#TBT: Celebrating Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as it turns 20

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island changed the face of the franchise forever. As it turns 20 in 2018, it’s important to celebrate how big of a milestone it was.

Scooby-Doo is no doubt one of the biggest franchises in the world. First created less than 50 years ago, the Scooby gang is still a fixture in pop culture. From 1969, almost every generation has had their own version of the meddling kids. While there are many favorites to pick from, one has continued to stand out, even 20 years later.

Released in 1998, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island was the 1st direct-to-video film in the Scooby-Doo canon. Since then, the franchise has continued to released films following Scooby, the gang and their misadventures. That’s not the only important milestone attached to this film, though.

Technically, it being the first film pales in comparison to its other milestones. Most notably, it’s one of the first times we saw the group go their separate ways. Are 20 years too late for spoiler warning?

Nevertheless, if you haven’t watched Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, there will be spoilers from this point on!

As mentioned above, it’s our first time seeing the group apart. Daphne hosts her own ghost-hunting show with Fred as her cameraman. Velma owns and operates a mystery bookstore. As for Shaggy and Scooby, those two can’t hold a steady job due to their overindulgence.

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It’s a strange sight considering their dynamic as a group. Another change is the group’s ages. While their ages are never confirmed, they’re all portrayed as older and thus deal with their problems in a different way. One constant is their penance to jump to conclusions but by the end, they have it completely wrong and it’s satisfying.

The main tagline for the movie was “This time, the monsters are real.” Another constant for years had been them unmasking their monster but with zombies, there’s no way to unmask them. Fred tries at one point and the gang gets the surprise of their life. Not only are the zombies real but they’re in all essence, harmless.

This is where it really defers from the original Scooby-Doo formula. For the most part, it’s easy to predict what’s going to happen. In Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, there’s a major plot twist and one most people didn’t see coming. The zombies were, in fact, trying to help them as Simone and Lena were the actual monsters.

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As if the great animation and unique plot wasn’t enough, the film had a killer soundtrack. The main theme for the film was “It’s Terror Time Again” and it’s played when the gang is being chased by zombies. It really sets the entire ambiance for the film and inadvertently played a part in featuring music in the later films.

It’s a huge diversion from all of the other Scooby-Doo interpretations. I’d also be remiss not to mention how creepy and spooky this movie is. It might not hold up today, but the scenes with the zombies and the two women turning into cats freaked me out.

Mystery Incorporated was a darker version of the gang, but it never took the same risks as Zombie Island did. Even though Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island is 20 years old, it doesn’t feel like there’s anything that’s come close to matching it. If you haven’t watched Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, do yourself a favor and watch it.

What did you think of Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island? Share your thoughts in the comments below.