Muppet Movie SEs on the Way!

orestes. · Post by **orestes.** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 6:38 am

Well this is no surprise to me that they are coming. I'll be getting all four since the only two Muppet movies I own (that aren't recorded off of TV) are The Muppets Take Manhatten and Muppets From Space.

MovieMusicals.net · Post by **MovieMusicals.net** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:34 am

Luke wrote:Oh yes, and I forgot to mention this in my post, but I would appreciate if they let you choose between the theatrical and extended home video versions of Muppet Christmas Carol. It's not that the restored song is bad, it's just that it really does slow down the film and I don't think they were entirely wrong to cut it from the theatrical release.

Luke - what are you talking about? I have a VHS of Muppet Christmas Carol - is this not the theatrical film, or is it a different edit?

Post by **Luke** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:46 am

MovieMusicals.net wrote:Luke - what are you talking about? I have a VHS of Muppet Christmas Carol - is this not the theatrical film, or is it a different edit?

I explain it in my review <a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/muppetcc.htm">here</a>, but in short, the "When Love is Gone" number from the Christmas Past sequence was cut from the film for theatrical release. For all television airings and home video releases, it was restored.

MovieMusicals.net · Post by **MovieMusicals.net** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 2:42 pm

Ah, OK.

The unused song I was referring to was "Chairman of the Board." It was sung by some character voiced by Frank Oz. Don't know if they ever filmed it, but I would assume Paul Williams did a demo of it. Hope it's on the DVD.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:27 am

This is great news. I'd been kicking myself for not having bought "The Great Muppet Caper" on DVD the first time. Now I'll have the chance. It's my favorite Muppet film along with "The Muppet Christmas Carol".

I understand what you mean about "When Love is Gone" slowing down the film a bit, Luke, but it's so lovely I think it really is nice to have it in there. Gosh, I love that movie!!

And yes... we do need a new release of an UNCUT "Muppet Family Christmas" TV Special DVD. That was an awesome holiday special. I can still remember when it debuted in prime time in 1987 right before Julie Andrews' Christmas special. It was a real disappointment that it had been edited for DVD.

Thanks for all the great Muppet news!

jimmyraypayne · Post by **jimmyraypayne** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:44 am

Does anyone know when these will be released (this fall or early next year), and if all four are going to be released on the same day or are they going to be spaced out over time?

Post by **Luke** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:12 am

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like Disney can go ahead and release Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets From Space anytime soon, based upon the way they were made. Here's an e-mail I just got from UD Reader/DVD Toons Reviewer/Animated News Contributor/Muppets Expert Ben Simon:

Ben Simon wrote:Hello,

Just had a read up on your Muppets thread on the UD forum. Seems folks are quite excited to own these titles again in Disney SEs.

A word to the wise though: Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets From Space will never be re-issued by Disney, unless there is some MEGA deal making gone on, as these films were bankrolled, distributed and copyright owned by Columbia/TriStar Pictures.

Muppet Movie and Muppet Caper were "independent" films, and the Henson Co have managed to hold on to copyright on those (now owned by Disney) and the Christmas Carol and Treasure Island films were Disney co-pros anyway, so obviously there's no problem for Disney there.

But Manhattan and From Space (not In Space as is often mis-named) were TriStar and Columbia Pictures releases, respectively, and are owned by Col/TriStar/Sony. Manhattan comes from the time when Jim Henson was very friendly with TriStar, and the deal was set up via his daughter, who was an exec at Columbia. When Jim died and his kids took over, Cheryl tried to get the Muppets tied to Columbia permenently (after the first Disney deal fell through), with From Space, but that film's box office disappointment meant that there were no other films or a further deal.

Then the whole EMTV thing happened, and all seemed lost until Disney took over again. But none of those titles will be re-issued - the only way for that to happen is for Disney to actually buy them from Sony. Maybe a deal could be worked out for a boxed set, but Disney can't release them, at least for the moment.

In related news: Hopefully the new Muppet Movie will be UNCUT. Yep, that Columbia/Sony edition out now, while a nice widescreen print, has been trimmed by several shots, and rather randomly. Compared the the UK VHS tape, the end where the Studio gets blown up by the fireworks, is much longer.

In the US DVD (and the UK DVD it has to be said), the first explosion happens and the Studio stage's roof is blown out, letting the rainbow in. In the original UK tape, the frieworks go off and there are several shots of all the scenery falling down and the other characters looking dismayed as things look like they're going wrong. No word on why these scenes were cut out of the current DVD, but hopefully the Mouse will use the proper print (as well as one that doesn't have an overloud music track, which the Sony disc also has).

The current Muppet Caper disc, from Sony, is a good one, though let's hope Disney adds "The Muppets Go To The Movies", an hour-long Muppet Show special that aired to promote the film, with clips and songs from Caper interspersed with the Muppets recreating classic movie scenes (Kermit and Piggy in Casablanca, etc). That would be waaaaaaaaay cool!

Hopefully, you can use some of this info on the site, or make sure it gets to the forum - interested to hear what your readers would make of it
all!

Keep up the great work, as always!

Ben

So there's that.

And if that neat-sounding hourlong special doesn't make it to DVD, we can all be disappointed now!

The promo does promise "Restored", so that could be in reference to an uncut Muppet Movie or it could just be marketing jargon throwing around to pique interest.

Escapay · Post by **Escapay** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:41 pm

So the Ben Simon thing explains why World of Disney is selling Muppets Take Manhattan ($22.99) and Muppets From Space ($10.99). I had hoped that with the Muppet/Disney deal, they'd dust off Muppet Movie and Great Muppet Caper and at least re-release them at stores here until the new editions come out.

Escapay

Spongebob Squarepants · Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:49 pm

On the homepage it says the Muppet Movie and three others will be released in November!

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:53 pm

One question: is Kermit's swamp years one of the films that will not be released by Disney because it was under the Columbia label at first? Because I always thought that since it was filmed in Disney MGM Studios in Florida it would be released by Disney eventually but I suppose the filming location makes no difference.

rexcrk · Post by **rexcrk** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:39 pm

This is great! If there's one thing I love even more than Disney, it's the Muppets! I'm so looking forward to releases of The Muppet Movie, Great Muppet Caper, Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island! Treasure Island is my personal fave Muppet movie and I was bummed with the fullscreen version on the DVD (same with Muppet Christmas Carol).

I'm highly anticipating these releases!!!

Too bad about Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets From Space though (at least I own those on DVD along with the 4 other ones)

Spongebob Squarepants · Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:52 pm

JiminyCrick91 wrote:One question: is Kermit's swamp years one of the films that will not be released by Disney because it was under the Columbia label at first? Because I always thought that since it was filmed in Disney MGM Studios in Florida it would be released by Disney eventually but I suppose the filming location makes no difference.

Its probably just like the case with Muppets From Space and Muppets
Take Mahatten Jimmy Crick.

Robin Hood · Post by **Robin Hood** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:28 pm

This is great news, I love the Muppets!

Lazario · Post by **Lazario** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 1:13 am

Without knowing the details, let me just say this is WONDERFUL news. I love the original 3 Muppet movies and I haven't watched them in so long because I have them recorded off The Disney Channel from years ago when you still had to pay to have the channel, so the tapes are not in great condition. And it would be so great to go back to these movies and discover them all over again, ideally in SPECIAL EDITION form. Because God knows if any series of movies that haven't already gotten special editioned-up deserves real special editions (ha ha), it's the Muppet movies.

On that note, the last time I saw the original Muppet Movie (every time, I remember), I was moved to tears by certain scenes. Like Gonzo's song about space exploration (which seemed to be less about what he wanted to see, and more about what he wanted from that experience), and Piggy's love song to Kermit based on her first seeing him. And even though this was supposed to be funny, I always felt so bad for that big monster with the luggage from the Used Car lot who always said "wait for me- I wanna go to Hollywood!"

By the way, does anyone know how the heck Columbia-TriStar/Sony ever got their hands on these films if they're actually owned by Disney?? The older 3 films, that is: Muppet Movie, Great Muppet Caper, and Muppets Take Manhattan.

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:04 am

Yes I also feel bad for Sweetums (did I spell that right?) and it is so unlike Kermit and Fozzie.Oh well.

Kram Nebuer · Post by **Kram Nebuer** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:19 pm

Lazario wrote:By the way, does anyone know how the heck Columbia-TriStar/Sony ever got their hands on these films if they're actually owned by Disney?? The older 3 films, that is: Muppet Movie, Great Muppet Caper, and Muppets Take Manhattan.

YAY! A Kermit emoticon! Thanks Luke!

Anyhow, Disney did not always own the Muppet movies. They've only just acquired them this year. What we've been saying is that Columbia was the main financial backer and distributor for Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets from Space (which is why you see their logo when the movie starts) and Disney was the distributor for Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island (which is why you see their logo b4 the movie and it is played sometimes on the DIsney Channel). Disney cannot release the Columbia owned movies because basically it was the Columbia studios that made them. Disney can't get the rights to these. Good gravy, I hope I'm getting this right.

Anyhow, there is a list somewhere that a wonderful member posted explaining exactly what is owned by whom (including movies, tv shows, tv specials, etc). I'll edit my post when I find it.

ETA: Found it quicker than I thought, thanks to the handy Search button!

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... ht=muppets

All you need to know is in the very informative first post.

Lazario · Post by **Lazario** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:58 pm

Okay, I tried reading through all of that post. But I still don't understand whether Disney now owns the rights to all of the Muppet movies.

AwallaceUNC · Post by **AwallaceUNC** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 1:13 pm

Ben Simon's report is quite disheartening. I still don't understand why, then, is it reported that Disney owns those movies too? Ben's explanation does seem to make sense, though. I must have SEs of all the Muppet movies.

-Aaron

Lazario · Post by **Lazario** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 1:33 pm

Well, I actually haven't seen any of the other Muppet movies. Just the 3 first films I mentioned. And the Muppets at Disney World special. Which would also be cool to have on the special edition DVDs as a bonus feature.

rexcrk · Post by **rexcrk** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:14 pm

JiminyCrick91 wrote:Yes I also feel bad for Sweetums (did I spell that right?) and it is so unlike Kermit and Fozzie.Oh well.

Heh I'm guessing Fozzie and Kermit just didn't realize Sweetums was chasing after them

Kermit: "Hey we're all going to Hollywood, you wanna come with us?"
Sweetums: "Hollywood!?" *runs*
Kermit: "Hmm that's weird he just ran away. Oh well, movin' right along Fozzie" *they drive away*
Sweetums: *Comes back* "Hey! I wanna go to Hollywood!" *chases them*

I love that scene

I also love this:

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