Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)"H.R. Pufnstuf! Who's your friend when things get rough? H.R. Pufnstuf! Doesn't do a little 'cause he can't do enough!" I've been missing my friend for close to 25 years now and it's great to have him back. Oddly enough, the show is both better and worse than I remember it - but mostly better.
First of all, the opening theme is priceless! In my book, it's one of the top five Saturday Morning TV theme songs. The soulful reprise by The Boyds at show's end is also great. (Move over Aretha!)
When I was just a tyke my favorite aspect of the show was, of course, the life-sized puppets - especially H.R. himself. I still like him, but the good ol' boy accent and (*gasp*) go-go boots are just a wee disconcerting - but I'll forgive him. However, I could never stand that dumb magic flute, Freddy, and he's even more bothersome now. (And honestly, what's so magical about him!?) The side characters are mostly charming, like Cling and Clang, but also really weird, like that pink piece of candy that talks with a New York accent. And what's the deal with that glitter-encrusted Cabaret frog? What a freak.
Looking at the show today, I'd have to say what really held it together were, not so much the life-sized puppets, but the two human characters: Jimmy and Witchiepoo. I can't say enough about Jack Wild, who plays Jimmy. He radiates talent all over the place, and that Cockney accent can out-charm even the most enchanting of puppets. He's also got these crazy twist-about, stutter-step dance moves that are so cool they ought to be patented. And then there's Billie Hayes who plays Witchiepoo - she's an absolute riot! It's about as over-the-top as a performance can get, but in this venue, it's perfect and hysterical. What would the show be without Witchiepoo? Not a thing!
If you grew up watching the show, and if you can appreciate good camp, "H.R. Pufnstuf" is definitely worth watching again. Sid and Marty Krofft were working on a tight budget, and that's obvious, but they were able to pull off magic with what they had. Not only was it great television, but also the show was highly influential. Will today's children like it? I can't say, but I would assume so.
As far as the DVD itself is concerned, Rhino did an uncharacteristically poor job. The shows look and sound good, which is the main thing, but the navigation is dreadful; finding your way around is a chore. The interview with an adult Jack Wild is simply audio dubbed over a series of (creepy) photographs. (He hasn't aged well.) The sing-a-longs are a nice addition, but I would've liked to see more. The episodes are good, but randomly selected. I would be more than happy to add "H.R. Pufnstuf" to my DVD collection, but I'm going to wait for a better release, hopefully a box set with all 17 episodes. I guess I'm hooked again!
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This DVD contains four episodes, a new interview with star Jack Wild,and two karaoke sing-alongs.
"The Stand-In"--Witchiepoo captures Freddy, but Pufnstuf hatches a plot to rescue him. Puf's sister, Shirley, visits the island to make a movie, and Puf arranges to have the director cast the witch as a stand-in to distract her attention so Jimmy can sneak into the castle."The Golden Key"--Jimmy buys a map from Ludicrous Lion that shows the location of the Golden Key, which fits into the Golden Door, a secret way off Living Island. To divert Jimmy's escape, Witchiepoo captures Pufnstuf and holds him in her dungeon."The Birthday Party"--Witchiepoo invites herself to Jimmy's surprise birthday party and steals Freddy by rendering the partygoers helpless with laughing gas."The Box Kite Kaper"--Ludicrous Lion sponsors a kite-flying contest in his scheme to sell kites, giving Puf an idea. Jimmy and Freddy will attempt to fly away from Living Island in a giant box kite--until Witchiepoo gets wind of their scheme.
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