Gumby returns to DVD for 50th anniversary
1995 movie re-released on Earth Day
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 3/14/2008
MARCH 14 | Gumby: The Movie will street on DVD for the first time on Earth Day, April 22, as part of an extended celebration for the 50th anniversary of the original “green” product.
Since acquiring rights to the property last year, Classic Media has been reintroducing the franchise, starting with the digital bow of episodes from ’60s The Gumby Show on AOL and YouTube in March 2007, marking the character’s 50th birthday.
Classic Media convinced Joe Clokey, the son of Gumby creator Art Clokey, to remaster Gumby: The Movie, originally released straight-to-VHS in 1995. That director’s cut premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and will arrive on DVD packed with deleted scenes, bonus TV episodes and a 2-inch bendable Gumby toy. The DVD is priced at $16.93.
Distributed by Genius Products, Classic is confident Gumby: The Movie will continue to endure in popularity.
“It had a fairly successful life on VHS, where it shipped 1 million units back in 1995,” said Robert Mayo, formerly with Gumby’s 1995 distributor, Warner Vision, and now VP of home video at Classic. “Technology has come a long way in 10 years, and we took it, re-edited it, making it more fast-paced, and really felt the best way to take it out would be on DVD.”
Gumby will be partying on through 2008, as Classic Media will be releasing this fourth-quarter on DVD Season’s Greetings From Gumby, featuring holiday-themed episodes from the classic TV series.
Classic Media also is signing on new apparel, accessories and games licensees in order to start pitching a full suite of Gumby products to retail.
“What’s exciting for Gumby is there is real traction,” said Nicole Blake, senior VP of marketing at Classic Media. “DVD is one facet of a much larger brand. It’s getting refreshed, where we are bringing Gumby back in multiple ways.”
