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Dom Robinson reviews
Mary Mungo and Midge 
- Cert:
- Cat.no: KK 41004
- Running time: 190 minutes
- Year: 1969
- Pressing: 2001
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Chapters: 13
- Sound: Mono
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: None
- Fullscreen: 4:3
- 16:9-Enhanced: No
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £9.99
- Extras: “Where’s Midge?” game
Producer:
- John Ryan
Writer:
- Daphne Jones
Music:
- Johnny Pearson
Narrator:
- Richard Baker with Isabel Ryan
There should be something slightly disconcerting with the fact that the hero of the hour in this series, the Mary of Mary Mungo and Midge has a permanent Frank Sidebottom-style grin on her face and is always left on her own with just a dog (Mungo) and a mouse (Midge) for company.
Each episode is generally precipitated by the need to take a trip outside into the big, wide world and to go down in the lift, which, worryingly, doesn’t have a button for the 8th floor where Mary and co. reside. Former newsreader Richard Baker narrates the storyline and does all the voices apart from Mary (Isabel Ryan).
This DVD combines all 13 of the near-15-minute episodes into one release including :
- The Crane: Mungo takes Midge outside, the latter of whom is fascinated to see how the crane on a building site works and takes to controlling one himself, as you do.
- The Letter: Why have a dog and bark yourself? That’s obviously Mary’s policy as she needs a letter posting, but first gets Mungo to lick the stamp and Midge to jump up and down on it before letting the pair place it in the post box. In the ensuing chaos, Midge falls in, eventually gets collected and taken to the sorting office.
- The Toy Shop: Mary’s doll has broken so they set off to get it mended. While there, Midge takes to living in a doll’s house.
The episodes included are :
1. The Crane
2. The Letter
3. The Boat
4. Printing
5. Clocks
6. Mungo Lost
7. Machines 8. Toy Shop
9. The Fair
10. Flying
11. The Garage
12. Hospital
13. Seaside
As you’d expect, the programme is shot in standard 4:3. There are print flecks and scratches fairly often, but nothing of the magnitude that would put you off and it can be considered very good for its age of 32 years. I was unable to determine the average bitrate.
The sound is in mono and is clear enough for the narration and voices.
Alas there are no subtitles, with just one extra in the form of a “Where’s Midge?” game. Selecting this brings up a scene from an episode and a square appears, allowing you to highlight a section of the screen where you think Midge might be. However, it’s purely random as to whether you get it right and a quick choice is necessary otherwise time’s up. Get it right, though and Midge will appear balancing himself on a ball.
There’s one chapter for each of the 13 episodes and the menus have clever animation with sound. The main menu, when left to its own devices, will see the characters telling nursery rhymes to the viewer. A definite must for all fans of the show at this price.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL 
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.