Kermit's 50th Anniversary - Muppet film DVDs Press Release

anywhere_but_here · Post by **anywhere_but_here** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:33 pm

Well I just don't trust press releases anymore. In the Cannon Movie Tales DVDs' press release, MGM claimed they were all going to be widescreen, and they were all fullscreen, and they also said that Rumpelstiltskin and Snow White would have a french track, and all they had is a spanish track.

And now Disney's doing the same thing thing about aspect ratios.

Taleeya · Post by **Taleeya** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:28 pm

RJKD23 wrote:I still don't understand why a pan&scan version needs to be released? (or will it..?) I mean, I thought we're trying to educate people and tell them that OAR is better (widescreen, not cropped because it can fit the TV screen )

I agree, everyone (including me!) was freaking out at the thought of fullscreen, but has there ever been any complaints about only having widescreen? I don't see why companies continually cater to people that are kind of dumb, and not just release widescreen only.

I sure wish Disney would re-release the Soundtrack to a Muppet Xmas Carol as well. That would be great!

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:23 pm

Taleeya wrote: has there ever been any complaints about only having widescreen?

Only a few I think when Pirates of the Caribbean 1st came out.

RJKD23 · Post by **RJKD23** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:48 pm

JiminyCrick91 wrote:
Taleeya wrote: has there ever been any complaints about only having widescreen?
Only a few I think when Pirates of the Caribbean 1st came out.

"Why are these black bars here? Stupid widescreen."
Oh, those people should learn.

I mean, thank goodness they're making TVs that go well with widescreen but people still don't get it.

Welcome to the forum, Taleeya!

Taleeya · Post by **Taleeya** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:05 pm

RJKD23 wrote:"Why are these black bars here? Stupid widescreen."
Oh, those people should learn.

I mean, thank goodness they're making TVs that go well with widescreen but people still don't get it.

Welcome to the forum, Taleeya!

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, my sister was complaining when she got her dvd player that her TV cut off most of the movie! I had to explain to her that No, most other movies cut off most of the movie, and the black bars meant that the whole movie was there.....

DarthPrime · Post by **DarthPrime** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:16 pm

I'm glad to hear that these movies will be available in their OAR/Widescreen. I will be adding these to my wish list for later this year.

About Widescreen vs. Full Screen... There are people that understand the difference between full screen/pan and scan and widescreen, they just prefer to watch the full screen versions. Why I don't know. My mom will only buy a widescreen DVD if thats all its available in. Both of my parents know the difference, and they both know they are watching up to almost 50% less of the picture, but they don't care.

One thing that I have noticed is local video stores only stock full screen. Movie Gallery and Blockbuster have been good at stocking widescreen, but all local stores will only stock widescreen if there is no full screen available. I think the local stores should try to stock more widescreen so that a customer could have a choice, and maybe they would then see what they have been missing.

GelflingWaldo · Post by **GelflingWaldo** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:57 am

So I decided to e-mail Disney to see if I could get a straight answer about the DVD specs. I sent them a nice e-mail about the confusion and they sent back a hillarious responce. Enjoy

------------
From: GelflingWaldo <[email protected]>
To:Disney Info Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Muppet DVD Confusion
Date: August 28, 2005

Disney released a formal press release on Monday, August 22, 2005 regarding the four upcoming Muppet movie DVD releases to "celebrate 50 years of being green". This press release is one of the most unimpressive and unreliable documents regarding these highly anticipated products. I understand that these releases are over 90 days away, but there are many questions about the actual products. Information on these discs is also streaming out of Disney-DVD's Customer Service and specifications are also listed on DisneyDirect.com (Disney's official online store). The inconsistency and range of statements coming from official Disney sources is overwhelming and perplexing.

The initial press release stated that the four classic films would only be released in full-frame (or "Pan-and-Scan") aspect ratio. This news enraged fans and caused many to contact Disney in protest, however when inquiring to Disney customer service (both by phone and e-mail), fans were told that the press release was wrong, and that the DVDs would hold both full-frame and the widescreen viewing options.

Next comes the issue of the stated special features. "The Muppet Movie" is listed on the press release of having a single bonus feature called "Pepe Profiles Present - Kermit: A Frog's Life". However, DisneyDirect and the Disney-DVD customer service state that this DVD will also feature a "Backstage Disney" behind the scenes featurette.

The next film, "The Great Muppet Caper" is also listed on the press release of having a single bonus feature called "Pepe Profiles Present - Miss Piggy The Diva Who Would Not Be Denied". Yet, once again, DisneyDirect's product listing and Disney-DVD customer service state that this DVD will also feature a "Backstage Disney" behind the scenes featurette in addition to the "Pepe Profile".

The bonus feature listing for the next two films is also not in line with the other official Disney sources. "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is listed on the press release as having "Pepe Profiles Present - Gonzo: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Weirdo", "One the Set Gag Reel", and a "Christmas Around the World Music Video". Once again, DisneyDirect and Disney DVD customer service state that this DVD will feature two other bonus items not listed in the press release - "audio commentary by Brian Henson", and a featurette/documentary titled "Pigs, Frogs, and Humbug: Creating a New Holiday Classic". Also the "Christmas Around the World" bonus feature, which one would assume is the same feature found on the 2002 Disney DVD release of the film, is not a music video (as the press release states), but is instead a feature with Gonzo and Rizzo talking about holiday traditions from around the globe. The press release also has the approximate run time for "The Muppet Christmas Carol" clocking in 5-minutes shorter than the past releases of the film. This is causing many fans to wonder if the film will be cut or edited from the version previously released.

The final DVD, "Muppet Treasure Island", also has discrepancies in the press release. The press release stated it will have "Pepe Profiles Presents - Fozzie Bear: A Long Day's Journey into Night Clubs" and "Treasure Island Sing Along". However, the other Disney sources have it listed as also including "Hidden Treasure Commentary with Brian Henson" and "The Tale of the Story Beyond the Tail'' behind the scenes
featurette/documentary.

Who is correct? What is the actually product features for each of these four classic films? What are the true specs for each product?

Do I trust the press release as the final word on the features, or do I trust the other official Disney sources and assume there is more on these releases? Why are their so many different listings and specifications coming out of Disney's mouth (which one should I believe)?

Fans are trying to decide whether or not to buy these products, fans are curious as to what they would be getting if they were to plunk down the money for these DVDs. However the inconsistencies being stated in the disc features are not only scaring fans away from buying these particular DVDs, but also from Disney's attitude towards the Muppets (and their fans) in general.

Please give us a clear and complete list of features for these DVDs, we would like to know for sure what to expect. Thank you.
------------
From: Disney Info Mailbox <[email protected]>
To:GelflingWaldo <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Muppet DVD Confusion
Date: September 1, 2005

Thank you for your e-mail regarding MUPPET confision. We appreciate your interest.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Regards,

WDHE Consumer Relations
US and Canada
------------

This company responce is priceless (or should I say worthless)

I would just like to thank Disney for listening to (and understanding) what I had to say, answering my question, and even being able to spell properly in their responce. You were a BIG help! Thanks for clearing up all the confusion (or as Disney says, confision).

(and if you couldn't tell I am being sarcastic)

Can anyone else help me out here, because Disney can't?

Post by **Luke** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:27 pm

While I can entirely understand your frustration and confusion, Gefling, the customer service people (who aren't even based at Disney, but somewhere in the midwest) only know what Disney tells them. In this case, it seems like not even BVHE themselves know what's going on with this DVD, as you point out, the press release conflicts with the DisneyDirect.com website. Unfortunately, we probably won't have clear information until these DVDs go out to reviewers in mid-November. I'm hoping the discs will be the best of all worlds (namely, all bonus features from the old Disney discs plus the newly-announced stuff, plus more that's not listed...and at the very least, 16x9 widescren transfers)...but I'm skeptical and unconvinced based on the vague information that has been formally announced.

Taleeya · Post by **Taleeya** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 7:31 pm

GelflingWaldo, that was a great letter, very eloquent! But yeah, that is the same kind of response I always get from Disney as well. *sigh* Oh well!

I hope Christmas Carol has similar menus to the last one, I dunno why, but I just liked them!

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 1:04 am

can't believe no one is talking about this here yet

Muppet Christmas Carol will be featuring both versions of the film: Full Screen "Extended Version" - with the song "When Love is Gone" and the original Widescreen "Theatrical Version" without the song the 85 minute time is referring to the widescreen version only the fullscreen version is approximately 3 minutes longer.

katiekat · Post by **katiekat** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 10:11 pm

Cameron wrote:can't believe no one is talking about this here yet

Muppet Christmas Carol will be featuring both versions of the film: Full Screen "Extended Version" - with the song "When Love is Gone" and the original Widescreen "Theatrical Version" without the song the 85 minute time is referring to the widescreen version only the fullscreen version is approximately 3 minutes longer.

Wait... that song wasn't played when it was in theaters? Because I could have sworn I heard that song when I saw it.

Don't know if anyone here knows, but why is Muppets Take Manhatten being rereleased? How about Muppets in Space?

I'm hopin' to get Christmas Carol and Muppet Caper...

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 7:49 am

katiekat wrote:
Cameron wrote:can't believe no one is talking about this here yet

Muppet Christmas Carol will be featuring both versions of the film: Full Screen "Extended Version" - with the song "When Love is Gone" and the original Widescreen "Theatrical Version" without the song the 85 minute time is referring to the widescreen version only the fullscreen version is approximately 3 minutes longer.
Wait... that song wasn't played when it was in theaters? Because I could have sworn I heard that song when I saw it.

Don't know if anyone here knows, but why is Muppets Take Manhatten being rereleased? How about Muppets in Space?

When Love is Gone was not in theaters but it WAS on the CD.

Also THE Muppets Take Manhatten and Muppets FROM Space are NOT benig rereleased.

AwallaceUNC · Post by **AwallaceUNC** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:01 am

Cameron wrote:Muppet Christmas Carol will be featuring both versions of the film: Full Screen "Extended Version" - with the song "When Love is Gone" and the original Widescreen "Theatrical Version" without the song the 85 minute time is referring to the widescreen version only the fullscreen version is approximately 3 minutes longer.

Well, I can swallow that, since the extended version premiered in fullscreen (although I assume that it, too, was shot in widescreen). Still, the ideal presentation would be to present both the fullscreen and widescreen cuts with each having the option to seamlessly include or exclude the song. Actually, the ideal would be to forget about the fullscreen...

-Aaron

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:04 am

yah other regions have WS copies with the song intact...

the muppet movies not being released are still owned by sony (columbia) and will never be released by disney...so get em now.

bd3 · Post by **bd3** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 9:28 am

It is easy being green! Kermit is one of my favorite characters and it's good that he is getting the star treatment that he deserves! One of my favorite songs that he sings is "The Rainbow Connection"!

bluebell · Post by **bluebell** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:41 pm

Actually, I have been hoping for the new DVD to include deleted scenes/ music numbers. I have the original VHS release and the last DVD release of this film. The last DVD includes "When Love is gone" as sung by the character Belle in the film. What is missing is actually two other short musical numbers that were in the original movie release. ( I saw it on opening weekend of the theaterical release and yes these songs were in it!) These are " Room In Your Heart" sung by Benson Honeydew and Beaker as the charity workers in Scrooge's office at the beginning of the film (song lasts 1:49 min) and "Chairman of the Board" by Sam Eagle as Scrooge's professor when he graduates from school as seen in his past (song lasts 1:50 min). They were very cute scenes. I especially liked the one with Sam Eagle. I do remember thinking the film was too long when I first saw it so I understand why these numbers were cut. They didn't advance the plot and some of the singing needed to be cut. I saw the film a second time in the theater after these scenes were removed and it was a better film. But I expected to see them again, especially in the DVD as deleted scenes. I hope these will be on this version but I doubt it.

rexcrk · Post by **rexcrk** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:32 am

Whoa! I'd love to see or hear those two songs cut from Muppet Christmas Carol!

GelflingWaldo · Post by **GelflingWaldo** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:47 am

rexcrk wrote:Whoa! I'd love to see or hear those two songs cut from Muppet Christmas Carol!

They were both released on the soundtrack for the film

orestes. · Post by **orestes.** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:23 am

DarthPrime wrote: ...Movie Gallery and Blockbuster have been good at stocking widescreen...

There's that name, Movie Gallery. Hmm... I've never been to one of those but one just opened up an hour away from where I live in a small town and the village I used to live in on the other side of the city is getting one of those near my house! Figures, a new video store opens and hires when I leave.

I guess it's a chain that is expanding into Canada. I say blech to it though, I'll stick with Videoplex, Rogers and even Blockbuster.

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 4:05 pm

This may mean nothing, when it comes to the R1 DVDs. But, the BBFC have passed the UK Great Muppetb Caper SE DVD as widescreen.

So it looks like that one at least will avoid the pan and scan treatment.

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Kermit's 50th Anniversary - Muppet film DVDs Press Release

Oh Disney, you make me laugh!

Nice Email :)

MAZEL TOV for "Celebrating 50 years of being green!&