Goosebumps DVD Review
Goosebumps DVD Review
A little chill for the little ones
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What kid doesn't love a scary story? Who can forget slumber parties beginning with a night of fright flicks, then staying up all night trading urban legends? Author R.L. Stine certainly knows all about that, and his books about things that go bump in the dark became so popular that they spawned a tamer Tales From The Crypt meets a more updated Twilight Zone TV series from '95 through '98 shown of the FoxKids Channel and produced by Scholastic Media. Each episode had a different story, with a new cast and an original horror-tinged thriller.
If you have children (probably good for the 7 to tens), or if you were in this demographic back in the 90s, now you can enjoy Goosebumps as they are released little by little on DVD. There are several choices out there already, but on March 31, 2009 it's time for scarecrows and (a favorite subgenre of mine) mummies!
Don't except the star treatment for these vintage little thrillers — the presentation is in full frame, and the picture hasn't been restored to come up to HD snuff. Sound fidelity is fine, and stereo separation is noticeable. There aren't any extras, but for the price of these DVDs and the nostalgia factor and the fact that kids are positive protagonists, they're well worth a look.
Return of the Mummy Collection
Return of the Mummy: Gabe visits his archaeologist uncle in Egypt just in time to watch him unearth the tomb of a great prince – which might be exciting if disturbed mummies didn't seek revenge on whoever wakes them from the dead.
Review: For such a short show (about 20 minutes, without the commercial breaks), Return of the Mummy tells its story suspensefully and succinctly. The action gets started right away as Gabe (Daniel DeSanto) and his cohorts (trickster friend Sari, played by Annick Obonsawin; and gullible Uncle Ben, played by Elias Zarou) uncover an secret scarab relic in an ancient tomb. Using the petrified insect to magically open the door to what they believe will be untold treasures, they find only unspeakable evil. Of course, all's well that ends well… but as the characters move toward the inevitable happy conclusion, we get to see a resurrected Egyptian siren (Afrah Gouda), a menacing mummy (Peter Jarvis), and lots of quaint, clunky replica artifacts. It's a cute story, especially for armchair Egyptologists.
Don't Wake Mummy: Jeff doesn't really want to hug the 4,000-year-old mummy he received from his dad, especially when the vengeful creature rises from its sarcophagus.
You Can't Scare Me: Fed-up friends Eddie and Hat decide to scare a show-off pal with Mud Monsters at Muddy Creek, but their dirty deed backfires.
The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight Collection
The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight: There's something funny about Jodie and Mark's grandparents' farm, but nobody is laughing, especially when 12 strange new scarecrows frighten more than just the other birds.
Don't Go to Sleep: Matt wishes his family were different – until he wakes up from a nap in the attic to find that things are suddenly very different.
Review: This is a cautionary "Be careful what you wish for" kind of story, which begins as Matt (Tyler Kyte) mopes around his house, jealous of how his parents treat his older siblings with what he thinks is much more respect. So he decides to make them worry, as he hides out in the attic. He falls asleep, only to wake up in another dimension where he sees just how difficult it is to be treated like an adult (he has to perform brain surgery… No, really!). But in this dimension, he's got added problems: a strange team of men in shadowy black suits who follow his every move. Don't go to sleep just might put you to sleep; there's nothing overtly wrong with it, but it's a rather lazily crafted episode.
Calling All Creeps: Ricky hopes for revenge when he puts a mean girl's phone number in a personal advert. But when he starts getting scary midnight calls, he's the one getting the creeps!
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson