THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE
BIG PANIC ISLAND OF SODOR
Episodes
Written by
Abi Grant
Directed by
Steve Asquith
Produced by
Simon Spencer
Release Date
27/03/13
Distributor
Sony Creative Products Inc.
Once again another creative DVD from Japan this time all about the accidents of the characters of the show through the classic series, new series and the DVD specials before the CGI switchover. I got to say I love the DVD cover they've made, not only for the rare pictures, but for how they're using characters that have accidents and with shock faces. While in America, Australia and the UK, most of the DVD covers nowadays show a smile face from the characters, I remember having 'Rescues on the Railway' and 'Spook and Surprises' on VHS as a kid and they have smile and shock face characters on the cover. Shame that they don't do that anymore, minus 'Muddy Matters' and 'Thomas in Charge' on some DVDs.
The DVD opens up with the S8-12 (if you live in the UK/AUS) intro and then a clip from 'Thomas and the Rainbow' of the little blue engine running over a telegraph pole. The music at the beginning, of Thomas' crash, kind of reminds me of Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell mixed with Robert Hartshorne and Ed Welch together. The DVD is opened up into sections, we first see a montage of crashes caused by the troublesome trucks, runaway engines is the second and a couple more related panics of the series, I can't recall what they're representing.
It then finishes with an episode, from season nine, 'The Power of Wheat and Thomas', which is the Japanese title for 'Flour Power'. The episode's OK in my opinion but the story is not a strong one from a weak season of course. Overall I like this DVD and I think it's good to show us all the panics of the Island of Sodor. If only HIT Entertainment see this kind of DVD and create their own one for the english audience. It's entertaining for kids and I do know a few Thomas fans who enjoy the crash scenes of the show, the late David Mitton was the best of them all.
Rating: 4/5
