Latest Newswire Update on Henson Co.

[Bean Bunny]

Disney is not the ones

Disney is the not only ones. Viacom for example, would probably put The Muppet Show on Nick Jr like they did in the late 90s for a while. Most part, all of these companies will try to use the Muppets as dare I say it, "kiddie" programming.

 

[Luke]

Jamie

Disney are giving their Muppet DVD releases poor treatment ?:-

* Commentary
* Sing Along Video
* Making Of Feature

I don't call that poor treatment - in fact its better than the way Henson and Columbia treated the major first three films.

The only gripe we really have is the widescreen thingy and thats a corporate decision. It'd be a bonus to have it widescreen but i for one am more than happy with the MTI DVD.

I totally agree with you and get what you mean though on all other that you said, Disney are their best bet, it'd be nice to see the Muppetvision as Jim imagined it, and there is that risk of the muppets being used as kiddie fodder - but there are advantages and disadvantages to that. I think Diz know what they would be doing handling a brand like the Muppets.

 

[beaker]

luke, bean bunny, Warrick:

>>>Cory is joking. In Danny's article he said that Henson had considered a rarities DVD but rejected it because they would never be able to sell enough to make it worthwhile<<<

Eeek, to Warrick, sorry! I was just being sarcastic...oh gosh woulkd a dvd like that be too cool, I was just being a bit facicious to bean bunny's 'muppets @wdw' dvd comment. to bean bunny:
Oh man! I'm with you, I place Muppets @WDW as one of the TOP Muppet specials ever along with Muppet Family Christmas!
though that made it to dvd, joint projects liek that will never see the light of day on dvd I'm afraid.
Luke: I never even read Danny's article on that! Yeah,s adly I think only us on mc and a few others(and JHC employees) would be interested in such a dvd, hehe

 

[beaker]

frogboy:

>>It's a cool idea that they may get a special secion of the park (extension of Muppet Vision) and will live on that way. I think that's what Jim saw all those years ago. My real objection is that the Muppets may be reduced to disposable kiddie-fare which would be a shame. And seeing how little respect Disney is giving their new line-up of DVD releases, it is obvious they only have profits on their minds and nothing else<<

Holy cow! I swear this has to be one of the most truthful unbiased yet very smart thoughts on the possible Disney buyout!
Yeah, a Muppet extention of Calif Adv/WDW would rock...but on the other hand the Henson properties seem to do better it would seem when it comes to Disney, in 'limited partnerships'(ie: Having all Muppet/Sesame/Bear dvds come out on columbia/sony wonder, but letting Disney manage aspects of bear, and other releases, along with mv3d) And about the Disney dvd thing, usually Disney goes ALL out on THEIR dvds, so its a shame theyre handling of the MTI and MCC is so poor. I guess an example of a poor treatment of a really cool property is the whole nightmare before christmas thing.

 

[Muppets1985]

Okay what company is the high bider so far? Disney i HOPE!!!

 

[Muppets1985]

If Disney does get Henson/Muppets ( i HOPE to god, that thay DO !!!) that disney puts these show back on.....

Muppet babies - on Play House Disney
Bear in the BIG blue house - on Play House Disney
Fraggle Rock cartoon - on Play House Disney
The Muppet Show - on Disney Channel/abc Family
Fraggle Rock - on abc Family
Story Teller - weekends on Disney channel or abc Family
Muppets tonight - Zoog Disney channel
Animal show - on Play House Disney
Jim Henson Hour - abc family
...etc etc etc...


....and Muppet movies like... MFC, MTI, MCC, TMM, TGMC, M@WW and other a spechels on abc family, abc, and Disney channel

 

[frogboy4]

Luke-

I still say that cropping the film is "poor treatment" as I have stated. It basically speaks volumes of how Disney feels like marketing the Muppets - only to kids. They have a widescreen version sitting around on a shelf somewhere but are refusing to use it! That is my point on that portion of the subject. Beyond that, yes- the DVD looks great. A sing along though? I'm all for more stuff, but that seems directly marketed to kiddies. That is what really concerns me - although I do own a couple of sing alongs.

Having a park attraction would be great! I never quite thought a whole Henson World would work because there can be controversies in creating and maintaining a themepark. It would be great if Disney just made an extension of theirs IMHO.

 

[Luke]

Well Muppet Treasure Island was a movie aimed more at kids, being a Treasure Island adaptation theres not much more you can do to it - but yes, the extras do tend to be geared up for kiddies and i get what you mean. It's a worry that Disney will market the Muppets just to kids, but then i think the same thing goes for every other mentioned bidder besides Fox !

If you look at the Muppets when Jim was alive, compared to since he died, the vast majority of output has centred more around children. For the Christmas Carol, Treasure Island, Muppets From Space, and all the direct to video releases - there has only been Muppets Tonight and a few gameshow/talkshow appearances that have kept up the tradition and viewer targets of the original Muppet Show !

I just hope, as i'm sure we all do, that whoever gets the company spends a large amount on researching the brand and gets it right - hopefully with the promised 'edgy' Fox show they'll get a helping hand.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Muppets1985:
Yes, putting the classic stuff (particularly JHH and older specials) back on TV would be AWESOME!

Luke/Frogboy:
I wish I knew what the fuss over this "widescreen" thing is. I don't even HAVE a DVD player! So I don't what ANY of these terms mean. Besides, I have MCC and MTI on VHS anyway.

Also, if Disney (or whoever) buys Henson, what will this mean for JHC's movie (if there is one) and video deals with Sony? Are they expiring soon anyway?

 

[Luke]

Boyraisin,

The movie deal expired long ago. The exisiting TV and merchandising deals would carry on, unless the company buying Henson also wanted to buy their way out of the deals. (like Hallmark did with the Odyssey contract) Otherwise they would start doing their own thing once the existing deals expired. This is gonna be a big factor if Disney or News Corp buys Henson - likely they might prefer to have the Muppets on their own channels, and included as part of their own exisiting deals.