Shout! Factory Offers More 90′s Nostalgia With VR Troopers Season 2 Vol. 1

Courtesy: Saban/Shout! Factory

Saban and Shout! Factory release the first half of VR Troopers Season Two next Tuesday, May 14^th.  The little brother to the more popular Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, this show never enjoyed the success of its fellow fantasy action/adventure show.  It only lasted two seasons.  But even in those two short seasons, it still managed to offer plenty of campy fun and action, just like MMPR.  While VR Troopers only lasted two seasons, it’s pretty obvious that even with such a short lived, show, Shout! Factory wanted to give proper respect to the show and its fans.  Shout! Factory and all involved are to be highly commended for such a level of respect.  The show’s shooting style is much like that of MMPR, too, even in the show’s second season.  Now thanks to Shout! Factory and Saban, audiences can enjoy the latest set of episodes from this short-lived series beginning next week. 

VR Troopers Season Two, Volume One offers audiences twenty more episodes including the five part event, ‘Quest for Power’ and the two part evil twin story arc, ‘Kaitlin Through The Looking Glass.’  And just as in MMPR, each episode offers not only plenty of action and comedy, but also valuable lessons.  A prime example would be the season opener, ‘Mutant Mutiny.’  The lesson taught through this lesson is of loyalty.  A mutiny attempting to overthrow the evil mutant leader Grimlord takes place in this episode.  Meanwhile, Ryan’s friends show their loyalty to the team when Ryan is injured.  Their loyalty to the Troopers makes his loyalty even stronger, and together, the trio overcomes the attempted Mutiny.  It’s just one of many lessons taught.  Speaking of which, another part of what makes this show so interesting for first timers is that each episode’s lesson is explained by Ryan at the end of each episode.  Ryan narrates, as he is seen practicing.  It helps to illustrate the moment of clarity of mind.  The show’s writers did a good job in setting each episode in this fashion. 

The lessons taught through the latest collection of episodes from VR Troopers continue what started in the show’s first season.  The action sequences, gadgets, and high tech vehicles will take anyone pining for better times back in time to when they were children.  And being adults themselves now, those same audiences that watched this show as kids can now pass it on to their own children, maintaining the show’s own legacy.  Of course of all this is just positive to this new set of episodes.  Audiences will also appreciate the triple-disc set’s packaging.  Shout! Factory made itself a leader among multimedia companies thanks to maintaining its “tradition” of slim packaging for multi-disc sets.  VR Troopers Season Two Volume One is no exception.  All three discs in this set each have their own spot inside the case, which is small enough to hold a single disc.  The first two discs sit back to back without touching one another thanks to dual disc insert that gives each one it’s very own spot.  As with all of Shout! Factory’s previous multi-disc releases, this protects the discs, thus allowing them to be enjoyed over and over again; much longer than discs included in less conventional methods.  So yet again, everyone at Shout! Factory is to be commended for maintaining this packaging format.  That combined with simply bringing this retro classic back to life for the generation that grew up with it makes Shout! Factory that much more worthy of respect.  While VR Troopers only lasted two seasons, it’s pretty obvious that even with such a short lived, show, Shout! Factory wanted to give proper respect to the show and its fans.  And it’s just as obvious that when the final installment of this rollicking retro show that same level of professionalism and respect will be maintained for fans of all ages. 

VR Troopers Season Two Volume One will be available in stores and online beginning Tuesday, May 14^th.  It can be ordered online at the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/216942.

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Power Rangers Samurai DVD A Good Bridge Between Series

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The most recent installment in Saban’s long-running Power Rangers franchise—Power Rangers Samurai—recently wrapped up its season with the rangers taking down Xandred once and for all.  Meanwhile Skull and his son Spike are re-united, leaving Bulk behind and the rangers all going their own way.  With the Samurai Rangers’ duties done, the question was raised would there be another series to carry on the Power Rangers franchise.  The answer:  Yes.  But before that, fans of the Samurai Rangers were given one last adventure from the previous team of Rangers.  That adventure is the new straight to DVD feature, Clash of the Red Rangers: The Movie.

Clash of the Red Rangers: The Movie is for all intents and purposes a space filler between one Power Rangers series and the next.  This forty-five minute story not only offers audiences one more adventure from the Samurai rangers, but even includes a former Ranger from the RPM universe.  Given, on the surface, the RPM Ranger’s story seems out of place considering the timing of this new release and the end of Power Rangers RPM.   But one must also take into consideration that the two series existed within their own universe, much like the various incarnations of different comic books (E.g. Batman, Batman & Robin, Wolverine, The Uncanny X-Men, etc.)  So taking this into account, it makes suspension of disbelief more possible.  In turn, it makes this essentially extended TV episode more bearable.

Clash of the Red Rangers: The Movie is less a movie and more an extended TV episode.  But even if one considers it a movie, unlike other movies taken from TV series, it actually hasn’t lost any of the action for which it was known during its run on TV.  All the explosions and fight scenes are there.  And since it hadn’t happened in some time, it was interesting to see Saban do another crossover episode.  The last time that Saban had done such was in the Power Rangers Dino series.  That series saw the return of Tommy (Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers) as the head of his own team of Rangers.  The Rangers’ zords in this series were even throwbacks to the very first of the Power Rangers series.  So while it wasn’t directly a crossover, it is the closest that the franchise had come to a crossover before this DVD release.

This new DVD release from Saban is interesting because it presents the first crossover storyline from the Power Rangers franchise in some time.  That crossover story arc also makes this an interesting release in that for the first time in the Power Rangers franchise, it openly answers the question of how there could be so many different teams of Rangers around the world.  This franchise has evolved in so many directions since the days of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  It’s this kind of evolution that can cause comic book fans to become confused and even frustrated.  So the very acknowledgement that there are different dimensions to the Power Rangers universe helps to justify each franchise, if only a little bit at best.  In the simplest of terms, what this has done is it has hopefully put the kibosh on that eternal question raised by so many fan boys.  And in turn, it makes the latest series in the franchise, Megaforce, that much more appreciated, especially being that it directly throws back to the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  Keeping all of that in mind, Clash of the Red Rangers: The Movie may not be the best of the Power Rangers features ever written.  But it does explain some previously unexplained issues and in turn makes previous Power Rangers series worth another look.  For that, it in itself is worth at least one watch.

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The Rangers Return With More Lessons, Adventures In New Set

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The Power Rangers are back once again.  Thanks to Lionsgate and Saban, fans of the latest team of Rangers get to experience four more action packed adventures from Power Rangers Samurai.  In the latest set of adventures, the Rangers face one of their most difficult challenges yet.  The whole thing starts when Kevin is put under a mind control spell by a new Nighlok monster.  It just so happens that the monster also has control of the Rangers’ Tigerzord.  Making things worse is that there’s already some tension among the team because of Master Ji’s evaluation of Kevin and Jayden.  While the Rangers are able to overcome this hurdle, things don’t get any easier as Mike has to face his own doubts after not being given the Beetle disc.  This causes problems when the team faces off against a new Nighlok monster.  It in turn leads to a conflict between Mike and the rest of the Rangers. But after a heart to heart between Mike and Master Ji, things turn around for Mike.  Having overcome so much adversity, the Rangers face one final challenge in a two-part episode that will test Jayden like never before.

It goes without saying that the Rangers come out on top in each of the four episodes in this new single-disc collection.  And just as with previous incarnations of the famed Power Rangers franchise, these new episodes teach the lessons of believing in oneself and of the value of teamwork.  These are lessons of which today’s younger viewers to be reminded. 

The continued lessons alone make the episodes in this new release valuable in their own right.  But anyone who has grown up with the Power Rangers franchise will see a number of similarities between this new team of Rangers and those having gone before.  Many of the zords are very similar in style to previous zords.  And even the Rangers’ own weapons are similar to those of previous teams.  They have simply been given a little bit of a twist to update them.  This will create in older audiences a sense of nostalgia.  And even for those who are new to the Power Rangers universe, these episodes make for a good starting point.  Older audiences can teach the younger audiences about the similarities to the older Rangers’ series, and in turn show where the show has come from.  Power Rangers Samurai: A Team Divided is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online via the Lionsgate store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=27840&TitleParentId=8041.

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Pull Out Those Morphers, The Rangers Return Again!

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers are back again, courtesy of Shout! Factory.  Everyone’s favorite super powered teens are back with the second thirty episodes from the iconic show’s first season.  Season 1 Volume 2 sees the Rangers’ friend Tommy take center stage in another pair of episodes.  And in what is one of the very first ever turning points for the Rangers without the Green Ranger, the team has to face Goldar in his own zord, Cyclopsis.  The rangers are almost defeated by Goldar and Cyclopsis in the two part episode, “Doomsday.”  These and the set’s other classic episodes will take any kid at heart back in time, creating that sense of nostalgia that so many of Shout! Factory’s releases generate.

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season One Volume Two is a nice addition to the home library of any old school Power Rangers fan.  This second half of Season One sees the original sixth ranger, Tommy return after having his powers taken away by the evil Rita Repulsa in the two part episode, “The Green Candle.”  This episode sees Tommy lose the powers imbued on him by Rita when she creates a green candle.  The candle in question burns brighter and faster every time that Tommy morphs and fights Rita’s evil minions.  Eventually Tommy loses his powers.  But it isn’t the last that fans see of him as his powers are returned albeit for a short time, just in time to save the Rangers in the third of the set’s two-part episodes, “Return Of An Old Friend.”  The Rangers aren’t the only ones in danger in this episode, as they have to figure out how to get their mentor, Zordon, back.  It all leads up to the season finale, “An Oyster Stew.”  This episode would be the last featuring the original Megazord.  As the show shifted into its second season, the Rangers would gain new Zords when their original Zords are defeated courtesy of new baddie, Lord Zedd.  His appearance would mark the beginning of a whole new chapter for the original Rangers.

The episodes contained in Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season One Volume Two will take any Power Rangers fan back to their childhood.  It’s even another chance for those same grown up audiences to experience this groundbreaking kids’ show with kids of their own.  They do their own part in the overall enjoyment of this new set.  They aren’t all that make it successful, though.  As with Season One Volume One, the main menu of both discs will add even more nostalgia for the show’s fans.  Rather than just being any ordinary episode selection menu, the menu is set up against the backdrop of the original show’s power chamber.  Sure it’s something minor.  But sometimes, it’s the little things that matter most.  There’s even a sound effect that is supposed to be coming from the tube in which Zordon appears.  Again it’s a minute detail.  But that the people behind this would take the time to add in such detail makes this another impressive addition to the set.

The main menu and the episodes themselves come together to make Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season One Volume Two an overall enjoyable viewing experience.  There is at least one more factor that audiences will appreciate from this set.  It’s a factor that has in its own way made Shout! Factory a leader in the DVD and Blu-ray market.  That factor is the double disc set’s packaging.  While there is a generally increasing move towards slimmer cases for box sets, Shout! Factory was one of the few leaders in that pack from early on.  Many of its box sets would be released in single DVD/Blu-ray sized cases.  But in opening the cases, audiences would find multiple discs thanks to an insert that would place discs on either side, along with discs placed in standard spots inside the case.  This more ergonomically sound packaging is used yet again in this new set.  It’s an ergonomically sound set.  It’s easy to carry and it takes it little space on DVD and Blu-ray racks.  As the old adage goes, less is more.  And that less space taken up not only makes for more space for other DVD’s and sets but it also makes for that much more overall enjoyment of and appreciation for yet another impressive release from Shout! Factory and Saban.  Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season One Volume Two is available in stores and online now.  It can be ordered online direct via the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com.

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New Collection Holiday Fun For Any Power Rangers Fan

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The Power Rangers are back with three more holiday themed episodes courtesy of Lionsgate.  Lionsgate recently released another compilation featuring a trio of Halloween themed episodes.  This time, fans new and old get three Christmas themed episodes.  Two of those episodes are culled from the Power Rangers’ early years.  The third is a retrospective by a member of the newest team of rangers, as the Rangers count down to Christmas.The feature episode of Power Rangers Samurai: Christmas Together, Friends Forever sees the Samurai Rangers in the holiday spirit.  The team is decorating for Christmas.  As they do, Emily (the Yellow Ranger) decides to send an e-mail to her sister, telling her all about the Rangers’ past year.  She tells her sister about each member of the squad, going all the way back to the day that the team members met.  She starts off telling about Mike (the Green Ranger).  She explains how things started off for Mike, but that he eventually came around and became the Ranger that he was at that Christmas.  From there, she tells her sister about Kevin and Mia before eventually making her way to Jayden and Antonio.  The most moving moment of this episode comes not in Emily reminiscing, but in Mike’s reaction after he receives his gift on Christmas.  He keeps thinking that he’s not going to get anything.  But after the rest of the team members have their gifts, he gets quite a surprise.  Viewers can find out what that surprise is for themselves.  What makes the moment even better is that his surprise becomes an even better surprise for a certain other pair of characters.   Again, viewers will have to find out for themselves who that pair is.

From the current team of Rangers, audiences are treated to a pair of adventures from previous Ranger teams.  In the first of the teams, the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers have to face off against one of Lord Zedd’s minions as he sends Rito Revolto and Goldar to the North Pole to take over and force Santa’s elves to make toys that will take over children’s minds.  The Rangers teleport to the North Pole, and with the help of Santa’s elves manage to trick Rito and Goldar and tie them up, thus saving the day.  While the Rangers may have saved the day, there’s still one problem they have to deal with back in Angel Grove.  And unwittingly, even Bulk helps to solve the problem, too.  It will end up leaving any viewer with that warm holiday spirit filling them.

In the last of this new set’s episodes, Tommy and the Zeo Rangers have to face off against King Mondo once again.  Mondo pulls a plan to make the Rangers fight about each other’s different religious traditions.  This episode is simply put, an episode that teaches about religious differences and tolerance.  It’s a valuable episode for any young viewer, even today.  And combined with this new set’s other pair of episodes makes for another enjoyable set for any Power Rangers fan.  It’s available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct via Lionsgate’s online store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com.

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20th Century Fox, Scholastic Offer Up Even More Scares For Families In New Re-Issue

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox/Scholastic

Halloween is one of the favorite days of the year for parents and kids alike.  Lots of people like to go out trick-or-treating.  And then there are those who choose to celebrate the big night in the comfort and safety of their homes with parties.  That’s just as enjoyable.  And planning those parties can be almost as stressful as getting ready to go out.  That’s especially the case when planning parties for kids.  So the question is raised what to do to keep kids entertained at those celebrations?  How about another DVD with nearly an hour and a half worth of spooky tales courtesy of children’s horror master R.L. Stine?  20^th Century Fox and Scholastic have re-issued another pair of the classic Fox Kids’ show in a dual set loaded with even more scary family fun.  In the classic collection, “Go Eat Worms”, audiences are introduced to a young man whose fascination with worms leads to some very bad consequences for him.  In what is one of the best of this set, a brother and sister discover that the legends of lawn gnomes might be true after all, and then some.  And when a young man’s fascination with magic leads him to his favorite magician’s show with his kid sister, things turn bad real fast.

The title episode of the set, “Go Eat Worms” introduces young Todd.  Todd has quite the fascination with worms.  But that fascination gets a little more than scary after he conducts experiments on them and even goes so far as to use them to play a trick on his sister, Regina.  After this, worms suddenly star appearing all around him. They’re even in his bed.  When Todd confronts his sister the next day after the worms’ sudden appearance, she denies any involvement.  Later that night, Todd goes out in search of more worms for his science fair exhibit when he falls down a hole in the forest.  Todd discovers in falling down the hole, that he’s surrounded by worms.  He even comes face to “face” with a giant worm that nearly strangles Todd to death until Regina inadvertently saves him.  How does she save him?  Viewers will have to find that out for themselves.  After that incident, Todd seems to have learned his lesson and leaves worms alone.  But as viewers learn at the end of this episode, he apparently hasn’t learned his lesson quite yet.  Viewers will have to find out for themselves what that means.

“Go Eat Worms” is loads of spooky fun.  It’s just one part of what makes this new set from 20^th Century Fox and Scholastic so much fun to this day.  The second episode from this new re-issued set, “Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes” is one of the set’s absolute best episodes.  Viewers meet brother and sister duo Joe and Mindy in this episode.  Joe and Mindy’s neighbor, McCall is a retired military vet who obviously hasn’t lost his training.  He’s also quite the bully.  When Joe and Mindy’s dad comes home one day with a pair of lawn gnomes, MCCall instantly comes over to make fun of them.  But as audiences will soon discover, the gnomes don’t exactly appreciate being made fun of.  The problem is that Joe ends up taking the blame for the gnomes’ destruction to McCall’s yard.  So Joe decides to prove it wasn’t him.  He grabs a video recorder and tapes the gnomes and follows them.  But when they discover Joe and Mindy, the gnomes chase them and steal the camera.  Luckily though, Joe and Mindy are able to lure the gnomes into a trap to defeat them.  At the same time, the trap also inadvertently deals with the issue of McCall.  How so?  Once again, audiences will have to find out for themselves when they pick up this newly re-issued dual disc set from 20^th Century Fox and Scholastic.

If gnomes and worms aren’t scary and spooky enough for audiences, how about an evil magician bent on creating some of the scariest and most evil tricks ever dreamed up?  In “Bad Hare Day”, young hopeful magician Tim wants to be a great magician.  So one night, he sneaks out to see The Great Amazo at the Midnight Mansion.  Just as he’s about the sneak out though, Tim’s bratty little sister Jenny almost keeps him from going when she catches him.  She threatens to tell the pair’s parents.  So he agrees to take her with him.  At first Tim’s having a great time.  But when he’s selected to volunteer for a trip, things turn bad when he gets trapped behind stage.  He searches around and finds Amazo’s dressing room.  He hears a voice that he thinks is that of Amazo yelling at him.  So he takes Amazo’s bag.  When he opens it the next day, he pulls out a rabbit who turns out to be a magician named El Sydney who had been trapped in the body of a rabbit.  This is when things start to go south.  He convinces Tim to release him from the rabbit’s body.  Tim does.  But the end result isn’t too happy for Tim.  Once more, audiences will have to find out for themselves what happens.  “Goosebumps:  Go Eat Worms/One Night in Horrorland” is available now on DVD. 

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Lionsgate Brings Fans More Morphin’ Fun For Halloween In New DVD

Courtesy: Lionsgate

Safety is one of the biggest concerns each year on Halloween.  Safety for adults and children alike is a big concern.  That being the case, so many families might be looking for ways to celebrate with family and kid friendly Halloween parties in the safety and comfort of their own homes.  With those parties come family and kid friendly specials.  Lots of specials are released each year.  And now, another one has been released for all the fans young and old of Saban’s hit Power Rangers franchise.  Out in stores today is the single disc Halloween themed compilation, “Power Rangers Samurai:  Monster Bash.”  The new single disc compilation contains a special Halloween themed episode from Power Rangers:  Samurai, along with two bonus episodes from the classic original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers for fans of that original incarnation of the long running franchise.

The main episode included in this trio of Halloween themed Power Rangers episode sees a bunch of the monsters beaten by the Samurai Power Rangers gathering for a Halloween party.  While they’re there, all the vanquished Nighlok monsters share their stories of how they almost beat the Samurai Power Rangers.  Meanwhile, the evil Lord Xandred is moping on his ship because he hadn’t been invited to the party.  Thing is that he’s reminded later in the episode that the gathering is of Nighlok monsters that were dead.  Fans of Warner Brothers’ classic television series, Batman:  The Animated Series will recognize this story style as that show ran a similar clip show in the episode, “Almost Got Him.”

“Party Monsters” is a good episode for younger Power Rangers audiences.  Parents of the new Power Rangers fans will enjoy this three episode compilation too, as it also includes two bonus episodes from the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers series.  In the first of the two bonus episodes, Kimberly has to face off against Bulk’s sidekick, Skull in a game show.  The two are vying for a new car.  It just so happens that the game show is a Halloween themed game show.  Kimberly and the Rangers have to leave the show early as they have to face Rita’s Pumpkin Rapper monster.  With Tommy’s help, the Rangers are able to defeat the Pumpkin Rapper.  And in the end, things don’t turn out too well for Bulk and Skull (whose real name is revealed in this episode, too).  Audiences will have to see for themselves what happens to them when they check out this DVD.

In the second of this compilation’s bonus classic episodes, the Power Rangers are setting up for a big costume party at the Angel Grove Gym and Juice Bar.  Along with the party, there will be a costume contest.  So Rita takes full advantage of that.  She sends a Frankenstein monster to the party to infiltrate it and get the Rangers.  But the monster is mistaken for just another party-goer.  That is until Billy secretly trails him to a cave where Rita’s henchmen are making a new kind of super putty patroller.  He ends up having to face Rita’s monster before escaping and going back to tell the other Rangers about what he’s seen.  The Rangers end up having to call in the Megazord to face the Frankenstein monster.  But it’s not until Tommy comes in with the Dragonzord and combines it with the Megazord that the Rangers are finally able to finish off the monster.  After defeating the monster, the Rangers go back to the party, and find out a surprise as to who wins the costume contest.  Of course, again, audiences will have to find out who won for themselves when they check out this DVD.  “Power Rangers Samurai:  Monster Bash” is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online via the Lionsgate store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com.

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Stine & Co. Offer Even More Scares And Screams In The Haunting Hour Volume Two

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour is back with even more frights in the second volume of episodes that’s sure to send chills p the spines of viewers young and old alike.  In the second volume of episodes, one young boy’s fascination with E.T.’s becomes all too real and all too dangerous when he comes face to face with two aliens who are hungry for humans.  Also, when a cemetery is dug up to make way for a mini-mall, the spirits of the deceased rise, leading a young woman to have to search for her brother.  And a young man learns the dangers of playing too many video games the hard way when he’s given a game by a mysterious figure.  That’s and more is in Volume Two of R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour.

Young middle school student Walt and his friend Tim are both avid believers in the existence of extra terrestrials in the episode, “Alien Candy.”  So when the mysterious Bonnie and Greg suddenly introduce themselves to Walt one day and their secrets, he gets wrapped up what the pair tells him to do.  That is until they appear in his bedroom out of nowhere one night and reveal that they’re in reality a pair of flesh hungry aliens from outer space!  Luckily for Walt, “Bonnie” and “Greg” are allergic to redheads.  So instead, they go after Tim.  Realizing this, Walt sets out to save Tim, who at first doesn’t believe Walt, until it’s almost too late.  When Tim and Walt are chased through the school, the chase climaxes with a showdown in the school’s cafeteria kitchen.  In the end “Bonnie” and “Greg” are defeated.  But that’s not the end of the story.  Stine and company offer a rather “tantalizing” twist ending to this episode that viewers will have to see for themselves to believe.  It will also leave some asking themselves, do they believe?

Those wanting a ghost story get one in this volume in the episode, “Ghostly Stare.”  When brother and sister Mark and Lauren sneak out to a cemetery that is being dug up to make way for a new mini-mall, things get more than a little spooky.  Mark falls into one of the empty graves while Lauren is etching the name from one of the gravestones.  She has no clue that Mark had fallen in the grave.  So when she goes back home later, she thinks that the thing with her is Mark.  But later that night, a ghostly encounter reveals that what followed her home was the spirit of one of the individuals whose body had been dug up.  So Lauren has to go back to the cemetery to find Mark before dawn.  Otherwise, the spirit that took Mark’s place would take his place permanently.  Luckily, Mark comes to and gets out of the grave just in time.  It’s not over yet, as the show’s writers give audiences a creepy little twist when Mark gets back home.  It’s sort of like the old adage…never judge a book by its cover…..

In another of this volume’s spooky episodes, a young teenage boy named Kelly learns the hard way the dangers of playing too many video games.  Kelly and his friend Gary are playing a video game one day when Gary’s mom calls him.  Kelly is left alone, when a message from the mysterious Major Mayhem pops up, egging him on to meet him the next day.  So he does.  Kelly receives a game called “Zee-town.”  “Zee-town” is a game in which players must fight zombies to win.  Gary and Kelly soon discover after turning on the game, that they have actually been pulled into the game.  Eventually Kelly comes face to face with Major Mayhem (played by Brandon Jay McLaren).  Some audiences may remember McLaren from his role as Jack Landors/Red Ranger from Saban’s Power Rangers SPD.  Thinking everything is great after beating Major Mayhem, Kelly soon learns that while he beat Major Mayhem, he might not have won in the bigger picture, leading to yet another nice twist ending.

Whether it be episodes teaching lessons about getting away from video games, or spooky tales about waking the dead, or what’s really out there, The Haunting Hour Volume Two has lots of scares and screams for audiences of any age, including a pair of episodes not mentioned here.  And it’s available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com.       

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New Power Rangers Compilation More Super Powered Fun For Audiences

Courtesy: Lionsgate/Saban

Good news Power Rangers fans.  Lionsgate and Saban released two brand new DVD compilations of Power Rangers Samurai episodes this week.  The first of the pair saw the new team of rangers get its Super Samurai powers, and learn how to use them.  The adventures get even bigger in the second set, “Power Rangers Super Samurai:  Super Showdown Volume 2.  In the second volume of the pair, the rangers have to tame the new Bullzord with the help of their friend, Cody.  And in another adventure, the rangers have to save Master Ji and Antonio when they’re kidnapped by the Nighlok Eyescar.  Those adventures and another pair are included on “Power Rangers Super Samurai:  Super Showdown Volume 2.”

One of the most important developments for the Samurai Rangers so far was the acquisition of the Bullzord.  The reason is that it was such a powerful zord.  As the story in the aptly titled episode notes, the Bullzord was so powerful when it was originally created, that its creators had to keep it locked up, as it couldn’t be tamed.  But when the rangers’ young friend, Cody, releases the Bullzord, the rangers have to help tame it.  As if taming the Bullzord wasn’t tough enough, the rangers also had to deal with the Nighlok, Crustor.  Crustor’s after the Bullzord, too.  In his attempt to take control of the Bullzord, Crustor goes after Cody, who has its discs.  Jayden has to stop Crustor and protect Cody, who is finally able to tame the Bullzord.  Once the Bullzord is tamed, Jayden sends Cody back to his dad and uses it to finish off Crustor.  After defeating Crustor, the rangers go back to check on Cody and his dad who are both okay.

The challenge of taming the Bullzord wasn’t the only tough moment for the Samurai Rangers.  In “The Rescue” the team has to free Master Ji and Antonio after they’re kidnapped by the Nighlok Eyescar.  Luckily for the rangers, when they are captured, Antonio leaves a trail of twine a la Hansel and Gretel for the rangers to follow.  This leads to a brief funny moment, when Mia makes a joke about the trail just having to lead down a dark and creepy tunnel.  It’s almost like she was speaking through the viewers, joking about how cliché it was.  That in itself made for a few laughs.  The rangers follow the trail through the tunnel, when they encounter a group of Moogers.  The rangers manage to defeat the Moogers and get to the end of the tunnel where they discover Antonio and Master Ji are being held by Eyescar and a huge horde of Moogers.  The rangers regroup get the edge with an aerial attack that clears enough Moogers for the team to release Antonio and Master Ji.  The rescue couldn’t come at a better time, as Eyescar goes mega size.  The rangers assemble the Samurai Megazord and finish him off once and for all.

These two adventures are just half of the enjoyment that fans of the new Power Rangers team will get on the new Super Showdown Volume 2 compilation.  There are two more episodes included in this set that fans will also enjoy.  Fans can check both of those episodes, along with the pair noted here now.  The compilation is available in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct from Lionsgate at http://www.lionsgateshop.com.

Power Rangers Power Up With New DVD

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The Power Rangers is one of the most iconic children’s television programs in the history of modern television.  American audiences got their first taste of the Power Rangers way back in 1993.  Now nearly two decades since that first series aired, young audiences are still being treated to the adventures of the Power Rangers.  The latest team of rangers is known as the Power Rangers Samurai.  This team of rangers has to face off against the evil Master Xandred and his hordes.  In one of the latest volumes of adventures from the Power Rangers Samurai, the rangers acquire their Super Samurai powers in their fight against Xandred.  In another of the volume’s adventures, the rangers’ souls are transferred into inanimate objects, while the essence of those objects is transferred into the rangers.  It’s up to the Green and Yellow ranger to save the rest of the team.  That and more are in “Power Rangers Samurai:  The Super Powered Black Box Volume 1.”

In the first episode included in “The Super Powered Black Box Volume 1”, the Arachnitor has returned from its exile.  At first, Xandred is none too happy with this news.  But he changes his mind in considering that it could be very useful thanks to its new mutation.  Meanwhile, the rangers have started planning what to do.  When they track down the monster, they try to morph, but can’t thanks to evil magic barriers that have been put up.  Just when it seems that the rangers won’t be able to defeat the Arachnitor, Antonio comes with the legendary Super Powered Black Box that allows the rangers to become Super Samurai.  With their newly discovered powers, the rangers are able to defeat the creature both at their size and when it grows and they have to use their zords against it.

In “Trading Places”, the Nighlok creature Switchbeast has come to “help” Xandred defeat the rangers on the orders of his master, who is revealed later in another episode.  Switchbeast is switching people’s souls with the essence of inanimate objects, causing them to take on the form of the objects in question, so to speak.  It just so happens that the rangers are right where Switchbeast is as he’s “switching” everybody out.  Only two of the rangers are left untouched by Switchbeast.  So it’s up to Mike to use the black box and unleash his Super Samurai powers and defeat Switchbeast.  Mike tricks Switchbeast, leading it to switch places with a soccer ball.  Mike’s trick works, allowing him to release the souls of all of Switchbeast’s victims.  Things aren’t over there, though.  When Switchbeast goes mega-size, Mike has to take control of the zords and defeat Switchbeast.  Mike defeats the creature and gets everything back to normal.  But not without a friendly match between Mike and one of the other rangers at the episode’s finale.

“Trading Places” and “Super Samurai” are only half of the episodes included in the “Super Powered Black Box” compilation.  There are still two other episodes that audiences can enjoy now.  The DVD is available in stores now and online.  It can be ordered directly from Lionsgate online at http://www.lionsgateshop.com.

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