| Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Jim Ryan |
| Directed by | Ray Patterson |
| Starring | Casey Kasem Don Messick Hamilton Camp B.J. Ward Rob Paulsen Frank Welker Alan Oppenheimer Pat Musick Ed Gilbert Mimi Seton Rob Paulsen Jim Cummings Joan Gerber Brian Stokes Mitchell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Producer(s) | Berny Wolf |
| Running time | 90 min. |
| Production company(s) | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syndication |
| Original airing | October 25, 1988 |
Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf is a 1988 animated movie for television produced by Hanna-Barbera. It was the last to air as part of the Superstars 10 series. It also marks the last proper appearance of Scoob's nephew Scrappy-Doo in an animated Scooby-Doo series, special, or film.
Contents |
Every year, all of the classic Hollywood monsters (consisting of Frankenstein's monster, his wife Repulsa, a Mummy, the Witch Sisters, Bone Jangles the Skeleton, Dr. Jackal/Mr. Snyde, Swamp Thing, and Dragonfly) gather at Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania for the "Monster Road Rally", an ultimate road race similar to Wacky Races, awarding the winner with the "Monster of the Year" award as well as many other prizes only monsters would enjoy (and one prize — a trip to Hawaii — that none of the monsters want). This year however, Dracula receives a postcard from the Wolfman stating that he has retired to Florida and will not be participating. Lacking one of the most well known monsters, Dracula fears they will have to cancel the race. Luckily, Dracula's minion Wolfgong notifies him there is another option, namely, to create a new werewolf. After searching an old book for information on whom is next in line to become the next werewolf, it is revealed that it is none other than Shaggy Rogers (or Shah-Gee, as Dracula pronounces it).
Dracula sends his hunchbacked henchmen (the mushmouthed, incomprehensible Crunch and the well-articulated British brunch, together known as "The Hunch Bunch") to America to transform Shaggy into a werewolf and bring him back to his castle. After a few thwarted attempts, the Hunch Bunch manage to transform Shaggy by exposing him to moonlight while he is at a drive in movie with Scooby, Scrappy, and his girlfriend Googie in his customized race car. The Hunch Bunch then picks up the car using their "bat-copter" and flies the group back to Transylvania. Here, Shaggy is informed that he was chosen to be the next werewolf and that he must participate in the monster race. Shaggy, wanting to return to his normal life, is displeased with his current situation. Ultimately, however, Shaggy chooses to make a deal with Dracula, and states that he'll only race under the condition that if he wins, Dracula must return him back to his human state, and allow him and his friends to leave.
Dracula agrees but secretly begins planning ways to keep Shaggy from winning. After being kept up most of the night, driving the severely detuned "wolf-wagon" in the race, being sent on misleading detours, rescuing Scrappy and Googie from traps, and dodging dangerous monsters and magic spells, he even sends Ghengis Kong who grabs Scooby and tickles his tummy, Shaggy manages to win. Dracula refuses to revert the spell, claiming he had his fangs crossed when they made the agreement. Infuriated, the heroes steal Dracula's book on transformation and make their getaway. Dracula chases them in his bat-like car and airplane, where the four narrowly escape Dracula's powerful "Drac-Vac" and his "Munchie-Missiles." In the end, Googie uses the book to change Shaggy back to normal and the group is happy for him to be normal. That night, the gang all sit down to watch another horror movie, but nobody sees Dracula, Brunch and Crunch creep up to the window, leaving the film with an open ending.
Warner Home Video released Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf on DVD in Region 1 on March 5, 2002.[1] In common with the releases of the other late '80s Scooby-Doo movies no references to Scrappy are made on the outer case, giving the false impression that the film only features Shaggy and Scooby.