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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Li'l Horrors-Volume 3: Send in the Clones (2000)

Li'l Horrors-Volume 3: Send in the Clones (2000)

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Released 1-Nov-2001

Cover Art

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Childrens Main Menu Introduction
Menu Animation & Audio
Trivia-5
Audio-Only Track-Music Themes (8)
Featurette-Character Intros (11)
Interviews-Character-11
Web Links
Easter Egg
Rating Rated G
Year Of Production 2000
Running Time 62:09
RSDL / Flipper No/No Cast & Crew
Start Up Menu
Region Coding 1,2,3,4,5,6 Directed By Ralph Strasser
Chris Langman
Helen Gaynor
Studio
Distributor

Umbrella Entertainment
Starring None Given
Case Click
RPI $29.95 Music Al Mullins
Janine DeLorenzo


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles None Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    This is the third disc in the L'il Horrors series - the review of the first disc is here. As I mentioned in my review of the second disc, the special features and the hidden extras are identical on all three discs, although the three questions that accompany each episode are different.

Send In The Clones (12:25): Duncan is accidentally cloned by Webster's new invention, but it is a newer, smarter version that turns out to be less than friendly.

Were-with All (12:25): A gentle portrayal of the evils of swap cards and the troubles they can cause.

Rock Shock (12:26): Some of the L'il Horrors form a rock group and rocket to stardom. Their crash is just as spectacular.

For Whom The Bell Tolls (12:27): Quasi learns that lying is not the best course.

The Magic Hat (12:26): Having your greatest wish come true may not be the best thing.

Don't wish to see plot synopses in the future? Change your configuration.

Transfer Quality

Video

    The transfers maintain their high standards with this disc.

    The show is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is 16x9 enhanced.

    The sharpness is very good, particularly during close ups and medium shots. It losses a little detail on long shots. The shadow detail is excellent and there is no low level noise.

    The colour is very good - rich bright colours throughout the disc with no chroma noise.

    There is still the teeniest amount of pixelization present on very rare occasions but this does not really detract from the show.

    There are no subtitles on this disc and this is a single layered disc.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    The audio is a perfectly functional English Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack.

    Dialogue quality is excellent, with no problem understanding all that is said. Audio sync is accurate.

    The theme music continues to entertain my son and is a good bit of fun.

    There is no surround or subwoofer activity.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

 

Menu

    The menus are very clever. The main menu has selections for each of the episodes across the bottom with 'play episode or answer questions' within each selection. As you press left or right on the remote to select a new episode one of the characters describes the episode and reads out the menu options. This is followed for each menu in the special features, with the characters describing what is available. The menus are very colourful and easy to navigate. As you return from each episode you are asked whether you wish to answer the questions or play the next episode. There are usually multiple ways to navigate each menu.

Quick Quiz

    Each episode has a quick quiz section' three questions with multiple choice answers. Select the wrong one and the narrator tells you to try again. Select the right one and a quick clip is shown of the entire human and puppet crew dancing.

Music Themes

    There are eight selections in this menu. You can select random play or a particular character to hear their theme music. Each theme lasts for an average of about 30 seconds.

Character Introductions

    Each character gets a chance to introduce themselves. These play in an inserted window and vary between 30 and 60 seconds in length.

Cast Interviews

    Played as if the characters are real and are actors in the show. Kids will have a pretty good giggle at this one. Again played in a window and running for 30 to 60 seconds.

Web Link

    A quick description of the website and the link: www.lilhorrors.com

 

    There are a series of Easter eggs accessible from each episode selection menu and from the special features menu. The following instructions assume that you have just changed to the episode selection menu for a particular episode and are on the default entry "Play episode". They are basically the same for each menu but not all the hidden bats lead anywhere. If you select one and press enter and nothing happens that particular entry is empty. There are also some repeats where the same material is played even though you selected it from a different place.

Easter Egg: DVD Credits

    Go to the first episode: Press the up arrow and two small bats appear above the menu on the background. Press the up arrow again and the Li'l Horrors logo at the top lights up. Press enter to see the DVD credits.

Easter Egg: Vlad and Duncan screen test sneak preview.

    Go to the first episode: Press the up arrow, press the left arrow, press the left arrow, and press enter for a 1:30 clip showing Vlad and Duncan doing their screen tests.

Easter Egg: Vlad being nice to the director.

    Go to the third episode: Press up arrow, right arrow, and enter. A very short clip from backstage.

Easter Egg: The whole crew.

    Go the fourth episode: Press up arrow, left arrow, left arrow and enter. A shot of the classroom with the entire human crew.

Easter Egg: Vlad in trouble with the director.

    Go to the fifth episode: Press up arrow, left arrow, and enter. A short clip showing Vlad being chewed out by the director.

Easter Egg: Duncan feeding worms to crew member.

    Go to the Extras menu. Press the up arrow, the right arrow, the right arrow again and press enter. A short clip showing Duncan trying to feed his lunch to a cast member.

Easter Egg: Talking to the crew.

    Go to the extras menu. Press up arrow, right arrow, right arrow, up arrow, and enter. A short clip showing Vlad talking to the crew.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    There does not appear to be a Region 1 version of this disc.

   

Summary

    It is a shame that the value of these discs has been slightly lessened by the repeating extras. Other than this, they are great entertainment for 5 - 9 year olds.

    The video is really good.

    The audio is functional.

    The extras are a repeat of the last two discs.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Terry McCracken (read my bio)
Sunday, March 31, 2002
Review Equipment
DVDSkyworth 1050p progressive scan, using RGB output
DisplaySony 1252Q CRT Projector, 254cm custom built 1.0 gain screen. Calibrated with AVIA Guide To Home Theatre. This display device is 16x9 capable.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with AVIA Guide To Home Theatre.
AmplificationSony STR-DB1070
SpeakersB&W DM305 (mains); CC3 (centre); S100 (surrounds); custom Adire Audio Tempest with Redgum plate amp (subwoofer)

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