The crime rate is going through the roof—and at Norton Securities, business is going to the dogs. Desperate to save her father’s company, Casey Norton (Valerie Bertinelli, TV’s One Day at a Time) and her fiancé, electronics genius Brian Foster (Wesley Eure, TV’s Land of the Lost), are about to unveil a secret weapon that’ll have burglars begging for mercy: C.H.O.M.P.S. (Canine Home Protection System), the world’s first computerized watchdog! Faster than a speeding pit bull and able to leap tall fire hydrants in a single bound, this powerful pooch is programmed to sink his teeth into crime. But when the company’s rivals hear about C.H.O.M.P.S., they hire a pair of prowlers to destroy him. Now Casey and Brian must catch the crooks and outsmart the competition, before Norton Securities winds up in the doghouse! Co-starring Conrad Bain (TV’s Diff’rent Strokes), Chuck McCann (Hamburger: The Motion Picture), Red Buttons (The Poseidon Adventure), Larry Bishop (The Devil’s 8) and Jim Backus (TV’s Gilligan’s Island), C.H.O.M.P.S. is the family farce that will “short circuit” its way into your heart! Directed by Don Chaffey (One Million Years B.C.).
For thoughts on C.H.O.M.P.S., please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
C.H.O.M.P.S. comes to Blu-Ray from Kino Classics and Code Red with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a brand-new 2K master that looks amazing. The presentation is terrific throughout the runtime with image stability and delineation being top notch. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with it resolving well and never seeming especially clumpy. The picture stays sharp even in long shots, and colors are well saturated in a visually pleasing way. Minor instances of print damage occasionally pop up in the smallest moments, but overall clarity and detail is excellent. Skin tones are natural with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels are pretty solid with next to nothing in the way of crush. This presentation is excellent and should please any fan of the film. It is great to have this film available in high definition!
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that captures the aesthetic of the film incredibly well. The track avoids any instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. The dialogue is strong, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from falling down fences to the sounds of cars. The sound effects of C.H.O.M.P.S. with his beeps and boops render cleanly. All music maintains a pleasing fidelity as it comes through the room. This is a track that represents the film in a practically perfect manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Star Wesley Eure and Co-Writer Duane Poole deliver a great commentary track moderated by Film Historian Nathaniel Thompson from Mondo Digital. In this track, the participants discuss their work with Sid & Marty Kroft and Hanna-Barbera, the development of the project, early ideas for a live-action Scooby-Doo, the thought of making the film PG, the special effects in the film, the immensely talented cast and more. This track is very high energy and a lot of fun for anyone with a soft spot for the film.
- Introduction: The film automatically starts with a 30-second introduction from star Wesley Eure.
- Interview with Star Wesley Eure: A nine-minute interview with Eure is provided here in which he discusses his career on Days of Our Lives and Land of the Lost, getting the role on C.H.O.M.P.S., how they used his personal truck in the film, working with comedic legends, his memories of director Don Chaffey, the film’s legacy and more.
- Trailers: The two-minute trailer for C.H.O.M.P.S. is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Starflight-One, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Pufntstuf, and Checkered Flag or Crash.
Final Thoughts
C.H.O.M.P.S. is another fun discovery from the past for this reviewer. This family-friendly story is not trying to win awards, but it presents the story of a robot dog with a knowing wink while stacking the cast full of comedy legends who nail their roles. The story plays out as expected, but the execution keeps the fun flowing from beginning to end. Kino Classics and Code Red have released a new Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a decent array of special features. If you are wanting a silly, delightful family film about a robot dog in your life, why would you pass this up? Highly Recommended
C.H.O.M.P.S. is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics and Code Red have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
