Review of Cult Kids Classics Selection Box

Introduction

This is something you could hope to keep the little `uns entertained with - a four-disk "pic n` mix" selection of Cosgrove-Hall and Thames Television kids` series. Dangermouse, Duckula, Chorlton and the Wheelies, Jamie and the Magic Torch, Rainbow and Button Moon are included, with the animated Cosgrove-Hall shows providing the bulk. The disks included in this selection are available under individual cover, but as a bargain pack this shows promise.

Dangermouse features in six episodes on his own disk and two episodes on the "Cult Kids" disk. This is the selfsame disk that is available as "Dangermouse and the Great Bone Idol" and includes the pilot episode (never transmitted) that has DM voiced by William (Sch-you-know-who) Franklyn and Penfold voiced with a Welsh accent by Brian Trueman instead of the usual David Jason as DM and Terry Scott as Penfold. There is also an interview with creator Brian Cosgrove.

Chorlton and the Wheelies contribute all thirteen episodes of the first series, plus two episodes on the "Cult Kids" disk. There are no extras on the main disk.

Duckula appears in six episodes on his own disk and one on the "Cult Kids" disk. There are no extras on the main disk.

There are one episode apiece of Rainbow, Jamie and the Magic Torch and Button Moon on the "Cult Kids" disk. The Rainbow episode is one of the classic Bungle, Zippy and George episodes.

Video

Quality is definitely iffy on these disks, but that is down to the care taken with the source material. In the case of Chorlton and the Wheelies, there appear to be camera registry faults on the image, which shows how much care Thames television used to put into its Childrens` tv output in the 1980`s. All transfers are in standard 4:3 and logo spotters may be pleased to note each disk carries the full Thames station ident.

Audio

Like the video, the quality is not up to reference standard. Some programmes have much more muffled sound than others. The soundtracks are Dolby Digital Mono.

Features

Only the Dangermouse - Tower of Terror disk includes any extras, in the shape of the Brian Cosgrove interview and the Dangermouse Pilot Episode.

Conclusion

This may keep undemanding kids entertained, or nostalgic twenty-somethings fancying a wallow in the world of Zippy, Bungle and George.