Posted on: April 3, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

When I was still in elementary school, the Goosebumps books were originally released. The overwhelming popularity of the R.L. Stine titles made it a forgone conclusion that it would be transformed into a television show, and Nickelodeon brought it on board in the middle-to-late nineties. Fox recalls well the popularity of Goosebumps and has decided to release episode packs, two of which hit stores this March. Both “Return of the Mummy” and “The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight” contain three episodes, ensuring that those that purchase these titles will have over a full hour of enjoyment.

The first thing that I personally notice is that the picture quality of the episodes are sharper than I recall: despite being secreted away in a vault somewhere for over a decade, the video (and corresponding audio) shines. The only thing that seems to vary during each of these DVD is the quality of the stories. While the originals were penned by Stine eirself, they were brought to the small screen by a batch of individuals that seems to change depending on which episode one is watching. That means that “Don’t Go To Sleep” is one of the most memorable episodes, but “Don’t Wake Mummy” seems to be a little bit on the weak side. The only thing that I feel could still be added to these Goosebumps compilations would have to be some bonus features.

While there are English, Spanish, and French subtitles, perhaps a “making of” or interview with individuals associated with the show would have been a nice bonus to buyers . Still, when there are countless Nickelodeon shows that may never see the light of day on the DVD format, I would have to say thanks to Fox for creating such a solid introduction to those viewers that may not have been around (or were not cognizant of the show) when Goosebumps first aired. If you liked the show, make sure to pick up these (and all other related DVDs); if Fox knows there is a built-in fanbase for the show, they will continue to release episodes from its run.

Rating: 8.8/10

Goosebumps: Return of the Mummy / The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight / 2009 Fox / 66 Minutes / http://www.fox.com

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