Hanna-Barbera's Superstars 10 (Blu-ray Review)
- Review Date: May 31, 2024
- Format: Blu-ray Disc
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Director
VariousRelease Date(s)
1987-1988 (February 20, 2024)Studio(s)
Hanna-Barbera Productions (Warner Archive Collection)- Film/Program Grade: See Below
- Video Grade: See Below
- Audio Grade: See Below
- Extras Grade: C
- Overall Grade: B+
Review
During the 1980s, Hanna-Barbera was in full swing with any number of TV shows, including their previous hits which were in constant rotation in re-runs. However, a return to the classic characters of old in some new adventures was definitely needed, and from 1987 to 1988, they produced ten syndicated made-for-TV feature films starring many of their most popular stars, including Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Huckleberry Hound, Top Cat, and many others. This series eventually became known collectively as Hanna-Barbera’s Superstars 10, and 36 years later, the folks at the Warner Archive Collection have released all of the films on Blu-ray for the first time.
Premiering on September 20, 1987 was Yogi’s Great Escape. Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo wake up from their winter hibernation to discover a picnic basket with three little bear cubs on their doorstep. Ranger Smith shows up to inform them that Jellystone Park is over its budget and will be closed down soon. Because of this, Yogi, Boo-Boo, and the three cubs will have to live in a zoo. Horrified at the thought, Yogi whips up a makeshift motorcar and the five of them set out on an adventure to evade Ranger Smith and keep themselves out of the zoo. Also on their trail is Trapper and Yapper, who’ve been hired to help Ranger Smith track them down, but with help along the way from Yogi’s young friends, known as the Lone Raiders, they’re sure to escape.
Yogi Bear was still quite popular in the 1980s, so it’s fitting that Hanna-Barbera’s Superstars 10 debut would feature him as the leading character. Yogi’s trek across the country with Boo-Boo and the three cubs finds them hiding out in treehouses, caves, the old west, the swamps of the bayou, a carnival, and even atop the Empire State Building. Ranger Smith is in his usual “I’ll get Yogi Bear or else” mode throughout, always eluded and never really successful at the task. It’s also nice to see other characters like Wally Gator, Snagglepuss, and Quick Draw McGraw make appearances, though it’s too bad that Baba Looey is absent this time around. Like all of the films in the series, none of them are particularly mind-blowing, but Yogi’s adventure across the USA with his friends is nothing if not an enjoyable romp.
Yogi’s Great Escape was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. This release bears (no pun intended) many of the positive hallmarks that are typical of animated titles released through Warner Archive, including a more vibrant color palette with good contrast, a high bitrate that sits primarily between 30 to 40Mbps, and a presentation that maintains linework, cel dirt, and other debris. There’s also a bit of mild speckling, as to be expected, and a light layer of film grain. Some mild noise removal has been applied, but everything appears organic with only a mild softness and good definition all around.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Outside of some extremely mild distortion, there’s little to complain about as the track offers plenty of fidelity and support for score, dialogue, and sound effects.
YOGI’S GREAT ESCAPE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B-/B+/B
Premiering on October 18, 1987 was Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers. Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy-Doo head to the South in search of Shaggy’s inherited country estate, left to him by his late uncle. Along the way they meet Sheriff Buzby, who warns them of the dangers ahead as the estate is said to be haunted. Afraid but undeterred, they drive on, and after being chased by ghosts into Shaggy’s new house and their truck sinking into the mud, they find themselves forced to spend the night, greeted by the creepy and kooky butler Farquard. Hoping to rid themselves of the ghosts, they call upon The Boo Brothers, three goofy ghosts whose specialty is catching ghosts. Meanwhile, Scooby and the gang discover hidden scrolls around the house that promise to lead them to a secret family fortune, but they must evade various ghosts, an escaped circus ape, the trigger-happy Billy-Bob, and his sister Sadie Mae who’s taken a liking to Shaggy.
By the time the 1980s had rolled around, Hanna-Barbera Productions was trying different things with its staple of animated characters, and instead of having a more traditional Scooby-Doo plot, they decided not to bring the entire Mystery Machine gang along for Scooby’s first full-length outing. They also managed to make Scrappy a more tolerable character (a victory in and of itself). The spooky atmosphere and silly pratfalls are the stars of the show here. The constant running from obstacles with little to no room to breathe can get tiresome as it’s something that works better in a shorter form, but one can’t deny the charms of Scooby-Doo and Shaggy roaming around a supposedly haunted house solving another mystery. In truth, the mystery isn’t really the point as it’s more about finding the treasure, as well as Three Stooges-style slapstick from The Boo Brothers. Let’s face it, you either like these new characters, or you don’t, but Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers is probably one of the best that this series has to offer, especially if you’re a long-time Scooby-Doo fan.
Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. As with the Blu-ray release of Yogi’s Great Escape, Warner Archive allows this animated title their normal high quality container, complete with vibrant color, good contrast, and a high bitrate that sits primarily between 30 to 40Mbps. Linework, cel dirt, and other debris are maintained, with a bit of mild speckling and a light layer of film grain. Some moderate noise removal has been applied, but everything appears organic to the source. It also appears to be a slightly sharper and more refined presentation than its predecessor.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. This track runs a little hot with mild hiss and extremely mild distortion, but it offers a bit more spread for music and atmospherics, as should be expected from a title that’s a little more on the spooky side. Dialogue and score are offered plenty of good support.
SCOOBY-DOO MEETS THE BOO BROTHERS (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B+/B+/B
Premiering on November 15, 1987, The Jetsons Meets the Flintstones is an obvious pairing if ever there was one. In the future, George is having difficulties at work since there appears to be a mole planted by Mr. Spacely’s rival Cogswell. In the past, Fred and Barney have recently lost their jobs, intending to keep it a secret from Wilma and Betty while taking them on a camping trip. Meanwhile, Elroy invents a time machine, sending the Jetsons into the past, whereupon they meet and befriend the Flintstones. Fred tries to get his and Barney’s jobs back by borrowing some of George’s futuristic gadgets to impress their boss Mr. Slate, but things go awry when the Flintstones are accidentally sent to the future, where Mr. Spacely and Cogswell are waiting to cash in on them. Back in the past, George and Jane go out and get jobs while Judy falls in love with a local teen rock star. However, both families become homesick, and it’s up to Henry Orbit and Rosie the Robot to try and fix the time machine and get everybody home.
This third Hanna-Barbera production seems like it could’ve easily been the first since, at the time, both animated families were arguably the most popular of the lot. The results are fun, with both families playing fish out of water and experiencing aspects of the past and the future, particularly when it comes to everyday household-related items and gadgets. The Judy Jetson love subplot feels a bit tacked on just to give her something to do, but it does produce a rather catchy little rock song called Bedrock Rock (which also acts as a prelude to Rockin’ with Judy Jetson). For me personally, The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones was another one that I watched more often as a child, though I hadn’t seen it since then. There’s no real stakes or a ticking clock for the time machine plot, but it doesn’t matter all that much in the end. It’s simply an excuse for each family to be reactionary to the new worlds that surround them. The only thing missing is the lack of Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, which the producers likely couldn’t work into the plot that easily.
The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. Once again, bitrates run between 30 and 40 Mbps with the linework, cel dirt, and other debris of the original animation retained. However, this is one of the softest presentations so far. Some of it might be inherent to the original production, but it does look a bit more scrubbed than the previous two films. However, not to the point of appearing inorganic. Color and contrast are ideal as usual, but it could be a sharper and more distinct image. How much of that is down to the remastering process versus the finished animation is unclear.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. On the other hand, the audio is the cleanest and most natural so far. Dialogue, score, and sound effects are well-balanced and there are no signs of distracting hiss or distortion.
THE JETSONS MEET THE FLINTSTONES (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B-/B-/B+
Premiering on November 26, 1987, Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose sees the return of Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, this time bringing along a cavalcade of familiar faces (Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, and Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy) for a magical trip aboard the world-famous Spruce Goose airplane. But once the plane takes off, they find a young stowaway, Bernice, who joins them for adventures involving saving animals at the South Pole who are caught in a snowstorm and can’t escape, an ocean liner full of animals lost at sea, and a mysterious island where someone has scrawled the word “HELP” into the sand.
This fourth animated TV movie sees the return of a number of Hanna-Barbera characters (perhaps a few too many), who join Yogi Bear for a trip across the globe, with a surprise appearance by Dastardly and Muttley (named Dread Baron and Mumbly here). It’s a very, very stretched-out idea that mixes a bit of environmentalism into the proceedings, hopping from one escapade to the next, but feels more like a meandering first draft than an actual plot. Matters aren’t helped by the presence of the annoying Bernice, who acts as a fifth wheel more than a participant. Even so, Yogi and his friends take her to heart, finding themselves in a variety of predicaments, but managing to come out on top with the magical help of the legendary Howard Hughes mechanical marvel. It’s a breezy, laid-back skylark (pun intended), even for a Hanna-Barbera production, but it’s perhaps not among the top tier of the films in this series.
Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. As with the previous Hanna-Barbera Blu-rays, this release also offers an excellent upgrade with bitrates sitting primarily between 30 and 40Mbps. Linework, cel dirt, and other inherent debris in the original animation remain intact, even if the presentation itself is not always the sharpest. It’s a tad scrubbed, but not to the point of appearing inorganic. As usual, color and contrast levels are ideal, with no major defects to be seen.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Like its predecessors, it offers a well-balanced experience with plenty of good support for dialogue, score, and sound effects. It’s also clean with no signs hiss, dropouts, or distortion.
YOGI BEAR AND THE MAGICAL FLIGHT OF THE SPRUCE GOOSE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C/B/B+
Premiering on March 20, 1988, Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats sees the Brooklyn-based, trouble-making alley gang finding themselves a bit of luck when the kind-hearted Benny the Ball is named as a possible beneficiary by the wealthy, though recently-deceased, Gertrude Vandergelt. They soon head for Beverly Hills to hear the reading of the will and since the primary benefactor, Getrude’s young niece Amy, appears to be missing, Benny is named sole beneficiary to the Vanderbelt fortune. However, in the event that anything should happen to him within the next two days, Vanderbelt’s butler Snerdly and his pet dog Rasputin will receive the inheritance. As Benny grows more and more homesick and Top Cat and Co. continue to reap the benefits of Benny’s good luck, Snerdly and Rasputin do everything they can to try and get their hands on the money, including hiding Amy’s whereabouts from everyone, and doing away with Benny.
This fifth animated TV movie in the Superstars 10 series is a little different than the previous films, with obvious attempts to make the world and the characters seem more modern. Not only is there a blatant Beverly Hills Cop reference (I suppose one would be hard-pressed to not make a movie in the 1980s that takes place in Beverly Hills without at least a nod to Beverly Hills Cop since it was sitting firmly in the zeitgeist at the time), as well as a couple of bouts of rap by our intrepid felines, which isn’t as bad as it sounds... believe me, there’s much worse out there. The plot is fun and the characters are all accounted for, even Officer Dibble, who is obviously shoehorned into the plot, even if it feels overtly convenient. This is also the point in the series when they start borrowing music cues from previous entries, which is not an altogether bad thing, but it does stand out, especially when you watch these shows back to back. All said and done, Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats is one of the more enjoyable and rewatchable films in the series, and anyone with a soft spot for Top Cat and the gang will enjoy it that much more.
Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. This release, like the previous Hanna-Barbera Blu-ray releases, once again offers a wonderful upgrade with bitrates sitting comfortably between 30 and 40Mbps, with linework, cel dirt, and other debris inherent to the original animation fully intact. This may be the softest presentation so far, but only in so much as there’s obvious anomalies in the way that the animation was captured, which is baked in and can’t be repaired. It’s also a bit scrubbed, but everything is organic to the original source. Color and contrast levels are consistently pleasant as well, with no major visual deficits outside of occasional speckling and those aforementioned animation anomalies.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s a mostly satisfying presentation that’s well-balanced, offering plenty of support for dialogue, score, and sound effects. The quality of the audio dips slightly from 60:20 to 60:46, sounding almost muffled in a mono sort of way, as if it was taken from another source, but the rest of the presentation is strong and clean with no leftover instances of hiss or distortion.
TOP CAT AND THE BEVERLY HILLS CATS (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B/B/B
Premiering on May 6, 1988, The Good, The Bad, and Huckleberry Hound opts for a Western setting this time around. A “mysterious, steely-eyed, silent type stranger,” Huckleberry Hound, rides into Two-Bit, Californey, a tiny town with a big problem: the Dalton gang. Made up of Dinky, Pinky, Finky, and Stinky, these dastardly brothers-in-crime bully and rob their way across the open West, that is until they meet Huckleberry Hound, who has recently (and reluctantly) been appointed sheriff of Two-Bit. Meanwhile, Huckleberry has recently met the beautiful and sweet Desert Flower, whom he plans to settle down with and live a quiet life, raising a family on a small plot of land with goats and pigs. But before he can marry her, he must stop the Dalton brothers with the help of the town, while proving himself to Desert Flower’s stubborn and reproachful father.
One of my personal favorites, this sixth animated film does what the Superstars 10 series does best (at least thus far), which is to do something radically different than the last, by making an old-fashion Western. Huckleberry had appeared in Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, but here he gets his own show, with guest stars that include Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, Hokey Wolf, Snagglepuss, and Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey (finally!), with surprise appearances by Magilla Gorilla and Peter Potamus. It’s a very endearing story that feels almost like it could have easily been a Bugs Bunny cartoon in some respects, mostly in the humor, but Huckleberry is his usual Southern-fried, well-mannered, laid-back self, eager to help the local townsfolk get crime under control while aiming to raise a family with Desert Flower. It’s perhaps the most charming and care-free of the six made-for-TV features so far, possibly of them all.
The Good, The Bad, and Huckleberry Hound was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. The film’s Western setting certainly lends itself more to the presentation at hand with various desert landscapes and structures, and like the previous Blu-ray releases, attractive bitrates are maintained that hover between 30 and 40Mbps. All of the linework and cel dirt inherent in the image is intact, and it’s perhaps the sharpest presentation so far, with a couple of random shots appearing soft—likely due to inconsistencies in the original animation. Everything appears organic with pleasant color and contrast, and no leftover visual flaws to speak of.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s another satisfying presentation that gives good support to dialogue, score, and sound effects. Everything is balanced well, and outside of very minor hiss, it’s clean without any distortion, dropouts, or other anomalies.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND HUCKLEBERRY HOUND (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B+/B+/B
Premiering on September 18, 1988, Rockin’ with Judy Jetson sees the spaced-out teenager from the future doing what she does best, daydreaming about rock stars, namely Sky Rocker. Not far away, the music-hating Felonia Funk prepares a device called the Mental Flosser to control the minds of everyone in the universe and be rid of all music forever. When Judy finds out that Sky is coming to town for a concert, her friends convince her to take along a song she’s written in the hopes that he’ll sing it. Felonia’s henchman accidentally mix up Judy’s song with a secret code for the Mental Flosser, and Sky mistakes it for a great new song, which he performs to Judy’s embarrassment. Unwittingly, she quickly becomes famous, with Felonia Funk setting her sights on both her and Sky, but George, Elroy, Astro, and Judy’s friends are out to help.
Rockin’ with Judy Jetson is essentially a remake of The Jetsons season one episode A Date with Jet Screamer, and it’s probably the least of the Superstars 10 series overall. It’s not necessarily unappealing, but it’s more generic compared to the other titles in the series. By the time it came along in late 1988, the new TV incarnation of The Jetsons had recently been canceled after only a couple of seasons, and it was sadly the last project the original voice cast would ever do together as Daws Butler passed away a few months before the movie aired (and a couple of years before the negatively-received feature film). For that reason alone, it makes it a little more special than usual, and with a fun 80s rock and roll soundtrack and a kooky villain trying to erase all music in the universe, it also makes for a very breezy and pleasant watch.
Rockin’ with Judy Jetson was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. The world of The Jetsons has always been a colorful place filled with an array of wild architecture, vehicles, and household items, and Rockin’ with Judy Jetson takes full advantage of that, as does Warner Archive’s Blu-ray. As per usual, bitrates between 30 and 40Mbps are maintained with intact linework and cel dirt. Flaws inherent in the animation, including one particular instance before a wipe where the frames go slightly out of register, are left alone as well. It’s also a clean and sharp presentation that’s organic with a pleasant enough grain structure and excellent color and contrast.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Though there are some flaws in the soundtrack baked in with regards to the music (albeit minor), everything sounds as it should with great support for dialogue, score, and sound effects. All of it’s well-balanced and clean with no obvious imperfections.
ROCKIN’ WITH JUDY JETSON (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B/B
Premiering on October 16, 1988, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School sees the return of Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy, this time making their way to “Miss Grimwood’s Finishing School for Ghouls” where Shaggy has been hired as the new gym teacher. The students include Sibella, daughter of Dracula; Elsa, daughter of Frankenteen, Sr; Winnie, daughter of the Wolfman; Phanty, daughter of the ghostly phantom; and Tanis, the daughter of the Mummy—along with their small, fire-breathing pet dragon Matches. After taking on the Calloway Military Academy for boys in a big volleyball match, they must outwit the sinister Revolta whom, along with her tentacled-henchman the Grim Creeper, scheme to magically transform them all into evil monsters.
Ghoul School takes Scooby-Doo and the gang in a different direction by not having a mystery plot, unlike their previous film Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers, and instead offering a very thin kidnapping plot with a side of monsters. As one might expect, it’s a series of Shaggy and Scooby-Doo getting scared and running away, or being horrified by the food that the young monster ladies of the school eat—that is until scenes need them to not do so. The school lads next door repeat constant military jargon among each other, and seem to have a semi-grudge against the titular ghoul school, but it never really goes anywhere. Miss Grimwood and Colonel Callaway are little more than decoration as the story takes place without them the majority of the running time, and like many of these Superstars 10 films, it ends with a big dance and celebration, complete with a rap by Scrappy-Doo. In truth, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School is not one of the better entries in this series, but it’s still charming enough to get by with a steady stream of monsters, gobs of ghoulish puns, and scads of Scooby-Doo style antics. It’s far from “Fangtastic,” but it’s fun.
Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Warner Archive brings the film to Blu-ray on a BD-50 disc, maintaining its original television aspect ratio. The film takes place mostly at night, but it still manages to offer some variance in its environments, offering excellent color and contrast with deep blacks. Bitrates sit between 30 and 40Mbps with solid linework and cel dirt. The only noticeable flaws are inherent in the original animation. Otherwise, it all appears clean and organic with a nice grain structure.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. There are no issues to be found here as dialogue, score, and sound effects are all well-balanced, and the overall track is clean with no overriding problems to speak of.
SCOOBY-DOO AND THE GHOUL SCHOOL (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B-/B+/B+
Premiering on November 13, 1988, Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf again sees Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo off on another supernatural adventure. This time around, Shaggy finds himself the kidnapped victim of Count Dracula. In Transylvania, Dracula, along with a cadre of monsters, hope to hold their annual “Monster Road Ralley” drag race, and since their Wolfman is on vacation, they turn Shaggy into a wolfman and try to make him appear in the race instead. However, Shaggy and his devoted girlfriend Googie, along with Scooby and Scrappy, want no part of it. Falsely promising to Shaggy that he’ll turn him back to normal and send him home if he takes part in the race, Dracula, along with his troublesome minions, do everything they can to keep him from winning, so that Dracula can have control over him forever.
In all fairness, this wasn’t the first time that Shaggy had ever transformed into a werewolf as it had occurred in the Moonight Madness episode of the Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo show years earlier. (One might also argue that he was a bit more menacing-looking in that incarnation, but that’s neither here nor there.) As it turns out, this Reluctant Werewolf is much less satisfying than the other Superstars 10 features that came before it. It’s yet another tale in which Scooby and the gang don’t solve any mysteries, but it’s also crammed wall-to-wall with both diagetic and nondiagetic music, and to a distracting and unnecessary degree. The art style is off-putting (more on that in a minute), there are little to no real stakes, the jokes are tiresome, and there’s no momentum to the plot. That’s not to say that previous incarnations of Scooby-Doo have been known for meticulously-crafted storytelling, but this feels lazy, and it’s clear that the series is coming to an end. It can be mildly enjoyable in small doses, but even at 92 minutes, Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf just doesn’t hold up as well as its predecessors.
According to the text that opens Warner Archive’s new Blu-ray release, “Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf was one of two of the Superstars 10 telefilms Hanna-Barbera produced using an early form of digital ink and paint, and was output to a final 1” videotape master, with no film protection of any kind. This presentation has been up-converted from its original analog standard definition master to digital High-Definition, with every effort made to improve the visual quality of the program.”
Presented on BD-50 disc and maintaining its original television aspect ratio, it’s given its best possible chance, but it’s a much rougher presentation in comparison to what’s come before. It has that early Cartoon Network look to it where the more traditional-looking backgrounds are much brighter than the actual animation, which makes it stick out that much more. The overall presentation is inherently soft with faint traces of video lines along the edge of the screen, yet with bitrates between 30 and 40Mbps, as well as excellent color and contrast. Because of its source, it’s never going to look all that great to begin with, but what’s presented here is much-improved over previous home video presentations.
The audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. As the soundtrack is so aggressively music-driven, it unfortunately doesn’t balance well with dialogue and sound effects, the former of which is a tad too low at times. From 37:14 to 37:57, there are noticeably about eight clicking sounds in the audio. It’s unclear whether this was something inherent in the original master or not, but either way, it could easily have been cleaned up after the fact. At any rate, it’s a subpar soundtrack overall, probably the least of the lot so far.
SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE RELUCTANT WEREWOLF (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C-/C/C+
This disc also carries a single, but important, extra:
- Scooby Goes Hollywood (HD – 49:37)
Airing on December 23, 1979, Scooby Goes Hollywood (released on DVD as Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood) takes a meta approach with Shaggy and Scooby-Doo walking off of their regular TV show and trying to convince the head of the network, as well as everyone else in Hollywood, that Scooby can do more than just make funny. It features appearances from the original Scooby-Doo gang, musical numbers, parodies of various popular movies and TV shows of the era, and a montage of moments from Scooby’s previous TV shows (not to mention a surprising rendition of the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? theme song). It was meant to celebrate Scooby’s then 10th anniversary, even if it feels more like a leftover of sorts from The Scooby-Doo Show (which ended the previous year), but it’s a nice little addition to support the main feature on this disc.
Thankfully, Scooby Goes Hollywood is treated with the same great care in terms of quality. It was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and Warner Archive maintains that again here. It’s given a lovely, organic grain structure, bitrates that sit between 30 and 40Mbps, solid linework and cel dirt, and excellent color and contrast with deep blacks.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Like the video portion, there are no issues as it’s a clean, well-balanced track with good support for dialogue, score, and sound effects.
SCOOBY GOES HOLLYWOOD (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B+/B+
Premiering on November 20, 1988, Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears brings back Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo for one last adventure. While Ranger Smith and his fellow rangers declares the day to be “Y.B. Day” in the hopes of having a single day without Yogi bothering campers or causing trouble, Yogi and Boo-Boo are secretly abducted by aliens from the Planet Daxson. Incorrectly judging them to be the most intelligent of all species on Earth, the aliens make robot clones called Dupoids of Yogi and Boo-Boo in order to take over Jellystone Park, and eventually, the universe. Meanwhile, Cindy Bear is distraught when Yogi goes missing, pleading with Ranger Smith to do something about it (who’s only too happy that Yogi’s out of the picture) and turning to Mountain Bear for help. Yogi tries to get them back to Earth, Boo-Boo falls in love with a bear-like alien named Snulu, and all three must escape the aliens’ grasp and stop the invading Dupoids.
Though the animation style is the same as its predecessor, Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears is a more entertaining film. Yogi Bear is his usual picnic basket-loving self, though Ranger Smith goes a bit mad when confronted with so many clones of Yogi and Boo-Boo. It’s also one of the few times in the history of these characters that Boo-Boo has a love interest. Cindy Bear doesn’t have much to do but be sad and, in one instance, sing a song about how unhappy she is when Yogi is missing. The stakes are low and there isn’t too much hilarity to be had, but it’s still a mildly fun romp that opts to go in a much more off-the-wall direction than what’s expected of it. It’s also the final film in the Superstars 10 series, but more importantly, the final project to feature Daws Butler, who passed away a few months before it aired. For that reason alone, it makes a little more special, and perhaps more forgivable when it comes to its shortcomings.
According to the text that opens Warner Archive’s new Blu-ray release, “Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears was one of two of the Superstars 10 telefilms Hanna-Barbera produced using an early form of digital ink and paint, and was output to a final 1” videotape master, with no film protection of any kind. This presentation has been up-converted from its original analog standard definition master to digital High-Definition, with every effort made to improve the visual quality of the program.”
Presented on BD-50 disc and maintaining its original television aspect ratio, it’s given its best possible chance, but like Scooby Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf, it’s a rough presentation in comparison to what’s come before. However, it’s far more watchable as animation and backgrounds blend much better than in Reluctant Werewolf, wherein backgrounds were usually brighter than the animation, making it stick out even more than it already did. There’s even a sequence of traditional cel animation, possibly taken from a previous Yogi Bear show or special (though I don’t know which one). Everything is inherently soft with faint traces of video lines along the edge of the screen, and in some instances, throughout the rest of the screen. The good news is that the same quality bitrates apply, sitting primarily between 30 and 40Mbps, with excellent color and contrast. Above all else, it’s much-improved over previous home video presentations.
The audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s an odd soundtrack as it’s spaced out pretty wide, sounding almost as the channels are backwards, which stands out more during the first half of the film. After a while, you get used it. Otherwise, dialogue, score, and sound effects are given good enough support, and there’s a very mild hiss present.
YOGI AND THE INVASION OF THE SPACE BEARS (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/C+/B-
This release also comes with a single extra:
- Yogi’s Ark Lark (HD – 42:49)
Airing on September 16, 1972, Yogi’s Ark Lark was not only broadcast as it’s own special, but it also served as two episodes of Yogi’s Gang. Yogi, Boo-Boo, and a who’s who of Hanna-Barbera characters hop into their own version of Noah’s Ark and sail around the world to find the “perfect place,” devoid of all pollution. Snagglepuss, Magilla Gorilla, Peter Potamus, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Top Cat, Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har, and Pixie and Dixie (among others) take part in the adventure. It’s highly repetitive, but charming nonetheless. (I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that a personal childhood favorite of mine, the HB-TV home video of Old Time Rock & Roll, which re-used clips from vintage Hanna-Barbera cartoons synced to popular songs, featured lots of footage from this special.)
Thankfully, Yogi’s Ark Lark is treated with the same great care in terms of quality. It was animated and finished on 35 mm film at the aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and Warner Archive maintains that. Bitrates sit between 30 and 40Mbps, with solid linework and cel dirt, and excellent color and contrast with deep blacks. The grain structure is fine, though it’s perhaps not the deepest scan as fine detail is often lacking. However, it’s a sharp, organic presentation overall.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Like the video portion, there are no issues as it’s a clean, well-balanced track with good support for dialogue, score, and sound effects.
YOGI’S ARK LARK (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/B/B+
The Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 Blu-ray boxed set is presented in two blue amaray cases with five discs per case, an everything is packed into thin slipcase packaging.
For people of a certain age who saw these films when they originally aired on TV, or rented them on VHS through Worldvision Enterprises, seeing them in such high quality is a real treat. Thankfully, Warner Archive realized that not everybody may like every film in this series, and they’ve given them the opportunity to purchase them individually, or pick them all up in the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 Blu-ray boxed set. Regardless, it’s great to see all of these films finally make it past the DVD format.
- Tim Salmons
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