Schoolhouse Rock! - Special 30th Anniversary Edition

Rating:
Summary: Tears of Joy!
Review: For years I could never get the SHR tunes I grew up with out of my head. When I discovered that the entire collection had been released, I told my wife that I wanted to get it for our two sons. (In truth, it was as much if not more for me than for them!) Being the sentimental fool that I am, I sat up for three hours after everyone had gone to bed and watched every single one of them. Hearing the tunes that helped define my childhood literally brought tears to my eyes. It took me straight back to those Saturday mornings in the late 70 in front of the television, the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen....sorry, got carried away! If SHR was any of those things to you, this is a must have!

Rating:
Summary: The Schoolhouse that Rock Built !!!
Review: I had a friend that I used to work with who was from India and was trying to get her citizenship. As a requirement she was to recite the Preamble. At that time Schoolhouse Rock wasn't on any longer and the tapes had not come out. (Early to mid-ninties.) I was wishing that SHR was available to her. I told her all about it and was singing the Preamble to her ala SHR. I don't know how much it helped her but it sure made me feel good. She passed with flying colors! I've lost touch with her but if I ever hear from her again, she's getting a copy as a gift.

This is Innovation at it's best as far as education is concerned. People in the early 50's used to say "Nothing good can come from Rock and Roll". Well some of the great minds that are running this country and the younger ones out there now can probably sing every single word of "Lolly, lolly, lolly get your adverbs here!" and put it to good use.
"HAIL, HAIL ROCK & ROLL!"

Rating:
Summary: SchoolHouse Rock Helped Me
Review: "I'm Just a Bill" helped me pass my US Government test a year after ABC dropped the series. I still know the preamble to the US Constitution in truncated form thanks to "We the People." I'm not sure I would have passed the class without SHR swimming in my back brain.

Rating:
Summary: MEMORIES!!!!!
Review: I REMEMBER WHEN THIS USED TO COME ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. ANY KID WHO GREW UP IN THE 70'S EARLY 80'S SHOULD REMEMBER SHR. I ENJOYED IT THEN AND I AM ENJOYING IT NOW THANKS FOR RELEASING THIS ON VIDEO. THIS IS A MUST HAVE TO ANYONE WHO LOOKED FORWARD TO SATURDAY MORINING CARTOONS. IT TOOK ME BACK DOWN MEMORY LANE. I LIKE ALL OF THE SONGS BUT MY FAVORITE ONE IS CONJUNCTION JUNCTION. DURING THE 70'S AND 80'S WE HAD PSA'S AND THINGS LIKE SHR TO KEEP US ENTERTAINED. WE LEARNED WHILE BEING ENTERTAINED AND SATURDAY MORNINGS WERE WORTH GETTING UP EARLY TO WATCH CARTOONS BUT THIS IS A NICE VIDEO I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN TEACHING THIS WOULD BE A GOOD VIDEO TOOL TO BE USED TO TEACH!!!!! THE STUDENTS WILL HAVE A GOOD TIME WHILE LEARNING.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent education for kids and adults alike...
Review: I remember taking my Social Studies regents in high school and singing the Constitution song to fill in all the blanks that were left out in the Preamble on my test and I could do it because I knew all the words!

Schoolhouse Rock! is an excellent show for anyone who loves cartoons and who wants to learn. From politics to mathematics to English, there is a lesson in every short. And the tunes are so catchy that you can't help getting them stuck in your head. To this day, I still sing "Interplanet Janet" when I hear the name Janet. Hehe...and Conjunction Junction as well as I'm Just a Bill are, of course, classics. This is a great show for children, but adults will enjoy it alike. Check out Schoolhouse Rock!!


Rating:
Summary: Part of the American Consciousness
Review: Schoolhouse Rock is an unusual American cultural phenomenon. Nearly every person who grew up after the late Sixties is familiar with the series. How ubiquitous is it? I would predict that if you started humming "Conjunction Junction," "I'm Just a Bill," or "Three Is a Magic Number" in a room of a dozen people, three-quarters would know the reference and at least a couple would probably join in humming or singing the words.

This is unimpeachable stuff. To say that this 2-disc set is definitive is to do injustice to the word "definitive." EVERYTHING you would ever want to know about Schoolhouse Rock is here. All forty-six cartoons ever done for the series are included, even the "Scooter Computer and Mr. Chips" series that looked at computers. The electoral college toon that was done later is part of this collection, too.

The extras on the second disc are outstanding. In addition to Scooter Computer and the rarely seen "The Weather Show," you get a behind the scenes look at the electoral college song, a Top 20 countdown of the best in the series, a puzzle game that features the songs, four music videos of the songs arranged by contemporary pop/rock groups, a feature on the Emmy Awards won by the series, commentary by the creators, and more.

The navigation design of the DVD is superb. Only want to see the "Multiplication Rock" or "America Rock" toons? You can select the specific series you want, play all within a series, or pick each specific toon from a series. You can also choose to play all forty-six toons or just the ones chosen by fans as the top ones. There's a built-in shuffle feature as well. Every DVD should be this easy to navigate and use.

Even the booklet that comes with this edition is helpful. The lyrics for the top ten toons are included as is the history of Schoolhouse Rock. A chapter breakdown is included at the end of the booklet.

Schoolhouse Rock is virtually impervious to review due to its unbiquitous nature within a whole generation or two of Americans. The cleverness of the animation enlivens the topic discussed, not to mention holding the attention of young children. The songs are exceptionally catchy; I'm still amazed at how they managed to do such a great job marrying the Preamble of the Constitution with a hummable melody. Definitely a reflection of the musical styles of the day, songs like "Verb: That's What's Happening" (done in the style of the soundtrack of "Shaft") or "The Preamble" (70s Folk/Rock) capture the era perfectly. It makes those of us who grew up in those days misty-eyed for a return of that AM radio sound to today's music.

If you have kids (or are just nostalgic at heart), this DVD is essential. I'm using it as homeschool material for our kids. When my son sings the songs, it's great to know another generation will appreciate the merits of Schoolhouse Rock. No question, this 30th anniversary edition of Schoolhouse Rock is truly worthy of five stars.