|
“Ren &
Stimpy: The Complete First and Second Season”
|
 |
Reviewed
by: |
Wayne A. Klein |
| Genre: |
Comedy |
| Video: |
1.33:1 Full
screen |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
Surround 2.0 (stereo) |
| Languages |
English |
| Subtitles |
English |
| Length |
418 minutes
|
| Rating |
NR |
| Release Date |
10/12/04
|
| Studio |
Paramount
Home Video |
| Commentary:
|
John Krickafalusi
and other members of the Spumco production staff |
| Documentaries:
|
None |
| Featurettes:
|
“In the Beginning” |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
None |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
None |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
Pencil tests,
previously unreleased cartoon “Man’s Best Friend” |
| Cast
and Crew: |
John Kricfalusi,
Billy West, Cheryl Chase, Michael Pataki, Gary Owens, Harris
Peet |
| Written
By: |
John Kricfalusi,
Jim Smith, Vincent Waller |
| Produced
By: |
John Krickfalusi,
Bob Camp |
| Directed
By: |
John Kricfalusi,
Ron Hughart, Vincent Waller |
| Music:
|
Shawn Patterson,
Scott Huml, John Krickfalusi |
| The
Review: |
You may feel like an eeediot buying
“Ren & Stimpy: The First & Second Season” on DVD. While this
duo helped give birth to an entire generation of off-beat
and downright bizarre cartoons (“Invader Zim”, even “The Powerpuff
Girls”), this set IS NOT the uncut episodes. Instead, these
are the episodes that were edited. John Kricfalusi’s unique
series and downright gross out episodes have been tamed for
smaller tykes. Unfortunately, that’s not who will be buying
this boxed set. While many of these cartoons are classics,
having them cut is akin to the butcher job that Warner did
to their classic cartoons for airing on TV over the years.
|
| Image
and Sound: |
A very poor
transfer all around. It looks like these were badly mastered
from videotape not from the original film sources (that would
also explain many of the edits). The picture appears soft with
none of the vivid images we saw last year on the “Looney Tunes
Collection” (and those cartoons were anywhere from 20 to 50
years old). The images and colors appear washed out as well.
The sound isn’t bad but then that’s not the main reason you’re
buying this on DVD. --- |
| The
Extras: |
We finally
get to see the “banned” episode “Man’s Best Friend” which
is pretty funny although, again, this isn’t a cartoon for
kids. We also get storyboards and a Spumco image gallery (Spumco
is the company that originally produced the series). The Sven
Hvek pencil test ( a pencil test is one of the early animation
tests done prior to making any final changes to the artwork)
is included. While all this stuff is interesting why not include
storyboards for censored and cut scenes? Why not proposed
storylines or early pencil tests for unproduced episodes?
We also get the “In the Beginning” featurette which focuses
on the creation of the series the obstacles that the show
stumbled over I before reaching a wide audience.
|
| Commentary:
|
The original
Spumco production team provides a commentary track on three
episodes including creator/director/writer John Kricfalusi.
Most of the commentary tracks are very amusing with very funny
observations by Kricfalusi and some of the staff animators/producers/writers.
|
| Final
Words: |
A big disappointment
from Paramount. Clearly no one wanted to put the time or the
effort into bringing out this classic cartoon the way it should
have been. Unfortunately, lots of Ren and Stimpy fans will buy
this and be suckered into purchasing a low quality product.
It’s a pity. I don’t know if Paramount, Nickelodeon or Kricfalusi
is to blame but someone’s got to pay. |
