Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I suppose I'll write the first review now that the product has actually been released. I consider myself a child of the 80s, although this 1980 series pre-dates my ability to remember the original airing by at least a couple of years. However, having watched the set I recognize several of the episodes from later syndication and remember enjoying these a lot.
We have here two dual-layer (no double-sided) DVDs. The contents are divided into individual Richie Rich and Scooby Doo show segments, ranging from 7 to 12 minutes in length. Extra short Richie Rich "Gem" segments are appended to the end of the previous cartoon and are not listed in the menu. The cartoons from each hour episode are presented in sequential order in the menu. There is the ever-present "Play All" option, but there doesn't appear to be a way to select and play full hour episodes. The first cartoon from each episode has the original opening sequence, including mixed theme music and mixed animation of Richie and Scooby characters. The last cartoon from each hour has two separate closing credits in sequence -- not sure if one or both are original.
The cartoons pertaining to each hour episode are listed on the inside cover of the DVD jacket. The Richie cartoons do not appear to have title cards, just generic "Riches", "Treasure Chest" and "Zillion-Dollar Adventures" segment titles, so the actual cartoon titles are only visible in the menu and the jacket, and where they come from is anyone's guess (syndication titles maybe?).
I find the Richie Rich cartoons to be rather fun. The character designs are improved slightly from the comic book and Richie seems a bit older. I'm not otherwise familiar with the comic books or their stories, but the cartoon features adventures with Richie foiling crooks and solving problems, often with the help of his many wonderful gadgets and technology. There is his robot maid Irona, who can seemingly turn into anything, and the endless assortment of gadgets and gizmos provided by Professor Keenbean. The optimistic and unapologetic inclusion of so much gadgetry and fanciful technology is fun to watch. The animation is as good or better than most any H-B series, although the backgrounds are a little flat and the cartoon often resembles a side-scrolling game. However, Richie's world is bright and colorful and the action is fairly non-stop. Gloria's voice has a few Bart Simpson moments, but otherwise usually sounds like a young girl. I think kids today would still enjoy this cartoon immensely.
Then there are the Scooby Doo segments. Yes they have Scrappy. While far from my favorite character, in this early entry he's not THAT bad. I think some kind of third wheel was necessary to pull off this less (to use the term loosely) cerebral incarnation of Scooby Doo. Scrappy Doo is the catalyst that usually gets Shaggy and Scooby into trouble, followed by lots of fearful whimpering and running scared. The episodes are a short 7 minutes. Villains are often real monsters with real supernatural powers. There are no explanations, no mystery solving, no unmasking some phony in a costume. The stories are action packed and are meant to entertain with the non-stop comic antics of Shaggy and Scooby, running around scared out of their wits and trying to escape while keeping Scrappy from getting them into even more trouble. The short running times keep them watchable. They certainly seem targeted toward a younger audience than earlier Scooby Doo adventures, and would likely still be entertaining to younger children.
I'd say Warner Brothers did a better job on this release than some previous efforts. If this is the quality we can expect with these slimmer 2-disc Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection sets then I'm reasonably satisfied. Here's hoping more volumes come out with all the rest of Richie Rich and many other H-B properties still waiting in the wings.
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RICHIE RICH/SCOOBY DOO HOUR:VOL 1 - DVD Movie
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