Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2002
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2002 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Anthony Breznican, AP Entertainment Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

'SCOOBY-DOO' ADAPTATION TRIES TO KEEP MOVIE FOR KIDS

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- In the new film "Scooby-Doo," a psychedelically painted 
van marked "The Mystery Machine" sits beside a beach while smoke wafts 
through the sunhatch and voices from inside groan, "Primo!" and "Talk about 
toasted!" That may seem suspicious, but the next shot reveals it's just the 
talking dog Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, his beatnik human pal, grilling burgers 
on their hibachi.

Never mind that the song from the soundtrack is the pot-smoking reggae 
anthem "Pass the Dutchie."

"Subtle, right?" laughed director Raja Gosnell, whose film is an adaptation 
of the long-running 1969 cartoon sleuthing show "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?"

The van scene is one of the film's few references to what many adult fans 
of the Hanna- Barbera series consider a wink- and-nod subtext to Scooby and 
Shaggy, whose gangly walk, relentless munchies and dazed manner seem to 
suggest a marijuana high.

"I don't know if Hanna-Barbera ever intended it to be so, but maybe the 
animators did," said Charles Roven, co-producer of the "Scooby-Doo" movie.

Among the other members of the "Scooby-Doo" gang, there is speculation that 
Velma -- the no-nonsense brains of the operation -- is a lesbian, and that 
Fred and Daphne, the respective beefcake and cheesecake of the team, 
frequently searched for clues together to partake in carnal exploits.

The cast and filmmakers acknowledged filming many joking allusions to those 
inferences but ultimately decided to keep "Scooby-Doo" an innocent 
children's film rather than aim for older audiences.

The comedy's story features the mystery-solving crew assembling at the 
fictional "Spooky Island" theme-park resort, which is plagued by strange 
disappearances, apparent brainwashing and monsters.

The film parodies some of the cartoon's more innocent conventions -- the 
cliched unmasking of the villain, the superfluous celebrity cameos -- but 
practically all of the mature, double entendres were purged from the final 
edit.

"We played on all those things," said actor Matthew Lillard, who portrays 
creaky-voiced Shaggy. "Is Velma gay? Is Shaggy high? Are (Fred and Daphne) 
hooking up? All those jokes were in there, but we found at the end of the 
day it was more important to go the other way ... and that was to be more 
family oriented."

Gosnell said he believes the few adult references that remain will go well 
over children's heads.

"Some of that stuff is in there," he said. "If you look for it, you'll find 
it. If you don't, you won't."

The illicit rumors about "Scooby-Doo" could be attributed to nothing more 
than projection from fans. After all, the original program borrowed some of 
the iconography of the 1960s hippie movement, but it never overtly featured 
drug use, free love or homosexuality.

That inconclusiveness is part of what tickles people.

"In fact, to this day," Lillard said, "if you ask me if Shaggy is a stoner, 
I'll say no. ... That's what's funny about him: He just seems like that. He 
acts a little goofy and high, he's lovable and scared -- and just happens 
to have the munchies."

Real-life couple Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar play Fred and 
Daphne, with Linda Cardellini, who had a small role in last year's "Legally 
Blonde," co-starring as bespectacled Velma.

The original script featured a scene in which Fred gazed lustfully at 
Daphne while she leaned over him to load luggage into an airplane's 
overhead bin. The camera then panned to Velma, who was ogling her, too.

Later, Velma and Daphne shared a comic kiss, Gosnell said.

The filmmakers say they believe those jokes would have hampered the overall 
story and could have garnered the film a PG-13 rating instead of the PG 
designation the studio wanted.

Lillard acknowledged that older fans may be disappointed by the more 
wholesome approach.

"People out there, fans of the cartoons, teen-agers, young men -- it's not 
going to be for everyone," the actor said.

"But our movie is for families."
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