MCBASTARD'S MAUSOLEUM: HEY THERE, IT'S YOGI BEAR (1964) (Warner Archive Blu-ray Review)

HEY THERE, IT'S YOGI BEAR (1964)

Label: Warner Archive

Region Code: Region-Free

Duration: 89 Minutes 22 Seconds

Audio: English DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)

Director: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Cast: Daws Butler, Don Messick, Julie Bennett

Based on the syndicated animated TV series The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962) this animated flick was Hanna-Barbera's initial feature-film offering and the first theatrical film based on an animated TV series. To be up front I was never a fan of the cartoon series, I used to see it with my pops when reruns aired on TV as a kid but I never much got into it, but I am familiar with it. The feature film version features the same main cast of characters with slightly better animation and much better backgrounds, plus it widens the scope of the series taking the characters outside the confines of Jellystone Park.

In the film the titular Yogi (voiced by Daws Butler, Huckleberry Hound), who as advertised is certainly smarter than the average bear, and his best mate Boo-Boo (voiced by Don Messick, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?) awaken from their winter hibernation at the break of spring and set about snatching picnic baskets from the Jellystone tourists, as they are prone to do. These efforts are repeatedly foiled by the admirably diligent Park Ranger Smith (Messick again) which upsets Yogi, who later angrily demands to be transferred out of the park, with the Ranger sending him to the San Diego Zoo in California. What the ranger is unaware of is that Yogi has secretly traded spots with his pal Corn Pone (voiced by Hal Smith, Welcome to Pooh Corner), with Yogi remaining behind in secret and pilfering picnic basket as his secret alter-ego The Brown Phantom.

Also unaware of Yogi's subterfuge is his gal pal olove-interest Cindy Bear (voiced by Julie Bennett, Spider-Man Animated TV Series) and sidekick Boo-Boo, and through a series of comedic adventures Cindy ends up being transferred to another zoo by train, believing she will be re-joining Yogi but it turns out she is being sent to a zoo in St. Louis. Realizing her mistake she escapes the train and attempts to hitch a ride to San Diego but ends up being kidnapped by the unscrupulous Grifter (voiced by Mel Blanc, Bugs Bunny) and Snively Chizzling (voiced by J. Pat O'Malley, Maude), plus their pooch Mugger (Messick, again), and forced to perform a high-wire act for the struggling

Chizzling Bros. Circus, with Yogi and Boo-Boo embarking on a road trip to save Cindy.

For not having liked the TV series all that much I had quite a bit of fun with this self-contained film version, there's plenty of typical Yogi hijinks, a colorful cast of characters, slapstick humor, and a national road trip that includes railroad adventures, a barn dance, a river rafting adventure, a trip to NYC, and Ranger Smith rescuing the trio of troublemaking bears and getting a promotion after a high-rise helicopter rescue. I didn't love it but I did find it charming and entertaining, particularly pleased with the uptick of animation detail for the characters and the watercolor backgrounds, which were several leagues better than the TV series.

Audio/Video: Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (1964) arrives on Blu-ray from Warner Archive in 1080p HD framed in the original

1.85:1 widescreen, sourced from a new HD Master from 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative. It simply looks gorgeous, the hand drawn animation captured on 35mm film, film grain is intact, line detail is pleasing, colors are robust, the backgrounds look phenomenal - there's nothing to complain about here folks, just a vert solid new scan that brings out all the organic detail and texture you could hope for. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono with optional English subtitles, the track is clean and free of hiss or age-related wear and tear; the musical numbers and score sound great and dialogue is never not clear.

The only extras is the final episode of The Yogi Bear Show from 1961, "Yogi's Birthday Party" presented in HD and looking terrific, and showcases the movie's improvement in animation detail and backgrounds. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork featuring the original illustrated movie poster artwork.