Hong Kong Phooey, a somewhat inept super-hero and a master of kung fu and marital arts is always on alert for crime. He gets tip-offs from the police station where he works as Penrod "Penry" Pooch, the mild mannered janito... more »r. Whenever Penry overhears a call for help he quickly dives into a filing cabinet and changes into his karate outfit and then hops into his Phooeymobile. Despite his fallings, and thanks to Spot, his cat, Hong Kong Phooey always manages to save the day. He is a beloved superhero to all who know him. These 31 classic cartoons from Hong Kong Phooey are now available for the first time ever on DVD!« less
joseph Corey | Raleigh, NC United States | 04/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For many of us, Hong Kong Phooey was the last great Hanna-Barbera cartoon character when it debuted in the fall of 1974. He was a Kung Fu crime fighting dog who never could quite go off the book. He was helped by a stripped cat named Spot. He was voiced by the immortal Scatman Crothers. The great Joe E Ross played Sgt. Flint.
Now don't get confused with the claim of 31 episodes. There were only 16 half hour long episodes. Each "episode" listed below was half the show except for the final "Cowboy" adventure that was the full 30 minutes. It'll be great to have the complete collection on the shelf in time for the 32 anniversary of Hong Kong Phooey.
The episodes will be presented in Full Frame (1.33:1) video, with an English mono audio track (with subtitles in English, French and Spanish). Here's a look at the episodes:
Disc 1
Car Theives
Zoo Story
Iron, Head, The Robot
Cotton Picki' Pocket Picker
Grandma Goody (Cat Burglar)
Candle Power
The Penthouse Burglaries
Batty Bank Mob
The Voltage Villian
The Giggler
The Gumdrop Kid
Professor Presto (The Malevolent Magician)
TV or Not TV
Stop Horsing Around
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Great Movie Mystery
Disc 2
The Claw
Hong Kong Phooey vs. Hong Kong Phooey
The Abominable Snowman
Professor Crosshatch
Goldfisher
Green Thumb
From Bad to Verse (Roten Rhymer)
Kong and the Counterfeiters
The Great Choo Choo Robbery
Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Bakery Man
Mr. Tornando
The Little Crook Who Wasn't There
Dr. Disguiso
The Incredible Mr. Shrink
Comedy Cowboy
Special features include:
Documentary of the show from its development through its legacy. Includes production designs and never before seen original artwork as well as new interviews
"Hong Kong Phooey - The Batty Bank Gang: The Complete Storyboard" (11:56 mins) Motion Screen to storyboard comparison from the cartoon "The Batty Bank Mob""
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Richie Dee | 08/19/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The picture quality in these transfers is OUTSTANDING!!!!!! There are some nice extras with interviews from people who worked on the show. Just a very nice set. Only thing I did'nt like was the flipper disc, with a classic show like this I would have preferred 3 discs instead of 1 and a flipper , still this was well worth the money!!!!! A timeless classic to be enjoyed over and over. They did a great job with this DVD release!!!!! Can't say enough!!!!!"
WHO IS THIS SUPER HERO?
Bil Barrett | Detroit, MI | 05/22/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally, Hong Kong Phooey on DVD! (He's got style, a groovy smile and a bod that just won't stop!) Finally, there is something John Q. Public likes?!?! (I never thought I'd see the day). For anyone who grew up on '70s Saturday morning cartoons you will love it, a lot of wonderful memories...it was one of the best from Hanna-Barbera in the '70s. Also look for The Magilla Gorilla Show and The Flintstones: The Complete Sixth Season on DVD. Hopefully we will see Speed Buggy, Wheelie & The Chopper Bunch, The Funky Phantom, Devlin and The Pebbles & Bamm Bamm Show in the near future. KEEP 'EM COMING!!!"
One of the last great HB cartoons
Andre M. | Mt. Pleasant, SC United States | 07/09/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"By 1974, even Hanna Barbera themselves admitted that the quality of stheir shows had gone downhill largely due to pressure from politically correct Children's TV watchdogs who wanted to sissify the cartoons into the sickeningly sweet New Zoo revue types, but I digress.
HKP was one of the last of the cartoon duo's classics.
First of all, the show was quite imaginative. A Kung Fu fighting dog janitor named Penrod Pooch in a police station who yearns to be a super hero, and his cat friend and sidekick who willingly puts up with his foolishness and resues him every time. Our man (OOPS! I mean dog) frequently refers to his "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu" filled with bad advice that never works. If that's not creativity, tell me what is?
Secondly, brilliant voice talent. The great Scatman Crothers (who we kids of the time also knew as Louie the Garbage Man from Chico & the Man) was unbeatable as the title character. Joe E. Ross as the police sergeant and Rosemary the "Cuty whose always on the duty" added lively spark to the series.
Finally, it's just plain FUNNY! The humor is character based as opposed to bad puns. The sissy cowboy in the next to the last episode scolds his wild outlaw brothers for "messing up my crescent rolls."
Oh what a HOOT! Trust me, you and your kids will really enjoy this and this is one of those childhood pleasures that will not disappoint your memories when seeing it as an adult."
Trip down Nostalgia Lane !!
DVD fan from NC | North Carolina | 08/15/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Where were you at 9am on Saturday mornings in 1974/1975? If you were a kid in the 70's, you likely were watching ABC and the series Hong Kong Phooey.
Hong Kong's janitor alter-ego name is Penry, though a lot of folks thinks it's Henry.
To clarify, there are 30 10-minute episodes, and one 20-minute episode (Comedy Cowboy) plus a couple of minutes of beginning and ending credits. Normally, two episodes were shown each Saturday. Commercials filled in the remainder of the 1/2 hour.
The video quality is excellent and the documentaries are typical "behind the scenes" material.
The main reason to watch these shows today is for the nostalgia. The animation and the episodes were mediocre at best. But to a kid, they were golden. I'm hoping my kids will enjoy them.