10 More Oddball Hanna-Barbera Home Video Releases

 Back in November, I put together a post cataloguing ten of the strangest releases of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons on home video. What I wasn't expecting when I did that was the reaction. Currently, it is one of the most viewed posts on this blog. It sounds like you guys are as interested in these oddities as I am, and so today, I'm back with ten more of 'em. 

This time around, I'm pulling back my rules. Unlike last time, I will be considering stuff like foreign and promotional releases. There's some interesting stuff there, and I can't wait to share some of it. From strange compilations to screener copies, here are ten more oddball Hanna-Barbera home video releases.

1. Cartoon Network: Classic Capers (VHS, 1992)

The first release I'm covering today, this is also the first tape to bear the Cartoon Network name. Classic Capers was released shortly before the Cartoon Network launched, and acts as a preview for everything the channel would feature. The content is nothing new, but it's an intriguing release for both Cartoon Network and Hanna-Barbera. It's also quite rare. I've never seen a copy for sale online, so I can only imagine how much one would go for.

2. Spice Toons (VHS, 1997)

Here's a release from the United Kingdom. Not exactly surprising, considering the name is an obvious shout-out to the Spice Girls. The content is again nothing you haven't seen before, but it is an odd ensemble. There are some obvious picks like Scooby-Doo and Penelope Pitstop, but then you have The Addams Family and the Flintstones I Yabba Dabba Doo! special.  It's a strange hodgepodge of cartoons released across three decades named after a nineties pop group. It doesn't get much weirder than that. 

3. Bedrockin' and Rappin' (VHS, 1991)

The last time I looked at odd HB releases, included among them was HB-TV, a series of tapes featuring cartoons set to popular music of the eighties. When the nineties began and rap music skyrocketed in popularity, they decided again to cash in with this thirty-minute release. However, rather than using existing rap songs, we were instead treated to (and I use that word very loosely) new songs about the Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and more. What more do I need to say? It's "how do you do, fellow kids?" at its finest.

4. Flintstones Ceiling Fan with VHS (VHS, 1994)

Yes, you read that right. What goes better with an all-new ceiling fan than a VHS tape? This was released in 1994, right around the time the live-action film was released, and was one of the many items that launched with it. The tape included is a simple repackage of the Flintstones tapes available then, though the selection varied between sets. The fan itself looks nice, but I'm not sure how many people were asking for one with Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles adorning it. But if you are one of those people, this is the set for you!

5. Jonny Quest Screener Set (VHS, 1996)

Out of all the releases I'm covering today, this one might have the coolest presentation. To promote their 1996 Jonny Quest VHS releases, Cartoon Network sent out this kit to retailers. Included in this nice briefcase are a screener VHS, a wrist watch, a cassette, and a flyer detailing the campaign. There's also a communications device and binoculars, though those are merely pieces of artwork. Even though this wasn't made available for general audiences, this has still got to be one of the coolest VHS sets I've ever seen. Just goes to show you how much Cartoon Network and Hanna-Barbera were pushing Quest in the late nineties. 

6. Boomerang Promotional Tapes (VHS, 2000)

We just looked at a VHS tape contained in a case, but how about one in a lunch box? These promotional sets launched in 2000 to advertise the Boomerang channel. The box is adorned with photos of the vintage toys seen on the network's bumpers, and contains three tapes: "A Taste of Boomerang," "Boomeraction," and "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!" What's really odd is that, as far as I know, this was the only time the Yogi Bear feature film was released on VHS in the states. So if you for some reason really want a VHS copy of that movie, it's gonna cost you a bit. Like the previous entry, this is a very well done promotional item, and if you do have one of these, I most certainly envy you.

7. The Hour Warner Volume 2 (DVD, 2007)

WB has done many cartoon compilation releases over the years, but over in Spain, they got perhaps the strangest of them all. The second volume of "The Hour Warner" features obvious picks like Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones, but then there's Baby Looney Tunes and Loonatics Unleashed, of all things. And, just for good measure, The Flintstones Kids is here as well. A very peculiar selection, but if you ever wanted a DVD that had both Tom and Jerry and Loonatics, well, here you go! 

8. The Flintstones: On The Rocks Emmy Screener (VHS, 2001)

Perhaps one of the most infamous Flintstones specials, On The Rocks is notable for many reasons. One of them is that it's never been released on home video. There were plans for a DVD release, but that fell through after the special's mixed reception. That being said, we did at least get this Emmy screener tape. Almost 25 years later, this is still the only time the special has been available outside of Cartoon Network recordings. This is another I haven't ever seen an auction for, but I'm sure it fetches a pretty penny considering its cult status. So, unless the Warner Archive folks decide to put this on Blu-Ray, this is your next best option.

9. Scooby-Doo: Your Cartoon Friends! (DVD, 2011)

Here is an odd release of four What's New Scooby-Doo? episodes from Italy. The packaging might make you think this includes other WB toons, but alas, that is not the case, though these characters did get installments in this series. All you get are the aforementioned four episodes. Definitely an unusual choice, as a DVD could have easily held more. The presentation is also pretty unique, leaning heavily into the "friends" motif by having it look like a Facebook profile. With its refreshing design and weird selection, this one I felt had to be featured here.

10. Flintstones Cartoon Network Gift Set (VHS, 1999)

This last choice isn't the strangest here, but it is definitely the most obscure. It pops up on eBay from time to time, almost always around $800. This set celebrates The Flintstones, featuring five specials across their forty-year history. The presentation is slick and clean, with each tape representing one of the show's core characters. These specials have been sold on tape before, but it's cool that they gave this set some extra effort instead of simply repackaging those older copies. What really makes this bizarre is nobody seems to know where it came from. It seems likely it was part of some kind of sweepstakes Cartoon Network did, but I haven't found anything referencing it. Wherever it came from, it's a great collection, and as one of the last times anything Flintstones was released on VHS, it serves as a terrific farewell to the format.

And that's ten more weird Hanna-Barbera releases! But before I go, I have a tiny bonus to share. Say you bought everything I've shown here. The first thing I'd wonder is how much money you have to burn. Secondly, where are you going to put all of this? Well, this Flintstones VHS shelf has got you covered. Until you run out of space, of course.