Muppets Season 1 releases Aug 9, 2005

[TotallySpiesFan]

This is getting ridiculous! I'm glad I have not ordered my copy. Maybe we should wait for the UK/European release and hope those will be uncut.

Well, that makes two of us.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

It's...we've got...hold on!

If they can show the unedited shows on TV, why can't they put them all on the DVD?? Somebody tell me about that!

 

[Douglas Fir]

It's...we've got...hold on!

If they can show the unedited shows on TV, why can't they put them all on the DVD?? Somebody tell me about that!

Well when it comes to songs often in older shows they were only licensed for television broadcast and the songs have to be licensed again for home video distribution - usually when the cost or re-licensing the song is excessive they simply choose to edit shows or use different songs.

As for why things like Muppet Newsman sketches are being cut... ?!?!?

 

[anathema]

Well when it comes to songs often in older shows they were only licensed for television broadcast and the songs have to be licensed again for home video distribution - usually when the cost or re-licensing the song is excessive they simply choose to edit shows or use different songs.

And some music isn't clearable at any price - AFAIK it isn't currently possible to clear Beatles recordings at all. Whether this also applies to cover versions of Beatles songs is something I don't know - hopefully not, or else a lot more Muppet Shows are gonna be cut.

What's odd about this is that several of these shows have been released uncut in the US fairly recently. Either the rights situation has changed since then, or else Disney are being especially cheap...

As for why things like Muppet Newsman sketches are being cut... ?!?!?

Probably a screwup - see my post above.

 

[anathema]

Thats all the cuts as I can see.

Alex heres the running time of the other cut episodes

Joel Grey 24:34
Jim Nabours 21:10
Vincent price 22:48

They lopped rather a lot out, didn't they :-(

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

All I can say is MAYBE, just maybe Disney put in the wrong masters and DIDN'T mean too! We all just cant pin-point right?!? Some one just needs to get a hold of Disney/MHC like GW, by the way where has he been?, and ask why. No need to be angry I'm sure theres an ancer, and i STILL plan on buying my set along with MWoO on tuesday!

 

[Philip Kippel]

I just e-mailed GelfingWaldo, asking him these questions.

If/when he replies, I'll post what he wrote to me.

 

[Douglas Fir]

Probably a screwup - see my post above.

It reminds me of the limited edition Walt Disney Treasures tins that have been released over the last few years (which I have a complete set of!) - even though those sets were supposed to be archival sets for enthusiasts featuring uncut material they occassionally used the wrong masters and at least a few classic shorts are now preserved in slightly edited versions!... it kinda sucks but they're still nice sets - I'm sure it will be the same with TMS

 

[MuppetDanny]

My only question is didn't Disney say in the press release that these were uncut episodes?

oddly no

here's a copy of the press release from ultimatedisney.com:

The First Season On DVD For The First Time Ever!

THE MUPPET SHOW
SEASON ONE

The Ultimate Collector’s Edition Available On DVD August 9​

BURBANK, Calif., June 1, 2005 - It’s time to raise the curtain on The Muppet Show! Join Kermit,
Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Swedish Chef and more, in the first season of this groundbreaking
twist on the classic variety show. The first season is on DVD for the first time ever.THE MUPPET SHOW SEASON ONE contains all 24 episodes, completely restored and remastered. Come discover for yourself the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational pleasures of THE MUPPET SHOW SEASON ONE, available on DVD in a 4-disc DVD set.

The first season of the Muppet’s groundbreaking show features guest stars Joel Grey, Connie
Stevens, Ruth Buzzi, Rita Moreno, Jim Nabors, Florence Henderson, Harvey Korman, Lena Horne,
Peter Ustinov, Sandy Duncan, Candice Bergen, Ben Vereen, Phyllis Diller, Vincent Price, Valerie
Harper, Ethel Merman, and more.

DVD Bonus Features:
• Jim Henson’s original “pitch reel”
The reel that propelled the Muppets’ blend of original songs, sketch comedy and guest stars
into a primetime hit for all ages.
• Muppet Morsels
• Original Pilot
• Season One Promotional Gag Reel
• Collectible Packaging – With A Fun, Furry Touch
ultimatedisney.com:

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

Argh! Stink stink stink! I mean, I haven't seen a number of these episodes in many years anyway, so I'll be glad just to have them and see them, but I wish that things like this didn't have to happen. Why can't they work out copyright law to make issues like this go away? It doesn't seem fair to be able to use a song in broadcast and not on video. Then again, if the rights to the songs would have cost so much that the price of the dvd sets would have gone up significantly, it may be a necessary evil. They need to keep the price down so that consumers beyond the hardcore Muppet fans will pick this up and want to buy more. Still, it's very annoying to know that some episodes are incomplete.

I hadn't known that the retrospective would be dropped either. This may already be covered somewhere--can anyone refresh my memory or point me in the right direction? Is this something that might still appear on future sets?