The Muppet Movie - Director's Cut (Almost)

[minor muppetz]

I believe I've read that The Muppet Movie was released in theaters in the UK with the scenes on the original UK video release. I don't know why the UK would have had more scenes than the US (maybe so that the movie could, like The Muppet Show, have it's own "UK Spots"?).

 

[Erine81981]

I know the second one would not work on US region 1 VCR am I right? If that's right would the first one which is shown with them all in the car would that be able to show on a US region 1 VCR?

 

[King Prawn]

Okay, bearing in mind that videos and DVDs in the UK run at a faster speed than in the US (not sure why but it's true) the classic version of The Muppet Movie (the one released several times throughout the 90's) runs at 95mins. The original 1980 release (see first picture link) runs ay 94mins and the mid-80's release (second picture link) runs at 98mins. I have just noticed that the new UK DVD release from Disney runs at 91mins. Now there's a surprise!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/m1stersuper5tar/MM_vid1980.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/m1stersuper5tar/MM_vid.jpg

Beau, are there any specific things you want to know about the "extended" version?

I've actually got the one with Miss Piggy and Kermit over the car filled with Muppets. It's a beautiful picture, the best cover art any Muppet Movie has ever had in my opinion.

Now here's something you might find intresting, I purchased my copy from an old video rental store which was closing down. Years later after having watched the movie thousands of times I start palying around with the box the tape comes in and you know when you open it out so much that you can actually put your fingers in and bring out the cover art . Well I did that and the coverart slid right out and to my amazment there was a diffrent cover art behind it. Now it had the same picture, except it didn't include Kermit & Piggy over the car, Just the actual car with a blue background. On the side of the box it had Kermit strapped to that chair which the mad proffesor stramps him too, as opposed to your traditional little square with only Kermits face and upper body pictured. At the back it had a picture of Miss Piggy infront of the Hollywood sign and Fozzie sitting by the camp fire.

I've always wondered did this release come with two diffrent cover arts included or was their another release and the lady at the video store had simply inserted it behind. I've always wondered because all the videos in this video store had a sticker on the cover with the address of the place on it though the one behind didn't.

It's always been something that's bugged me, I just never though of starting a thread just to ask it since I didn't know if anyone would know what I was on about

 

[travellingpat]

These are the times I wished I lived in the UK...I would really like to see this!!!!

 

[Beauregard]

The 98min one is really worth getting hold of. It also has a different closing credits soundtrack where you can actually hear what the Muppet audience are saying. For some reason, the opening few notes of "Movin' Right Along" are played over the top of Fozzie saying "A frog and a bear seeing America". The classic version leaves a gap.

Curiously...I have Fozzie's line about seeing America...but I can't hear what the Muppets are saying in the closing credits...

 

[Mistersuperstar]

I've actually got the one with Miss Piggy and Kermit over the car filled with Muppets. It's a beautiful picture, the best cover art any Muppet Movie has ever had in my opinion.

Now here's something you might find intresting, I purchased my copy from an old video rental store which was closing down. Years later after having watched the movie thousands of times I start palying around with the box the tape comes in and you know when you open it out so much that you can actually put your fingers in and bring out the cover art . Well I did that and the coverart slid right out and to my amazment there was a diffrent cover art behind it. Now it had the same picture, except it didn't include Kermit & Piggy over the car, Just the actual car with a blue background. On the side of the box it had Kermit strapped to that chair which the mad proffesor stramps him too, as opposed to your traditional little square with only Kermits face and upper body pictured. At the back it had a picture of Miss Piggy infront of the Hollywood sign and Fozzie sitting by the camp fire.

I've always wondered did this release come with two diffrent cover arts included or was their another release and the lady at the video store had simply inserted it behind. I've always wondered because all the videos in this video store had a sticker on the cover with the address of the place on it though the one behind didn't.

It's always been something that's bugged me, I just never though of starting a thread just to ask it since I didn't know if anyone would know what I was on about

Never heard of or seen that version. Sounds very cool tho.

Curiously...I have Fozzie's line about seeing America...but I can't hear what the Muppets are saying in the closing credits...

In the end credits you can hear Fozzie asking everyone if they thought he was funny, he seems really lacking in confidence about his performance. Kermit is the only one who tells him he was funny. The usual closing music is still there but in the background. There is also the case of the alternate "Never Before, Never Again" that appeared on the this UK release and also the original soundtrack album. I always think of it as the "disco mix" as it is a bit more up tempo than the one on the US version.

 

[Stulz]

PAL or NTSC

I wish I could but I don't have anyway of copying from a VHS tape to my computer.

That's a PAL VHS, right?

I know that video inmporters aren't that expensive anymore.. usually in the $100-$300 range.

I would import it for you since I have a video importer, but I don't have a VCR that plays PAL.

However,
Once you get it into a computer you can change the settings before you burn it to DVD to be either NTSC or PAL.

So.....
Does anyone in the UK have the equipment to import and burn copies of this for us NTSC'ers?

 

[Beauregard]

There is also the case of the alternate "Never Before, Never Again" that appeared on the this UK release and also the original soundtrack album. I always think of it as the "disco mix" as it is a bit more up tempo than the one on the US version.

*is VERY intrigued!*

I simply must hear the two tracks simultaniously now! But how to find which and where? I've only ever heard of one version before!

 

[KermieBaby47]

Are the soundtracks different from country to country?

I never noticed the tempo change from the U.S. film version and the U.S. soundtrack. I know it was edited differently (just like "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along"), but I'd really LOVE if we (in the States) could see these versions.

 

[Mistersuperstar]

For some reason I am starting to doubt myself now. lol. Best I can do is record the audio from the "Never Before" scene and send it to you and let you decide. Let me know of an e-mail address I can send it to that can cope with around a 4mb attachment.

Its the only track on the original soundtrack album to be changed too as far as I know. My turntable isn't working now otherwise I would copy it from there.