''Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf'' is a 1988

animated Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...

comedy horror Comedy horror (also called horror comedy) is a literary, television and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as having three types: "black comedy, parody and spoof." Comedy horror can a ...

made-for-television film produced by

Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ; formerly known as H-B Enterprises, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. and H-B Production Co.), simply and commonly known as Hanna-Barbera, was an American animation studio and production company, which was acti ...

for syndication as part of the '' Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10'' series. It marked Scrappy-Doo's last appearance as a protagonist in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise to date; he would not appear in a ''Scooby-Doo'' production again until the live-action ''Scooby-Doo'' film as the villain in 2002. It is also the last appearance of Shaggy's outfit from '' The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'' until '' Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase''.

Plot

Every year, all of the classic Hollywood monsters (consisting of

Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster, commonly referred to as Frankenstein, is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' as its main antagonist. Shelley's title compares the monster's ...

, his wife Repulsa, a

Mummy A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and Organ (biology), organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to Chemical substance, chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the ...

, the

Witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...

Sisters, Bone Jangles the

Skeleton A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of most animals. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is a rigid outer shell that holds up an organism's shape; the endoskeleton, a rigid internal fra ...

, Dr. Jackyll/Mr. Snyde,

Swamp Thing Swamp Thing is a superhero and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, the Swamp Thing has had several different incarnations throughout his publication. The ch ...

, and Dragonfly) gather at

Count Dracula Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel ''Dracula''. He is considered the prototypical and archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some to have been i ...

's castle in

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

for the "Monster Road Rally", a road race similar to

Wacky Races ''Wacky Races'' is a media franchise containing five animated series, several video games, and a comic book, with most centered on the theme of various Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters primarily engaged in auto racing (although occasionally employ ...

, awarding the winner with the "Monster of the Year" award as well as many other macabre prizes as announced by Dracula's wife and co-host, Vanna Pira. However, this year, Dracula receives a

postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. In some places, one can send a postcard f ...

from the Wolfman stating that he has

retired Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and thus will not be participating in any further races. Dracula fears he will have to cancel the race due to this sudden absence, until his lion-like manservant Wolfgang notifies him of a way to create a new

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshifting, shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a Shapeshifting, therianthropic Hybrid beasts in folklore, hybrid wol ...

: according to an old spellbook, the full moon will come into the perfect position to transform a human into a werewolf every five centuries, on three nights in a row that begin the following night. The one in line to become the next werewolf is revealed to be none other than

Shaggy Rogers Norville "Shaggy" Rogers is a fictional character and one of the main characters in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. He is characterized as an amateur detective, and the long-time best friend of his dog, Scooby-Doo. Character description Shaggy ...

, whom coincidentally has won a recent car race with the help of his pit crew,

Scooby-Doo ''Scooby-Doo'' is an American media franchise owned by Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Entertainment and created in 1969 by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears through their animated series, ''Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'', for Hanna-Barbera (which wa ...

, and his young nephew Scrappy-Doo. Dracula sends his hunchbacked henchmen, "The Hunch Bunch" (consisting of the well-civilized Brunch and the gibberish-speaking Crunch), on a mission to

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to turn Shaggy into a werewolf and bring him back to his castle for the race. The first two nights, the duo is unsuccessful, but on the final night, while Shaggy is at a drive-in movie along with his girlfriend Googie, the Hunch Bunch manages to expose Shaggy to moonlight by dropping the sunroof of his customized race car, causing Shaggy to be transformed into a werewolf. However, Shaggy's hiccups surprisingly force him to alternate between human and werewolf. Hearing the other movie watchers speaking of a werewolf loose in the theater, Scooby hides in a nearby car. Upon meeting Scooby and seeing his reflection, Shaggy flees the drive-in with his car with Scooby, Scrappy, and Googie in tow, pursued by the Hunch Bunch, but loses his hiccups in the pursuit and thus remains trapped in werewolf form. The Hunch Bunch then knocks the group out with moon dust from their vehicle, the "Bat-Copter", and fly back to Transylvania, towing the car. Revealing himself, Dracula explains to Shaggy why he was transformed, but Shaggy, having no desire to be a werewolf, refuses to participate in Dracula's plans. After several failed attempts to extort Shaggy, Dracula offers him a bargain: if Shaggy agrees to drive in the race and wins, Dracula will change him back to human and allow him and his friends to leave. The deal is made, but Dracula has no intent on allowing Shaggy to succeed. The gang is then given good lodgings, treated as guests in the castle, and allowed all the food they wish for breakfast. Dracula then shows them the trail that Shaggy will have to follow for the race and consents to let them navigate the track in their own racecar, with the "Werewolf Wagon" currently undergoing maintenance for Shaggy. Dracula attempts to rig the track by sending the Hunch Bunch to implement traps, but despite their efforts, Shaggy completes the course expertly, making the Count worry that he may lose his new werewolf. He subsequently alters the racecourse, sabotages the Werewolf Wagon, and has the Hunch Bunch deprive Shaggy of sleep. The next morning, Googie energizes Shaggy with a kiss, and he repairs the Werewolf Wagon shortly after the race begins. Everyone conspires against Shaggy and Scooby throughout the race, but thanks to Googie and Scrappy, who follow along in their own car as their pit crew, Dracula, the Hunch Bunch, and the other racing monsters end up doing more harm to themselves than him. After more failed attempts, Dracula loses his patience and unleashes his secret weapon, Genghis Kong, a towering ape-like beast, to stop Shaggy. As the other racers near the finish line, Googie and Scrappy return and rescue Shaggy and Scooby, then both pairs work together to make the monster fall onto the other cars, leaving an easy path to victory for Shaggy. Furious to see all of his schemes have failed, Dracula goes back on his deal, stating that there is no way to turn Shaggy back. However, after Vanna Pira reveals that the solution is in Dracula's spellbook, the gang steals the book and make an escape. Dracula chases after them in his weaponized car and later his own plane. The four barely manage to dodge Dracula's powerful gadgets, and seconds before Dracula gets the best of them, a thunderstorm ensues. Dracula's plane is struck by lightning, sending him plummeting into the ocean below, where a shark chases him off. Returning home, Googie uses the book to change Shaggy back to human. That night, the gang all sit down to watch another horror movie and eat pizza. In the final scene, Dracula and the Hunch Bunch sneak up to their window swearing revenge, ending the film on a cliffhanger.

Voice cast

Don Messick Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor, known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons. His best-remembered voice roles include Scooby-Doo; Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in ''The Flintsto ...

and Scrappy-Doo *

Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio presenter who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40'', as well as the weekly syndicated televi ...

as Norville "Shaggy" Rogers * B.J. Ward as Googie, Repulsa and Woman on TV * Hamilton Camp as

, Police Officer and Man in Drive-In *

Jim Cummings James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in over 400 titles. Cummings has frequently worked with the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., serving as the offic ...

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

, Dragonfly, Wolfgang, Snack Bar Manager, Genghis Kong and Monster on TV *

Joan Gerber Joan Gerber (July 29, 1935 – August 22, 2011) was an American voice actress who provided voices for a variety of cartoons. Her most challenging voice role was "all the children in a Japanese train wreck" for a ''Godzilla'' television episode ...

as Short Witch Sister and Woman at Store *

Ed Gilbert Ed Gilbert (born Edmund Francis Giesbert, June 29, 1931 – May 8, 1999) was an American actor, with extensive credits in both live-action roles and voice work in animation, although he was better known for the latter. He is also credited, under ...

as Dr. Jackyll, Mr. Snyde, Spooky Voice, Doorknob and the Narrator * Brian Mitchell as Bonejangles *

Pat Musick Patricia Anne Musick is an American voice actress who has provided numerous voices in many television shows, films, and video games. Career Musick’s first role was in the 1981 film ''The Loch Ness Horror''. Her roles in animation include Snapp ...

as Vanna Pira and Girl in Drive-In #1 *

Alan Oppenheimer Alan Oppenheimer (born April 23, 1930) is an American actor. He has performed numerous roles on live action television since the 1960s and has had an active career doing voice work since the 1970s. Early life Oppenheimer was born in New York ...

as Mummy and Swamp Thing *

Rob Paulsen Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor and voice director, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Pro ...

as Brunch, Ghost and Man in Car * Mimi Seton as Tall Witch Sister, Girl in Drive-In #2, Boy in Drive-In and Screamer *

Frank Welker Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American actor who specializes in voice acting. He began his career in the 1960s, and held around 850 film, television, and video game credits as of 2020, making him one of the most prolific v ...

as Crunch, the Spider Monster, Plant Monster, Tyler Country Racer #1, Rooster and Schlockness Monster

Home media

The film was originally released in 1991 on VHS by Goodtimes Home Video and got re-released by

Turner Home Entertainment Turner Entertainment Co. is an American multimedia company founded by Ted Turner on August 2, 1986. Purchased by Time Warner Entertainment on October 10, 1996, as part of its acquisition of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), the company was lar ...

in 1992. It was released that same year on Laserdisc by

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 34 ...

Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Inc. (doing business as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the American home video distribution ...

re-released the film on VHS and DVD in Region 1 on March 5, 2002. The film was released on Blu-ray on February 20, 2024, as an individual release, and as part of a ''Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10'' boxset through Warner Archive.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.0/10.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf 1988 television films 1988 American animated films 1988 children's films 1988 films 1980s children's animated films 1980s monster movies 1988 comedy horror films Hanna-Barbera animated films Scooby-Doo animated films Hanna–Barbera Superstars 10 Films based on television series Animated films based on animated series American children's animated fantasy films Television films based on television series American children's animated comedy films American animated television films Films directed by Ray Patterson (animator) First-run syndicated television programs in the United States American comedy horror films American monster movies American vampire films Films about witchcraft American auto racing films Animated films about auto racing Dracula films Mummy films Frankenstein films Motorsports in fiction Animated films about werewolves Animated films about vampires Animated films set in castles Animated films set in Transylvania Films with screenplays by Jim Ryan (writer) American comedy television films 1980s English-language films American mystery television films 1988 science fiction films English-language comedy horror films English-language science fiction horror films