The Popcorn Popper (Between The Lions)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B-
The talking lions are a hit! At least the lion puppets of Between The Lions (1999
onward) form WGBH Boston Video. Instead
of people, lion puppets are the stars, and these are not from the Muppet
people. The Popcorn Popper is
the new DVD single for the series that includes the following episodes:
1) The
Popcorn Popper
2) Hug,
Hug, Hug!
3) Piggyback,
Piggyback
Again, the lions and occasional humans do a fine job of
constructing ideas about grammar, spelling and pronunciation throughout the
show. The result is one of the key
children’s TV series. Each show is
about a half-hour and is just non-stop entertainment, intelligent and fun
stimulation to encourage reading throughout.
The production is good, with money put into the show and this includes
some animation. The shows continue to
be very child-friendly, respecting their intelligence and are as visually
involving as possible without being distracting. The result is a constructed world where child viewers can develop
a foundation of vital skills. A box set
is already on the market, among other items, and this is a great place to start
if you just want to see a single release.
The 1.33 X 1 full frame image is again good for a current
analog video production, employing digital where needed. The puppeteering is jus fine, while the
animation will do. There are detail
limits, but they are not too bad. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no surround information, but this sounds fine, nor
is the music. Extras again include
songs from the show, three “Play Story” sections from the episodes accessible
separately on each DVD, a “Leading The Way To Literacy” segment and two DVD-ROM
PDF activity pieces for parents and children separately.
- Nicholas Sheffo
