The MuppetCast - Show #93 - Monster Maker

[stephenjlizard]

Hopefully by now everyone's been able to listen to the new episode (and last weeks', which didn't get a thread on the forums...sorry!). Last week's show was all about the gang at Muppet Central scrambling for ratings (a strangely coincidental topic), and Miss Piggy's Hollywood. This week it's all about the hour-long special "Monster Maker", which I'll admit I liked but was not in love with.

Thanks to the Count for help with the audio this week. I'd be very interested to discuss Monster Maker below with fans who enjoyed it more than I. It'd also be really interesting to talk about Jim Henson's success at telling long-form serious fantasy tales.

Your thoughts below!

 

[The Count]

Heh... Lemme tell you this now Steve. Those feelings of "okay liking" you had for Monster Maker? Well, get ready to face it a second time when you get to JHH Episode 11, Living With Dinosaurs. Both of these are somewhat more grown-up than the standard fare, and maybe that's an element of why they seem disjointed when taken in as a whole with the rest of JHH. If you thought Dudley Moore's house decked out in tribute to Piggy was stalkerish awkward... Well, there's another special called the Fantastic Miss Piggy Show. All I remember about that one, besides the Clendar Song, is John Ritter trying to get rid of Piggy so he could then—in fake pig ears and snout and yes, even a dress—could take over as "Miss Piggy". Also wondering where you got that earlier version of Take A Rest with Bob, the version I rully hold dear is the one with all three of Frank Oz's SST main characters: Bert, Cookie and Grover.

All in all, good episodes and I look forward to next week's installment.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I still have Monster Maker on tape from Nick's Muppet Matinee; I really like it! It represents the frustration so many young people feel when they're trying to reach their dreams and circumstances stand in their way.

 

[Emmett The Crab]

Good show! I hop they put the Jim Henson Hour on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games was developed by Sega, though. Not Nintendo.

 

[stephenjlizard]

I would love to see Disney put the JHH on DVD, preferably ASAP. We'll see what happens.

I haven't played Mario & Sonic yet, but I plan to sometime. I just read 'em like I sees 'em.

 

[BlakeMP]

Does Disney own the whole thing, though? I thought the Henson company retained the rights to the "Storyteller" segments...

I'd love to see a DVD release too, naturally. I'm just curious as to what the logistics of such a thing would be.

 

[stephenjlizard]

You're probably right, I think I remember something about JHC owning the Storyteller.

 

[GelflingWaldo]

Jim Henson Hour Ownership

The ownership of the various segments shown during "The Jim Henson Hour" are split between The Jim Henson Company and Disney's Muppets Studio.

Henson holds the rights to "The Storyteller", "Dog City", "Living with Dinosaurs", "Song of the Cloud Forest", "Monstermaker" and "Lighthouse Island; while Disney has the rights to the MuppeTelevision and other Muppet segments (such as "Miss Piggy's Hollywood").

The Muppet portions of show were actually re-cut, removing the Henson-owned segments, and presented as a stand-alone 30-minute program (retitled "The Jim Henson Show"). The half-hour Muppet-only version was released abroad in several international syndication packages (packed along with "The Muppet Show" and "Muppets Tonight"). Additionally, several of the Henson-owned segments - such as "Song of the Cloud Forest" and "The Storyteller" - have aired as stand alone specials (such as on the Odyssey Channel in the '90s).

Due to the cross-company ownership of the various segments, a complete DVD release of the episodes in their original broadcast format is somewhat unlikely; however Disney could easily release the Muppet content on DVD and Henson could release their specials as well (they've already released "The Storyteller" as a stand-alone set; and "Dog City" got a DVD release in Europe).

The logistics of an uncut set would be challenging, but we may end up seeing more content from the hour released down the road.

 

[Emmett The Crab]

The ownership of the various segments shown during "The Jim Henson Hour" are split between The Jim Henson Company and Disney's Muppets Studio.

Henson holds the rights to "The Storyteller", "Dog City", "Living with Dinosaurs", "Song of the Cloud Forest", "Monstermaker" and "Lighthouse Island; while Disney has the rights to the MuppeTelevision and other Muppet segments (such as "Miss Piggy's Hollywood").

The Muppet portions of show were actually re-cut, removing the Henson-owned segments, and presented as a stand-alone 30-minute program (retitled "The Jim Henson Show"). The half-hour Muppet-only version was released abroad in several international syndication packages (packed along with "The Muppet Show" and "Muppets Tonight"). Additionally, several of the Henson-owned segments - such as "Song of the Cloud Forest" and "The Storyteller" - have aired as stand alone specials (such as on the Odyssey Channel in the '90s).

Due to the cross-company ownership of the various segments, a complete DVD release of the episodes in their original broadcast format is somewhat unlikely; however Disney could easily release the Muppet content on DVD and Henson could release their specials as well (they've already released "The Storyteller" as a stand-alone set; and "Dog City" got a DVD release in Europe).

The logistics of an uncut set would be challenging, but we may end up seeing more content from the hour released down the road.

It's too bad they can't get together for this, and for Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas and make it happen in some complete form. Disney owns so many movie studios anyway. Who knows why these things happen the way they do.

 

[theprawncracker]

Did you know that The MuppetCast will once again be participating The Muppet Central Forum Awards this year? It's true! But it can't happen if YOU (yes, YOU!) don't stop on by and submit your votes!