Lights! Camera! Mayhem! is the twelfth episode of the first season of What's New, Scooby-Doo?
Premise
When the Faceless Phantom drives the stunt men off of a movie set, the gang volunteers to replace them.
Synopsis
A part of an action film is being shot inside a large studio made to look like a hideout. When the stuntman changes with the actor and is about to cross a shark-infested moat, a phantom appears in a cloud of smoke, demanding the production of the film to be abandoned.
The gang drive up to Pirahna Studios, where Velma's aunt, the chief studio accountant, has arranged for them to get passes for a backstage tour of the studio. Fred says to the girls to stay calm while around the actors, but they ignore him and become hysterical, especially around Chip Hernandez, Jr. who doesn't seem to be in a good mood. The gang agree to help the film crew and director, Vincent Wong in their predicament and want to help solve the mystery. Shaggy seems reluctant to do stunts, but the gang talk him into it.
While getting clothed up, Daphne and Velma overhear Chip talking about the production being a flop and that he wants to leave and Velma develops a hunch. Suspicious eyes watch over Scooby from a suit of armour. After a short attack, Scooby finds the suit armour piled and abandoned in the street. He and Shaggy also find Roderick Kingston looking in Chip's trailer.
After finding out that Fred's head is too big for the helmet, Shaggy is picked to do the bike stunt. Scooby is reluctantly placed on the back of the bike. When doing the stunt, the phantom appears and warns the production team again. They hear Chip cry out and when reaching his trailer, discover that he has had an allergic reaction to an avacado that had been placed in his make-up on purpose.
Fred is happy to do the next stunt, which is crossing a bridge while being attacked by bees. The phantom appears once again and breaks the bridge.
Velma, while helping with Fred, Shaggy and Scooby's bee stings, finds an old scrapbook of Old Pete's, which explains about the fire that took Rip Bannon's life. Abruptly, Velma is needed to do a stunt, which is jump off a building with safety wires and reach the ground. The phantom appears and her wire suddenly lengthens. Luckily, Shaggy comes with the Mystery Machine and inflates a nap setter on its roof and Velma lands on it.
Chip suddenly returns because of his lawyers. Daphne is then set to do a stunt. She rides a horse alongside a fast train and then jumps on its roof to save a gagged friend. The phantom appears and parts both coaches. Fred, Velma and Scooby appear with a net and try to capture the phantom. But he manages to rip free. The gang start running away, through the different sets of the studios.
When rushing down one corridor, Shaggy and Scooby knock down an oil barrel and the phantom slips and lands in a gripping hand. After taking off its mask, they discover the phantom's true identity: Vincent Wong. He dressed as the phantom because he hated the production and if enough people quit, he wouldn't have to direct it. Old Pete appears and explains that he was the person in the suit of armour. Velma then deduces that Old Pete is really Rip Bannon. Vincent's acts weren't illegal and so he isn't sent to jail.
The mystery gang walk down the red carpet towards Vincent and the actors to see the première of their new movie The Modem II. They thank the gang, as the film wouldn't have been possible to make without them. Shaggy buys snacks at the concession stand, but passes on the popcorn when Scooby pops his head out from within the popcorn machine.
Characters
Main characters:
Supporting characters:
- Chip Hernandez, Jr. (only appearance)
- Roderick Kingston (only appearance)
- Old Pete (only appearance)
- Vikki Valentine (only appearance)
Villains:
- Faceless Phantom (only appearance)(Vincent Wong's disguise)
- Vincent Wong (only appearance)(redeemed)
Other characters:
- Dr. Bikini (only appearance)
- Bull Brassman (only appearance)
- Assistant director (only appearance)
- Writer (only appearance)
- Velma's aunt (only time mentioned)
- Studio executives (only appearance)
- Rip Bannon (only appearance)(photograph)
- Concession girl (only appearance)(no lines)
Locations
- Hollywood, California
- Pirahna Studios
- Stage 27
- Movie theater
- Pirahna Studios
Objects
- Popcorn
- Popcorn maker
Vehicles
Suspects
Suspect | Motive/reason |
---|---|
Chip Hernandez, Jr. | He talk about the production being a flop, and that he wants to leave. |
Roderick Kingston | He is jealous of Chip Hernandez, Jr., and is later suspiciously looking in Chip's trailer. |
Old Pete | He has an old scrapbook, which explains about the fire that (supposedly) took Rip Bannon's life. |
Culprits
Culprit | Motive/reason |
---|---|
Vincent Wong as the Faceless Phantom | To scare the cast away so he would not have to direct the film, Spy Me a River. |
Cast
Songs
Song | Credits | Performed by | Character performance by |
---|---|---|---|
"I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" | Written by Douglas Colvin, John Cummings, Thomas Erdelyi, and Jeff Hyman | The Ramones | N/A |
Notes/trivia
- It can be assumed that Velma's aunt is an aunt-by-marriage, because when Velma and the gang first got to the studio, Velma (when talking to Old Pete) referred to her aunt as "Mrs. Dinkley," so it's most likely that she's the wife of Velma's dad's brother.
- A "Daphanatic" from the DTV film, Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy, has a photo of Daphne wearing her dress from the red carpet premiere of The Modem II.
Cultural references
- The Modem, while taking place inside a fax machine, seems to be a spoof on The Matrix.
Animation mistakes and/or technical glitches
- When Velma is chased by the Faceless Phantom on the battleship miniature set, the Faceless Phantom's feet show.
- When Daphne is riding a horse on the train, the phantom separates the coach he's standing on and the next one. He remains on the same coach when turning to Shaggy, but when the shot returns to behind him, there's an extra coach along the train where Fred, Velma, and Scooby climb up onto.
Inconsistencies/continuity errors and/or goofs/oddities
- Closed captioning calls Rip, "Rick," even when the former was clearly written in the scrapbook.
In other languages
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Greek | Φώτα, Κάμερα, Τρέλα Φώτα! Κάμερα! Πανικός! |
Lights, Camera, Craziness Lights! Camera! Panic! |
Home media
- What's New, Scooby-Doo?: Volume 8 - Zoinks! Camera! Action! DVD released by Warner Home Video on February 21, 2006.
- What's New, Scooby-Doo?: Complete 1st Season DVD set released by Warner Home Video on February 20, 2007.
- Scooby-Doo! and the Ghosts DVD released by Warner Home Video on August 30, 2011.
Quotes
Faceless Phantom: Abandon this production, all who wish to live. |
External links
Previous episode: | Series: | Next episode: |
Toy Scary Boo | What's New, Scooby-Doo? Season 1 |
Pompeii and Circumstance |