Official Synopsis:
Any history of rock 'n' roll's British Invasion must certainly include The Bugaloos, the four-bug rock sensation of Tranquility Forest. From the limitless imagination of Sid & Marty Krofft comes this Saturday-morning TV classic from 1970. The Bugaloos features the comic villainy of Benita Bizarre, the lovable neuroses of Sparky the Firefly, and, of course, the musical virtuosity of four British insects named Courage, Harmony, I.Q., and Joy. So get back to where you've always belonged - in the Krofft universe of young heroes, goofy puppets, great songs, and a million laughs.
Our Take:
Man, those Krofft guys were some seriously trippy dudes. Don't get me wrong, I grew up watching their shows, and I loved them, but going back and watching The Bugaloos for the first time in decades, I was struck by just how weird most of their stuff was. And who knew The Bugaloos were British? Well, I'm sure many of you did, but I didn't remember that at all.
The Bugaloos is pure nostalgia; watching the episodes definitely took me back to when I was a child. Some of the songs and such aren't too painful, but there are also some moments that will make you cringe. (The song about "going potty" in the first episode is a prime example of that.)
This three-disc DVD set includes all 17 Bugaloos episodes and a pretty impressive collection of extra features, including new interviews with most of the show's cast.
* Commentary on six episodes by varying combinations of Sid Krofft, cast members John McIndoe, Caroline Ellis, and John Philpott, and director Tony Charmoli.
* The Bugaloos I.Q. Test - A trivia game that's actually hosted by Bugaloo actor John McIndoe.
* The Bugaloos Video Jukebox- Watch any of 12 different songs performed by the group.
* Photo Gallery - Behind-the-scenes and promotional stills.
* Interviews - Actors John McIndoe (13 minutes) and Caroline Ellis & John Philpott (27 minutes) reminisce about their time on the show.
I doubt anyone's going to watch this and think that The Bugaloos were truly great television, but it is a fun ride down memory lane.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B-
DVD: A-
- Mike Spring
Editor
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