PAL VHS The Slaves of Castle Plun-Darr

A single-episode 1987 UK PAL VHS release by Hollywood Nites Ltd, one of the early independent video distributors to license ThunderCats episodes for home video.

Released by: Hollywood Nites Ltd, Unit 4 The Whitworth Road Industrial Estate, Whitworth Road, Pin Green, Stevenage, Herts SG1 4QS

Catalogue No: n/a

Year of release: 1987

Running time: 22 minutes approx.

Episode synopsis

“Make way for a new generation of superheroes!”

The ThunderTank is given a trial run as the ThunderCats try to liberate the Brutemen from slavery. The Mutants are using them to build the evil Castle Plun-Darr. S-S-Slithe uses “Warp Gas” to turn the otherwise meek Brutemen into raving monsters. Using the Sword of Omens, Lion-O sees Panthro in trouble. The sword forms an energy field which pushes the Warp Gas back at the Mutants, who themselves become meek. The Brutemen are freed and the ThunderCats have once again triumphed over evil and tyranny.

Notes of interest

• The back-cover synopsis on this release is unusually detailed and effectively spoils the episode if you are viewing it for the first time.
• This episode was also released on the Hollywood Nites Bumper Video PAL VHS, which used the same front-cover image and added “The Tower of Traps” and “The Garden of Delights”.
• Peter Hill designed this cover, along with the rest of the Video Collection covers.
• Counting the Exodus VHS, “The Slaves of Castle Plun-Darr” is the most-released episode on UK VHS video, appearing on four separate tapes.
• According to the BBFC website, this episode was rated on 25 March 1987 as part of the three-episode release and was passed with no cuts made. That suggests the three-episode bumper release came first.