Latest Newswire Update on Henson Co.

[BoyRaisin2]

TV & merchandising? You're talking about the video distribution deal right?

So I guess those "other" movies we heard Jim Henson Pictures was planning on making a couple of years back are not (or weren't) going to happen, huh?

And Henson has complete ownership of Jim Henson Pictures, right? It's not a 50/50 joint venture with Sony, is it?

 

[Luke]

Yeah TV & Merchandising, including the Columbia video distribution deal (obviously that'd end up at Buena Vista). It's like when WWF bought WCW - both companies action figures were made by opposing companies, so the WCW deal was cancelled.

No idea about Henson Pictures, i think it might be 100% Henson but not sure - best to ask Phil, Michael or someone like that. As for the films they make, no they could still make them and have many different things 'optioned' right now that they could also make. Just to produce them and then distribute them to theaters they would need a new deal like the Sony one.

 

[frogboy4]

BoyRaisin2

Why the DVD should be released in widescreen:

A film is made to fit the more rectangular screen of a theater - when released on video the sides of the film have been trimmed off in order to fit inside the limited area of the television screen. This means information is lost. If Scooter is on the far left of the screen, well say goodbye because Disney thinks he isn't important enough to keep in the shot. They think the widescreen release will bother people, though I don't see why - and both versions can fit on a DVD.

Since the age of DVD it has been standard practice to release a "widescreen" version of the film. the imag is sligtly shrunk so that the whole pciture fits and it is placed upon a black background which appears as black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Disney thinks these bars will annoy people or theat they won't understand them. Many of today's top programs are broadcast in widescreen, so I think Disney is just talking out of their butt on this (or lack of a better term). A few years from now when people own widescreen televisons - the bars will disappear as the image will adjust to magicly fit the screen. Hope ths helped.

 

[Luke]

So Jamie, whats the difference between Widescreen and Anamorphic Widescreen - i think i heard that Anamorphic stretches to fit the whole of the screen - is that right ?

 

[frogboy4]

Most widescreen DVDs are anamorphic - that is, with the exception of very few. I think another point in the DVD debate is that Disney is one of the last companies to release its titles in this format. They held out longer than any other company and I think it's taking them longer to understand the new medium.

Example - Evita - it was released a couple of years ago on DVD through Hollywood Pictures (aka Disney - as you know) and the widescreen is not anamorphic. Apparently they didn't know the difference at the time of release or were just plain cheap. This has disappointed many of my friends and me as well (betcha guessed I know lots of Madonna fans, LOL).

It's rather funny because it is advertised as widescreen in bold latters even bigger than the title! You think they wouln't have mucked that up. Well, anyway - when it is played on my widescreen computer monitor, it has black and grey bars. kind of tacky. More current releases fron them have avoided this practice and I believe that some of the "complaints" that they have received may have to do with ther low-grade proccess.

 

[Zack the Dog]

Crazy Harry

Hey! I'll buy that Earthworm Jim action fig from ya!j/k ;-) I love him!


Zack)Rowlf the, got Peter Puppie too?Dog.

 

[scarylarrywolf]

Fox or AOL, huh? I hope that Fox gets the Muppets if anyone has to. They've done so many classic films, I'm sure they'd treat the Muppets right.

 

[Jessie]

Luke

I don't know it all - ask me a question on boybands and i'd be stumped !

You mean to tell me that you don't lust after the Backstreet Boys? Shame...

:0)

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I realize the list of the potential buyers of the JHC, and all I can say is Good Grief!

Me? I vote NO to Disney and AOL/Time Warner (look what they did with Speedy for no reason). Disney, they chop stuff to pieces. Nobody wants the Muppets to be totally kiddie stuff, and it's already been said that MTI was geared toward kids more than anything. Plus, having worked for Disney, they will do anything for a profit (hello? sequel sequel sequel etc...) and, well, I like their new animated movies, but when was the last time you ever saw anything ORIGINAL come from Disney? It's always based on books or stories or somethin else...Mouse House or whatever that is on Saturday mornings is the best product going for them right now, but that's only MY opinion. I think they should do more films like they did with Lion King, where it's only partially based on something else but is an original story; heck, where's the Mickey Mouse movies? They have great characters they put down for other things. So, when they own the Muppets, how long will they maintain their interest in it? Anyhow, I have to wonder who'll get my goat for having that opinion LOL!! Like i said, tho, it's only MY opinion.

Personally, I have $600 to throw in the pot to begin the purchase of JHC. If we ALL start throwing in the pot, us MCers could own the company. Like I said before, help ME own it, and you've all got jobs! HAA!

 

[Luke]

Yeah but even if Disney do buy Henson, then any product still coming out will be directly from Henson, not Disney. People complain about all the sequels and nothing original coming from Disney's own properties (and single licenses that have been aquired) but with the Muppets, it's more than likely that Henson would still continue as an offshoot company - yes, Rivkin would probably get the push, and a lot of Disney people would come onto the JHC board of directors, but things wouldn't be as bad as you think - Henson would probably still maintain a degree of independance and have a big say in any decisions.