Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

 Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998) ****/*****

Finally, I feel confident enough to revive my Scooby Doo animated DTV (Direct to video) film retrospective. Warner Archive has seemingly put their Scooby related blu-ray releases on hiatus for a bit after the most recent double feature of Witch's Ghost and Alien Invaders. Which I don't have yet, but should by Saturday. Even if they do announce further titles, the next 5 consecutive films following Alien Invaders are all on Blu-Ray, so, theoretically, I have little bit of a buffer. 

Though it actually was a year early for the festivities, this kind of serves as a 30th anniversary retrospective/reunion that manages to invert some of the tropes long associated with the series. With great success I'd say. This is a far more mature take on the characters that not only respects the roots of the series, but is also the fans. 

The animation is far more fluid and lush than nearly everything that came before, giving it a very cinematic feel that shoots more for a moody realism than cartoony exaggeration, though it does not shy away from cartoony when it suits the plot, particularly in regards to the duo of Shaggy & Scooby.

Creatively approached as a live action horror/comedy (with emphasis on the horror), the entire production is just gorgeous. The score, the scene composition, the animation style,  the directing, and vocal performances all combine for one of the best Scooby Doo adventures of all time.

 

And I haven't even mentioned the songs provided Third Eye Blind and Skycycle. "It's Terror Time Again" has no business being that awesome. It's an all time spooky season great.. that popped up in a Scooby cartoon. 

Zombie Island was a return to form and the first full length narrative for the franchise since the rather terrible Arabian Nights 4 years prior. Seriously, just skip it. 

The voice cast is interesting and filled with all-time greats of the field. 

Frank Welker The only returning actor from the original series as Freddy Jones. I've covered him in previous posts. Frank Welker is basically the only constant in the series once Don Messick passed away. 

Scott Innes as Scooby Doo a role he play in the next three movies as well. In addition to Shaggy starting with Witch's Ghost.  Though eventually he'd be replaced in succeeding films in the series, he continued voicing the characters, and Scrappy in related shorts and games over the next 20 years. Perhaps his best known role was that of the aforementioned puppy in the 2002 live-action movie.  Innes also voiced various other iconic cartoon characters in various ad campaigns, such as Bugs Bunny, Popeye, Fred Flintstone, Astro among others. 

Billy West features as Shaggy Rogers. West was all over 90's TV animation, perhaps none more iconic than Stimpy, in Ren & Stimpy, and for the younger set, Doug Funny in Nickelodeon's Doug, in which he also voiced Roger Klotz. He provided additional voices for countless other shows as well.  He is also Bugs Bunny in Space Jam (1996), Elmer Fudd in Back in Action (2003). But all of this pales next to his defining role as Phillip J. Fry (Along with Zoidberg, Prof. Farnsworth, and Zapp Brannigan)  in the Futurama Franchise. A series he has returned to countless times  over the past 25 years. Zombie Island was his only time as a main character in the franchise. 

Mary Kay Bergman voices Daphne Blake, a character she would voice in  3 movies, and a handful of related projects before her untimely passing. She was an extremely talented voice actress who performed in projects ranging from Disney animation to South Park and everything in between. she roles in the following Disney animated projects, Beauty & The Beast (1991), Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), and the yodels for Jesse in Toy Story 2 (1999).  She was Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in Batman: Subzero (1998). There a whole lot of other film and television projects that she graced with her talents. Look her up, she was seemingly everywhere in the 90's.

BJ Ward as Velma Dinkley a role she played in 4 films and a few related projects. A prolific actress of children's TV in the 70's and 80's. S. Memorable roles include Betty Ross in the 80's Incredible Hulk cartoon, Wonder Woman in season 8 of the Superfriends TV series. Along with credits in The Pink Panther and Son, Flintstone Kids and countless Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 80's-90's. A reliable stock performer for Hanna-Barbera.

The rest of the cast is filled out by

Adrienne Barbeau as Simone Lenoir the aristocratic and regal mistress of Moonscar Island. A genre legend she's appeared in such classic films like The Fog (1980), Escape from New York (1981), The Thing (1982), Creep Show (1982). To comic book fans she's best known for Swamp Thing (1982) and her role as Catwoman in Batman: The Animated Series. Movie buffs might also recognize her from her work in Cannonball Run (1981) or even the classic Avocado Women in the Jungle of Death (1989). Television fans will probably know her best as Carol Traynor from  Maude (1972-1978). She also plays a Catwoman of sorts in this...

Tara Charendoff Strong as Lena Dupree the housekeeper who meets the gangs while she's in town running errands and lures them to the island. Tara is voice acting legend in her own right, she has been working steadily since the late 80's and shows no sign of slowing down. She is undoubtedly a Nicktoons legend thanks to her work in both Rugrats (Dil Pickles) and Fairly Odd Parents (Timmy Turner). She also known as the 3rd voice of Batgirl in the DCAU. Not to mention Bubbles in Powerpuff Girls. If you have watched cartoons at any point over the past 35+ years, you have heard her fantastic talents. And I can't forget to mention my 2nd favorite (Timmy Turner is #1) role of hers. Raven from Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go. 

Jim Cummings as Jacque the ferry driver. I've covered him extensively as well. But this guy is basically your Disney 90's TV childhood. 

Mark Hamill as Snakebite Scruggs a bayou woodsman  obsessed with catching Big Mona, a legendary catfish. This is another guy I don't really feel needs any introduction to either animation or sci-fi fans. Luke Skywalker in Star Wars 4-9, guest appearances in related media, and of course Joker to Kevin Conroy's Batman. You either know who this is, or you don't. And you need to repent to your nearest movie fan.

Cam Clarke as Beau Neville.This guy is an all time childhood favorite. He voiced Leonardo in the 1987 Ninja Turtles cartoon. He also had a role on Denver The Last Dinosaur (1988). Most people probably recognize him as Liquid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid game franchise though. 

Some quick Scooby movie factoids.

The titles following Alien Invaders being 

Cyberchase

Legend of the Vampire

Monster of Mexico

Loch Ness Monster

Aloha Scooby Doo

After that the Blu-Ray releases get inconsistent. 

Where's My Mummy?-Goblin King (4 movies) are DVD only

But, with the exception of Abracadabra Doo and Moon Monster Madness, 11 of the next 13 are on Blu-Ray. The remaining 9 after that are all DVD only.  

Basically there have been a total of 35 DTV films since the original Zombie Island, 20 of which are released on Blu-Ray. Not too shabby (Shaggy?) considering they arbitrarily decided Scooby cartoons were for kids and stopped releasing blu-rays since children don't care. The DC stuff is aimed at the adult market so those are released on all 3 formats (DVD, Blu, and 4K UHD) for the discerning collector.