Courtesy: Shout! Factory/The Hub Network
The sixth and latest volume of episodes from R.L. Stine’s hugely popular series, The Haunting Hour offers four more frightful tales of terror for viewers off all ages. And it’s not the end for fans of the hit series, either. Volume Six brings home even more episodes from the series’ second season just in time for the start of the series’ fourth season. Volume Six is another fright-filled joy for viewers not only because it continues the tradition of offering wonderfully fright-filled stories, but also because it carries on the traditions established throughout the series’ previous volumes. From the disclaimer encouraging parents to be parents and watch the show with their kids to including young well-known guest stars, it’s all here once more, making Volume Six one more must have for any kid and kid at heart.
The Haunting Hour Volume Six brings to viewers four more episodes from the series’ second season. And just as with Volume Five, the first of those episodes is split into two parts. The episode in question, titled “Creature Feature” is also one of the best from this set. This episode sees a young classic film buff named John (Joel Courtney—Super 8) discovering that sometimes it isn’t just a movie. He discovers this after being accidentally pulled into one of his favorite classic B-flicks at a haunted drive-in. The twist comes when he escapes the movie. It turns out that the movie was much more real than he or even his friends could have imagined. In another of the season’s best episodes, the show’s writers pay homage in their own way to Rod Serling’s classic series, The Twilight Zone in “Brush With Madness.” This episode sees teen comic book aficionado Corey (Dylan Minnette–Awake) getting to meet his favorite comic book artist, Allan Miller (Mackenzie Gray) at a comic book convention. After being blown off by Miller, Corey takes Miller’s brushes, which leads to an ever more tense fight to stay alive. These two stories are just a couple of examples of the scary fun offered up by R.L. Stine in Volume Six of The Haunting Hour. There is much more in the remaining episodes that audiences will enjoy. And it’s not the only reason that parents and kids alike will enjoy this latest release.
Volume Six is just as impressive as the series’ previous releases because it continues the traditions established in said compilations. One of those traditions is the inclusion of a straight forward disclaimer before each episode. The disclaimer states in no uncertain terms that the show may not be suitable for children under the age of seven, and that young viewers should only watch the show with their parents. This is a polite yet straightforward way of telling parents that they need to step up and be parents, rather than just leave their kids to watch anything. They need to take an active role in their children’s lives and make their own decision on what they think their children should watch. This is a standard established from early on by The Hub network. And it is good to see that those behind the show have continued it six volumes in.
The inclusion of a polite yet straightforward disclaimer at the start of each episode is an important part of the whole presentation. It’s not the only important part of the whole. Also continued in Volume Six is the tradition of bringing in famous young celebrities in select episodes. This time out, Super 8 stars Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths guest star in two of the compilation’s best episodes. Also on board this time out are Julia Benson (SGU: Stargate Universe) and Dylan Minnette (Awake). While some younger viewers may not recognize all of these names, parents are more apt to know who they are, thus helping to encourage parents to take an active role in their kids’ lives and watch the show with them. Along with the disclaimer before each episode, it’s one more ingenious way to get parents to get involved in what their kids are watching. For that, those responsible for bringing the guest stars for these episodes are to be commended. Those behind the show as a whole are to be commended. Not just for these brilliant methods, but for crafting four more episodes full of fright-filled for the entire family. Volume Six is available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct from the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/node/217799. More information on this and other shows from Shout! Factory and The Hub Network is available online at http://www.shoutfactory.com, http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial and http://www.hubworld.com. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
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