Speed Racer – The Complete Classic Collection (Original 1967 - 1968 Animated TV Series/Lionsgate
DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: B+
After
covering the individual volumes in one review, the entire, original and only Speed Racer is being issued as one
set. Our original coverage about the
series and these DVDs can be found at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4505/Speed+Racer
At the
time, I was optimistic that the then-upcoming feature film version would be a
revival that would work, but it and a Next
Generation animated TV series have been awful and set the franchise back in
ways words cannot describe. Having
already blasted both as the failures they are elsewhere on this site, new
thoughts on the show and this new set.
Besides
the likable metal Mach 5 shell holding a square with all of the episodes that
are exactly of the same quality we already covered, there is a bonus DVD with
the fourth episode of that Next
Generation show, a making-of that Next
Generation series (both of which are disposable and self-serving) and a History Of Speed Racer featurette that
is good, but could have been longer and fit on a DVD of better material. However, it is what you get besides the
packaging if you get this version.
Versus
the political correctness of the awful new feature film, the original show may
have some stereotypes and some politically incorrect moments, but the original
Japanese version Mach A Go Go (which
ought to have been included here in its entirety) had even more violence. What re-impressed me about the show is how
smart and mature it really is versus the infantilization of all of its
revivals.
Also, The
Cold War is going on during the original show and though it is never explicitly
acknowledged, it is all over the place.
Besides the very real possibility of injury or death in racing that the
original series was so good at keeping in mind, the oddest component of their
Cold War approach is that Arab villains were suddenly joining in the fight
against The West!
Best of
all, the humor is better and some of the dialogue classic, plus character and
machine designs hold up very well. Speed Racer – The Complete Classic
Collection does not include the collectible goodies each of the five
previous volumes did, but is the ultimate way to have the show until Lionsgate
gets to a Blu-ray version. It will also
help you recover from the remakes.
- Nicholas Sheffo