The Muppet Christmas Carol on DVD please! (1 Viewer)

[LukeB]

With the three Columbia/TriStar DVD releases of Muppet films this past summer, this makes "The Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Muppet Treasure Island" officially the only two Muppet films not available on DVD. I haven't seen Treasure Island, but Muppet Christmas Carol is a classic in this household, and it's a shame I have to watch it on an old fading beat-up VHS tape. I'm not sure if Disney still has the rights to it, if not, whichever studio is holding onto this should get off their butts, and release a nice Special Edition for this film, anamorphic widescreen and 5.1, and maybe a Brian Henson commentary or some making-of material. Columbia's DVDs for the Muppet films were nice, and affordable, but rather barebones, and I think Christmas Carol is very deserving of the full-blown DVD treatment, as it is my favorite of the Muppet films. Even if it doesn't rival Snow White in extras, a DVD release of the 1992 film would be very much welcome, as long as it is sometime before next Christmas!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Treasure Island is next up, I have it on excellent authority that some form of extras have already been prepared. I wouldn't be suprised if Christmas Carol came next Christmas

 

[Neil Joseph]

I also want to see those two muppet movies released onto DVD. Bring them on.

 

[Stephen B]

these are my fave muppet movies, if they came out... it would be the best thing ever!!

 

[Jesse Skeen]

From what I heard, there was a falling-out with Disney and the Hensons- Disney somehow thought the Muppet characters were "theirs" and started putting them at Disneyland and stuff, and the Henson people weren't happy about that so they severed their ties with them which is why their new productions are with Columbia. That's why I bought the 2 Di$ney titles on laserdisc while I could still get them; I wouldn't expect these to see the light of day again for a while.

BTW "Christmas Carol" was never released in 5.1; "Treasure Island" was but the laserdisc does not have a subwoofer track (don't know if that was intentional or not; it was the first time I'd seen that on an LD).

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Disney was interested in buying the Muppets for awhile, and Henson signed a distribution deal with them, as well as a license to put them in Disneyland. Disney owns at least a percentage of the 2 movies made under them, so licensing issues had to be worked out between Disney and Columbia.

Henson owns the first 3 movies and the Muppet Show outright I believe

They are coming (at least Treasure Island), I have this on EXCELLENT authority.

Disney has released at least some titles w/o a subwoofer track. I believe that many films are 5.0 in the theater, because the system doesn't need a discrete bass handler. Tarzan is 5.0 for example.

 

[Matthew Kiernan]

Seems as thought they're closer than they were before: The Muppets are "for sale" again (the German company that purchased them in 1999 went belly-up last year) and Disney is apparently in the running for obtaining the characters, althought what this may do to the distribution deal with Sony I have no idea.

As long as these films get out, that's what matters.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

They'll keep the Sony distro deal, it's for at least a decade I believe. Last I heard Sony was at the forefront of the list to buy the Muppets.

 

[JohnS]

Yes please! by Christmas 2002!
I perfect combo with Muppet TV shows and other movies on DVD!

 

[Nate Anderson]

I loved both these movies...a couple of my faves, no doubt!

 

[Jason Seaver]

Actually, I think Disney and Henson had both signed off on the sale, but part of the sale was giving Disney exclusive access to Jim Henson. He died right around the time when the sale would have been finalized, and Disney wasn't willing to pay the same price without his involvement. So, the marriage was "annulled".