Monsterpiece Theater: Gone With the Wind

[wiley207]

I have a question about the "Gone With the Wind" segment of "Monsterpiece Theater"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKIjrzRMEqw

Since it sounds like Jim Henson performing Kermit, and I heard that it was made in the mid-80s, I am suspicious about something.

Did this skit originally have the older Alistar Cookie intro and outro with Cookie eating his pipe at the end? I know it might have originally had the Union Jack intro. Did they change the Alistar Cookie footage?

If this skit was made between 1989 and 1990, then they probably didn't change the Alistar Cookie footage, since the current library Alistar would be in was introduced aroune 1989, and was seen on some "Monsterpiece Theater" skits with the Union Jack opening, like "The King and I."

I also noticed that for the long 1991 "Monsterpiece Theater" opening, it sounds like they re-recorded the theme song to "Monsterpiece Theater!" The theme heard on the ones with the Union Jack intro was a more bold sounding version with a limited band performing it, but it is the best version IMO. The 1991-1999 version sounded more grand and sounded more like a full orchestra. Did anyone else catch this?

 

[anytimepally]

I think it was made in 1986, so it must've had the Union Jack intro.. the library where Alistair Cookie is the new one in the video, but it might just be dubbed from the original, and if he also catches a lamb at the end of the original, I doubt he would've had time to eat the pipe as well

 

[superboober]

It was indeed first aired with the Union Jack intro, I remember that very well (1986 is probably about right). Similarly, as has been noted above, the ending did not involve the pipe eating this time, as it faded out after Cookie caught the lamb from midair.

I think this is probably my favorite Monsterpiece Theater, using a base story that many young people would be at least marginally aware of and giving it an original twist. It's certainly one of Kermit's best late appearances on the show ("Green;" good writing, don't you think?); makes you wonder where he ended up once the wind blew him away.

 

[wiley207]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZMJbQlRicw

Here is the original 1980s version, complete with the Union Jack opening and Alistair Cookie's pipe! Unfortunately, the ending is cut off. However, I realized something. In the 1990s version, though they changed the opening title and theme music and footage of Alistair Cookie's room, the newer version reuses the 1980s Alistair Cookie voice track! That makes it pretty neat.

As for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Guys and Dolls" (the Youtube prints have the 1995 intro), I am sure they debuted some time between 1989 and 1994, and had either the Union Jack intro or the extended intro (or maybe even both). So they keep the original footage of Alistair Cookie in his library (and not just his voice track).