Search - Gumby Essentials Vol. 1 on DVD

"...Little Green Slab of Clay"

Kevin Wollenweber | 09/09/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Gumby is given a new lease on life, fully restored and better than ever!

I am thoroughly delighted with this collection, although it almost seems like a teaser.

This is a major taste of what the essence of the "GUMBY" series is all about. In this collection, you will find episodes in which Gumby, our favorite little clay boy, gets toy robots to do his chores for him until they end up going on a rampage and destroying the Gumbau home, another in which Gumby learns how to bake from mounds of dough in various stages, in and out of the oven, and still another in which Gumby and Pokey enter a drag race that is run like the ultimate board game. The set spans the many decades that the character was a TV favorite, even capping off with three episodes from the last incarnation of the 1980's.

My one wish is that we get longer sets with any proposed second or third volume. If this is merely an introduction (and, judging from the title, it is), then I can accept it as thus and only hope that we see a lot of my other favorites, including the actual introduction to the character and his trips into outer space and Mirrorland (to look for his lost allowance) and so many trips into books to meet historical figures and...well...just being a kid. What I've always liked about the series is captured in the first three shorts that seem to follow the little clay boy around as he just uses his fertile imagination to solve even the most elementary problems.

Each of these episodes has its original soundtrack, the thing we were so hoping for with that massive, well-intentioned set from Rhino. What Rhino set out to do was fine, but it didn't want to go through the legal battles to get the rights to the original tracks. Art Clokey has apparently succeeded in doing this, now, so let's hope that this is only the first of many, many sets until each and every piece of film that features the little clay boy adventurer and sportsman and kid scientist is indeed fully restored and on our home video shelves to enjoy again and again and never, ever grow tired of. This is the one genuine piece of kid-vid that I can still enjoy as an adult, and it never looked or sounded better!!

The longer, two-chapter episodes are neatly fused into one full episode, and that's okay, because we have the best of both chapters. It is that early period of the series, from the late 1950's that I like so much. Each episode that is included here is placed in its original production order. This isn't complete, but it gives its audience a nice impression of just why the character lasted for so many years.

Please bring us so much more!"

Great DVD for Gumby Fans

B. James | Havana, FL United States | 03/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a really great DVD and well worth $10. As mentioned, this contains the original version of the episodes (original soundtrack and the 1950's episodes are in their original length).

There are also some nice extras for the DVD. It includes some of the bumpers seen on TV, the music video "Gumbasia," and the pilot episode "Gumby on the Moon".

My only complaint is the packaging. It is not the typical clamshell case most DVDs come in, but rather it's more like a thick paper booklet (which unfortunately can't be locked shut, though it does lay flat). I've read where Joe Clokey, son of Gumby creator Art Clokey, has said this was done to be more environmentally friendly. This could also be a cost cutting measure. Either way, it's a very minor complaint.

This is the first of what is hopefully many Gumby DVDs to be released by Classic Media. On April 22, 2008, the Gumby Movie (Director's Cut) will be released on DVD for the first time."

The best single disc Gumby collection!!!

Jason Pumphrey | Falls Church, Virginia United States | 04/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes Goodtimes had pretty good 10 episode collection on DVD from 2003,but this great 15 episode collection called Gumby Essentials,is a much better collection,All episodes ARE selected by Art Clokey,the creator of Gumby(Which means Clokey Productions sees some royalties from this releases,this seems to be an authorized version,the Goodtimes DVD is NOT!)This has pretty good picture quality(considering the source material)and the original soundtracks,a major plus!!! This DVD also has some great bonus featues as well!!! LONG LIVE GUMBY!!!"