Captain Power: The Complete Series (1987 – 1988/Music Video Distributors DVD Set) + GI Joe Renegades: Season 1 – Volume 1 + GI
Joe: Series 2 – Season 2 + Jem and the Holograms: Season 3 + The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (Shout!
Factory DVDs)
Captain Power: The Complete Series
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: B Episodes: B
Created
by Gary Goddard, Captain Power was
an incredibly innovative and creative series; though it only lasted one
season. Even at one season (22 episodes)
Captain Power had a huge impact on
kids of the time, many fondly remembering the series to this day. The nostalgia held for this series is only
heightened by the successful toy line produced by Mattel.
The toy
line was as innovative as the series itself, allowing children to interact with
each and every episode by projecting a special light on the television screen
that corresponded to the action at hand.
Also many action figures came with a VHS tape so children could view Captain Power any time!
Bio-Mechs
are robotic soldiers that fight the wars of the future in 2147; making man
obsolete in war, but still lingering in the background. Bruce Gray plays Dr. Stuart Gordon Power who
along with his partner Dr. Lyman Taggart (played by David Hemblem) are working
on a super computer called the Overmind.
The Overmind was meant to be the answer to all man’s problems, but after
Dr. Taggart made the hasty choice of hooking himself into Overmind to “speed up
the project,” things went terribly wrong.
Dr. Taggart was no longer himself and now obsessed over making man and
machine into one ultimate being; in the process of doing this however he set in
motion a new and catastrophic war. Man
was now in conflict with the Bio-Mechs and it is up to Dr. Power to restore
peace and order…or at least give man a fighting chance.
Dr. Power
creates a set of Power Suits that when worn gives that person superhuman
qualities/power. Dr Taggart attempts to
stop Dr Power from making these devices and in the process kills Dr Power and
severely injures himself, forcing him to become more machine than man. Jonathan Power (son of Dr. Gordon Power) assembles
a team using his father’s power suits to save the world. Dr Taggart is now Lord Dread and will stop
and nothing to destroy Captain (Jonathan) Power and gain control of the
world. Power calls his team ‘The
Soldiers of Fortune’ who use the suits in conjunction with a super computer
named Mentor
(made by Dr Power) to restore order.
Along the way many troubles arise with Lord Dread being at the center of
every evil plot, starting the wheels in motion for his ‘Project: New Order,’
which will destroy all that is left of humanity.
The
series was off to a great start before being canceled, but sadly audiences will
never get to experience what was to come as Captain Power was canceled after only one season.
The
technical features here are adequate but far from great. The picture is old/worn appearing to be a
direct VHS tape transfer in its 1.33 X 1 full screen presentation. The series was originally shot on film and
mastered on tape; sadly the taped transfers being used here which have
grit/grim, a softness and lack of clarity that is sad to see. The colors are generally ok and there are few
light/dark issues; but the series could be much better. The sound is a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Track
that leaves much to be desired as it projects mostly from the front with little
action from anywhere else; ending up quite lackluster for this fast paced
series.
As for
extras, several commentary tracks exist on various episodes, which is very nice
as audiences get insight from a variety of sources; including but not limited
to creators, writers, producers, and even actors. We are treated to ‘Out of the Ashes’ a
featurette that takes an in depth look at the special effects as well as story
structure throughout the series, giving over 90 minutes of bonus footage that
you can’t find anywhere else. There is a
lot of talk about the technical difficulties and the casts’ time on the set;
hardships, fun, and everything in between.
There is a wonderful extra that details why a second season never
happened and what direction the series would have taken if it had continued;
something fans have been dying to know.
Finally there is the made for TV (Canadian) movie Captain Power: The Legend Begins that US audiences have never
experienced before; but overall it is weaker than the series itself as it is
only a string of the first season episodes edited together to make a 90 minute
movie. In the end, it feels more like a
rushed summation than a solid venture in cinema. There is also a still gallery that I could
take or leave.
A greatly
underrated series that though a bit dated, stands the test time and had great
potential that was never fully recognized.
G.I. Joe: Renegades – Season 1:
Volume 1 (Shout!
Factory DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: D Episodes: C+
GI Joe: Renegades is a new GI Joe series that follows the basic premise of the original
series. The series originally aired in
November of 2010 on The Hub channel. As previously mentioned the series holds true
to many of the original GI Joe ideals,
but puts a new spin on the now classic 1980’s series.
The
premise of GI Joe: Renegades is that
while the GI Joe team was scouting Cobra Pharmaceuticals (a front for the evil
Cobra) on a covert mission there was an ‘accidental’ explosion that was pinned
on the GI Joe team. The GI Joe Team is
now flagged by the government, media, and cobra as outlaws that must be stopped
at all cost; in turn forcing The Joes to go on the run. While setting out to prove their innocence,
GI Joe Team is pursued by not only Cobra, but also an elite military unit
called The Falcons. The double trouble
doesn’t make things easy for Team Joe, especially when they are trying to
uncover the truth behind the mysterious explosion. In Season
One – Volume One of the series now on DVD we get a taste of the action with
Duke, Roadblock, Tunnel Rat, Ripcord, and Snake Eyes all tagging along for the
ride. There is exciting action and a
twisted storylines to peak the interest of many viewers.
The
series is a departure from the classic GI
Joe fans have come to know and love; but that is not a bad thing. The series is enough like the classic GI Joe,
but far enough away that it doesn’t real like a rehashed venture down memory
lane. This is the perfect time to get
back in GI Joe, especially with the new film on the horizon.
The
technical features of this GI Joe:
Renegades series are nicer than many of the recent iterations we have seen
since the series was just produced in 2010.
The picture is a 1.78 X 1 Anamorphic Widescreen that has solid colors
and bold framing blacks. The image isn’t
stunning by any means and will look better on Blu-ray, but is a far better
quality than the classic Joe series on DVD.
The sound is a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround that gets the job done with
some use of surrounds but mostly comes from the front, though does pick up the
rears to a small extent when the action takes off.
No extras
are available here.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero -
Series 2: Season 2
(Shout! Factory DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: B Episodes: B-
This is
the final 20 episodes of the classic series made by DIC Entertainment and put
on DVD by Shout! Factory (saviors of the 1980/90’s classics). This series (again) is not to be confused
with the original 1980’s series. It is a
new series in the same universe that continues the storyline of our classic
(original) heroes while introducing a host of new heroes and villains alike.
In these
20 final episodes, General Hawk returns with his new team of JOEs to battle
Cobra Commander and his band of tyrants.
This season premiered in 1991 and is a fan favorite as it brought back
many original GI Joe members (Duke, Storm Shadow, and more) and truly capped of
a solid series. Whereas many animated
series feel unfinished these last 20 episodes deliver just enough
action/continuity to get the job done.
So gear up and tune in on DVD for 20 outrageously entertaining GI Joe
tales.
The
technical features are what you would expect from an early ‘90s series that was
transitioning from a basic animation 80’s series. The picture is a 1.33 X 1 Full Screen image
that is adequate but does have grain and debris. The colors and blacks are nice enough, even
with the animation feeling pretty basic without too much depth. The sound is a simple Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
track (as the series was originally aired) that blasts from the front. Dialogue is clear enough but don’t expect
anything thrilling here.
The best
thing from the technical features (and perhaps the series) is the featurette
found in the extras entitled Retrospective Featurette with the Hasbro Toy
Team. It isn’t very long nor does it
have too much info (a lot of geeking out), but it does feature some toys circa 1991
and that is good enough for me.
Jem and the Holograms – Season
Three (Shout!
Factory DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C Episodes: C+
Jem in Season Three continues to be
same old same old as we are treated to the same old same old. Season
Three changes it up A TAD as a new rival is introduced in the form of The Stingers who attempt to knock Jem
and the Holograms out of the spotlight. The Stingers are oddly (totally awesome)
an ‘80s glam/hair band that is headed by Riot who
swears to make Jem his. The series
(directed at young females) tugs on girls’ heart strings as Jem is conflicted
over and caught in a love triangle when she is falling for Riot, but still has
feeling for long time love Rio.
This is
the last season for Jem and the Holograms,
but not much new is found here to wrap the series up. Jem bounces back and forth again between
secret studio identity and rock star legend; though now we have the
aforementioned love triangle.
Jem is a fun series, but is almost the
epitome of directed marketing. While
boys had GI Joe, He-Man, and Thundercats toy companies were searching hard to
sell girls something outside of easy bake ovens and Barbies…enter Jem (and
don’t forget She-Ra). Jem came and went leaving its mark on
1980’s cartoon history. I found it
enjoyable and nostalgic though not all too deep, fun never the less.
The
technical features are exactly the same as found in the previous set with a
less than stellar picture, but a very nicely upgraded sound. The image is a 1.33 X 1 Full Screen that
boasts solid colors that pop, leaning more heavily on the pastel pallet but
bright. The black level is a tad weak
and there is grain with debris throughout.
The sound again is a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround upgrade that makes the
music pop; whereas not fantastic it is a big step up over other series from the
same time.
The only
extra is the ‘Music Jukebox’ that highlights the songs from the series; nice to
have it in one place, but nothing to write home about.
The Smurfs and the Magic Flute
[Original Full Length Feature Film] (Shout Factory DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: B- Film: B-
Originally
produced in 1976 in Belgium
and premiering other places around the globe (EXCEPT The USA) Smurfs and the Magic Flute was a film
directed by Peyo that finally found its way to the USA in 1983. The film was the spark that would ignite the
1980’s Hanna-Barbera Smurfs series
that would forever be cherished by American viewers.
Set in
the Middle Ages, the film focuses for the first 20 or so minutes on Sir Johan
and Court Jester Peewit as they set out to recover a Magic Flute that was
stolen by Mathew McCreep. McCreep
discovered the flutes hidden powers and is using it to bewitch the people of
the kingdom to steal their money. Johan
and Peewit try in vain to stop McCreep and seek the help of a wizard to stop
him before it is too late. The wizard
knows the origins of the flute and sends the two men with an incantation to
Smurfland. In Smurfland our heroes meet
Papa Smurf and his fellow Smurfs who agree to help the men by building another
flute. From here we embark on a
Smurf-Tastic adventure with many surprises, twists and turns along the way.
The film
is great. It truly showcases why the
Smurfs were an instant hit. The film is
insanely creative and introduced the world to a host of oddball, but lovable
beings. If you are a Smurf fan or have
never smurfed in your life, this is where you start.
The
technical features are solid with bright colors and detailed animation from the
picture end. The image could be clearer
and could definitely use some restoration (perhaps on Blu-ray). The sound is a simple 2.0 Dolby Digital
Stereo track that could ALSO use an upgrade, but gets the smurfing job done.
Extras
are nice, but don’t hold much rewatchable quality. Extras include:
- Original Uncut Theatrical
Release of Film (not really an extra)
- Image Gallery
- Glossary of Smurf Terms (I
will remember this if I am ever transported to Smurfland)
- The Smurf Story
- Character Guide
- About the Smurfs and the Magic
Flute
- Animated Menus
- Michael P Dougherty II
