Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire is the seventeenth film in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. This installment is notable for being the first of the films to be a musical. The film was released to rent through Amazon Instant Video and iTunes on December 22, 2011.
Plot:
Tulie, a bayou dweller, sings the story of Valdronya and the Mystery Inc. Gang. After solving the mystery of a Cockroach Monster that terrorized a factory, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby decide to take a much needed vacation. Velma drives everyone to Chauve Sourie Ville, a small town in Louisiana which is hosting a vampire festival called “Vampire Palooza.” They meet Lita Rutland, the festival organizer, who explains that tourism is down and the festival is losing money. They also meet their host, Vincent Van Helsing, who runs a vampire museum and is an aspiring author, although his books are not selling. Jesper Poubelle, an anti-vampire agitator, is also stirring up trouble by protesting the festival. Van Helsing takes the Gang back to his museum and shows them various jewelry and a glass-faced casket containing the inert body of Valdronya, a centuries-old vampire…
Reviews:
” … between the movie’s snazzy color-curdling animation, the cast’s (spoken) voice work, and all of the spooky vampire stalking and mystery solving Sheppard and director David Block are able to conjure up, the latest direct-to-video Scooby-Doo offering will keep kids laughing, humming and bouncing in their seats. I may have grumbled at times, but my son didn’t do anything other than grin. I may have winced when Lord Valdrona burst into song, but he thought it was hilarious. I may have pegged the culprit from the beginning, but he was shocked. Thankfully, Music of the Vampire redeems its lyricist’s sins with a solid mystery, a sharp sense of humor, and the Mystery Inc. gang, who would need to do far, far worse to earn the wrath of a lifelong Scoobyfan.” Kenneth Brown, Blu-ray.com
“Families who don’t like paranormal themes should know that the movie centers around vampires. There’s a somewhat disturbing subplot involving Daphne being kidnapped and offered up to a vampire as his eternal bride, and there’s a lot of flirting, dancing, and touching in one sequence. The violence — including stakes being thrown and a scary, screaming vampire — will likely frighten younger kids.” Common Sense Media
“ … isn’t an entirely weak entry into the franchise but it’s not the strongest one either. It had the tried and true elements you want from a Scooby-Doo mystery with a musical twist which, for the most part, was fine but hardly special. I do give them points for at least attempting to do something different… In any case, if you’re a fan of the franchise, this one is entertaining enough even if it doesn’t stack up with previous entries.” Movieman’s Guide to the Movies
