Despite a few funny parts, `Hulk’ DVD deemed disappointing from start to finish

By Jeff Mitchell

Daily Staff Writer

GI Joe, Transformers and Hulk Hogan: For some kids in the ’80s, those were what mattered most. From slamming Andre the Giant to uprooting Earthquake, Hulkamania vanquished all that was wrong with wrestling in the name of going to school and taking your vitamins.

Touted as the story of Terry Bolea’s rise to the top, “Hulk Still Rules” is disappointing from the start. One would expect at least a few words about childhood ambitions and hardships, but Hogan instead starts with his first rock band, touching on how good it was and how it attracted large crowds of girls and wrestlers. From there, one gains little insight into the man’s background – he pretty much just pops up at the top.

Still, it is funny to see about a half-hour straight of him trembling and sweating buckets as he stares into the camera, taunting his enemies with his “24-inch pythons,” asking, “What are you going to do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?” Those are the types of laughs Tom Green is better for, though.

The few enjoyable parts are included in the extras, which are mostly matches between Hogan and forgotten wrestlers such as the Iron Sheik, Zeus and King Kong Bundy. Those were classics, but one would think a DVD such as this would tell a story instead of just tying a whole bunch of matches together with insight from a man saying he knew exactly how to run the corporations he was working for, and taking credit where it probably isn’t deserved.

It is also disappointing to see that, where there were classic names such as Big Boss Man and Honky Tonk Man, all that was included was Hogan threatening to bring the fury of the biggest pythons in wrestling down on them.

The video, audio and graphics are nothing special. There really are no features and no commentary insight to be found. Hogan speaks, but his stories make absolutely no sense most of the time – it boggles the mind how he can weave a tale with no plot for five minutes.

Only a few moments in the four-hour-long DVD extras stand out as truly hilarious. One is a short shot of an elderly lady taking swings at the Hulkster as he taunts her.

Another is Hogan training announcer “Mean Gene” Okerlund with repeated yells of “Eye of the Hulkster, baby,” and “Gene-a-mania.” Those were the days.

I’m sure there’s a following of people who still like professional wrestling: people who will like the hype and the shallow blabbing of this bald red and yellow man with a god complex.

For the child of the ’80s reminiscing on the days of the Bushwackers and the Ultimate Warrior, the times have changed and “Hulk Still Rules” leg drops the little Hulkamaniac’s spirits.

`Simpsons’ enjoyable despite weak character voices, personalities

By Chris Weishaar

Daily Staff Writer

Despite not arriving on DVD in the timely fashion Fox had originally planned, the four-disc set of the second season of “The Simpsons” has been worth the wait. Packed with 22 episodes and some great extras, this set is a Simpsons fan’s dream come true.

Although the second season is not within the time period many fans feel is the prime of the show, it is still filled with great episodes. Not only does the season expand on the characters and world, but also continues to push recurring jokes and establish new ones.

The second season also sees the first appearances of many fan favorites, such as the now annual “Treehouse of Horror” specials and characters such as Comic Book Guy. With both the new and recurring material, season two is where the show begins to gain much of its strength.

Sadly, there are still things missing from the season. Voices are not all developed yet, and neither are some character personalities. This can be distracting to long-time viewers, but most of the season is on track with the “Simpsons” staple.

Some of the animation is not up to par with current episodes, but is still well done. With the DVD you get a great-looking version as well, and all the rich colors of the series really stand out. This crisp presentation makes the occasional flaws of the animation stand out more, though.

The sound for the episodes is well done and these episodes sound better than they ever did on TV. Fox has included a Dolby 5.1 track that, although not strong, adds to the enjoyment of some of the episodes.

As mentioned, this set includes a lot of interesting extras. Most focus on the boom of the show’s popularity, including music videos for two “Simpsons” songs and clips from TV appearances. There are interviews included from the time – one with Matt Groening discussing the show and another short documentary about the creation of an episode. The DVD set also includes the usual assortment of art, such as storyboards and magazine covers.

While enjoyable, none of these extras compare to the wonderful commentary tracks included with each episode. Each commentary has a mixture of the show’s creators discussing not just the episode, but the world of “The Simpsons” as well. Many of these commentaries are just as entertaining as some of the episodes, as they are filled with both excellent information about the series and plenty of good-natured fun with the commentators.

It was a long wait for this second DVD set, but in the end, it was worthwhile. Although you will definitely find favorites among the episodes, all are well worth watching now and in repeat viewings. The commentaries are very enjoyable and really a great bonus for fans. The rest of the extras are icing on the cake and round out an already perfect “Simpsons” purchase.