It's sad to think that the classic 80's cartoon series, Alvin And The Chipmunks, will most likely never see a full fledged DVD release. As many of you know, the show borrowed liberally from 80's pop culture, specifically the music of the era. While the songs were recorded by the Chipmunks, or Chipettes, as a whole, the licensing behind them would probably be a nightmare to obtain for a home video release. Further, it would be quite expensive. Basically, the juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze.
However, all is not lost when it comes to this animated classic. Over the years, there have been several DVD releases which encompass a good 1/3 of the series, as well as the majority of the specials.
Today, I'm going through these, showing you just how you too can get your Alvin And The Chipmunks fix.
Note: When referencing the episodes, these are denoted by a number sequence in parentheses. "S" stands for the word, "Season", followed by the season number, which is the first number in the sequence, and then episode number, which are the last two numbers. The show was usually broken down into segments, and in these cases, the number sequence is followed by an "A" or "B", denoting if it was the first or second segment in the 22 minute block. For example, S112A would mean that this particular episode was season one, episode twelve, segment "A".
Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Christmas Chipmunk
Released: 2005
Features: Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll (S713)*Dave's Wonderful Life(S624)*A Chipmunk Christmas (1981 Special)
It's worth noting that these "red label" Alvin And The Chipmunks DVD's as shown in the photos are 2008 re-releases.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipmunk Adventure
Released: 2006
Features the 1987 theatrical feature film, The Chipmunk Adventure
This film was previously released on DVD in 2006, and after this particular 2008 release (as seen below), was release in 2014 on Blu-Ray.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Trick Or Treason
Released: 2006
Features: Babysitter Fright Night (S613)*Theodore's Life As A Dog (S621A)*Nightmare On Seville Street (S703A)*No Chipmunk Is An Island (S613A)*Trick Or Treason (1994 Special)
This DVD is similar, but not the same as the 2012 released Alvin And The Chipmunks: Halloween Collection. More on that further down in this post.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine
Released: 2007
Features: Dr. Simon And Mr. Heartthrob (S705B)*Dear Diary (S707B)*Theodore And Juliet (S619A)*I Love The Chipmunks (1984 Special)
Before picking up this DVD, check out Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Valentines Collection, noted further down in this post.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go To The Movies
Released: 2007
Features: Star Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier (S806)*Batmunk (S804)*Funny, We Shrunk The Adults (S812)
Before buying this DVD, it's worth noting that all of these episodes are available on a variety of later releases, which offer additional content not found on this disc. As such, this one may be worth skipping.
Alvin And The Chipmunks Go To The Movies: Funny, We Shrunk The Adults
Released 2008
Features: Funny, We Shrunk The Adults (S812)*Back To Our Future (S801)*Bigger (S802)
This release features the first of three episodes noted in the above Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go To The Movies.
Alvin And The Chipmunks Go To The Movies: Daytona Jones And The Pearl Of Wisdom
Released: 2008
Features: Daytona Jones And The Pearl Of Wisdom (S805)*Batmunk (S804)*Robomunk (S807)
This release features the second of three episodes noted in the above Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go To The Movies.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Alvinnn!!! Edition
Released: 2008
Features: The Curse Of Lontiki (S112B)*Mr. Fabulous (S105A)*Unidentified Flying Chipmunk (S106A)*A Horse, Of Course (S202B)*New, Improved Simon (S211A)*Snow Job (S209B)*Maids In Japan (S210A)*Every Chipmunk Tells A Story (S306B)*Romancing Miss Stone (S302B)*Three Alarm Alvin (S303B)*Alvin's Oldest Fan (S310B)*A Chip Off The Old Tooth (S303A)*What Ever Happened To Dave Seville (S403A)*Cadet's Regrets (S610)
With two discs, and fourteen shorts, this release certainly gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration
Released: 2008
Features: Food For Thought (S604)*Cookie Chomper III (S701)*Dave's Getting Married (S612)*A Chipmunk Celebration (1994 Special)
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Classic Holiday Gift Set
Released: 2008
Features: A Chipmunk Christmas (1981 Special)*Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration (1994 Special)*Trick Or Treason (1994 Special)
This DVD only features holiday specials, and all of them are available in more definitive editions, which have already been mentioned above.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipettes
Released: 2009
Features: May The Best Chipmunk Win (S113B)*Operation Theodore (S208B)*Sisters (S304B)*The Greatest Show-Offs On Earth (S211B)*My Fair Chipette (S210B)*Tell It To The Judge (S501B)
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Mystery Of The Easter Chipmunk
Released: 2009
Features: Snow Wrong (S213B)*Luck O' The Chipmunks (S618B)*A Special Kind Of Champion (S622B)*Thinking Cap Trap (S703B)*The Easter Chipmunk (1995 Special)
Before buying this DVD, it's worth noting that all of these episodes are available on a a similar DVD, Alvin And The Chipmunks: Easter Collection, which also includes an additional episode. As such, this one may be worth skipping.
Alvin And The Chipmunks Go To The Movies: Star Wreck
Released: 2009
Features: Star Wreck: The Absolute Final Frontier (S806)*Elementary, My Dear Simon (S602)*Chip Tracy (S810)
This release features the third of three episodes noted in the above Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go To The Movies.
The Very First Alvin Show
Released: 2009
Features: Stanley The Eagle*Oh, Gondaleiro*Invents The Baseball*I Wish I Could Speak French*A Chipmunk Reunion (1985 Special)*Rockin' Through The Decades (1990 Special)
While the "episode" on this DVD set come from the 1961 series, the two specials, A Chipmunk Reunion, and Rock' Through The Decades, were both associated with the 80's series. This release is the only way to get them to date, making this a must have.
Alvin And The Chipettes: Cinderella, Cinderella
Released: 2010
Features: Cinderella, Cinderella (S405)*Alvie's Angels (S609)*The Brunch Club (S603)
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Driving Dave Crazy
Released: 2011
Features: Dave's Getting Married (S612)*Every Chipmunk Tells A Story (S306B)*Romancing Miss Stone (S302B)*Maids In Japan (S210A)*The Incredible Shrinking Dave (S108B)*Mother's Day (S106B)
While this set contains quite a few episodes, the unfortunate state of affairs is that it only has two episodes you can't get on other releases.
Christmas With The Chipmunks
Released: 2005
Features: Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll (S713)*Dave's Wonderful Life(S624)*A Chipmunk Celebration (1994 Special)*A Chipmunk Christmas (1981 Special)
As noted above, this DVD is similar to the 2006 Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Christmas. While this latter version includes the additional special, A Chipmunk Celebration, this can be obtained on the above Alvin And The Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration. As such, buying these two DVD's renders this release unnecessary.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Valentines Collection
Released: 2012
Features: Dr. Simon And Mr. Heartthrob (S705B)*Dear Diary (S707B)*Theodore And Juliet (S619A)*Sploosh (S812)*I Wish I Could Speak French (from the original 1961 The Alvin Show)*I Love The Chipmunks (1984 Special)
As noted above, you should check this particular DVD out prior to picking up Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine. This newer release contains two additional episodes, and while one of those is from the 60's series, the other is from season eight of the eighties series. Essentially, there''s more bang for your buck with this version.
The Chipette Diaries
Released: 2012
Features: Alvie's Angels (S609)*May The Best Chipmunk Win (S113B)*Tell It To The Judge (S501B)*My Fair Chipette (S210B)*The Greatest Show-Offs On Earth (S211B)*The Chipettes (S101B)
This DVD is bogged down with shorts available on other discs, which is why it's disappointing that the only "new" one available on this is the debut of The Chipettes in their self titled episode.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Batmunk
Released: 2012
Features: Batmunk (S804)*Treasure Island (S606)*Elementary, My Dear Simon (S602).
While two of these three episodes can be found on other releases, this is the only way to get the episode Treasure Island to date.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Halloween Collection
Released: 2012
Features: Babysitter Fright Night (S613)*Theodore's Life As A Dog (S621A)*Nightmare On Seville Street (S703A)*Once Upon A Crime (S615)*Trick Or Treason (1994 Special)
As noted above, this DVD is similar to Alvin And The Chipmunks: Trick Or Treason. The difference being that the prior released DVD contained the episode, No Chipmunk Is An Island (S613A), which has been removed from this release, and replaced with Once Upon A Crime (S615). The only way to get these two episodes, so far, is to buy both of these releases.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Easter Collection
Released: 2009
Features: Snow Wrong (S213B)*Luck O' The Chipmunks (S618B)*A Special Kind Of Champion (S622B)*Thinking Cap Trap (S703B)*The Picture Of Health (S205A)*The Easter Chipmunk (1995 Special)
As noted above, this release is similar to Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Mystery Of The Easter Chipmunk. However, this latter version contains the additional episode, The Picture Of Health (S205A).
The Chipettes: Cinderella? Cinderella!
Released: 2013
Features: Cinderella, Cinderella (S405)*The Chipette Story (S308)*Sisters (S304A)*Operation, Theodore (S208A)
Though similar to other releases, this disc is the only way to get the episode, The Chipette Story (S308).
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Driving Dave Crazier
Released: 2013
Features: Cookie Chomper III (S701)*Grounded Chipmunk (S608)*Whatever Happened To Dave Seville (S403A)*A Chip Off The Old Tooth (S303A)
Though similar to other releases, this disc is the only way to get the episode, Grounded Chipmunk (S608).
Though there are clearly some releases that can be skipped, compiling the majority of these will garner you fifty-six of the one hundred sixty-eight shorts, seven of the nine specials, and the full length feature film. While we can wish future DVD releases will cover more ground, with the latest release being nine years ago, it's not a hopeful outcome. For now, something is better than nothing.
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