Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf

Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf
File:ScoobyReluctantWerewolf.jpg
Directed by	Ray Patterson
Written by	Jim Ryan
Produced by	Berny Wolf
Starring	Casey Kasem Don Messick Hamilton Camp B.J. Ward Rob Paulsen Frank Welker
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	1988
Running time	80 min.
Language	English

Scooby-Doo and the Reclutant Werewolf is a 1988 made for TV movie directed by Ray Patterson, written by Jim Ryan and starring the voices of Casey Kasem, Don Messick, and Hamilton Camp. This movie blends the spooky moster filled antics of the other Scooby-Doo cartoons and movies with has a strong focus on Shaggy's seldom mentioned passion for race car driving. The movie stars Scooby-Doo, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, and Scrappy-Doo, as well as introducing Googie (Shaggy's girlfriend). Unlike most other Scooby-Doo stories, this movie focuses more on jokes and less on solving a mystery; it also does not include several well know characters like Fred Jones, Daphney Blake, and Velma Dinkley.

Plot summary

Template:Spoiler Every year all of the classic monsters (Frankenstein, Mummy, Jeckyll/Hyde... ) gather at Count Dracula's castle in Transilvania for the Monster Road Ralley, an ultimate road race, awarding the winner with the "Monter of the Year" award as well as many other prizes only monsters would enjoy. This year however, Dracula recieves a postcard from the Wolfman stating that he has retired and will not be participating. Lacking one of the most well known monsters, Dracula fears they will have to cancel the race. Luckily, Dracula's minion Wolfgang notifies him there is a another option, namely, to create a new werewolf! After searching an old book for information on whom is next in line to become the next werewolf, it is revealed that it is none other than Norville "Shaggy" Rogers (or Shah-Gee, as Dracula pronounces it).

Dracula sends his horrible henchmen (the mushmouthed, incomprehensible Crunch and the english accented, well articulated Brunch, together known as "The Hunch Bunch") to America to transform Shaggy and bring him back to his castle. After a few thwarted attempts, the Hunch Bunch manage to transform Shaggy by exposing him to moonlight while he is at a drive in movie with Scooby, Scrappy, and Googie in his customized race car. The Hunch Bunch then picks up their car using their batcopter and flies the group back to Transilvania. Here, Shaggy is informed that he was chosen to be the next werewolf and that he must participate in the monster race. Shaggy, wanting to return to his normal life, feels very reluctant to the whole situation. Shaggy chooses to make a deal with Dracula, and states that he'll only race under the condition that if he wins, Dracula must return him back to his human state, and allow him and his friends to leave. Dracula agrees but secretly begins planning ways to keep Shaggy from winning.

After being kept up most of the night, driving the severly detuned "wolf-wagon" in the race, being sent on missleading detours, rescuing Scrappy and Googie from traps, and dodging dangerous monsters and magic spells, Shaggy manages to win. Dracula refuses to turn Shaggy back to his human form, claiming he had his fangs crossed when they made the agreement. Infuriated, the heroes steal Dracula's book on transformation and make their getaway. Dracula chases them in his bat-like car and airplane, where the four narrowly escape Dracula's powerful "Drac-Vac" and his hilariously horrific "Munchie-Missiles." In the end, Googie uses the book to change Shaggy back to normal and the group lives happily ever after.

Although this is a Scooby Doo movie, the character of Dracula played by Hamilton Camp is the real star of the show. Not only does Dracula have the most lines of any character with exceedingly expressive voice acting, but he holds a near monopoly on jokes throughout the movie.