LITTLE ROCK — What: Casper the Friendly Ghost, Complete Collection, 81 cartoons on three discs from Shout! Factory, $24.98.
The concept: Casper may be a ghost, but he doesn’t like to scare people. He just wants to make friends. If only people and animals didn’t run away screaming when they saw him.
This set includes all the Casper theatrical and TV cartoons from 1945 to 1963. The picture quality varies a bit, thanks to their ages, but it’s interesting to see how the look of the show evolved over the years.
For kids: It’s not as colorful or hyperactive as modern cartoons, but it’s full of silliness and likable characters.
For adults: It’s like charming, sweet and funny with clever animation. It’s also adult-friendly, with occasional parody and pop-culture reference jokes that will go over young heads. On the negative side, the series is pretty repetitive.
DVD: Special features include commentaries, a documentary and a comic cover gallery.
There’s also a comprehensive booklet with a detailed essay about Casper and his history.
Bottom line: Casper shouldn’t have any trouble making friends with a set like this.
Family, Pages 39 on 10/26/2011