Big Top Scooby-Doo!
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Big Top Scooby-Doo! is the 18th feature-length entry in the enduring franchise, and this installment contains a few frights in the form of a growling werewolf that chases people and destroys the circus, but no one is seriously hurt. Once again, the Mystery Inc. members collaborate to solve a crime that no one else can seem to figure out -- especially the authorities.
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What's the Story?
The Mystery Inc. gang heads to Atlantic City for vacation when they decide to check out a traveling circus that has come to town. The circus' ringleader, Marius Brancusi, has had to shutter the Big Top, because he's being hounded by werewolves (who also steal jewelry) and doesn't understand why. To fully investigate, Fred (Frank Welker), Velma (Mindy Cohn), Daphne (Grey DeLisle), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby (Welker) all join the circus in varying roles. What they uncover is that most of the circus performers have secrets and that the wolf man is most likely one of Brancusi's own disgruntled employees.
Is It Any Good?
Scooby-Doo movies are like blue cheese -- just when you think it stinks, you take a bite and realize it's much better than you ever expected. If you're not already a fan, give them a try, because there's some surprisingly clever dialogue and funny bits in these videos. At one point, Daphne -- who has signed on to be the motorcycle stunt performer for the Brancusi Circus -- engages a snobby and curmudgeonly Eastern European clown named Schmatko (Jeff Dunham) in a hilarious conversation about low versus high art. They even discuss Chekhov, Turgenev, and other Russian writers.
As easy as it would be to dismiss the 18th Scooby-Doo special as just another ploy to draw kids into the world of Mystery Inc. merchandise, this is a funny take on circus and werewolf stories without too many distracting subplots to confuse younger viewers. And who doesn't love working up to the climactic moment when the gang figures everything out once and for all? By the time the famous "I would've gotten away with it -- if it had been for those kids and their dog" line is said, you've been notably entertained, if not necessarily blown away. For a straight-to-video special, that's a pretty good accomplishment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the enduring popularity of Scooby-Doo movies. Why do you think the crime-solving pooch and his friends still appeal to audiences?
What are some examples of other crime-solving kids/teens in movies? How does this Scooby-Doo movie compare?
Is violence in animated movies less upsetting than in live-action movies? Does the violence seem less threatening since the movie is a comedy?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 9, 2012
- Cast: Frank Welker, Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn
- Director: Ben Jones
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship
- Run time: 80 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Scooby-Doo and The Loch Ness Monster
Sure to please young fans of Scooby-Doo.
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Scooby-Doo: Pirates Ahoy!
Zoinks! Arrr! Scooby battles ghost pirates.
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Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur
Funny dinosaur-ghost adventure is too spooky for young kids.
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Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire
Vampire mystery/musical is funny but has iffy themes.
For kids who love mysteries
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