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Anyone who knows me, knows that I love King Diamond's records. I loved "Abigail," "Them," "Conspiracy," and "In the Shadows." I thought "Time" was alright, and I felt "Into the Unknown" had its moments. Not knowing what to expect, I bought his "Dead Again," and was shocked at the awesome return to form. I always liked the Scooby series. And I really liked "Scooby Doo on Zombie Island." I thought "The Witch's Ghost" was pretty good. But I was a little disappointed with "The Alien Invaders" and "The Cyber Chase." I thought the live movie was flat out terrible. Not knowing what to expect, I bought this tape.RED LIGHT ALERT! Ah...this may actually be Scooby's best movie! First, it was a charming bonus to get the original voice cast back! 2nd, we are presented with an awesome return to the Scooby Doo formula. In a normal situation, we are presented with the possibility of the supernatural. We also see the gang in Australia. We also get to see how their seeming vacation turns into yet another mystery! The original cast seems to have all their wonderful chemistry back. Fred's calm attitude; Daphne's kind, but unaware character; Velmah's sassy charm; and Shaggy and Scooby's constant fear and appetite. We also get to see the Hex girls again. The misleads are well placed; secondary characters like Jasper give us some comical moments; and we are given time and clues to figure out the mystery before it is revealed. I don't want to chance ruining it for you, but I will say, EVEN if like me you were disappointed by the recent movies 'Alien Invaders,' 'Cyber Chase,' and the terrible live movie, DO NOt, REPEAT DO NOT overlook this gem. It may actually be Scooby Doo's best movie!

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Just recently, a flood of Scooby films have been released, and the latest one was "The Legend of the Vampire." I didn't know how good it would be, since the last two animated scooby-films had been rather a disappointment, but when I heard the original cast was doing the voices, I couldn't stand the wait, so I saw...

Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire

Here's how it ranked...

Sound: 4/5

Well, unlike the previous films, this film used much of the same music from the original series, as well as a couple songs from previous movies. I think that wasn't what hurt the grade most, but the original songs and such were not all that great either. The ones used in the new scooby series were better, I think.

Graphics: 3/5

I was sorely disappointed with the graphics in this film. We all love the original series, but let's face facts. By today's standards, the graphics were awful, and the biggest difference between those graphics and the ones used in this movie was that the graphics in the movie may have been just a LITTLE more fluid. Overall, though, I thought the graphics in previous scooby movies were better, and the special effects, or what have you were far less dazzling than in the first four animated movies. Is it wrong to want to see something truly stunning? Overall, for a movie, the graphics were mediocre.

Story Concept: 2.5/5

EEK! Scooby and his friends tour australia, where they learn that a rock concert is being haunted by a vampire, who's kidnapping the bands. As you can tell, this is probably the worst concept they've done, if only because of it's sheer cheesyness and cynicism towards the supernatural.

Story Presentation: 3.5/5

NNNN... I was debating giving it a four, but no. Aside from a few scenes of Daphne and Velma hanging out, this was basically just an extended and more fluidly-animated episode of the series. I expected better. To be fair, it was very funny, and shaggy and scooby had some priceless lines, but the real stars of the show; Velma, Freddy and Daphne, didn't show much emotion or individuality like in previous flicks, and the fact that there was no real supernatural phenomenon (yes, I'm giving that away, because if I'd known that, I would have rented the film rather than buying it) just made things even worse. As with Alien Invaders, this film still had the classic scooby charm, but it let go of so much, becoming the second scooby film to not live up to it's name. In fact, far from not having vampires, they didn't even DESCRIBE them accurately, or even mention such words as BATS or BLOOD. I was sorely disappointed in that.

Acting: 5/5

Perfect grade here, because who plays Velma, Shaggy, Daphne and Freddy like their original voice actors? Yes, the original voices of the gang returned for this film, and that basically carries this grade.

All in All: 3.6/5

In regards to comparing it to other scooby films, I think I enjoyed it more than alien invaders, but less than the others, because frankly, this movie was funnier than alien invaders. However, Alien invaders also had some cool effects and eye candy to appease, so that's good too. Still, I was disappointed by the loss of anything remotely resembling the thrills I used to get watching Witch's Ghost and Zombie Island (the first scooby films, and still the best.) This film had the characters we love, but for me, it wasn't sufficient to really please. I'm going back and watching "Witch's Ghost" again tomorrow to remember what I love about scooby, but you might not be as disappointed with this film as I was. Rest assured, if you want to see a climactic thrill ride of kids fighting evil and solving mysteries, skip this film entirely, and watch Witch's Ghost again. However, if you want to see a lengthy episode of the original series, by all means, watch this film. In my opinion, good enough for the series, but not for a movie.

Best Deals for Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire (2003)

Loosely based on the radio series I LOVE A MYSTERY and the television series THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS, the 1969-1970 Saturday morning cartoon series wasn't much liked by critics and educators--but it was a smash with kids. (I was a fan myself.) In each episode, the five characters found themselves dropped into an unlikely mystery, and after a good deal of running around, getting separated from each other, finding a clue or two, and (perhaps) some nifty music, they unmasked the bad guy. It was all harmless fun, and it was popular enough to come back in several incarnations.

In 1998 the characters and basic premise resurfaced as a series of straight-to-video movies. The first of these was SCOOBY-DOO ON ZOMBIE ISLAND. Released in 2002, SCOOBY-DOO AND THE LEGEND OF THE VAMPIRE is the fifth in this particular series. In this episode, the gang travels by boat to Australia, where they off-load the Mystery Machine and travel to a rock festival held in the outback at "Vampire Rock." They are pleased to meet old friends The Hex Girls, but they also stumble into a mystery: the rock is said to be home to a vampire, and a band that went missing last year has suddenly reappeared as the vampire's minions to kidnap bands of the present year.

The Scooby-Doo series may not be high art, but the animation is good and the stories are usually fun ... except for this episode. The story is ragged and the plot points don't connect up in even the most casual way, and the solution requires no fewer than six masks and a ridiculously long explanation. If you're a die-hard Scooby-Doo fan, you'll want to see it, but this probably isn't one you'll want to see more than once.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Honest reviews on Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire (2003)

Scooby fans, you will love this brand new Scooby Doo movie!

America's favorite cartoon character and the rest of the Mystery Inc gang, go down under, to Australia, where they encounter their scariest mystery yet.....The Legend of the Vampire!

Scooby and pals investigate the mysterious disappearances at a Rock festival. But to do that, Scooby and the gang must first go undercover....as rock stars!

So the Mystery Inc kids join Scooby and they don the rock star clothes and actually perform a song live on stage, with Scooby Doo on the drums! Wait till you see Velma perform on lead vocals! You will see a side of her that you have never seen before!

This movie is special for a few reasons.

First, we get to see the classic Mystery Machine Van again! In the other recent Scooby movies, the gang has used an SUV, but they are back to the classic Mystery van that we all know and love.

Secondly, this movie uses the same music that was used in the classic Scooby Doo cartoons of the 60's and 70's, thus creating the feel that you are watching the classic Scooby shows!

Thirdly, this is pure Scooby Doo...the same Scooby that we know and love. The same fearful, hungry, and humorous canine crimefighter that we have grown so used to.

You simply cant go wrong with Scooby Doo shows, and this is one that you and your family will cherish and enjoy for years to come.

The DVD has some cool extra's!

First, there is a special commentary feature, that allows you to listen to Scooby, Shaggy, and Fred, as they watch the movie with you, and talk about the movie!

Scooby and Shaggy make fun of Fred, and how he doesnt have the "look" of a rock star.

So its like getting TWO versions of the movie....the regular one, AND one with Scooby, Shaggy and Fred talking in the background as they watch the movie with you, which is very entertaining in of itself.

There is also a blooper segment, but to see the bloopers, you first play the Monster Maker game. You can use the three different images of monsters and mix them to make a funny looking monster of your own! And after you do, you will see the bloopers!

The DVD also features Scooby and Shaggy as DJ's, and they show a few musical Scooby videos, featuring recent and classic Scooby Doo footage!

It is very well done.

Also, you can see a sneak preview of the NEXT brand new Scooby Doo animated movie, which will come out this October (October 2003).

If you love Scooby Doo, you will love this DVD. And if for some reason you werent a Scooby Fan before.........one viewing of this DVD will change that.

See what all of the Scooby Doo fans know.......... That Scooby Doo rocks!!! He is an American classic, and this DVD celebrates America's love for Scooby!

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The DVD is great with the fact all the voices from the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" are there with the exception of the late Don Messick who did the voice of Scooby-Doo. It's also great to see the original Mystery Machine and also hearing the classic background music from the original. Anyone who is a fan of "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You" will love this movie.

Review of Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

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In this new movie it is the 90's. The whole gang are grown up with their own careers. Daphne is a reporter who has her own talk show. Freddie is a writer who produces her show, they are also dating. Velma owns a mystery bookstore. Shaggy is still exploring his career path. Scooby Doo still likes eating those scooby snacks. They take the mystery machine to New Orleans to find a real haunted house on a mysterious Bayou. They find that the ghosts and Zombies haunting the island are real! They must solve the mystery of Zombie Island.

I grew up with Scooby Doo in the late 70's and the 80's. It is great to see Scooby Doo making a comeback in the 90's. The characters are still funny. I like it that they are not stuck in a 70's timewarp. The characters are grown up with careers. They wear 90's cloths and listen to 90's music. The music goes with the action in the movie. This is a great movie for anyone who has grown up watching Scooby Doo.

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Scooby-Doo and the gang are back, in the first of a new series of direct to video Scooby-Doo Movies. This time, the gang is dealing with some real horrors.

After years of finding nothing but crooks in masks, the gang gives up on ever finding any REAL ghosts. So, much like in the live-action movie (only this one came first), Mysteries, Inc. splits up. Shaggy and Scooby get jobs as customs agents, but are fired when they can't help themselves and eat all the contraband food. Velma opens her own Mystery book store, sorta reminiscent of what Ray did in Ghostbusters 2. And apparently Fred and Daphne couldn't pull apart from each other. Daphne became the star of her own investigative TV series, with Fred as her adoring Producer and one man crew.

As Daphne's Birthday approaches, she plans to start a special theme on her show, Haunted America! Daphne intends to search the country for REAL ghosts, starting in atmospheric New Orleans. As a birthday surprise, Fred gathers the old gang back together and Mysteries, Inc. is back in action! For a while they have no luck though. They are still finding nothing but men in masks. Until they run into a beautiful girl named Lena, who claims to live on a REAL haunted island. From there on, things get REALLY scary.

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island is full of great laughs and scares, and a great story too, one that isn't dumbed down for little kids. The gang is totally updated, and yet Daphne still looks gorgeous! And for those of you who have always wanted to see some romance between Daph and Freddie, well, here you go! The first in a great new line of videos that every Scooby-Doo fan should enjoy, unless you're hung up on the masked criminal stuff. I for one am glad to see things go REAL for a change! And the Scooby-Doo gang has never been so well animated! Pick up a copy today! I can't wait to replace my VHS with the DVD!

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For some time Scooby Doo was all but retired and made a brief comeback with "Laughalympics." In 1998, the original Scooby Doo gang would reunite to make this phenomenal movie. But do beware. PG 13 would probably be a more appropriate rating for this movie. It goes to levels Scooby Doo never before went. And while well done, it would probably be a good idea for parents to screen it first and then decide if it is appropriate for children.

Well, that said, this Scooby movie is quite arguably Scooby's greatest movie. To make sense of Scooby's long retirement, there is a flashback with Scooby and the gang solving yet another mystery. Some time passes, and the gang has went their seperate ways. Daphne and Fred have a television show and decide they want to see some real ghosts. Except for Fred, the voice casting is different. But they did a good job of finding voices that at least resembled the original voices. (If it's any comfort, the original voice cast would eventually reunite for the 5th and 6th movies.)

Moving on, the gang does get back together, and they head towards New Orleans in hopes of seeing some real ghosts. (2 of the 5 parties are of course reluctant. Guess which 2.) Down in Louisiana, they find some more cases of just 'bad guys in masks.' Later they meet Lena who flirts with Fred and offers to show them her employer's (Simone's) haunted house. They also meet Jaques who seems nice enough and the gardener who does not seem so nice. After Scooby fights with Simone's cats, Simone is understandably annoyed, but she agrees to let the gang in. Soon afterwards, we see some things that appear to indicate the presence of ghosts, but as any Scooby fan knows, there might be a rational explanation, and if so, what is the motive?

Scooby and Shaggy offer some comical moments with their too healthy appetities. Soon afterwards, clues start appearing that would make us suspect that some real ghosts are involved, but there is some room for doubt. One thing about this Scooby movie is that the expansion from 30 minutes to 90 or so is a good one. It gives us time to remeet the gang, and time to wonder if the ghosts are real or not, and enjoy some welcome suspense as well. Of all Scooby's adventures, this is one of the LEAST contrived and predictable.

Another thing you will notice in this Scooby movie is a surprisingly intense soundtrack. (And I had NO problem whatsoever with that!) In a typical Scooby fashion, the gang gets separated and the horror unfolds. This is one ending I won't give away. But I will say true horror unfolds as we find that surprises shock us for a moment, but then make sense upon discovery. The explosion of misleads enables us to say: "Oh! No wonder!" In all honesty, this movie is more frightening than a lot of so called horror on the market. And perhaps the most frightening moment in this movie is when the 'villain' explains the events that preceeded that of the movie. Good writers seem to know that recognition is often the most horror filled aspect of a story.

Again, I consider this a strong contender for Scooby's greatest movie, but do be warned. It may very well be too much for young children.

Honest reviews on Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

I watched Scooby as a kid and my daugther, who is 4, loves the gang now. So I purchased this movie and thought it would be great for a Friday evening. This is not like any other Scooby movie, the monsters are real and there is considerable violence (deaths that occur on screen or are implied). It had several very scary parts that are typical in horror movies. On the other hand, usually I am bored by my daughter's TV shows, the plot was engaging and I was even a little frightened, I give it 3 stars but it should be 1 star as a young child's movie, and 4 to 5 star for a pre-teen and adult.

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Yeah, the monsters this time are real and that is a nice change from the old tv series. I was pleasantly surprised at just about everything. The animation, the direction, the story, the voices, it was all excellent.

Now I would not show this to any kid under ten, but I dont think that is the target audience. This movie is more mature and entertaining. Its just plain fun to revisit these old characters now as an adult.