Starring:
Daws Butler as Rock Slag/Red Max/Peter Perfect/Rufus Roughcut/Sgt. Blast/Big Gruesome (voice)
Don Messick as Muttley/Professor Pat Pending/Sawtooth/Ring-A-Ding/Little Gruesome/Gravel Slag (voice)
Chikao Ôtsuka as Dick Dastardly/Brack Maoou (voice: Japanese version)
John Stephenson as Luke/Blubber Bear (voice)
Janet Waldo as Penelope Pitstop (voice)
Dave Willock as Narrator (voice)
Paul Winchell as Dick Dastardly/Clyde/Pvt. Meekley (voice)
Special Features:
Commentary by Hanna-Barbera veterans on four episodes
All 34 episodes from the 1968-1970 seasons
“Rearview Mirror: A Look Back at Wacky Races” featurette
Factoid on-screen pop-up viewing mode on two episodes
Spinout Spinoffs: A look the spinoff series
Other Info:
Widescreen (1.85:1)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Spanish and French Subtitles
Running Time: 94 Minutes
Synopsis:
The following is the text from the DVD cover:
“Start your DVD engines! Diabolical do-badder Dick Dastardly, his snickering canine cohort Muttley and their Mean Machine take on you and all comers for all the fast and furious fun of the complete animated series Wacky Races. Gear up to keep pace with this dimwitted duo as well as their rivals: Peter Perfect in his Turbo Terrific, Luke and Blubber Bear in the Arkansas Chucgabug, the Ant Hill Mob in the Bulletproof Bomb and glamorous Penelope Pitstop in her pink Compact Pussycat. Fasten your seat belts for all 34 original episodes plus Hilarious, High-Speed Extras that will keep you awake at the wheel straight through to the Finish Line!”
This DVD is not rated.
The Movie:
Wacky Races was yet another cartoon that I used to watch all the time on TV as a kid. It’s been so long since I have seen it that I almost forgot about it. The bizarre cast of characters and their unique cars were, of course, appealing to children. Now I get to share them with my own kids. This series also featured the debut of Penelope Pitstop, Dick Dastardly, and the snickering Muttley. They went on to have their own memorable series. The show also had a wicked sense of humor that was appealing to both children and adults. This is yet another DVD that will make a good addition to the collections of kids and animation fans.
The Extras:
There are a few extras included on this DVD:
Commentary by Hanna-Barbera veterans on four episodes Four animation veterans provide the commentary for a few of the episodes. Unfortunately, it seems that none of them can remember exactly what they did on the show! They spend a lot of time reminiscing and not a lot discussing the show itself. They do occasionally discuss the animation styles, the characters, and a few other aspects relevant to Wacky Races, though.
“Rearview Mirror: A Look Back at Wacky Races” featurette This is the centerpiece of the bonus features. It’s an in-depth look at the making of the show. They go into detail about each character and the car they drive. Janet Waldo who played Penelope Pitstop, also is interviewed about her role on the show. Look for interviews with Batman’s Paul Dini as well.
Factoid on-screen pop-up viewing mode on two episodes A standard DVD feature these days, this can be turned on to show trivia about the show.
Spinout Spinoffs: A look the spinoff series This is a close up look at the series that were spun off from Wacky Races. They include Penelope Pitstop and Dick Dastardly and Muttley’s show. If you don’t have “Stop That Pigeon” stuck in your head after viewing this, you win a prize.
The Bottom Line:
Wacky Races is worth checking out if you’re a fan of Hanna-Barbera, a fan of animation in general, or if you’re a kid looking for 408 minutes of entertainment.
