"Actor: S. Scott Bullock"

• Butt-Ugly Martians - The Martians Have Landed | DVD | (12/03/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Martians Have Landed! is a stuffed-to-the-antennae (although, come to think of it, they don't have any) introduction to the Butt-Ugly Martians, that trio of CGI extraterrestrials who are sent to this world to conquer it but who decide Earth is so cool (mainly due to our endless supplies of junk food, video games and other essentials) that they decide to stay here and defend it instead, notably against their own leader, Emperor Bog. This results in some quite funny scenarios, with the BUMs faking scenes of conquest for transmission home by using painted backdrops. They're aided and abetted by a pair of teenagers and a robotic dog (called Dog) and hunted by the superbly named Stoat Muldoon, who makes it his business to hunt aliens. There are four episodes of the TV series here: "Playback/Payback", "Jax the Conqueror", "Meet Gorgon" and "You Bet Your Planet". Despite the fact that the CGI is mostly of sub-PlayStation standard--although the scenes set in outer space are pretty effective--they're perfect post-school, pre-teatime wind-down fodder. The 4:3 DVD scores heavily in the extras department, with behind-the-scenes interviews with the production staff and voiceover actors (which include the veteran Robert "Untouchables" Stack), a quiz, a gallery, a trivia section, Web links and more.--Roger Thomas

• Butt-Ugly Martians - Three Episodes | DVD | (14/04/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  The Butt Ugly Martians return in three explosive episodes in which they continue to fool the great Emporor Bog and his trenchman Dr Damage and remain on Earth. Their mission is to destroy the planet but their real intention is to save the world. Including Episodes: Koo Foo: While watching a news report on television the Butt Ugly Martians see what is believed to be a recently discovered pyramid in the Sahara - only they regognise it as a Koo Foo ship. The Koo Foo have long been considered extinct and were once the most feared aliens in the entire Universe bloodthirsty renegades who were responsible for the extinction of many races of aliens. What if one or more are still alive in the ship? Mike In Space: While sending a tribute from the 'invasion' to Emporor Bog the Butt Ugly Martians shrink the gifts so that they fit into the transporter. But they are unaware that they have shrunk Mike aswell and accidentally send him to the Bog Star. Whilst trying to rescue Mike the Butt Uglies become ensnared in a double-crossing scheme set up by Emporor Bog. Will Mike return to Planet Earth safely? Will the Butt Uglies be found in Emporor Bog? Will Stoat Muldoon discover the Butt Uglies? Bog In Charge: The kids get Muldoon to help rescue the Butt Uglies. Shocked at the alien invasion forces Muldoon vows to fight to the end to help protect the planet. The Butt-Uglies have a plan that should trick Bog into an attack that they think will result in the capture of the Martian Emperor but htey also need to deal with Muldoon. Can they get rid of Bog for good and escape Muldoon?

• Frankenthumb | DVD | (27/01/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A half-hour parody, Frankenthumb is one of a series of featurette pastiches of famous movies masterminded by Steve Oederkerk (Kung Pow: Enter the Fist) cast with human thumbs with CGI-inset mouths and eyes, a process that is weirder than it is funny. A précis of the 1931 Frankenstein, shot on impressive (and beautifully-lit) miniature sets, the film tells the old, old story: megalomaniac Dr Frankenthumb and his inept assistant Humpy create life in the laboratory, unleashing a monster named Pepper ("because he's brought spice into our lives") who goes on a rampage, menaces the daughter of a somewhat irritating Italian man, and is pursued by a mob into a burning windmill, whereupon a guest star from an earlier mini-epic (Bat Thumb) turns up to deliver some sort of an ending. One or two good jokes pop up, but probably not enough. On the DVD: Frankenthumb on disc is a very nice package, containing storyboards, manufactured outtakes and cast interviews, trailers for this and the rest of the series (Thumb Wars, The Blair Thumb, Thumbtanic, Bat Thumb, The Godthumb) and a mass commentary track by the entire creative team that makes a cheerful accompaniment. --Kim Newman