Very Muppet Christmas specs. Please remain calm (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Kleist]

From DVDFile
Just in time for the holiday buying season comes A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie on October 7th. This special edition features a 4:3 full screen transfer, English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks, deleted scenes, the "Inside Pepe's Studio" featurette, a blooper reel and Muppet character bios. Retail is $19.95

Please do not freak on the fullscreen. I am in the process of verifying the actual OAR with my sources at Henson. I CAN tell it you it was shot on 16:9 HD Cameras, but we do not know the preferred AR, so please hold the screaming till I can verify it

 

[Jason Seaver]

Ahhh, Muppet Bloopers. There are few things more beautiful in the entertainment world than these guys staying in character when they mess up.

 

[Kevin EK]

Whatever you do, refrain from saying the word, um, "phenomena" around the Muppets.

 

[TonyD]

it was in full screen when it was on tv.

 

[Aaron Cohen]

This special was awesome. I saw it on television on full-frame and did not know it was shot on 16x9 HD cameras.... If that was the intended ratio then phooey. I'm tired of full-frame Muppet transfers. Muppet Treasure Island is honestly one of my favorite movies but the damn full-frame disc is all we get.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Early sign is that 4:3 was the intended ratio, as it was going to TV. HOWEVER I am still waiting on final word.

 

[Brenton]

4:3 was not the intended ratio. Remember that flying mirror looking glass thing that Whoopie Goldberg had? There were little tiny cherubim type things in the top corners carrying it. You could hear their wings swishing very deliberately, but you could not see them, except from far away when they were first flying up.

I really liked this one. For the first time since Henson's death, the Muppet crew has finally hit the mark, in terms of humor. But if it turns out to be in full screen, I'm not touching that piece of shit.

I've been fed up enough already with Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Brenton, why don't you wait for the people who performed/wrote/shot the special to weigh in on it before you make the call on intended AR?

 

[Steve_Knutzen]

If 4:3 is the intended ratio, I'll definitely check it out.

 

[Nick Beecham]

Muppets Treasure Island is 16x9 anamorphic on R2.

 

[Jorge Montes]

I too will wait for the word on intended OAR, but I remember hearing about those cropped out cherubs from people who saw it in 16x9. But if 4:3 is OAR, I'll get it.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

If it was shot 16x9 HD then 4x3 cannot be it's intended aspect ratio unless the area to the left/right of the 4x3 window (in the 16x9 frame) was intended to be cropped.

How would it be presented in hi-def? If it's a normal 16x9 HD image...then 16x9 is it's *intended* aspect ratio. If it's pillarboxed to present a 4x3 image in a 16x9 HD frame...then I'll buy the 4x3 intended line.

-dave

 

[derek]

Boy..this was the first Muppet special/movie that I would be ashamed to show my kids. I could remember being in utter disbelief at how much adult humor and lewd references were in the film. It's a far far far cry from the family friendly goodness of Muppet Christmas Carol.

 

[JustinCleveland]

For a moment, I thought this was another issuance of Muppet Christmas Carrol in FS. Talk about a disc that needs an OAR treatment, ASAP, it's that.

But glad to see you got the straight scoop on this... my Muppet-obsessed girlfriend will be happy with this!

 

[Peter Canavese]

I know you don't want people to rush to anger, Jeff, but I really don't think it's a rush to judgment to believe the OAR is widescreen. It was shot this way for HDTV broadcast, and anyone watching the special could tell that it was cropped--sometimes awkwardly, as in the angelic mirror scene--for full-frame. I remember distinctly while watching it thinking, "I look forward to a widescreen DVD of this."

That being said, I completely expect any spokesperson to SAY the intended aspect ratio is whatever they're about to release to the market. I have no faith you'll get an honest reply that this release is wrongly cropped, especially after the anger generated by the particularly offensive hack jobs on Xmas Carol and Treasure Island.

It's certainly arguable that the show was designed to be watched in both aspect ratios, like any HDTV broadcast, but, again, any discriminating viewer of the movie could tell the widescreen view would be preferred almost as much as it would be with any modern feature film given the full-frame treatment (after all, many modern films have been made with future P&S cuts in mind). Again, I'm disappointed, won't buy, and will await the day the original artistic design is done justice for the Muppet films.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

David this could be 1.33:1 the same way Buffy is. 16:9 frame with 4:3 extraction

Peter, my answer will be coming direct from Muppeteers. Not the suits. They often have no involvement whatsoever in the home video process. As for Xmas Carol and Treasure Island, the impression I've been given from sources is that Brian Henson was watching it wide for commentary and got bait n switched. I cannot confirm that however.

With most dual ratio programs, you're going to get some shots that look a lot bettre in the other ratio. It happens. Rest assured as soon as I get an answer I will post it.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

So which version is cropped and which version has more picture info...the 4x3 version or the 16x9 version?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

David, you're running into the same problem as the people on Buffy

It's not about MORE picture info, it's about the RIGHT picture info. Opening up side mattes is just as bad as open-matte on the vertical plane.

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

One thing for sure: Henson is not to blame. The decision to release this in MAR rests with (AFAIK) NBC, who is making the disc.

What's even stranger is that, since it was broadcast at 4:3, then this is the "original exhibited aspect ratio."

 

[Randy A Salas]

the impression I've been given from sources is that Brian Henson was watching it wide for commentary and got bait n switched. I cannot confirm that however.

It's pretty easy to confirm by listening to the commentary. During the opening musical sequence, Shiver Me Timbers, he regularly refers to things that are not being shown on the screen because they've been cropped out of the picture.