Scooby Doo - Doo-Yoo Do-Doo? (Scooby Doo - Live Action Movie (DVD))

Member Name: buttonman

Product:	Scooby Doo - Live Action Movie (DVD)
Date:	29/06/02 (577 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Faithful to source, Special effects

Disadvantages: Short, Predictable

Last week I was honoured to be the guest of Crown Prince Ludwig of Boscraplistan at the European premiere of this film. That's why I've seen it before its UK premiere on July 12th not because someone lent me a pirate VCD. Really. So there.

Despite enjoying the lap of luxury I'm not convinced pirates are a bad thing for the movie biz. Indeed if I was cynical I'd suggest they leak the film out to generate a bit of word of mouth - such as this. Not that I'd condone piracy after all Mr Burns needs a new ivory back scratcher!

Anyway I digress. No one with a two or three at the start of their age can need reminding about what Scooby Doo is all about. It probably still airs on Cartoon Network but I'll always remember it from Sunday afternoons on Glen Micheal's Cartoon Cavalcade. Even as a dribbling brat I managed to see through most of the mysteries and even then wondered how four kids and a dog could afford to wander the carnivals and haunted houses of the land.

Basically the four all American youths - Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy (Norville to his friends) and their dog Scooby travelled the land in their VW 'Mystery Machine' in search of their adventure. Despite seeming scared and bewildered they always unmasked the baddie at the end who wasn't really a ghost but a disgruntled employee or such like. In truth I can only remember one episode where the baddie was all he seemed - a robot. Now that was a twist!

The show rumbled on for ages, right beyond the point I cared. It was revitalised if that's the word by the introduction of Scooby's nephew Scrappy Doo but for most this was the beginning of the end. A movie version has long been mooted but how to do the Doo? A real Great Dane wouldn't be much whack and a robot one would be hard to pull off. Happily CGI came to the rescue so what we get is a live action picture with a cartoon dog. Is it worth the wait? Well...

PREMISE


The film starts strongly with the gang near to the end of a case involving a haunted toy factory. As they lie in wait Velma, (glasses,glasses I can't see a thing without my glasses) explains her cunning plan to capture the toy bothering ghost. As it makes it's spooky entrance and captures Daphne the plan goes awry in a Mousetrap board game style with lots of slapstick before the ghost is caught. Not surprisingly it's not a ghost but the janitor who was upset at being rebuked by the factory's owner, er, Pamela Anderson. He would've gotten away with it too if it weren’t for those pesky kids, he says as expected.

Outside the press are gathered and to Velma's disgust Fred takes all the glory. This lead to a big fall out and the gang split up.

'Two years later' says the caption and we find Shaggy and Scooby in the back of the van together. Don’t get excited hamburgers are involved. A mysterious man offers them $10,000 to solve the mystery of Spooky Island - a scary island theme park. After accepting they arrive at the airport to find the rest of the gang have been made similar offers. After agreeing to join forces they arrive to be briefed by the island's owner Emile Mondavarious played by a shamefully underused Rowan Atkinson.

Seemingly boisterous youths arrive and leave like zombies - could a brainwashing cult be involved? Will the save any clichés for the sequel or will the Scooby snacks run out. You better check it out yourself I was too scared to look!

THOUGHTS

I thought this film was pretty good although it is aimed mainly at the kids and ironic teen market. The opening sequence is great and it's everything you'd expect. The ghost is really spooky and the dialogue is spot on. As is often the case with these films an element of conflict is introduced but for me having the gang fall out served no real purpose. It's almost as if they became aware of how the vi
ewers see them with Daphne and Velma particularly vocal in objecting to their stereotypes.

They stay very close to the source material with the costumes the same right down to Fred's neckerchief. The van looks more modern but the dialogue zings along with 1970's jive.

The main mystery is a bit of a let down with no real detective work done. I won't spoil any surprises because there aren't any. That's not to say it didn't have it's moments with an unwelcome cameo by Scrappy being turned into a great scene where he pees on Daphne and then get tossed out of the van - good riddance!

The Scooby Doo animation was great. They went for an accurate dog shape (sans the knackers!) but kept the dopey look and crooked smile. The dog is in most scenes and the actors do well with what must have been a ball on a stick to act with. His voice has come on from the cartoon and in some scenes he has near full conversations.

The dog obviously got the budget, as the rest of the monsters aren't much to speak of. That said there is also a funny scene where the gang become spooky heads and inhabit each other's bodies. Reportedly this lead to a now cut scene involving a lesbian kiss between Velma and Daphne - Damn censors!


ACTORS

Matthew Lillard - SHAGGY

Third on the cast list but the star of the show by miles. This guy is Shaggy personified. I actually thought he'd been dubbed by the guy who did Shaggy's cartoon voice. He probably has the toughest job interacting with the non-existent dog. He does the gangly walk well and has most of the funny lines. They also make funny references to Shaggy being a stoner which I think we all guessed!

Freddie Prinze Jnr – FRED

I didn't really take to Fred. In the cartoon he was more of a leader here he is a bit vain and arrogant. His dull character doesn't give the actor much to work with although he does get a scen
e as a nasty zombie.

Sarah Michelle Gellar - DAPHNE

Buffy herself fails to fill Daphne's high-heeled boots for me. To start with she's too short. They do make a joke of her character always being captured and despite one Buffyesque fight she doesn't shine nor suit red hair

Linda Cardellini - VELMA

Thinking man's crumpet! Stuck behind thick glasses and a lurid orange sweater she has a hard job keeping up with Buffy but does so well. They try to create a bit of a love interest and we get that 'Oooh without your glasses your beautiful' moment. Naturally we also get that scene where her dropped glasses are handed back to her by a monster.

Rowan Atkinson - Emile Mondavarious

Underused but overacted. Played midway between Bean and Blackadder we don't get any sense of menace from the potentially suspicious theme park owner. I bet this was a bigger part that got trimmed down in the edit suite. If not he should speak to his agent.

Neil Fanning - Scooby Doo

The voice acting was spot on but this meant that just like the cartoons Scooby was hard to understand. Still most of his lines were "Yikes" so no great loss. Doubtless this Christmas's must have toy.

OVERALL

Did just what it says on the tin. Squarely aimed at the family you won't be disappointed if you want a fast 80 minutes of laughs and top notch special effects. Not a lot for mum and dad except for rampant nostalgia but after the messes that were 'Rocky and Bullwinkle' and 'The Flintstones' just be grateful for that!

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