The Love Bug (Special Edition) by Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Actors

• Dean Jones
• Michele Lee
• David Tomlinson
• Buddy Hackett
• Joe Flynn

Format

• Anamorphic
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC
• Special Edition

Editorial Review

The box office success of Disney's 1969 classic The Love Bug inspired a slew of Herbie sequels, and, ultimately, this 1997 remake. Though remakes occasionally best the original (consider Disney's The Parent Trap), this one does not. It is difficult to match the talents of the original cast–namely Dean Jones, Buddy Hackett, and David Tomlinson. At least the car hasn't diminished during its 30-year absence. Herbie is still the smart, quirky Volkswagen Beetle with the same affinity for fast driving and rescuing arrogant-but-charming, washed-up racecar drivers to give them a new life and a new love. In this case, Herbie's progeny is Hank Cooper (played by hunky Bruce Campbell of the Evil Dead trilogy), who acquires Herbie by lottery from the junkyard. Herbie comes to life and begins his usual shenanigans, from popping wheelies to slamming his trunk on the fingers of evildoers, primarily one Simon Moore III (John Hannah). This wealthy, wicked numbskull sold Herbie before realizing his powers and now seeks revenge by creating Herbie's evil twin–a menacing black Beetle. The rest of the story repeats history, yet does so with passionless drudgery. Thankfully, there are two notable highlights: one, a brief cameo appearance by Jones (Herbie's owner, Jim Douglas, from the original film) who lends his larger-than-life persona for an all-too-brief moment; the other, Kevin J. O'Connor, who plays Herbie's eccentric and faithful mechanic, and does so with earnest zeal. The film's slapstick humor and happy ending make for solid family entertainment, but the original reigns supreme. –Lynn Gibson