Plot: What’s it about?
While most television shows have been treated to complete season sets, the classic animated Scooby-Doo is trapped in these themed discs. I guess Warner didn’t learn from its mistakes with those themed South Park releases, as fans want complete seasons or at the very least, a selection of chronological episodes on each disc. But until that happens, fans will have to make do with televised episodes, or if you simply have to own some episodes, then Warner’s themed releases like Scooby-Doo’s Creepiest Capers will have to do. This disc houses four episodes, instead of the usual five of prior releases, with details on each found below.
1. Go Away Ghost Ship- The harbors have been under attack of late, but not from pirates, instead a mysterious ghost ship has been the culprit. After this phantom vessel caused him to lose business, a shipping tycoon hires Scooby, Shaggy, and the others to uncover the truth. As it turns out, the ship is captained by the ghost of Red Beard himself, which means the gang will have to be on their toes to discover the real story behind this ghost ship’s presence.
2. The Haunted House Hang Up- As they travel to a rock ‘n’ roll show, the intrepid crew wind up lost and before long, the van breaks down and leaves them stranded. Of course, a massive and highly eerie mansion is close, which means the kids have to venture there. Although they just want to calm down and sort out their situation, they soon find themselves face to face with a phantom, but this is not the typical ghost by any means. The Headless Spectre haunts this abode and unless the gangs acts fast, they could wind up headless too!
3. Hassle in the Castle- As always, Scooby and his insane buddies find themselves in a spooky location, this time around its Haunted Isle. A map soon turns up and before long, the crew decides to follow the directions to a mansion, where they plan to sort out their thoughts. Once they’ve arrived, a series of odd and somewhat unsettling events snaps into motion, but it is the work of a ghost or just a conman? If anyone can solve this mystery, it would be this team of crimefighters, but how many Scooby Snacks will it take?
4. A Night of Fright is No Delight- After he is named an heir to a late Colonel’s fortune, Scooby makes his way to collect, with the others in tow, of course. The entire haul might not be his however, as Scooby soon learns that he is not alone as being named as a benefactor, several of the Colonel’s relatives are also present. Soon enough, the plan of how to distribute the wealth is revealed, as those individuals named have to spend the night in the Colonel’s mansion, which is of course, rumored to be haunted. Can Scooby manage to stay inside the mansion, or will the spirits find some way to scare him out of his riches?
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame, as intended. Although the source material has been worn somewhat over the years, these episodes look quite good. The sharpness and image depth is much better than broadcast, but this means the source flaws are magnified, though they’re never too much of a distraction. The prints show some nicks and debris, but nothing too serious and I noted no serious damage. The colors are bright and have held up well, while contrast is smooth and even handed throughout. The episodes look on par with the broadcast versions, which I suppose all we can expect in this case.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original mono audio is found here and while dated to be sure, it more than covers the needs of the material. The elements seem a little worn, but then again, so did the broadcast versions, so no loss on that end. I found dialogue to be clean and coherent at all times, while the music and sound effects also come through in acceptable, though not too memorable fashion. Not the most exciting audio you’ll find, but it handles the material and that’s what matters. This disc also includes Spanish & French language options, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the Mystery Game, instructions on how to draw Scooby & his friends, Mystery Inc. music video, Mystery Inc. yearbook, and various previews of other Scooby-Doo releases.
