Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders
Encyclopedia
Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders is the third of a series of direct-to-video
animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo
Saturday morning cartoon
s. It was released on October 3, 2000, and it was produced, starting in 1999, by Warner Bros. Animation
(though it had a Hanna-Barbera Cartoons logo and copyright notice at the end). Unlike the previous films, in spite of the grimmer atmosphere, it also had a lighter tone since the real monsters are the good guys and the disguised humans are the primary antagonists.
makes an accidental turn into government property. The sight of a UFO causes Shaggy to lose control of the vehicle, and find themselves on the outskirts of a small town. While Scooby
and Shaggy stay with the van, the rest of the gang walks into a local diner to ask for directions. Shaggy and Scooby then encounter a fictional animal
called a jackalope
. Shaggy and Scooby run in the diner in panic while the Scooby-Doo, Where are You theme song (sang by Jennifer Love Hewitt
) is played, claiming to have seen aliens
.
The diner waitress, Dottie, says that they never see the aliens but see strange lights and hear strange sounds at night. The chef, Sergio (called "Serge" by Dottie) says that a month ago, local cattle
vanished overnight without a trace and a lot of people moved away. A man named Lester claims to have been abducted once before, and believes the two. He also says that he has pictures, so the gang goes to his house to see them. They turn out to be nothing more than paintings by Lester. He then points out the nearby SALF: the Search for Alien Life Forms (which is an obvious play on the real-life organization S.E.T.I., or the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), dishes, saying that ever since they were built, there were numerous UFO sightings and cattle disappearances. Daphne
and Velma
sleep in a bunk bed
and Fred sleeps on Lester's couch
. Scooby and Shaggy fall into a deep sleep on the roof, and are abducted. The aliens try to examine the two of them, but Scooby is able to free them. After some struggle on the ship, the two find themselves in the middle of nowhere the next morning. They are awakened by a hippie
-chick photographer, Crystal, and her golden retriever
, Amber. Scooby and Shaggy fall head over heels
in love with them. They meet up with the rest of the gang in the cafe and are too love sick
that they don't want to eat which shocks Fred, Velma, and Daphne. Shaggy then has a musical dream sequence with the song "Groovy".
Velma, Fred and Daphne meet the crew of SALF, Steve, Laura and Max, while Shaggy and Scooby hang out with Crystal and Amber. Velma becomes suspicious when she sees dried mud on their boots, since they are in the desert. Later, she decides to take the gang to a canyon where she presumes a river might run. The canyon proves to be dry, but they find mining equipment, and in the caves, gold
. The SALF crew (the main antagonists of the film) capture them and hold them hostage as they explain that they stumbled upon this cave when searching for ground to place another SALF dish. Since it was on government land, they decided not to report it, and plan to keep it that way. They are also revealed to be the aliens who abducted Scooby and Shaggy; the UFO was nothing more than a dressed-up helicopter
, and the inside was an old movie set.
At the end of the film, Crystal and Amber prove to be aliens from 20 light years away, and are dressed like they are because their interpretations of the way humans are dressed were derived from 1960s television
broadcasts, to which Shaggy says, "Hey, why mess with a classic look." The UFO that ran Shaggy off the road was actually Crystal's. The SALF crew and the fake MPs
are arrested by the police. Shaggy and Scooby are broken-hearted
but a box of Scooby Snacks does the trick to snap the duo out of their sadness.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
Saturday morning cartoon
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
s. It was released on October 3, 2000, and it was produced, starting in 1999, by Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
(though it had a Hanna-Barbera Cartoons logo and copyright notice at the end). Unlike the previous films, in spite of the grimmer atmosphere, it also had a lighter tone since the real monsters are the good guys and the disguised humans are the primary antagonists.
Plot
The film starts off with the Mystery Machine driving through a desert town. A sand storm kicks in, and ShaggyShaggy Rogers
Norville "Shaggy" Rogers is a fictional character from the American animated television series Scooby-Doo, about the adventures of four crime-solving teenagers and Shaggy's pet great dane, Scooby-Doo. Shaggy is a cowardly slacker more interested in eating than solving mysteries. He is the only...
makes an accidental turn into government property. The sight of a UFO causes Shaggy to lose control of the vehicle, and find themselves on the outskirts of a small town. While Scooby
Scooby-Doo (character)
Scoobert "Scooby" Doo is the eponymous character and the protagonist in the Scooby-Doo animated television series created by the popular American animation company Hanna-Barbera...
and Shaggy stay with the van, the rest of the gang walks into a local diner to ask for directions. Shaggy and Scooby then encounter a fictional animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
called a jackalope
Jackalope
The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant's tail . The word "jackalope" is a portmanteau of "jackrabbit" and "antalope", an archaic spelling of "antelope". It is also known as Lepus...
. Shaggy and Scooby run in the diner in panic while the Scooby-Doo, Where are You theme song (sang by Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
) is played, claiming to have seen aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
.
The diner waitress, Dottie, says that they never see the aliens but see strange lights and hear strange sounds at night. The chef, Sergio (called "Serge" by Dottie) says that a month ago, local cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
vanished overnight without a trace and a lot of people moved away. A man named Lester claims to have been abducted once before, and believes the two. He also says that he has pictures, so the gang goes to his house to see them. They turn out to be nothing more than paintings by Lester. He then points out the nearby SALF: the Search for Alien Life Forms (which is an obvious play on the real-life organization S.E.T.I., or the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), dishes, saying that ever since they were built, there were numerous UFO sightings and cattle disappearances. Daphne
Daphne Blake
Daphne Anne Blake is a fictional character in the long-running American animated series Scooby-Doo. Daphne, depicted as coming from a wealthy family, is noted for her red hair, her fashion sense, and her knack for getting into danger...
and Velma
Velma Dinkley
Velma Dace Dinkley is a fictional character in the American television animated series Scooby-Doo. She is prone to losing her glasses. She is usually seen wearing a baggy orange sweater, short pleated skirt , knee socks, and Mary Janes...
sleep in a bunk bed
Bunk bed
A bunk bed is a type of bed in which one bed frame is stacked on top of another. The nature of bunk beds allows two people to sleep in the same room while maximizing available floor space...
and Fred sleeps on Lester's couch
Couch
A couch, also called a sofa, is an item of furniture designed to seat more than one person, and providing support for the back and arms. Typically, it will have an armrest on either side. In homes couches are normally found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge...
. Scooby and Shaggy fall into a deep sleep on the roof, and are abducted. The aliens try to examine the two of them, but Scooby is able to free them. After some struggle on the ship, the two find themselves in the middle of nowhere the next morning. They are awakened by a hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
-chick photographer, Crystal, and her golden retriever
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
, Amber. Scooby and Shaggy fall head over heels
Limerence
Limerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated...
in love with them. They meet up with the rest of the gang in the cafe and are too love sick
Love sickness
Being lovestruck is a non-medical term used to describe mental and physical symptoms associated with falling in love: 'love-struck. It means to be hit by love...you are hit in your heart by the emotion of love'....
that they don't want to eat which shocks Fred, Velma, and Daphne. Shaggy then has a musical dream sequence with the song "Groovy".
Velma, Fred and Daphne meet the crew of SALF, Steve, Laura and Max, while Shaggy and Scooby hang out with Crystal and Amber. Velma becomes suspicious when she sees dried mud on their boots, since they are in the desert. Later, she decides to take the gang to a canyon where she presumes a river might run. The canyon proves to be dry, but they find mining equipment, and in the caves, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. The SALF crew (the main antagonists of the film) capture them and hold them hostage as they explain that they stumbled upon this cave when searching for ground to place another SALF dish. Since it was on government land, they decided not to report it, and plan to keep it that way. They are also revealed to be the aliens who abducted Scooby and Shaggy; the UFO was nothing more than a dressed-up helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, and the inside was an old movie set.
At the end of the film, Crystal and Amber prove to be aliens from 20 light years away, and are dressed like they are because their interpretations of the way humans are dressed were derived from 1960s television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasts, to which Shaggy says, "Hey, why mess with a classic look." The UFO that ran Shaggy off the road was actually Crystal's. The SALF crew and the fake MPs
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
are arrested by the police. Shaggy and Scooby are broken-hearted
Broken heart
A broken heart is a common metaphor used to describe the intense emotional pain or suffering one feels after losing a loved one, whether through death, divorce, breakup, physical separation or romantic rejection....
but a box of Scooby Snacks does the trick to snap the duo out of their sadness.
Cast
- Scott InnesScott InnesScott Innes is an American author, songwriter, voice actor, and radio personality.He became known as the new voice of Scooby-Doo in the Scooby-Doo direct-to-video movies made between 1998 and 2001. From 1999 to 2001, he also voiced Scooby's best friend and owner Norville "Shaggy" Rogers...
– Scooby-DooScooby-Doo (character)Scoobert "Scooby" Doo is the eponymous character and the protagonist in the Scooby-Doo animated television series created by the popular American animation company Hanna-Barbera...
, Shaggy RogersShaggy RogersNorville "Shaggy" Rogers is a fictional character from the American animated television series Scooby-Doo, about the adventures of four crime-solving teenagers and Shaggy's pet great dane, Scooby-Doo. Shaggy is a cowardly slacker more interested in eating than solving mysteries. He is the only... - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
– Fred Jones - Mary Kay BergmanMary Kay BergmanMary Kay Bergman was an American voice actress and animation voice over teacher, who was the lead female voice actress on South Park from the show's 1997 debut until her death and was best known as the official voice of Snow White for the Walt Disney Company starting in 1989 with the Snow White...
– Daphne BlakeDaphne BlakeDaphne Anne Blake is a fictional character in the long-running American animated series Scooby-Doo. Daphne, depicted as coming from a wealthy family, is noted for her red hair, her fashion sense, and her knack for getting into danger... - B.J. Ward – Velma DinkleyVelma DinkleyVelma Dace Dinkley is a fictional character in the American television animated series Scooby-Doo. She is prone to losing her glasses. She is usually seen wearing a baggy orange sweater, short pleated skirt , knee socks, and Mary Janes...
- Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
– Lester - Candi MiloCandi MiloCandi Milo is an American voice actress and singer. She voiced many different animated characters such as the voice of Jacobo on Disney's The Replacements, Coco, Madame Foster and Cheese on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Irma Lair on Disney's W.I.T.C.H., lead character Maya Santos on Maya &...
– Crystal, Amber - Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
– Steve - Audrey WasilewskiAudrey WasilewskiAudrey Wasilewski is an American actress and voice actress.-Life and career:Wasilewski's first role came in the 1994 Japanese animated film Heisei tanuki gassen pompoko, where she was one of the additional voices dubbed in English...
– Laura - Kevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
– Max - Jennifer HaleJennifer HaleJennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
– Dottie
Production
- In a part of the movie when Shaggy and Crystal are far away talking, you can hear him telling her about his and Scooby's first encounter with the Witch's Ghost ("We thought we'd got away from the first three witches, when this ghost chased us from down there...") from the previous animated movie (speaking what sounds very much like the original audio track from the Witch's Ghost). This is not the first time continuity was shown in the movies, as a scene from the Scooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is the second in a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on October 5, 1999, and it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation starting in 1998. The Mystery, Inc...
also shows evidence of continuity from some events in Scooby-Doo on Zombie IslandScooby-Doo on Zombie IslandScooby-Doo on Zombie Island is a 1998 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoon franchise...
, also, Shaggy and Scooby meet the Hex Girls again after their previous meeting (Scooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is the second in a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on October 5, 1999, and it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation starting in 1998. The Mystery, Inc...
) in Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire, a future movie which Casey Kasem was returned to reprise his role as Shaggy along with Willa Holland and A.J. Cook, who played Emma and Marti (Childhood friends of Shaggy and also they are a big fan of The Hex Girls) later on. Steve mentioned to Velma that he was working with Ben Ravencroft along with Laura and Max. - Jennifer Love HewittJennifer Love HewittJennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
performed Scooby Doo, Where Are You? for the film. The track was played when Shaggy and Scooby were being chased by the "fake aliens". - "Groovy", another main movie track, performed by Scott Innes as Shaggy (and in part, Scooby Doo) saw Shaggy in one of the most rare scenes where he kisses a girl on the lips (Crystal), but it was all just a dream sequence.
- One of the men eating at the diner, in a yellow plaid shirt, was previously seen in Scooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo and the Witch's GhostScooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is the second in a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on October 5, 1999, and it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation starting in 1998. The Mystery, Inc...
, where he was a crowd member, waiting for the ghost's arrival. He appeared again in Scooby-Doo and the Cyber ChaseScooby-Doo and the Cyber ChaseScooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase is the fourth of a series of direct-to-video animated films based on Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on October 9, 2001. It features the Mystery, Inc. gang, which includes Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Freddy, Daphne and Velma...
. - Alien Invaders is notable for Mary Kay BergmanMary Kay BergmanMary Kay Bergman was an American voice actress and animation voice over teacher, who was the lead female voice actress on South Park from the show's 1997 debut until her death and was best known as the official voice of Snow White for the Walt Disney Company starting in 1989 with the Snow White...
's final performance as Daphne as this film is dedicated to her. It was released almost a year after her death. Grey DeLisleGrey DeLisleGrey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
would take over after Bergman's passing. - One of the bad guys (played by Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
) almost says the famous "And I would have gotten away with it, if it weren't for you meddling kids!" but as soon as he comes to "meddling kids", he is ordered to be quiet by a police officer. - Crystal and Amber were dressed in 60's clothing due the television broadcasts during that decade. This was probably a tribute to the era when the original cartoon seriesScooby-Doo, Where are You!Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is the first incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. It premiered on September 13, 1969 at 10:30 a.m. EST and ran for two seasons on CBS as a half-hour long show. Twenty-five episodes were produced...
was held. - This is the second time Mark Hamill has played a character in the direct-to-video series of Scooby Doo. He played Steve in this film, and he had also played Snakebite Scruggs in Scooby-Doo on Zombie IslandScooby-Doo on Zombie IslandScooby-Doo on Zombie Island is a 1998 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoon franchise...
. - During the song that Shaggy sings, he says that when he and Crystal get a house they'd fill it with stuff from 1969, the year that Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!Scooby-Doo, Where are You!Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is the first incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. It premiered on September 13, 1969 at 10:30 a.m. EST and ran for two seasons on CBS as a half-hour long show. Twenty-five episodes were produced...
first premiered on televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.