A 1960s sci-fi kids show with puppets arrived on DVD recently, along with quite a few animated programs.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (itv/Timeless/DVD, 1967-68, four discs, 32 episodes, audio commentary, three featurettes, new interview with Gerry Anderson). Its arguable whether vintage TV shows like this British program now on DVD target modern youngsters or baby boomers that remember the shows from their own childhood.
Like Thunderbirds and Stingray, this is an action-adventure sci-fi series that uses Gerry Andersons Supermarionation technique, with puppets subbing for the more common animated characters. Capt. Scarlet, Spectrums No. 1 agent, goes after the evil alien race known as Mysterons, creatures that can adapt to the exact likeness of any object or person they desire to destroy. And Earth is next on their to-do list.
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (Warner/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2015, featurette, bloopers, TV special: Lego DC Comics Superheroes: Batman: Be-Leaguered; Lego minifigure). Supermans wacky backward clone Bizarro creates Bizarro versions of Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Cyborg to form a Bizarro League in this Lego animated feature (49 minutes).
At first they battle each other but eventually join forces to take on the villain Darkseid, with Legos usual brand of wide-reaching rapid-fire gags (as well as inside jokes for those more familiar with the DC universe). This is the second straight-to-video Lego-DC cartoon, after Batman: Be-Leaguered which is included here among the bonus features.
Tarzan (Lionsgate/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2014, PG, featurettes). Animated feature version of Edgar Rice Burroughs story of a wealthy heir who survives a plane crash in the jungle and is raised by apes, eventually meeting Jane and its love at first sight, of course. Kellan Lutz provides the voice of the title character.
A Mouse Tale (Lionsgate/DVD/Digital, 2015, PG, featurettes, trailers). Jon Heder provides a voice for this English-dubbed version of the Peruvian-Argentine animated feature about a pair of anthropomorphic mice looking for a legendary magic crystal to save their kingdom from evil rodents. Other voice cast members include Miranda Cosgrove, Drake Bell, Jon Lovitz, Cary Elwes and Tom Arnold.
Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games (Lionsgate/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2014, interactive games). This sequel in the Alpha and Omega animated franchise has the pack organizing The Great Wolf Games, but when Alph and Omegas pack suffers some injuries, a team is assembled with other forest creatures. Inspired by the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Dora and Friends (Nickelodeon/Paramount/DVD, 2014, four episodes). This is a sequel/spinoff of the long-running animated series Dora the Explorer, with Dora and friends Naiya, Emma, Kate, Alana and Pablo experiencing magical adventures. Here, they find a talking ship in a pirate cave, return a dress to a princess and try to bring dance back to a town where its been outlawed. (Is it Footloosia?)
Chuggington: Turbo Charged Chugger! (Anchor Bay/DVD, 2010-14, six episodes, featurette, coloring/activity pages, episode of Badge Quest: No Time to Waste). British animated series about anthropomorphic trains in training referred to as trainees. Here they attempt a bridge rescue and build a new station.
Sabans Power Rangers Super Megaforce: The Silver Warrior (Lionsgate/DVD, 2014, four episodes). This long-running live-action franchise has been going on for more than 20 years. The episodes here have the Super Megaforce rangers battling evil Prince Vekars alien Amanda when they receive unexpected help from the Legendary Samurai and the Jungle Fury Red Rangers, along with Orion, the all-new Silver Ranger. Got all that?
Digimon Fusion: Season One (Cinedigm/DVD, 2010-11, six discs, 30 episodes, art galleries; 12-page booklet). A human boy and his two pals are transported into the Digital World where they encounter strange creatures called Digimon and are enlisted to help in epic battles for control of the empire. This is the sixth series of the long-running Japanese anime program (which premiered in America on the Nickelodeon cable channel in 2013).
Digimon Tamers: Digimon, Volume 1 (Cinedigm/DVD, 2001, three discs, 17 episodes). The first 17 episodes of the third season of this anime series are collected here. This show takes place in a separate universe from Digimon Adventure, following Takato, Henry and Rika, three kids playing the Digimon card game when, to their surprise, the cards come to life, seeking help for their Digital World.
20 Stories for Spring (Scholastic/DVD, 2015, 20 stories). More animated stories from Scholastic, gathered with themes representing spring and Easter, including Maxs Chocolate Chicken, Curious George Rides a Bike, Goodnight Moon, Caterpillar and the Polliwog and The Most Wonderful Egg in the World, and several others. Readers include Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin and Randy Travis.
Dorothy in the Land of Oz (aka Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz, CBS/Paramount, 1980). Half-hour animated CBS TV special has Dorothy back in Oz meeting up with Jack Pumpkinhead, the Hungry Tiger and Tic Toc as they attempt to combat Tyrone the Terrible Toy Tinkerer. Sid Caesar provides two voices. (Originally a Thanksgiving special, this version has had the holiday references removed.)
Puff the Magic Dragon (CBS/Paramount, 1978-82, three episodes). Three animated CBS specials built around the character made famous by a Peter, Paul & Mary song: Puff the Magic Dragon, In the Land of Living Lies and Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody. Burgess Meredith provides the voice of Puff and singer Peter Yarrow also does a character for the first two programs.
Strawberry Shortcake (CBS/Paramount, 1980-81, two episodes). These two animated CBS specials feature the title character and her friends going up against the Peculiar Purple Pieman in The World of Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City.
Peter & the Magic Egg (CBS/Paramount, 1983). This half-hour animated CBS special with an Easter theme is the offbeat story of Mother Nature providing an enchanted baby for an Amish couple to help them when they are set upon by the evil Tin Whiskers, a villainous variation on The Wizard of Ozs Tin Man.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (itv/Timeless/DVD, 1967-68, four discs, 32 episodes, audio commentary, three featurettes, new interview with Gerry Anderson). Its arguable whether vintage TV shows like this British program now on DVD target modern youngsters or baby boomers that remember the shows from their own childhood.
Like Thunderbirds and Stingray, this is an action-adventure sci-fi series that uses Gerry Andersons Supermarionation technique, with puppets subbing for the more common animated characters. Capt. Scarlet, Spectrums No. 1 agent, goes after the evil alien race known as Mysterons, creatures that can adapt to the exact likeness of any object or person they desire to destroy. And Earth is next on their to-do list.
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (Warner/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2015, featurette, bloopers, TV special: Lego DC Comics Superheroes: Batman: Be-Leaguered; Lego minifigure). Supermans wacky backward clone Bizarro creates Bizarro versions of Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Cyborg to form a Bizarro League in this Lego animated feature (49 minutes).
At first they battle each other but eventually join forces to take on the villain Darkseid, with Legos usual brand of wide-reaching rapid-fire gags (as well as inside jokes for those more familiar with the DC universe). This is the second straight-to-video Lego-DC cartoon, after Batman: Be-Leaguered which is included here among the bonus features.
Tarzan (Lionsgate/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2014, PG, featurettes). Animated feature version of Edgar Rice Burroughs story of a wealthy heir who survives a plane crash in the jungle and is raised by apes, eventually meeting Jane and its love at first sight, of course. Kellan Lutz provides the voice of the title character.
A Mouse Tale (Lionsgate/DVD/Digital, 2015, PG, featurettes, trailers). Jon Heder provides a voice for this English-dubbed version of the Peruvian-Argentine animated feature about a pair of anthropomorphic mice looking for a legendary magic crystal to save their kingdom from evil rodents. Other voice cast members include Miranda Cosgrove, Drake Bell, Jon Lovitz, Cary Elwes and Tom Arnold.
Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games (Lionsgate/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2014, interactive games). This sequel in the Alpha and Omega animated franchise has the pack organizing The Great Wolf Games, but when Alph and Omegas pack suffers some injuries, a team is assembled with other forest creatures. Inspired by the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Dora and Friends (Nickelodeon/Paramount/DVD, 2014, four episodes). This is a sequel/spinoff of the long-running animated series Dora the Explorer, with Dora and friends Naiya, Emma, Kate, Alana and Pablo experiencing magical adventures. Here, they find a talking ship in a pirate cave, return a dress to a princess and try to bring dance back to a town where its been outlawed. (Is it Footloosia?)
Chuggington: Turbo Charged Chugger! (Anchor Bay/DVD, 2010-14, six episodes, featurette, coloring/activity pages, episode of Badge Quest: No Time to Waste). British animated series about anthropomorphic trains in training referred to as trainees. Here they attempt a bridge rescue and build a new station.
Sabans Power Rangers Super Megaforce: The Silver Warrior (Lionsgate/DVD, 2014, four episodes). This long-running live-action franchise has been going on for more than 20 years. The episodes here have the Super Megaforce rangers battling evil Prince Vekars alien Amanda when they receive unexpected help from the Legendary Samurai and the Jungle Fury Red Rangers, along with Orion, the all-new Silver Ranger. Got all that?
Digimon Fusion: Season One (Cinedigm/DVD, 2010-11, six discs, 30 episodes, art galleries; 12-page booklet). A human boy and his two pals are transported into the Digital World where they encounter strange creatures called Digimon and are enlisted to help in epic battles for control of the empire. This is the sixth series of the long-running Japanese anime program (which premiered in America on the Nickelodeon cable channel in 2013).
Digimon Tamers: Digimon, Volume 1 (Cinedigm/DVD, 2001, three discs, 17 episodes). The first 17 episodes of the third season of this anime series are collected here. This show takes place in a separate universe from Digimon Adventure, following Takato, Henry and Rika, three kids playing the Digimon card game when, to their surprise, the cards come to life, seeking help for their Digital World.
20 Stories for Spring (Scholastic/DVD, 2015, 20 stories). More animated stories from Scholastic, gathered with themes representing spring and Easter, including Maxs Chocolate Chicken, Curious George Rides a Bike, Goodnight Moon, Caterpillar and the Polliwog and The Most Wonderful Egg in the World, and several others. Readers include Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin and Randy Travis.
Dorothy in the Land of Oz (aka Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz, CBS/Paramount, 1980). Half-hour animated CBS TV special has Dorothy back in Oz meeting up with Jack Pumpkinhead, the Hungry Tiger and Tic Toc as they attempt to combat Tyrone the Terrible Toy Tinkerer. Sid Caesar provides two voices. (Originally a Thanksgiving special, this version has had the holiday references removed.)
Puff the Magic Dragon (CBS/Paramount, 1978-82, three episodes). Three animated CBS specials built around the character made famous by a Peter, Paul & Mary song: Puff the Magic Dragon, In the Land of Living Lies and Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody. Burgess Meredith provides the voice of Puff and singer Peter Yarrow also does a character for the first two programs.
Strawberry Shortcake (CBS/Paramount, 1980-81, two episodes). These two animated CBS specials feature the title character and her friends going up against the Peculiar Purple Pieman in The World of Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City.
Peter & the Magic Egg (CBS/Paramount, 1983). This half-hour animated CBS special with an Easter theme is the offbeat story of Mother Nature providing an enchanted baby for an Amish couple to help them when they are set upon by the evil Tin Whiskers, a villainous variation on The Wizard of Ozs Tin Man.