The Muppets are better than everything

[Jay 37,322]

Muppets Haunted Mansion: Disney+ Sets Halloween Special For Fall

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

That video would have been funnier with Rizzo instead of Pepe. 

[Jay 37,322]

I like Pepe but I do feel like they've been trying to make Pepe happen for years now

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

What ever happened to Baby Bear? Also is this going to be like the movie Clue, just with more blood?

[Faleel 5,340]

2 minutes ago, Oomoog the Ecstatic said:

What ever happened to Baby Bear?

Baby Bear was Sesame Street wasn't he?

[Thor 7,478]

I grew up with THE MUPPET SHOW on TV, like most other people my age around the world. I've seen about a handful of movies, but I've far from seen it all. I actually saw the space movie a few weeks ago, and found that lacklustre. But I'm eager to check out their earlier movies in more detail. This particular, absurdist sketch is one of the best things ever:

 

 

[Alex 2,833]

It’s good Disney seem to have remembered they own The Muppets, although most of their Muppet-related productions have been average at best.

 

24 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

That video would have been funnier with Rizzo instead of Pepe. 

Unfortunately we won’t be seeing Rizzo again unless they recast him.

[Bespin 8,480]

What is you favourite Muppets character?

[mstrox 6,647]

The Muppets ARE better than anything!

 

I wonder if this is the shelved ABC Halloween special they filmed like a decade ago (somewhere after Letters to Santa) or if this is all-new.
 

My general Muppets plea:  Disney please put Great Muppet Caper and Muppets Take Manhattan OSTs on CD please (MTM might be under someone else, so if you are reading this and have the rights please do it) 

 

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

That video would have been funnier with Rizzo instead of Pepe. 

 

Steve Whitmire is no longer with the Muppets, but it probably isn’t too hard to recast.  They’ve recast basically every important Muppet at this point but Gonzo. New non-Whitmire Kermit’s voice already sounds normal to me, even though it’s clearly different.

 

Pepe has always been fine for me, but tbh my favorite Pepe pairing was with Rizzo, so that’s out too!

[Faleel 5,340]

8 minutes ago, mstrox said:

The Muppets ARE better than anything!

 

I wonder if this is the shelved ABC Halloween special they filmed like a decade ago (somewhere after Letters to Santa) or if this is all-new.
 

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

12 minutes ago, mstrox said:

My general Muppets plea:  Disney please put Great Muppet Caper and Muppets Take Manhattan OSTs on CD please (MTM might be under someone else, so if you are reading this and have the rights please do it) 

 

As someone who thinks that Caper is obviously the best of the original trilogy of Muppet movies, I can't say I feel much attachment to its score but it is a tad ridiculous that all the Muppet soundtracks aren't fully available for streaming, downloading, and CD buying.  Come on, Disney.

[Jay 37,322]

15 minutes ago, mstrox said:

tbh my favorite Pepe pairing was with Rizzo

 

I liked Pepe and Seymour

 

 

[Faleel 5,340]

33 minutes ago, mstrox said:

The Muppets ARE better than anything!

 

I wonder if this is the shelved ABC Halloween special they filmed like a decade ago (somewhere after Letters to Santa) or if this is all-new.
 

My general Muppets plea:  Disney please put Great Muppet Caper and Muppets Take Manhattan OSTs on CD please

A jam

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

56 minutes ago, mstrox said:

New non-Whitmire Kermit’s voice already sounds normal to me

 

I really can't agree.  The new voice is way too "sad sack" sounding to me.

[Matt S. 493]

 

4 hours ago, Bespin said:

What is you favourite Muppets character?

Here’s a hint

 

[Oomoog the Ecstatic 314]

On 5/7/2021 at 10:21 AM, Falco said:

Baby Bear was Sesame Street wasn't he?

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I assume y'all have watched the Muppets Haunted Mansion special @mstrox?  I gotta say that I've been perplexed by seeing a lot of people online say it's the best Muppet thing in decades, I thought it was very mediocre.

[mstrox 6,647]

we thought it was fun!  i wouldn’t say best in a decade, because both of the recent movies are tons better, but imo it was much better than the recent d+ show, the abc show, the barrage of youtube videos.  also liked it better than most of the “middle years” stuff (treasure island, wizard of oz, muppets from space) - some of that stuff was grim.

 

not sure if ill ever come around to the new kermit though.  i think everyone on earth can do a decent kermit voice except this guy

[Disco Stu 15,495]

If I'm honest I've been "out" on Muppets for many years now and firing Whitmire pretty much closed the door forever probably.

[Jay 37,322]

Wait, by the ABC show, are you talking about the 2015 show? Cause that was great!

 

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

I know I'm going to be shot down in flames, here, but I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I really don't get The Muppets. I appreciate their educational value, in Sesame Street, but as form of entertainment, they leave me absolutely nonplussed.

Sorry.

[Jay 37,322]

No reason to be sorry, different people like different things

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

Thanks, @Jay

I added the "sorry", because I both like and respect JWfan, and JWfaners, and wanted to convey that my remarks were both considered, and respectful.

[Jay 37,322]

That should go without saying

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

Indeed.

[mstrox 6,647]

52 minutes ago, Jay said:

Wait, by the ABC show, are you talking about the 2015 show? Cause that was great!

 

 

It was pretty good!  The only truly bad stuff from the recent past is probably their run of YouTube music video parodies.  The sitcom format was fine, although I couldn’t help wanting just to watch the show they were putting on instead.  My preference for any Muppet show is the variety show format, which they executed so well with The Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight.  The newer D+ show was also pretty fun but a lot of the format is stuff I really don’t care for (YouTube type videos) and the lack of an audience makes it lose that Putting on a Show feel.

On 7/5/21 at 2:29 PM, mstrox said:

New non-Whitmire Kermit’s voice already sounds normal to me, even though it’s clearly different.

1 hour ago, mstrox said:

not sure if ill ever come around to the new kermit though.  i think everyone on earth can do a decent kermit voice except this guy

 

[Jay 37,322]

I loved Muppets Tonight! too. Well, I did at the time, haven't revisited it ever

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I have very fond memories of that show too.  It aired at the height of my TGIF watching period.  Muppets!  Sabrina!  Boy Meets World!

[mstrox 6,647]

Hopefully they’ll be able to release it (or some version of it that minimally avoids cost prohibitive rights issues, unfortunately) on Disney+.  I have also not seen it since that time.

[Tallguy 3,380]

Haunted Mansion was aggressively OK. As a lover of both The Muppets and The Haunted Mansion my expectations were high.

 

The best bit in the show was whatever mad genius decided to combine the ballroom from the Mansion with the ballroom sketch from the Muppet show. They ever brought in Wayne and Wanda. Second best bit was including the break-down spiel. A more direct nod to Paul Frees would have been nice. Will Arnett is no Paul Frees.

 

Boo to the (whatever slur you want here) that decided we couldn't handle the swinging corpse in the rafters or the two gentlemen shooting at each other but still felt the need to lampshade it.

 

And the graveyard should have been the finale not the opening.

 

I liked it. The kids liked it. It wasn't Muppet Treasure Island or anything.

 

(Look, Pirates of the Caribbean got an amazing movie. Three by my lights but people's opinions differ. I just want something that awesome for the Mansion.)

[Jay 37,322]

On 07/05/2021 at 2:29 PM, mstrox said:

I wonder if this is the shelved ABC Halloween special they filmed like a decade ago (somewhere after Letters to Santa) or if this is all-new.

 

Do we know now the answer to this?

[mstrox 6,647]

Not officially, but based on the content, the guest stars, etc., it’s pretty safe to say that this is a new special.  That announcement was in 2009 for a 2010 special.  I may be the only bozo who remembers the press release for that previous special anyway.

 

This was the released promo shot, which doesn’t mirror anything in this special either.

 

 

I’m just happy that Disney is keeping Muppet projects in the hopper, tbh.  A lot of quiet years!

[Datameister 2,037]

My girlfriend is a lot more into the Muppets than I am, but I've been gaining some enjoyment through osmosis and I love the Haunted Mansion. We did watch and enjoy the special. Honestly, the lack of real sets was the biggest buzzkill for me; kinda felt like watching a Muppets Zoom call with great virtual backgrounds at times. But it was still a good time.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,343]

Dave Goelz/Gonzo remains the only aspect worth a darn in these ‘modern’ Muppet projects. 

 

And Matt Vogel’s take on Uncle Deadly.

[Tallguy 3,380]

I do like Uncle Deadly. Hell, he should have been the Ghost Host. He doesn't sound like Paul Frees but he does sound a bit like Pete Renoudet.

 

It's annoying to see any change in the lineup as "What social thing are they trying to do here?" I like Pepe, always have. But why swap out Rizzo for Pepe? The pairing with Gonzo doesn't work nearly as well. If it was a creative decision then, well, it didn't work (IMHO). If it was a demographic decision...

[HunterTech 987]

3 hours ago, Tallguy said:

It's annoying to see any change in the lineup as "What social thing are they trying to do here?" I like Pepe, always have. But why swap out Rizzo for Pepe? The pairing with Gonzo doesn't work nearly as well. If it was a creative decision then, well, it didn't work (IMHO). If it was a demographic decision...

 

I'm going to assume it's because Steve Whitmire has been his sole portrayer thus far, and the company likely are already having enough trouble in replacing Kermit as is. Then again, he seems like a normal enough sounding character that it shouldn't seem so hard to get a suitable replacement (though things like comedic timing and on screen rapport with the others are probably as important).

[mstrox 6,647]

They’ve been trying to make Pepe a thing for decades now, so I wouldn’t think of this as any agenda.  It’s safe to say that he is part of the main Muppet squad at this point.  It’s clear the story for this one was built around him (the lothario characterization fits into the ghost bride storyline).

 

Whitmire is out, and since that point I don’t believe anyone has voiced Rizzo.  Simple as that. I’m sure at some point they’ll recast.  Bean Bunny less likely.

[Jay 37,322]

Great minds...

 

3 minutes ago, mstrox said:

They’ve been trying to make Pepe a thing for decades now

 

On 07/05/2021 at 1:14 PM, Jay said:

I like Pepe but I do feel like they've been trying to make Pepe happen for years now

[mstrox 6,647]

We are on the wall of Great Muppets Minds.

[Tallguy 3,380]

7 hours ago, mstrox said:

Whitmire is out, and since that point I don’t believe anyone has voiced Rizzo.  Simple as that. I’m sure at some point they’ll recast.  Bean Bunny less likely.

 

Ah. Well, that makes sense. Sad, but it makes sense.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I  love when Struzan posts his original paintings for posters, without all the titles/credits/taglines that were added later

 

https://twitter.com/DrewStruzan/status/1466134275896446976

 

[mstrox 6,647]

We’ve already done our Xmas season viewings of Muppet Christmas Carol and Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas.  We also watched the John Denver/Muppets special for the first time - it was fine, but the album is DAMN fine if you haven’t heard it.

 

IIRC the only other Muppet content we have lined up for this year is Muppet Family Christmas and Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.  Maybe the Elmo’s World special that also spends a really good chunk of time on Hanukkah and some time on Kwanzaa and other religious winter festivals as well.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I love Muppet Family Christmas.  I have a pirated copy; it’s really too bad that the rights issues keep it from streaming legally

[mstrox 6,647]

I have an old DVD, but due to rights issues a whole bunch of songs were cut out.  We just watch a full VHS/TV rip on YouTube.
 

They worked out deals to re-include Kermit in Emmet Otter and A Christmas Toy.  I have faith in the deep pockets of Disney that they will eventually get it out there in the name of Content.

[Tallguy 3,380]

Yes, Muppets and Mr. Deutschendorf's 12 Days of Christmas gets played on the drive home at Thanksgiving.

[Pellaeon 593]

6 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I love Muppet Family Christmas.  I have a pirated copy; it’s really too bad that the rights issues keep it from streaming legally

 

Aw, I didn’t know that. Somewhere I have it on VHS. My father taped it when it first aired. Same with the Jim Henson Hour.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

On 02/12/2021 at 5:15 PM, mstrox said:

We’ve already done our Xmas season viewings of Muppet Christmas Carol

 

So apparently Disney has quietly "special editioned" Christmas Carol on Disney+

 

 

[mstrox 6,647]

Nuts!  There has been rumor/tell that B. Henson was overseeing a new edit for Disney+ that included the finally-located high quality version of the boring song in the middle, but you’d think they wouldn’t release a changed version until that was all said and done.  When we watched on Disney+ over Thanksgiving weekend, the song was not there.

[Jay 37,322]

What the fudge is the point of removing arm rods?

[mstrox 6,647]

So you won’t know they’re puppets jason 

Here’s the Brian Henson interview where he discussed a new edit of Christmas Carol, btw.

 

https://collider.com/brian-henson-labyrinth-interview-new-extras-muppet-christmas-carol/amp/

 

 

Obviously his thought on timing did not come to pass.

 

 

Quote

Are you officially putting “When Love Is Gone” back into The Muppet Christmas Carol?

 

HENSON: Oh, yeah, that’s happening. I thought it had already happened, but it hasn’t happened yet. They found a first-run IP of that scene. What happened was that Disney post-production had lost the negative. We had the long version of the movie, way back then, which we made a video master of for home video, and then we cut the scene for the theatrical release. Disney felt like we should cut it because it was perhaps a little bit slow and romantic for a young audience sitting in a crowded theater. I wasn’t angry with them, but I did say to them, “Can the deal be that after the theatrical release, the film lives on with the scene in?,” and Disney agreed immediately. The problem was that they lost the negative. So, we had that original video release, which was on standard definition video in 1992. That’s not what you can release nowadays, so it’s been unavailable for years, other than that low resolution version. The last high definition Blu-ray of Christmas Carol had an extra, which was that scene, but it was the low resolution video version, cleaned up as much as we could, but it never cleaned up enough to be able to cut it into the movie.

 

But about a year ago, Disney called me. They’d been searching for years and they were thrilled that they’d found a first-run IP of the scene. They didn’t find the original negative, but they found the first run inter-positive, which is an extremely clean version of the scene, almost as good as the negative, or frankly just as good as the negative, once you put it through color correction and clean up. So, we have reinstated it. It is reinstated in the newest master of Christmas Carol, but we did it too close to Christmas and it didn’t make it in last Christmas. I can’t guarantee it because I’m not Disney, but I’m 90% sure they’ll make a big deal of putting it in for this Christmas. My guess is even though they could have put it in at any point during the year, this year on Disney+, my guess is that they’re gonna hold it and make a thing of it in the fall. My guess is around Thanksgiving, you’ll hear about it and it’ll be in for this Christmas.