The only difference between this collection of episodes and the one I reviewed on this site previously (http://upcomingdiscs.com/2010/07/20/madelines-great-adventures/ ) is the Halloween theme implied in the DVD’s title. In fact, in terms of quality and material I could almost quote that review word for word. So feel free to refer to my previous review and I hope to avoid redundancies while writing this latest one.
There is no Halloween in Paris so most all of Madeline’s adventures on this disc require her and her friends to travel elsewhere, mostly the United States. There are a couple that lead them to Madrid and Egypt but both are not directly about Halloween but some other “spooky” theme.
Like the other set, the narration is told in a rhyming scheme so that it resembles the original work of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelman and the episodes are gathered from different televised incarnations of Madeline, ranging from 1993 to 2001 or so. Said episodes, five in total, are meant for very young children and can be very hard to endure for any parent with the patience to stay in the room while it plays as the endless giggling and gasps from this gaggle of girls is grating (how’s that for alliteration?).
Video
(same as previous review) “Full frame. The quality wavers as the episodes come from older or newer sources, but each is as clear as they can be. The most recently produced episode reveals a near-perfect picture.”
Audio
(again, same as last review, I figure there is no need to try and disguise my description as something fresh when all I can and want to do is say the exact same thing) “Stereo. A decent track with nothing special done to it. The songs would be the greatest test and they come off very clear…clear enough to catch the one moment where the singer suddenly breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges the difference between the cartoon children and ‘you.’”
Special Features
None.
Final Thoughts
This makes for an extremely safe option for those looking to show their young ones (not much older than a toddler I assume) something with a Halloween theme during the Fall season.
