The home video industry is coming down with sequel-itis. These produced-for-video productions of varying quality afford studios the opportunity to build potentially valuable franchises or extend the shelf life of popular characters. Disney aggressively has carved itself a niche in the marketplace with its spate of sequels (“The Hunchback of Notre Dame II” coming in March) and “next generation” stories (“The Little Mermaid: Return To the Sea”).
On Tuesday, Disney will premiere on VHS and DVD “Cinderella II: Dreams Come True,” a pleasant collection of three stories featuring the characters from the 1950 animated classic. In the first, Cinderella returns from her honeymoon and finds herself uncomfortable in the tradition-bound role of Royal Hostess. In the second, comical Jacques the mouse wishes he were human. In the third, Cinderella transforms one of her wicked stepsisters by teaching her to smile.
This is the video equivalent of comfort food, with familiar characters, pleasant stories and predictable lessons. But at $27 on VHS and $30 on DVD, it’s priced like theatrically released features.
Already unleashed on VHS and DVD is Universal’s “Balto 2: Wolf Quest.” The first film was a breed apart, one of the best non-Disney animated films and based on a true story about the heroic sled dog who delivered life-saving medicine.
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None of the original voice cast returned for this unnecessary sequel in which Balto’s mixed-breed daughter, as did her father, wrestles with her wolfness and runs away to learn “who I am.”
The story is heavy on Native American mysticism, with Balto guided in his quest to find his daughter by a raven. Kids will prefer the antics of Russian goose Boris and the playful polar bears Muc and Luc.
“Balto 2” is $20 on VHS and $25 on DVD.
Revisit the ’60s with ‘Roger Ramjet’
Off the sequel front, nostalgic Baby Boomers can rediscover the heroics of ’60s TV Proton Energy Pill-powered superhero “Roger Ramjet.” This collection, distributed by Image Entertainment ($10 on VHS, $15 on DVD), contains 15 hilarious breakneck-paced cartoons that echo “Rocky and Bullwinkle” with their clever wordplay and will surprise you at what you missed as a child.