, Tweet and Lovely,
and Catty Cornered. 66 min. Warner Home Video. US street date:
June 22. $14.95. Tweety: Home Tweet Home includes ten more cartoons
featuring Tweety and Sylvester. Friz Freleng directed all the shorts included
here: Birds Anonymous, Bad Ol' Putty Tat, Putty Tat Trouble, Tweety's S.O.S.,
Home Tweet Home, Snow Business, Dog Pounded, Tweet, Tweet, Tweety, Tree Cornered
Tweety, and The Jet Cage. Warner Home Video. US street date: June
22. $14.95.
Video Tidbits. A&E Home Video has acquired the VHS and DVD rights
to Monty Python's Flying Circus, and plans to begin releasing
episodes later this year. Although consisting primarily of live skits featuring
John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Graham Chapman, these
shows are also well known for Terry Gilliam's cut-out animation. . . The upcoming
September video re-release of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine will
restore the cut "Hey, Bulldog" sequence. This sequence was cut,
for reasons of length, from the American theatrical release in 1968 and has
not been included on previous video or laser disc releases.
The July 1998 issue of Animation World Magazine featured two articles
about The Beatles' Yellow Submarine : "The
Beatles' Yellow Submarine
Turns 30: John Coates and Norman Kauffman Look Back" and "The
Creators of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine : Where Are They Now?"
Note: Readers may contact any Animation World Magazine contributor by sending an e-mail to editor@awn.com.
News Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Feedback?
Past Issues
|
Animation World Magazine Career Connections | School Database | Student Corner Animation World Store | Animation Village | Calendar of Events The AWN Gallery | The AWN Vault | Forums & Chats Home |
About | Help | Home | info@awn.com | Mail | Register
©1999 Animation World Network