Casper the Friendly Ghost® (DVD review and giveaway for Halloween)

Actors: Cecil Roy, Mae Questel

Directors: Izzy Sparber

Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Shout! Factory

DVD Release Date: October 11, 2011

Run Time: 480 minutes

Suggested Retail Price:  $29.93

BOO!

ALL-NEW CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST®

DVD COLLECTION TO HIT STORES THIS HALLOWEEN

Shout! Factory To Release All 81 Cartoons Created Between 1945-1963

In One Complete Set For The First Time On October 11, 2011

From the PR Firm: Casper the Friendly Ghost®—the star of thousands of comic books, hundreds of cartoon episodes and a blockbuster Steven Spielberg film—has always been more interested in making friends than frightening. Joining him on his escapades are the endlessly antagonizing Ghostly Trio and Casper’s good friend, Wendy the Good Little Witch. All of their adventures and fun will come to life on October 11, 2011, when Shout! Factory releases the Casper the Friendly Ghost Collection, much to the delight of fans everywhere!


The 3-disc DVD set will include all 81 cartoons created between 1945-1963, as well as extensive bonus features giving fans and collectors the opportunity to own the most complete Casper DVD set for the first time. A must have for fans of the series and DVD collectors, the Casper the Friendly Ghost Collection will retail for $29.93. Fans of the series can also pre-order the DVD from Amazon.com.


The Casper the Friendly Ghost Collection DVD set will contain 81 cartoons—55 original theatrical cartoons and 26 New Casper Cartoon Show episodes including a rare episode that was never released on home video in any format; an array of bonus features such as commentaries with Casper expert/writer Mark Arnold of the book The Harveyville Fun Times, an interview with voice actor Bradley Bolke, a gallery of comic book covers and more, all totaling over seven hours of content.


Casper the Friendly Ghost first appeared in 1945 when Paramount released three theatrical shorts. He ultimately became one of the Studio’s biggest animated stars. In 1950, at the height of his fame, Paramount expanded the cartoons into a successful TV series. In 1952, Harvey Comics became the publisher of Casper comic books and went on to publish them for more than 40 years.

Bonus Features:

· Commentaries with Comic book and animation historian Mark Arnold (author of The Harveyville Fun Times), Alison Arngrim (daughter of Casper voice actor Norma MacMillan), voice actor Bradley Bolke and Edmee Reit (widow of Casper Co-creator Seymour Reit)


· Gallery of comic book covers and more!

My take: The shows "Ghost Hunters" and "Ghost Hunters International" on the Syfy channel are big hits in our house - all four of us watch the shows religiously every week.  We are BELIEVERS (and I MAY have a SLIGHT crush on Grant and Jason and my husband JUST MIGHT have crushes on Amy and Kris.  Ahem.)  So it's no surprise that my daughter has decided she loves Casper (he also looks a little like the dog puppy in Spooky Buddies that she loves so much).  Recently, while convalescing at home (remember she was sick again), she watched every.single Casper episode on this set - that's 81 cartoons ya'll!  You'd think that may episodes would dim her enthusiasm but it hasn't.  Casper the Ghost is timeless, in my humble opinion.  And what better time to introduce your child to the Ghost from your childhood (the show originally ran from 1945-1963) than Halloween?!  Pick up your copy today for your own run down memory lane OR keep reading for how to WIN a copy of this amazing 3 DVD set.  


Bonus (YouTube clips): 

All he wants to do is be friends, but people have been conditioned to believe that ghosts are scary so poor Casper often finds himself sad and lonely: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8iQ0bQT4M

Casper is more than a ghost. He is also a friend and a hero to some:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YFXs4cukhU

Casper trivia: 

Did you know that Casper the Friendly Ghost was voiced by a woman? Watch this fun interview brief with Alison Arngrim, the daughter of voice actress Norma MacMillan, who voiced Casper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nez51er9nDo

The giveaway: Win your very own copy of  the Casper the Friendly Ghost Collection!

To win: Leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to win this movie (winner will be picked at random so your actual response will not determine the winner) - maybe tell me if you used to watch Casper as a child. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Wednesday, October 19, 2011. Good Luck! (PLEASE NOTE:  Sponsor has requested USA / Canadian addresses only please).

Bonus entries: Get up to 8 extra entries for a total of 9 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
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About Shout! Factory: Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.

About Casper the Friendly Ghost®: Casper the Friendly Ghost®, “The Official Ambassador of Halloween,” has been making friends around the world for generations. The star of thousands of comics (more than 100 million sold), hundreds of cartoon episodes, and a blockbuster live action film, Casper is beloved by audiences from kids to tweens to adults. He has always been the ghost who would rather make friends than frighten, thereby showing all of us that it’s okay to be you.

This review and giveaway was sponsored by:

This post was written for Shout! who provided the DVDs for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD. My opinion is my own.

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