Review(s): DVD Inspector Gadget - The Gadget Files
Kids Love It!
Couldn't ask for a better video for the price! My 4 kids have fallen in love with Inspector Gadget. Current programming on TV has to be screened so heavily to determine its suitability for kids; it's great to see a good show that's just plain fun. The transfer to DVD is handled well. The first episode with Inspector Gadget with a mustache is hilarious. The others are well-chosen, and my children are begging to watch the DVD all the time.
Back to the Past
Inspector Gadget was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid, and when I discovered episodes coming out on DVD, I had to pick it up. Before putting the DVD into the player, I reminded myself that some shows watched as a kid lose their fun twenty years later. I went in with this reservation, and watched it drop as I remembered all the fond memories of Penny, Brain, and of course Inspector Gadget.
On the DVD, I found the first five episodes of the show, and a nice little handful of special features. The first episode, "Winter Olympics" contains the rare Gadget moustache, and also a different voice for Penny, which didn't fit right. The next four episodes, "Monster Lake", "Down On The Farm", "Gadget At The Circus", and "The Amazon" are all typical Gadget fun.
The special features include an interview with Andy Heyward, one of the creators of Inspector Gadget. The interview gives some interesting insights into the making of Gadget, and answers several rumors that circulated around the show, such as are Dr. Claw and the good Inspector related? All the original public service announcements are included, and so are a bunch of sneak peeks into other shows from years ago coming onto DVD.
All in all, The Gadget Files, Volume 1 is a fun addition to any avid 80's cartooner, and fun for kids just being introduced to Inspector Gadget. I only wished there could have been more episodes packed onto this disc, but that is what Volume 2 is for!
Unbiased Review-Good DVD
I used to love watching Penny, Brain, the Inspector, and co. when I was younger so adding this DVD to my collection was a no-brainer. I only wish that UAV had put the episodes in order. I'm not really sure why a company would release a series and not have them in order...oh well. With all that being said, still a great DVD for a great price.
The evil Dr. Claw has thrown Santa down a manhole and hypnotized the elves into breaking the very toys they've just been making. It's a job for Inspector Gadget (voiced by Don Adams in his irrepressible Get Smart mode) with a big hand from his whip-smart niece Penny and her brainy dog. The trio heads up to the North Pole to rescue the big red guy, cheerfully butcher a Christmas song or two, and restore Yuletide order. Kids ages 3 and older will enjoy the hijinks as the bumbling inspector arrests the real Santa for impersonation and uses his jet propeller hat, spring legs, and other gadgets to great effect in Santa's workshop. This 23-minute video won't teach the kids their ABCs, but it's a lot of fun and there's something endearing about Penny's efforts to help her... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Chuck Patton DVD Release Date: Released the 31 August 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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When the inept inspector accidentally thwarts a bank robbery by Dr. Claw's minions, the evil Claw devises a revenge scheme that puts the Gadgetmobile in the shop and Gadget out of a job. During this 73-minute animated feature, things go from bad to worse for Gadget when he abandons his beloved car for a more sophisticated model in the hopes of better competing with Metro City's new superhero Devon Debonair, who's stealing all his good works and publicity. Then Debonair buys Gadget's cast-off, re-dubs it the "Debonairmobile," and provides him with fancy parking quarters and a personal buffer. Gadget may be too dim to figure out the connection to Claw, but thank goodness his niece Penny can think for both of them. While there's an underlying lesson in loyalty, the inspector's real forte is... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Michael Maliani DVD Release Date: Released the 23 September 2003 Usually ships within 9 to 13 days
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Strictly for kids, this 1999 live-action feature version of the popular cartoon series seems long even at 80 minutes. As a video, it's easier to take and appreciate for what works best in the story: the special effects. Matthew Broderick plays the security guard who is physically transformed into a multi-use cyborg with a zillion attachments, from stilts to helicopter blades to skis. A crimefighter in raincoat and fedora, and equipped with a nifty Gadgetmobile, the hero investigates the death of a man linked to the villainous Sanford Scolex (Rupert Everett). Scolex, who blames Gadget for having to wear a prosthetic hand, develops an evil robot twin of the good inspector, causing much mischief and giving Broderick an opportunity to poke fun at his own performance of the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Matthew Broderick - Rupert Everett - Joely Fisher Director(s): David Kellogg DVD Release Date: Released the 03 June 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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the reason i appreciate heathcliff enough that i'm writting this review it's because i love all the episodes on this dvd
in short; i love this dvd, i love all the episodes i give this dvd two paws up [that's cat talk for two thumbs up] More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Mel Blanc DVD Release Date: Released the 24 February 2004 Usually ships within 24 hours
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