Paramount Studios presents

Rugrats Holiday Celebration (2004)

"A Maccababy's gotta do what a Maccababy's gotta do."- Tommy

Stars: Elizabeth Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Katie Soucie
Other Stars: Tara Strong, Cheryl Chase, Melanie Chartoff, Jack Riley, Joe Alaskey, Nancy Cartwright
Director: Various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (poop jokes)
Run Time: Approx. 206 min.
Release Date: 2004-08-31
Genre: animation

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B	B	B+	B+	D-

 

DVD Review

In preparing this review, I discovered something that may surprise, nay, may shock you: Rugrats has been canceled. Yes, Nickelodeon's 13-year cartoon staple, about a baby's-eye-view of the weird world of grownups, is no more. And after only, what, 360-some 15-minute episodes? It's so... so sudden. There is a reason the show lasted so long, of course. I was never a big fan, but I can see the appeal—it attracted as many adults as kiddies because only real grownups can appreciate how absurd their actions look when taken out of context, and how much simpler life would be if we could just act like babies all the time and say (or scream) whatever we feel. Not that I'll want to talk to you if that's your life's philosophy.

Anyway, the series has survived because it manages to be a cute and entertaining show about babies and a good-natured satire. The premise has worn a little thin over the years and episodes and movies (three of them), but it still works pretty well, as evidenced by this new two-disc release from Paramount, which gathers 10 holiday-themed episodes from just about every season of the show. Halloween includes "spooky" tales, usually involving the babies' (hero Tommy, pal Chuckie, twins Phil and Lil) misunderstanding of something their parents say (like the visit from Chuckie's horrible "Ant"). In Curse of the Werewuff, toddler Angelica convinves the babies they will wake up after Halloween transformed into their costume alter egos, resulting in much hand-wringing on Chuckie's part.

Disc 2 is subtitled Turkey and Mistletoe and, obviously, focuses on holidays in November and December. Because some of the babies are Jewish, there is both a Christmas and a Chanukah episode. And, lest we leave anyone out, A Rugrats Kwanzaa.

The set includes the following episodes:
Curse of the Werewuff
Ghost Story
Aunt Miriam
Sleep Trouble
Spike's Nightscare

The Turkey Who Came to Dinner
Babies in Toyland
A Santa Experience
A Rugrats Kwanzaa
Chanukah


Image quality varies depending on the age of the episode; more recent shows look crisp and clean, older ones are a bit faded and grainy. Still, all are generally clean and free of artifacting and the like. The English stereo soundtracks are basic and straightforward, but suited to the material.

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: B

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	no
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Grade: B+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English Stereo	no

Audio Transfer Grade: B+ 

Disc Extras

Static menu
Scene Access with 10 cues and remote access
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: No features, save a chapter stop for each episode.

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments

Rugrats fans will enjoy this "best of" collection spanning ten seasons and 13 years of Nickelodeon's most successful animated series.

Joel Cunningham 2004-08-31