The Muppets Christmas Carol 20th Anniversary Blu-ray available for preorder on Amazon (1 Viewer)

[Escapay]

IIRC, Disney released Beauty and the Beast with the additional song "Human Again" available to be viewed within the film as a choice via seamless branching.
Disney included the additional song "If I Never Knew You" on the Pocahontas Blu as a deleted scene.
And here, the additional song "When Love is Gone" is missing altogether. 

It looks like they're taking steps backwards as time goes on. I don't understand how Disney could handle seamless branching in 2010, but can't be bothered to even try in 2012.

 

[NY2LA]

I saw MCC on opening day back in 1992, so for me, the "definitive" version is without the song.
I wish it were at least included as a bonus feature (or via seamless branching), but I would always choose to watch the movie without it, so I'll still be getting the Blu-ray.

I wonder if you also prefer the shortened versions of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, A Star Is Born, Star!, Lost Horizon, Lawrence of Arabia, 1900... etc.
My first viewings of Bedknobs were a pre-release summer screening and the opening at Radio City Music Hall, both the short version... first time I saw the other movies mentioned above they were all cut, yet I prefer the complete versions. I guess I'm just a completist.

 

[MatthewA]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/322490/the-muppets-christmas-carol-20th-anniversary-blu-ray-available-for-preorder-on-amazon/90#post_3998302
I wonder if you also prefer the shortened versions of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, A Star Is Born, Star!, Lost Horizon, Lawrence of Arabia, 1900... etc.
My first viewings of Bedknobs were a pre-release summer screening and the opening at Radio City Music Hall, both the short version... first time I saw the other movies mentioned above they were all cut, yet I prefer the complete versions. I guess I'm just a completist.

In every case above, the surviving creators had no objections to the cut footage being reinstated, considering it was the studios who forced these cuts in the first place, just as the case was with TMCC. When I talked to Disney, I told them I will be horrified if the long version of Bedknobs is not included on its Blu-ray.

Ultimately, it's about what the director prefers, and I imagine Brian Henson, who has been silent on the issue and anything related to his father's creations after he and his sister sold them to Disney, which they would have done anyway had Eisner not tried to exploit their grief over Jim's death to get a better deal, would rather have the song back in. Even so, the fact remains that after the laserdisc, we got two compromised choices on DVD (the cut version in OAR or the uncut version in pan-and-scan) and an all-or-nothing Blu-ray. I don't know what else I can say that hasn't been said.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Simple. Beauty and the Beast is a digital file; The Muppets' Christmas Carol is a film. All versions of "When Love is Gone" have only been released in 480i/p. We don't know the condition of the film elements. Given the choice of watching the film with an "upscaled" version of the song, which would take me out of the movie vs. not having the song at all, it's a small price to pay. That being said, I'm not buying it at this point.

 

[NY2LA]

Simple. Beauty and the Beast is a digital file; The Muppets' Christmas Carol is a film. All versions of "When Love is Gone" have only been released in 480i/p. We don't know the condition of the film elements. Given the choice of watching the film with an "upscaled" version of the song, which would take me out of the movie vs. not having the song at all, it's a small price to pay. That being said, I'm not buying it at this point.

I'd have to say it's obvious that the film elements are in as good a shape as it now looks on Blu Ray. The cut song film element would naturally look at least as good. It was shot and finished on film just like the rest of the movie so there is no reason to believe it would not look as good as the rest of the film would.

 

[NY2LA]

In every case above, the surviving creators had no objections to the cut footage being reinstated, considering it was the studios who forced these cuts in the first place, just as the case was with TMCC. When I talked to Disney, I told them I will be horrified if the long version of Bedknobs is not included on its Blu-ray.
Ultimately, it's about what the director prefers, and I imagine Brian Henson, who has been silent on the issue and anything related to his father's creations after he and his sister sold them to Disney, which they would have done anyway had Eisner not tried to exploit their grief over Jim's death to get a better deal, would rather have the song back in. Even so, the fact remains that after the laserdisc, we got two compromised choices on DVD (the cut version in OAR or the uncut version in pan-and-scan) and an all-or-nothing Blu-ray. I don't know what else I can say that hasn't been said.

I was asking someone else about those other movies because he said the cut version of TMCC is definitive to him because that's the way he first saw it. If I first saw a cut version and later got the complete version, I would be happy with that and not look back. And we have had the complete version on home video for more years than not, (something like 15 out of 19 years) which to me makes the short version a temporary abomination.

 

[MatthewA]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/322490/the-muppets-christmas-carol-20th-anniversary-blu-ray-available-for-preorder-on-amazon/90#post_3998452
I was asking about those other movies because you said the cut version of TMCC is definitive to you because that's the way you first saw it. If I first saw a cut version and later got the complete version, I would be happy with that and not look back. And we have had the complete version on home video for more years than not, (something like 15 out of 19 years) which to me makes the short version a temporary abomination.

When did I say that? Jonathan Burk said he preferred the short version.

 

[NY2LA]

When did I say that? Jonathan Burk said he preferred the short version.

Okay then. You appeared to be answering a question I was asking him, so, easily confused.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Review posted here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/324955/the-muppet-christmas-carol-20th-anniversary-blu-ray-review

 

[jim_falconer]

Broke out the old laserdisc version of this wonderful film last night, and like each and every year...enjoyed it immensely. Probably my favorite all-time Christmas film.