‘Power Rangers” Second Movie Is An Improvement On The Franchise’s Cinematic Debut

Courtesy: Saban Brands/Shout! Factory/20th Century Fox

For those who have not heard lately, the ongoing saga of the proposed Power Rangers movie reboot recently took another turn. The latest update in story is that the reboot will happen, though that could of course change in the blink of an eye.  As audiences wait to see where that story goes, they have another Power Rangers movie to enjoy at home in the form of the newly re-issued Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.  Set for release July 30, this second entry in the Power Rangers cinematic universe has proven over time to be another divisive entry in that franchise, though not as bad as the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Movie (1995).  That is due in part to the story at the center of the movie, which will be addressed shortly.  The look and feel of this Power Rangers movie plays into its presentation just as much as its story.  It will be addressed a little later.  The bonus content featured with the movie’s new re-issue rounds out the most important of the re-issue’s most important elements.  It will also be addressed later.  Each noted item is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered, they make Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie not the best of the Power Rangers cinematic offerings, but definitely a step up from the first Power Rangers movie.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, the second entry in the Power Rangers cinematic universe, is not the best entry of that franchise.  It is however, an improvement from the first of the Power Rangers movies.  That is due in part to the story at the center of the movie.  The story is the precursor to the then fifth season of Power Rangers.  It sets the stage for Power Rangers Turbo by telling how Divatox came to be the next “baddie” that the Rangers had to face in their never-ending battle against intergalactic villains who are hell bent on galactic domination.

While it does an admirable job setting the stage for Power Rangers Turbo, the story at the center of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie also suffers slightly in that it fails to fully bridge the divide between Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo.  There are story elements clearly missing here between the two seasons that, had they been included, would have made the story full.  In the same breath, there is a bit of suspension of disbelief issue with the story.  The issue comes in that the movie’s writing team never fully explains why the Rangers needed to upgrade from their powers and zords following the events of Zeo.  In the first few seasons of Power Rangers at the time, the upgrade was always because the villains found ways to destroy the Rangers’ zords, leading to the need (and discovery) of more powerful zords.  In this case, the story never really explained that story element.  To that end, it does leave one scratching one’s head.

Adding to the concerns in the unexplained plot elements, the re-introduction of the original Red Ranger – Austin St. John (as Jason) – and original Pink Ranger – Amy Jo Johnson (as Kimberly) – seems just as unnecessary to the story, especially considering the falling out that led to the pair’s departure early in the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers run, and the whole issue with Jason as the Gold Ranger in the series’ Zeo installment.  Their inclusion doesn’t hurt the story, but it does not necessarily prove its necessity either.

As if all of this is not enough, the writers never do explain how Bulk and Skull got their minds reset by the story’s end.  The pair still seemed to think they were some sort of German figures (not to give away too much).  This was not explained away in the Turbo TV series, either. It’s another minor item, but one that cannot be ignored and detracts from the story even more. That aside, the story still is not a total loss.  The fact that it does not just completely break from canon (unlike Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Movie) is itself a saving grace, making the story while maybe not perfect, still a positive in its own right to this presentation.  The movie’s story is just one of its most notable elements.  The look and feel of this movie is just as important to note as the movie’s story.

Again, making a comparison to the Power Rangers’ first movie, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Movie, the look and feel of this movie is right in line with the franchise’s source material.  Instead of over-the-top metallic type outfits, CG-based zords and fight scenes, and animatronics, this movie’s look, this movie’s creative heads obviously took a lesson from those failures of the franchise’s first movie.  On the surface, this might not seem like much, but in reality, it is very important.  It plays into suspension of disbelief just as much as the movie’s story and its related plot elements.  Viewers who got so used to a certain look from the TV series were justifiably bothered by the look of the first movie.  Having that familiar look from the series re-introduced into this series makes for more comfort for fans, and in turn, at least a little bit more ability to suspend disbelief.  That serves to help viewers enjoy the movie more.  It still is not the last of the movie’s most important elements.  The bonus content featured with the movie’s re-issue rounds out its most important elements.

The bonus content featured with the upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie includes the original short making of featurette and a new, longer and more in-depth featurette, “Ranger Tales: A Look Back At Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.  Actress Nakia Burrise (who plays Yellow Ranger Tanya) gets the most screen time in this featurette.  One of the most interesting of the stories she shares focuses on the Rangers’ island morphing scene.  New cast member Blake Foster (Blue Ranger Justin) turns the wrong way in said sequence.  Burrise reveals in her interview that this was not planned, adding it actually upset her.  The reason that it upset her will not be revealed here, but rather left for audiences to discover for themselves.  Burrise also exhibits great humility in her discussions about being tapped to become a member of the cast.  That humility makes her an endearing figure.  A now grown-up Foster exhibits just as much humility as he discusses his time on the show in a separate series of interview segments in this featurette.  He talks about the very real tears that flowed off camera as former cast members made way for himself and Burrise.  It is another moving moment.  There are other discussions featured in this new bonus, but again, viewers will be left to discover those talks for themselves.  Between those discussions, the discussions noted here and more, the movie’s new bonus featurette presents its own importance to the whole of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.  It will certainly keep the most devoted Power Rangers fan engaged and entertained throughout.  Considering that and the engagement and entertainment that the movie’s story and aesthetics generate, the whole of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie proves a worthwhile addition to the noted viewers’ home libraries; much more so than the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers movie.

Shout! Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is a worthwhile addition to the home library’s of the most devoted Power Rangers fans.  That includes even fans who already own the movie’s previous releases.  That is mainly because of the new bonus featurette included with the movie’s new re-issue.  The story at the center of the movie is both a pro and a con that only slightly improves on the problems of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Movie.  The movie’s aesthetic side helps improve the movie over its predecessor, too.  All three elements noted here are important in their own way to the whole of this movie.  All things considered, they make Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie not the franchise’s best cinematic offering, but definitely an improvement from the franchise’s cinematic debut.  Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is scheduled for release July 30, and can be pre-ordered online via Shout! Factory’s store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

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Shout! Factory To Re-Issue Second ‘Power Rangers’ Movie On Blu-Ray

Courtesy: Saban Brands/Shout! Factory/20th Century Fox

Shout! Factory is bringing The Power Rangers’ second movie to Blu-ray.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is scheduled for release July 30.  Its upcoming release marks the first time that the movie will see a Blu-ray release.  The story at the center of the movie breaks a little bit from canon, but unlike its predecessor, is more closely linked with the television series of the same name.

In the case of this entry in the Power Rangers cinematic universe, the latest team of rangers faces off against the space pirate Divatox.  Divatox wants to free the evil Maligore from his volcanic prison, but she can’t do that without the powers of the kindly Lerigot.  Lerigot has fled to Earth to avoid Divatox and ask for protection from the Power Rangers.

The upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie will include the featurette “Ranger Tales: A Look Back At Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie as an added bonus.  It is complimented by the movie’s original, shorter featurette and movie trailer as bonus content.

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‘MMPR: The Movie’ Re-Issue Will Appeal To Franchise’s Most Devoted Fans

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Almost 24 years ago, 20^th Century Fox brought one of the most beloved kids’ series in television history to the big screen in the form of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  When it was originally released, the big-screen adaptation of the high-action sci-fi series was met with largely negative reviews, and with good reason.  Even as bad as the movie was (and still is today), it is still a presentation that the most devoted Power Rangers fans will appreciate.  As the 24^th anniversary of the movie’s debut nears, Shout! Factory and Saban are celebrating the anniversary with a new Blu-ray re-issue of the movie complete with a new in-depth bonus featurette.  While the movie is largely a failure, there are still certain elements of the movie that do work.  This will be addressed shortly.  The new bonus commentary, which runs approximately 44-minutes in length, is the re-issue’s most notable positive.  It will be addressed a little bit later.  The Blu-ray’s average price point is not a budget breaker for those MMPR devotees who want to add the movie to their collections.

Shout! Factory and Saban Brands have been doing quite a bit in recent years to make Power Rangers fans with lots of Power Rangers and Super Sentai box sets.  On June 4, the companies will do something a little bit different for fans of both series when they re-issue the 1995 big screen adaptation of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers on Blu-ray.  Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie was resoundingly panned by viewers and critics alike in its initial release.  Now almost 24 years later, it has not improved in its footing.  That is due in part to the fact that its story completely breaks canon from the original series.  Its look is also a far cry from that of the original series, right down to the over-the-top CG zords.  For all of the negatives exhibited in the movie’s story, the story is not a total loss.  It does present some positives, such as the camp elements that made the TV series so enjoyable (and that still do today).  That includes the comic support from Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy – Bulk and Skull – and the ever-the-top cheesiness of Ivan Ooze (Paul Freema – Hot Fuzz, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Centurion) in terms of his personality. The work of the supporting cast that played the parents of Angel Grove also echoed the feel of the movie’s source material.  Keeping in mind that overall feel of the movie, it makes up for the issue of the movie’s story, at least a little bit.  That in itself makes the movie worth an occasional watch among Power Rangers’ most devoted fans now that it is being re-issued on Blu-ray.  The movie’s throwback to the camp feeling of the MMPR TV series is just one of the most notable elements presented in the upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  The bonus content is just as notable as that feel.

The bonus content is notable because audiences get not only the relatively short original featurette included with the movie’s initial DVD release, but a new 44-minute featurette that takes audiences even deeper into the movie’s background and history.  Audiences learn through the movie’s new bonus featurette – “A Look Back At Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie – lots of items not featured in the movie’s original bonus featerutte.  Viewers learn, through discussions with the movie’s director Bryan Spicer, that there was lots of discussion on the script between himself and the heads at 20^th Century Fox during the movie’s pre-production.  Viewers also get an interesting anecdote from Spicer about how the newspapers in Australia allegedly mid-identified one of the movie’s Assistant Directors as the Director, thus incorrectly giving that AD the credit for helming the movie instead of Spicer.  On a related note, Spicer also talks about filming in Australia during his interview segments and why the filming took place there instead of in the United States.  That’s not all that audiences get.  Viewers also receive a very interesting tidbit about a well-known actress who was initially wanted by Fox’s executives to fill the role of Dulcea and how she was replaced by the woman who ended up in the role.  The movie’s cast members get plenty of their own time throughout the featurette, too.  They talk about topics, such as the pace of shooting each scene for the movie versus shooting for the TV series, the stunts and the visual effects among other topics.  Between everything noted here and the rest of the discussions featured in the movie’s new bonus featurette, said featurette proves to be the true foundation for the movie’s new Blu-ray re-issue.  When it is considered along with the fact that the movie’s creative heads did at least try to give the story the same camp feel of the MMPR series, those two elements together give viewers even more reason to check out this latest presentation of MMPR: The Movie.  Considering those elements, the average price point of the movie’s re-issue proves to be not too expensive.

The average price point of MMPR: The Movie – based on prices listed at Shout! Factory’s store, Walmart, Target and Amazon – is $15.52.  At the time of this review’s posting, it was not listed at Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Books-A-Million.  However, the movie’s original DVD release was listed at those sites.  By comparison, the DVD’s average price point was $7.33.  That includes prices listed not just at Books-A-Million, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble Booksellers, but also at Walmart and Amazon.  While the original DVD release’s average price point is obviously less expensive than that of the movie’s new BD re-issue, the DVD does not boast the new bonus featurette that is featured in the new re-issue.  To that end, the price for the movie’s re-issue is not too bad.  Keeping all of this in mind, this new re-issue of MMPR: The Movie proves a piece that the most devoted MMPR fans will want to add to their libraries.

Shout! Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie is a piece that the most devoted fans of the timeless sci-fi action series will appreciate.  That is due in part to the fact that while the movie’s story clearly breaks from the series’ canon, it does at least maintain the campy feel of its source material.  That alone makes the movie worth at least an occasional watch.  The new 44-minute bonus featurette featured in this re-issue makes the presentation even more appealing for the noted fans.  The re-issue’s average price point of less than $20 is relatively affordable, and not wasted, considering the movie’s primary and secondary content.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.  All things considered, the movie’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue is one that the most devoted MMPR fans will enjoy especially if they do not already own the movie on DVD.  It will be available June 4.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

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Shout! Factory Taking Audiences Back To The 90s With ‘MMPR: The Movie’ Re-Issue

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is resurrecting Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie.

The company announced in a news release sent Friday, that the movie will be re-issued June 4 on Blu-ray.  It marks the first time that the movie he been released on Blu-ray.

The first of the Power Rangers big screen  flicks, this movie’s story sees is a standalone work that finds everyone’s favorite teenagers with attitude facing off against the deadly Ivan Ooze.Ozze strips the Rangers of their power, forcing them to go in search of the secrets of the ancient Ninjetti on a distant planet.  Once they find the secret and master their new skills, the Rangers return to earth with their Ninjazord to face off against Ooze in one final climactic battle to save the world from his evil.

Shout! Factory’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie will feature new interviews with director Bryan Spicer and cast members Johnny Yong Bosch and Paul Freeman, in the featurette,”The Mighty Leap to the Silver Screen.”  Also included is the movie’s original trailer and featurette.

Pre-orders for Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie are open now.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

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Shout! Factory TV, Twitch Team Up For Power Morphicon 2018 Coverage

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Twitch

Power Rangers fans rejoice, it’s almost time for the bi-annual Power Morphicon conference again.  This year’s conference launches August 17 and runs through August 19. For those who won’t be able to be there, Shout! Factory and Twitch have partnered to cover the final day of this year’s conference live online via Shout! Factory’s official Twitch Channel.

Power Morphicon Live coverage starts August 19 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET via Shout! Factory’s official Twitch Channel.  Shout! Factory’s Brian Ward will host coverage of the event, which features live interviews with various cast and crew members of each Power Rangers installment.  There will also be coverage of various panel discussions, special features and other highlights.

A stream of the event’s coverage will be available via VOD following the actual event’s close.  Viewers can view a trailer for Shout! Factory and Twitch’s coverage of Power Morphicon Live here.

More information on this and other events from Shout! Factory and Twitch is available online now at:

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Shout! Factory Announces ‘MMPR: The Complete Series” 25th Anniversary SteelBook Set Release Date, Specs

Courtesy: Shout! Factory.Saban Brands

Shout! Factory and Saban Brands have partnered to re-issue the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Complete Series once again.

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Complete Series (25th Anniversary Edition Steelbook) is scheduled to be released in stores and online August 7.  The series’ upcoming re-issue comes complete with the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie presented for the first time ever on Blu-ray while the series will be presented again on DVD. The original three-season run of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers will be spread across 19 DVDs.

Fans who order the forthcoming re-issue via Shout! Factory’s online store will get a limited edition 18″x24″ lithograph, featuring art by Paul Shipper.  Other bonuses included in the set’s discs are: “Morphin’ Time!: A Look Back At Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers with interviews featuring members of the Cast and Creative Team, “Alpha’s Magical Christmas,” “Lord Zedd’s Monster Heads” and much more.  In all, the set’s bonus material spans two discs.

Even the new Blu-ray re-issue of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie features its own bonus material, including but not limited to: The Mighty Leap to the Silver Screen: A look back at the movie with the cast and crew, including brand new interviews with director Bryan Spicer and stars Johnny Yong Bosch and Paul Freeman.”  Also included in the Blu-ray is a theatrical trailer for the movie.

The full listing of the set’s bonus material is noted below.

MMPR: The Movie Bonus Features (Blu-ray)

·        The Mighty Leap to the Silver Screen: A look back at the movie with the cast and crew, including brand-new interviews with director Bryan Spicer and stars Johnny Yong Bosch and Paul Freeman

·        Theatrical Trailer

MMPR TV Series Bonus Features (DVDs)

Bonus Disc 1

·        “Morphin Time!” – A Look Back At Mighty Morphin Power Rangers With Interviews Featuring Members Of The Cast And Creative Team

·        “A Morphenomenal Cast” – Casting Director Katy Wallin And the Cast Recall What It Took to Become Power Rangers

·        “Lord Zedd’s Monster Heads”

·        “Alpha’s Magical Christmas”

·        “The Good, The Bad And The Stupid!”’

Bonus Disc 2

·        “The Fans Power Up” – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Fans Remember the Series

·        Rare Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Fan Club Video

·        “MMPR Karate Club” – The White Ranger Kata

·        “Power Rangers Live” – The World Tour

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

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Lionsgate, Saban’s New Power Rangers DVD Is A Great Treat For Any Power Rangers Fan

Courtesy: Lionsgate/Saban/Saban Brands

Earlier this week, Lionsgate and Saban Brands released the latest collection of Halloween-themed episodes from Saban’s long-running Power Rangers franchise.  The new collection—Trickster Treat­—features four more Halloween-themed episodes from different eras of the hugely popular property.  What sets the episodes featured here is that they are a slightly more representative portion of the Power Rangers legacy.  That will be discussed shortly.  On a related note the writing within each of the featured episodes stands out in examining the whole of this compilation.  It is yet another reason that Power Rangers fans will appreciate this (apparent) second ever Halloween-themed Power Rangers collection.  Last of note in this collection is the work of the cast within each episode.  Even as many years have passed since Saban first introduced the Power Rangers to America, the work of each “season’s” cast has remained just as impressive from one season to the next.  That is just as evident in these four episodes as any of the franchise’s others.  Together with the work of the series’ writers and those charged with choosing the collection’s episodes, it rounds out the reasons that fans will enjoy this DVD and leaves fans hopeful that there will be more Power Rangers Halloween DVDs to come.

Trickster Treat, the new Halloween-themed collection of Power Rangers episodes from Lionsgate and Saban Brands is not the first of its kind from the two companies.  Nor is it the first collection of holiday-themed Power Rangers collections from the long-running superhero series.  However, it would appear that the new collection, which was released earlier this week, is only the second Halloween-themed collection to be released to date from the worldwide phenomenon franchise.  If that is indeed true, then it is a shock within itself.  That is because of the sheer number of episodes that could have been used over the years for other collections.  That aside, Trickster Treat still proves in the long run to be a good addition to any Power Rangers fan’s collection.  Its selection of episodes is the main reason for that.  Being that there is apparently only one other Halloween-themed Power Rangers collection available to fans—Power Rangers Samurai: Monster Bash–this collection’s selection of episodes is an improvement from that collection.  Whereas Power Rangers Samurai: Monster Bash featured three episodes and a bonus PSA, Trickster Treat features a fourth episode but no extras.  That lack of extras is not a setback for the DVD either.  On a deeper level, the episodes featured in this collection offer a little wider representation from the Power Rangers two decade-plus run than those included in Monster Bash.  The episodes in that set include one episode from Power Rangers Samurai and two from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  By comparison Trickster Treat features one episode from the second season of MMPR, one from Power Rangers Zeo, one from Power Rangers Super Samurai and one from Power Rangers Megaforce.  It serves to show at least a small cross section of the Power Rangers’ history.  That is a lot more than fans got from Monster Bash.  And considering that Trickster Treat is allegedly only the second ever Power Rangers Halloween collection, this gives quite a bit of hope among fans for even more collections in the years to come with just as much representation if not more from the Power Rangers multitude of installments.

The selection of episodes offered to Power Rangers fans in Trickster Treat is by itself a solid reason for them to pick up this collection.  It is just one reason that fans will appreciate the DVD, too.  The writing within each of the episodes is another reason that fans will enjoy the DVD.  That is because there is such a notable difference in the writing style from one installment to the next.  The writing incorporated into “Zedd’s Monster Mash” (MMPR) and “It Came From Angel Grove” (Zeo) presents stories that are more kid (and family) friendly than those of “Raising Spirits” (Megaforce) and “Trickster Treat” (Super Samurai).  There is a lot more slapstick comedy and more relatable story elements in the episodes from those earlier installments than those from the later installments for lack of better wording.  For instance, “It Came From Angel Grove” utilized the commonly used dream sequence story element for its base.  From there, it proceeds to pay homage to the classic black and white horror movies of Hollywood’s golden era.  And it does so in a way that will entertain audiences of all ages.  “Zedd’s Monster Mash” on the other hand actually sends Tommy (in his White Ranger days) into a spirit world of sorts to battle a couple of previously perished bad guys by himself.  On a totally separate note, “Raising Spirits” (Megaforce) is a clip show at its roots.  Given the whole episode is not a clip show.  And that is actually a good thing considering that it would have been so easy for Megaforce’s writers to take that lazier road.  It shows that the writers in question didn’t want to do that but rather incorporate the element in question into the whole of what is overall an original episode.  “Trickster Treat” is its own original piece.  It could be argued that this episode pays homage to Wes Craven’s original Nightmare on Elm Street as the episode’s main villain gets into the Rangers’ dreams and causes them plenty of trouble.  Now how it managed to do so isn’t exactly explained away.  But that can be excused considering the episode’s execution.  Now in examining each of the presented stories, viewers will see the clear difference in each episode’s writing style.  The episodes presented in the latter series are less lighthearted overall than those of the Power Rangers’ earlier days.  Is that a bad thing?  No.  Not at all.  It is just interesting to note.  It is a welcome juxtaposition of writing styles as a matter of fact.  And with any luck fans will see even more of that variety in future Halloween-themed Power Rangers DVDs, going back to that core reason for the DVD’s enjoyment among fans.  Both reasons together make a solid argument in favor of adding this DVD to fans’ home collections.  And even together they are only part of what makes the DVD worth fans’ purchase.  The work of each installment’s cast rounds out the presentation’s positives

Both the episodes selected for Trickster Treat’s body and the writing of each episode therein are of equal importance to the whole of this new DVD.  The work of the episodes’ cast members rounds out the reasons that the collection proves to be a welcome addition for any Power Rangers fan.  While the franchise’s writing style has changed over the course of its two decade-plus run, one thing that has changed far less is the ability of its cast within each installment.  Jason David Frank is hilarious as a vampire in “It Came From Angel Grove.”  Watching him, it’s obvious that he had great fun going back to Hollywood’s golden era.  The same can be said of fellow cast mate Johnny Yong Bosch, who was the star of the episode.  The duo’s acting is so carefree throughout.  It is as if the episode’s director just gave them (and the rest of the cast) a certain free reign as they went through the episode.  By comparison, the cast of Super Samurai is just as entertaining as it weaves its way out of its dream-induced conflict.  Early on, there is a certain camp element as the Rangers’ outfits are decked out in Halloween costumes and the Rangers have to act out of sorts from the norm since they are in a dream. It could even be argued that there’s a hint of classic Japanese cinema in the cast’s acting here. And of course who could forget Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy (a.k.a. Bulk and Skull) in “Zedd’s Monster Mash.” Schrier and Narvy’s physical comedy and timing is impeccable. The duo’s Laurel and Hardy style comic acting played such a big role in the enjoyment of MMPR. That is just as evident here as Bulk accidentally eats a handful of red hots at one point and Skull breaks a handful of plastic knives trying to use them to carve a pumpkin. The pair’s reaction in each situation is timeless and will leave viewers of all ages laughing just as much today as in the episode’s original broadcast. It’s just one more example of why the work of each cast is just as important to the whole of Trickster Treat as the featured episodes and their writing. All three elements combined make Power Rangers: Trickster Treat another enjoyable new Halloween-themed compilation for fans. They collectively make the DVD so enjoyable that it will leave fans hopeful that there will be many more collections to come presenting even more incarnations of the power Rangers.

Power Rangers: Trickster Treat is only the second new Halloween-themed collection of Power Rangers episodes to be released in the franchise’s now two decade plus run on American television. Considering that, it has its share of positives. That is especially in comparison to the first collection released only a few years ago. The episodes present a good portion of the Power Rangers’ legacy even with just the set’s four episodes. The writing across all four episodes shows just how much has changed over the years but still done right. The work of each series’ cast is just as enjoyable to watch. All three elements together make this four-episode collection a good addition to any true Power Rangers fan’s collection and gives hope to those same fans for more releases in the future from the franchise’s other series. Power Rangers: Trickster Treat is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct from Lionsgate’s online store now at http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=32338&TitleParentId=10246. More information on this and other titles from Lionsgate is available online now at:

 

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Saban, Shout! Factory’s New Standalone Power Rangers Series Is A Must Have For Any Power Rangers Fan

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban/Saban Brands

Next Tuesday, Shout! Factory will continue its ongoing series of Power Rangers installments when it releases Power Rangers LightSpeed Rescue: The Complete Series. Its release next Tuesday marks the first time that it has seen the light of day as its own standalone series/season set. Previously, it was released as part of the Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 mega-set in November of 2013. That set also included Power Rangers Time Force: The Complete Series, Power Rangers Wild Force: The Complete Series, Power Rangers Ninja Storm: The Complete Series, and Power Rangers Dino Thunder: The Complete Series. The total price of the five-season set averaged well over one hundred dollars. For many that price made the box more of a wish list item than a reality. By comparison, the average price for Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series is only about fifteen dollars depending on the outlet. That and its more widespread availability together form the central reason that this new standalone series/season set will be of great interest to any Power Rangers fan. It’s just one small part of the whole that makes it worth the addition to any fan’s collection. The writing that went into PRLSR (as it will be called from here on out) plays its own part in this series/season set. Being a forty-episode run, the writers don’t waste any time moving the story along even from the show’s outset. Last but hardly least of note that makes this set enjoyable for fans is the work of the show’s cast. Keith Robinson’s take on Green Ranger Joel Rawlings while Sean Cw Johnson’s take on the Red Ranger Carter Grayson is just as solid on the opposite end of the spectrum. They aren’t the only cast members worth noting either. Whether for this reason, the set’s availability, or for the work of the series’ writers, Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series (a.k.a. Season 8), proves in the end to be yet another welcome addition to any Power Rangers fan’s collection.

Shout! Factory and Saban’s upcoming Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series is a great boon for any true Power Rangers fan. While it is not the first time that the series/season set has seen the light of day, it is the first time ever that the five-disc set has seen the light of day in its own standalone series/season set separate from the previously released Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 mega-set. That is the central reason that fans will want to add this latest set to their collections. Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 was not readily available to fans in stores. Nor was it cheap. It forced those that really wanted this season set to also go ahead and purchase the complete five-season set and do so online more often than not. It ran a little more than one hundred dollars. This set is much more affordable by comparison at roughly fifteen dollars. What’s more, odds are far greater of finding it in stores than the larger five-season set. That makes this standalone set just as valuable for fans as the larger collection regardless of their level of dedication to the show and in turn serves as a solid base for the rest of the reasons that audiences will appreciate this brand new box set.

The fact that Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series will likely be more readily available for Power Rangers fans is a most important reason for fans to pick up this collection. It serves as a solid base for the set’s other positives including the work of the series’/season’s writers. The work of those behind this series/season’s scripts is definitely well worth the note. Being that this season ran only forty episodes in total, the writers didn’t waste any time establishing its story line or assembling the season’s team of rangers. The execution of the team’s assembly lasted the entirety of the very first episode. And even after the team was established, the writers didn’t waste any time through the course of the series’ episodes dealing with any extra story elements unlike with the previous installments of the Power Rangers. Rather, they hit the ground running so to speak. Background elements such as Joel’s infatuation with Ms. Fairweather (Monica Louwerens) and Captain Mitchell’s relationship with his long-lost son Ryan (Rhett Fisher) in the multi-episode Titanium Ranger story arc were limited in their approaches. Joel’s infatuation with Ms. Fairweather was made more of a comic element than anything serious, though there were some rare instances when the pair got to show a little bit of dramatic flair. That will be noted later. And while the Titanium Ranger story arc was itself a key moment in the series/season, its more dramatic elements were controlled so as to not let them get out of control. This allowed for the story of Ryan’s return (and turn) to the good side to more easily progress and be more believable. Interestingly enough, true hardcore fans won’t be able to ignore this story arc’s blatant similarity to that of the original Green Ranger story arc from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. That aside, audiences will take note in regards to the series/season’s writing that this installment marks the first time ever that the Power Rangers went from being just a force for good, powered by fantastical powers to a more semi-militaristic organization (albeit a secretive one). It wouldn’t be the last time that the Rangers took such a form as they also appeared in that capacity both in Power Rangers Time Force and Power Rangers S.P.D. So to say that this series/season set the bar for later installments is the least. It really was a groundbreaking approach for Saban’s long-running hit franchise. That being the case, it rounds out the ways in which the series’/season’s writing proves to be key to its success. It still is not the last reason that fans will appreciate this latest installment of the Power Rangers ongoing saga. The work of the case is just as much to thank for this edition’s success and enjoyment.

The writing behind Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue was groundbreaking for the Power Rangers franchise at the time of its debut. That is because up until that point, the Rangers had been like so many other super-powered organizations. They were powered by fantastical, other-worldly sources. That was hardly the case in this installment. Rather here, they were created by a semi-militaristic source. That is actually just as believable as the source of the previous Power Rangers’ powers if not more so. It’s just one element of the series’/season’s writing so important. Even with the other elements previously noted, the writing in whole is only one more part–together with the set’s availability–of the set that makes it a must have for any true Power Rangers fan. The work of the show’s cast is just as important as its other noted elements. It has already been noted that in the case of Green Ranger Joel Rawlings (Keith Robinson–Dreamgirls, Dear John, This Christmas), Robinson’s portrayal of Joel is one example of what makes the cast’s work so entertaining. Robinson’s take on Joel makes Joel a fan favorite thanks to his comic timing and his surprising innocence. What makes this mix so impressive is the fact that Robinson balances it so well. He never lets that more emotional side overpower his comic side. Rather he lets it show just enough and at just the right moments to make Joel one of the true stars of the show. At the other end of the spectrum is Sean Cw Johnson as Carter Grayson (a.k.a. the Red Lightspeed Ranger). Johnson is given plenty of opportunities throughout this series/season to overplay his character’s All-American guy sort of character. Luckily, he didn’t do that. Rather, he embraced the role and made Carter into a persona that is the very definition of a leader. There is a certain humility about Carter throughout his time as the Red Ranger. It is a humility that interestingly enough even today’s young viewers might find themselves aspiring to emulate just as much as the young people of Mariner Bay. It makes Carter that much more of a believable character; perhaps even one of the single-most believable in the long-running history of the Power Rangers. Johnson’s is one more example of how the work of the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue cast makes this season/series so enjoyable for any true Power Rangers fan. Any of the series’ other cast members could be used just as easily to exhibit the importance of the cast’s work. That would take some time to do, though. So considering this and the already provided examples, it is safe to say that the work of the series’/season’s cast is just as important as that of its writers and the general availability of this brand new box set in its overall success and enjoyment. All three elements combined together prove it to be a must-have for any hardcore Power Rangers fan.

Whether for its general availability verses that of the previously released Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 box set, the writing incorporated into this series/season, or for the work of the show’s cast, there is plenty to like about Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue: The Complete Series. It will be available next Tuesday, August 11th in stores and online and can be ordered online direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-lightspeed-rescue-the-complete-series. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory and Saban is available online now at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

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Shout! Factory Goes Lightspeed Next Month With Its Latest Power Rangers Release

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban/Saban Brands

Shout! Factory continues its ongoing series of classic Power Rangers series next month when it releases Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue will be available on Tuesday, August 11^th in its entire forty-episode run. It will be available in stores and online and will retail for MSRP of $19.97. The second “post-Zordon-era” installment of Saban’s hit franchise, it is also one of the most standout installments of the franchise. That is because it is the first of the Power Rangers series to establish the Rangers’ powers through a terrestrial means rather than that of aliens from other worlds or mystical beings. In the case of this series this Power Rangers team is a semi-militaristic organization established to protect the colony of Mariner Bay. Even the team’s members are more relatable to audiences than before as each team member comes from a normal walk of life—a paramedic, a firefighter, a pilot, an extreme sports athlete and enthusiast, and a martial arts master. And instead of fighting aliens from other worlds, the Rangers in this case fight the evil Queen Bansheera, who is a demon, and her evil minions.

Over the course of Power Rangers Lightspeed’s forty-episodes, audiences see the return of the villainous Trakeena, from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy in the two-part episode “Trakeena’s Revenge.” This episode sees the Lightspeed and Lost Galaxy rangers having to team up when Trakeena returns to Earth with the aim of destroying it. Olympius and his evil forces cause their share of problems for Trakeena interestingly enough, proving that even among villains there is no honor.

In another of the series’ more notable moments, Carter is caught in a loop that sees him repeating the same day over and over again in “Yesterday Again.” With each repetition, Carter gains new knowledge in his fight to save the Rangers from being destroyed by Olympius.

“The Omega Project” is one more key moment from Lightspeed Rescue. This episode is one of the series’ rare moments in which the Rangers are taken out of Mariner Bay in order to save it. This episode sees the Rangers having to stop an asteroid pulled toward Earth by Olympius. It means having to initiate the “Omega Project,” which introduces the Omega Crawler and Omega Megazord. Both are formed through the use of the new Omega Zords.

The episodes noted here are just a few examples of what fans can anticipate from the upcoming release of Power Rangers Lightspeed. The series will be available in whole on DVD on Tuesday, August 11^th. It will be available in stores and online and can be pre-ordered online now at a discounted price of $16.97 via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-lightspeed-rescue-the-complete-series. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

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Lionsgate, Saban Announce Details For New Power Rangers Compilation

Courtesy: Lionsgate/Saban/Saban Brands

Lionsgate and Saban announced this week that they have teamed up to release yet another special collection of episodes from Saban’s hugely popular Power Rangers franchise.

Power Rangers: Trickster Treat will be released Tuesday, September 14^th just in time for the countdown to the real start of the annual holiday season. The collection features four Halloween-themed episodes pulled from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Power Rangers Megaforce, and even Power Rangers Samurai. Among the episodes included in the upcoming set is a story that sees the Power Rangers visiting a rather intriguing fortune teller who just might be more than it seems to be. There is also a pair of episodes that will take audiences all the way back to the original Power Rangers franchise in the form of “It Came From Angel Grove” and “Zedd’s Monster Mash.” The complete episode listing for Power Rangers: Trickster Treat is noted below.

DVD EPISODES

• Trickster Treat
• Raising Spirits
• Zedd’s Monster Mash
• It Came From Angel Grove

Also included in the upcoming DVD is a pair of Digital HD episodes. Those episodes are

DIGITAL HD EPISODES

• Trickster Treat
• Raising Spirits

The DVD’s total run time is eighty-eight minutes. It will retail for MSRP of $14.98. More information on this and other titles from Lionsgate and Saban is available online now at:

Website: http://www.lionsgate.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LionsgateTV

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