My Reviews of the two recent Sooty DVDs, Please comment and if you
have also brought these releases, what did u think of it?


Thames Video (now Fremantle Media) has always release episodes from
the 1981 to 1992 Series of The Sooty Show to pick for VHS
compilations and since 2001, DVD compilations. Likely because of the
house setting we have grown to love and the 1981 series was the first
to feature Brenda Longman as the voice of Soo.

No idea why the Marjorie Corbett Soo voiced episodes from the house
setting or Matthew Corbett's hosted live audience shows from when he
took over in 1976 has never been released before, but I can
understand why the 1981 to 1992 era is much easy to release to fans.
I would love DVD releases that aren't connected to the `Childern's
Favourites' line that Fremantle does with Sooty along with Rainbow
and Button Moon and what is the deal with the carry case box for kids
DVD releases lately?

Do note the pictures on the packaging don't link to the episodes
featured on the DVD. It's a crime because you could be tricked on
the `Happy Birthday Sooty' release that there is a Matthew hosted
Sooty Show episode from the 70's, which is awful as it would be nice
to include an episode from that era. Also worth nothing that the up
to date `Sooty Show' logo on the box isn't repeated on the static
menu screen, which goes with a classic Sooty font and a red and blue
background for `Izzy Wizzy' and `Happy Birthday Sooty' respectfully.

Plus they have a recent Sooty picture and a painfully oblivious
Photoshop Magic Wand in his paw. Finally the `Thames' logo has been
replace by a `Fremantle' logo on the end of each episode. So enough
with technical details that isn't going to interest the actual target
demographic for this review and the two new Sooty DVD's, let's talk
about the episodes on each disk.

The Sooty Show – `Izzy Wizzy'
[BUY ON DVD = http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sooty-Show-Izzy-
Wizzy/dp/B0017T1NTA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1219495612&sr=8-3]

`Izzy Wizzy'
From the 1990 series and previously released on the VHS `Sooty Video
Fun Pack', this is a perfect episode of `The Sooty Show'. Because
it's simply enjoyable to watch, reflects on the past with props and
tricks first used in Matthew's live audience 70's shows and the
famous `Go To Bed Sooty' routine that reminds a classic.

`Little Terrors'
Again from the 1990 series and previously released on the VHS `My
Bumper Christmas Sooty', this episode can get tiresome for older fans
but perfect for Sooty's demographic. As it shows the gang playing as
the 5-year-old's they are (with Sweep being Age 4). They play with
little mouse figures and then they make figures of themselves with
vary degree of success. It's strange that such a normal episode is
picked for this release when classics like `Burglar Box', `Time
Capsule' and `The Good, The Bad and The Furry' deserve being included
on a DVD.

`Sooty's Magic Lamp'
From the 1987 series and previous released on the rare VHS `Sooty's
Magic Lamp and other stories', I was about 3 when I first saw this
and it scared me and it's still strange now. About finding a lamp
that has a genie granting wishes, it's one of the oddest episodes
from the best series of The Sooty Show and again only makes you
wonder why was this included on the DVD.

Overall apart from the `Izzy Wizzy' episode, I question why plain
normal and odd episodes got chosen over pure classics in the back
catalogue that Fremantle has.


The Sooty Show – Happy Birthday Sooty
[BUY ON DVD = http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sooty-Happy-Birthday-Matthew-
Corbett/dp/B0017T1NTK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1219495612&sr=8-2]

`Happy Birthday Sooty'
From the 1992 series and previous released on the VHS `Biggest Party
Video', the second last ever episode of `The Sooty Show' is
completely enjoyable. Like `Izzy Wizzy' reflects on Sooty's past,
tours the `Sooty World' attraction and has old friends Rod, Jane and
Freddy come to sing a song. Scampi's appearance in this episode is
also the reason why the `Sooty & Co' lyrics are on the box.

`Want A Pet'
From the 1989 series and previous released on the VHS `Sooty Wants A
Pet', the gang argue which pet that should have for the house,
thinking a dog is too boring until Matthew decides on a dog and
visits a police dog training centre before deciding one dog is more
than enough. It features one of the classic Sooty Songs Matthew has
written and worth watching.

`Honking Nose'
Again from the 1989 series and previous released on two VHS `Sooty's
Favourite Stories' and `Sweep Super Dog' which was the first DVD
Sooty release. It's worth noticing that this episode is a direct
transfer from the `Sweep Super Dog' release. The episode features
Sweep nose and ears making noises and finding out it's the magic
wand's fault. So `Honking Nose' is an enjoyable episode.

Overall this `Happy Birthday Sooty' DVD is worth buying and you agree
it has `3 hilarious adventures' like it claims. You only wish more
classic episodes can get the DVD treatment as soon as possible.