Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights

Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights

DVD cover
Written by Gordon Kent
Directed by Jun Falkenstein
Joanna Romersa
Voices of Don Messick
Casey Kasem
Eddie Deezen
Greg Burson
Allan Melvin
Charlie Adler
Brian Cummings
Rob Paulsen
Frank Welker
Kath Soucie
Jennifer Hale
Maurice LaMarche
John Kassir
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Executive producer(s) William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Buzz Potamkin
Producer(s) Jun Falkenstein
Joanna Romersa
Running time 69 minutes
Production company(s) Hanna-Barbera Productions
Broadcast
Original channel TBS
Original airing September 3, 1994

Scooby-Doo in Arabian Nights is a 1994 television special produced by Hanna-Barbera and premiered on TBS on September 3, 1994. It is an adaptation of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. The program is marketed as part of the Scooby-Doo franchise and features appearances by Scooby-Doo and his owner, Shaggy Rogers, in wraparound segments (in a rarity for the franchise, no other supporting characters appear, either Scrappy-Doo and/or the other members of Mystery Inc. appeared in virtually every other production to date).

The bulk of the special is devoted to two tales, one starring Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, and the other featuring Magilla Gorilla. It is animated with bright colors, stylized character designs and a more flat style compared to the previous television movies, and musically scored by veteran animation composer Steven Bernstein, showing strong influence from the high-budget Warner Bros. Animation/Steven Spielberg productions of the era, Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs.

It was also the last time that Don Messick voiced Scooby and Boo Boo as well as the last full-length television program to feature Casey Kasem as Shaggy before he quit the role in a dispute over the character's diet (Kasem would return to the role in 2002). It marks Magilla Gorilla's last appearance until an episode of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. This is also the last Scooby-Doo product to be produced before Hanna-Barbera itself was absorbed into Warner Bros. Animation.

Plot

Scooby and Shaggy are hired as royal food-tasters by a young Caliph - a job offer they can't refuse. When they eat everything, the Caliph gets mad and has his guards chase them, until he finds Shaggy disguised as a harem girl. Hoping to make the prince fall asleep, Shaggy tells him two classic stories

Before Shaggy can escape, the Caliph decides to start the ceremony right away. When the wedding cake arrives, Shaggy pigs out and his ruse is discovered. He and Scooby are asked to be the royal storytellers, and the duo accept as well as being the royal food tasters again.

Cast

Aliyah-Din

Sinbad the Sailor

Crew

Home Media releases

In March 1995, right after the special aired on TV, it was released for the first time on VHS, was even distributed by Turner Home Entertainment. In June 1996, there was a reprint for this tape, except it had the same previews in it and no closing. On September 3, 2004, on its 10th anniversary, it was re-released on VHS and for the very first time on DVD, with extras like Get the Picture with Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, a special music video for "America's In Love with Scooby-Doo", a Scooby Concentration Challenge, and some bonus trailers for further cartoons.

External links