Walt Disney Company - Classic Muppets???

[Marky]

Why doesn't it matter??

Besides like it or not, Disney owns the Muppets, both old and new (needless to say, minus Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street.) So that alone would make it in the Disney section of the forum.

Marky, I don't want to sound rude to you or nothing, but I've seen more than a few posts from you, where all you do is just, to be honset, just totally hate on Disney. I mean The Muppets were bought by Disney two years ago, don't you think you should kind of, I don't know, get over it?

But please don't take any real offese to what I'm saying, that's just my two cents, whichs is what forums are for, .

Hi JJandJanice,

Yes, you're right. And no, I don't take offence to it. I may get over it soon. Because at this rate, the Muppets will be by the way of the dodo bird.

I don't hate Disney itself though (I mean, it's just a company) but as a lifelong Muppet fan I think that what has happened to them via Disney's current ownership is a real shame.

The reason why I'm more vocal about it now than before is because as time passes, and more and more projects get cancelled, postponed, shelved, or released without the effort the Muppets deserve, the more I realize that Disney doesn't care about owning the Muppets except for reaping maximum gains with minimal investment of time, energy or talent.

My original point for this thread, I suppose, was a call for a detachment of what the Muppets were (the classic era - TMS and the early movies) and the megaladon corp. who has snuffed out the last flame of hope for a proper revival.

 

[JJandJanice]

Marky,

Believe me I've been a Muppet fan for, pretty much, all my life as well and I agree with you that when Disney bought out the Muppets it was a shame. But the key word there is bought, the Henson company sold their beloved pop icons.

And Truth be told, I think more time needs to given to Disney. People are saying that Disney "killed the Muppets" based on really nothing. A lot of people here are focusing too much on the negative, like the cancel of some shows, and the delay of TMS season 2. Come on, give Disney more credit. Yes it's been two whole years, but the fact is, the Muppets isn't a top worry for Disney. But let's focus on some postive for a moment, the Muppet Show season one. Come on, that was totally awesome, when Henson was still owning the Muppet show, we didn't get any season set, sure we got the best of, but it didn't have the original opening, did it. We didn't have the orifinal pilot, did we? All in all, I'm just saying that it takes time. Beileve me I'm just as big of a Muppet/Jim Henson fan as anyone here (in fact the man is my idol), but the truth is, since the sad death of Jim Henson, the Muppets have been kind of a sinking ship, so to speak. To be totally honset with you, whether or not Dinsey did buy the Muppets, I don't think we would ever have the Muppets we did when Jim Henson was still alive.

 

[Marky]

Marky,

Believe me I've been a Muppet fan for, pretty much, all my life as well and I agree with you that when Disney bought out the Muppets it was a shame. But the key word there is bought, the Henson company sold their beloved pop icons.

And Truth be told, I think more time needs to given to Disney. People are saying that Disney "killed the Muppets" based on really nothing. A lot of people here are focusing too much on the negative, like the cancel of some shows, and the delay of TMS season 2. Come on, give Disney more credit. Yes it's been two whole years, but the fact is, the Muppets isn't a top worry for Disney. But let's focus on some postive for a moment, the Muppet Show season one. Come on, that was totally awesome, when Henson was still owning the Muppet show, we didn't get any season set, sure we got the best of, but it didn't have the original opening, did it. We didn't have the orifinal pilot, did we? All in all, I'm just saying that it takes time. Beileve me I'm just as big of a Muppet/Jim Henson fan as anyone here (in fact the man is my idol), but the truth is, since the sad death of Jim Henson, the Muppets have been kind of a sinking ship, so to speak. To be totally honset with you, whether or not Dinsey did buy the Muppets, I don't think we would ever have the Muppets we did when Jim Henson was still alive.

You know, you're absolutely right.

It wasn't like Disney aggressively took them over.
They were given up by the Jim Henson Company. Jim's kids sold them down the river, and now the scattered current group of 'Muppeteers' are pretty much at the mercy of the Mouses' casting/writing/marketing machine (and therefore can't develop a close-knit "troupey" feel needed to let them flourish).

Hmm.

You know, JJ&J, you've really made me think on this.
Disney does still owns them, and have made it pretty clear that they have no need to revive them properly. They can just let the ownership papers gather dust.

Why doesn't someone within the corp. step up and pitch something worth doing TV/filmwise? Such waste!

 

[Teheheman]

Ok, I'll focus on the positive and say that the Muppet Show season 1 was pretty good. Although, do you think that if the Henson's still owned the Muppets, they wouldn't have cashed in on the TV on DVD craze? I think that the Muppets would have gotten on DVD eventually. Plus, who knows? If they would have sold them to Universal or Turner, they could have done something better with them, or with the DVD set. Disney's priorities aren't with the Muppets, but with all the sucky animated features they have out now, they'd be better off having another Muppet Movie. Where's a Muppet Babies movie?

Daniel

 

[Marky]

Ok, I'll focus on the positive and say that the Muppet Show season 1 was pretty good. Although, do you think that if the Henson's still owned the Muppets, they wouldn't have cashed in on the TV on DVD craze? I think that the Muppets would have gotten on DVD eventually. Plus, who knows? If they would have sold them to Universal or Turner, they could have done something better with them, or with the DVD set. Disney's priorities aren't with the Muppets, but with all the sucky animated features they have out now, they'd be better off having another Muppet Movie. Where's a Muppet Babies movie?

Daniel

Yeah, it was a good set. Which is why I want Season 2 yesterday! Who here doesn't? If Henson himself were still around, I'm sure all 5 seasons would have been out by now.

I think it's just a matter of Disney won't do anything better with them, not can't. Of course they could, they're Disney for pete's sake! ABC is going stronger than ever these days, too.

They've essentially bought their potential competition and are squatting on it. They have their own agenda, and it looks like the Muppets will live primarily in our memories (and hopefully at least the rest of the MS season DVD releases!).

 

[Super Scooter]

I can agree with you that The Muppet Show season releases have been a little too slow for my tastes, all I can say is I hope they've gathered the rights to every last skit to make it all worthwhile.

That having been said, I think I'm also a little more patient with Disney. I'm hoping something utterly fantastic happens with the Muppets within the next year, and I'm willing to wait... for a little while longer, anyway.

Another thing I would like to point out, it was about FOUR years between It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and The Muppets Wizard of Oz. Two of those years (at least), the Muppets were still with the Jim Henson Company. I think it's a little unfair to expect some big, huge project every three months (slight exageration).

Just an opinion/observation.

 

[Marky]

I can agree with you that The Muppet Show season releases have been a little too slow for my tastes, all I can say is I hope they've gathered the rights to every last skit to make it all worthwhile.

That having been said, I think I'm also a little more patient with Disney. I'm hoping something utterly fantastic happens with the Muppets within the next year, and I'm willing to wait... for a little while longer, anyway.

Another thing I would like to point out, it was about FOUR years between It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and The Muppets Wizard of Oz. Two of those years (at least), the Muppets were still with the Jim Henson Company. I think it's a little unfair to expect some big, huge project every three months (slight exageration).

Just an opinion/observation.

I know what you mean. 3-4 years is a standard wait for theatrical releases. But... made for TV? What's the wait?

America's Next Muppet! Can't wait for that! Only 6 episodes, but still!

...oops.

The auditions held last year were for casting about 60 performers to bring back the Muppets into live entertainment everywhere!!! They'll be shows at all the Diz resorts and cruise lines!

...oops.

Disney always re-releases movies on DVD with top-notch quality, research, and bonue features rivaled only by George Lucas!!! I Can't wait to see what they've done with the Kermit 50th year collection!!!

...oops.

Uh, can't wait to see that Kermit 50th Anniversary special .

...oops.

Wow, The 2nd of the Muppet Show will be out spring 2006!

...




... shall I continue?

 

[Super Scooter]

... For some reason, I think I might have detected a hint of sarcasm somewhere in that post...

And, yes, I do agree with you that the 50th Anniversary releases sucked. The only reason I bought them was so Disney wouldn't think the Muppets were outdated because of how poorly the DVDs sold, and because the menus on them were pretty cool.

By the way, did anyone else notice that about Disney? I don't know if there's a discussion for this somewhere else, but they stopped making traditionally animated features because of how poorly their last two traditional theatrical releases did (Brother Bear and some other one). They thought that traditional animation was dead... But, I think they did poorly because they really weren't all that good.

 

[superboober]

Home on the Range was the other one. What also hurts them is the instance on video sequels for every single picture. Maybe the first couple of times it was interesting, but once it became clear they were just doing the same stories over and over again with these everyone stopped buying--only they're too much in denial to admit it. But there's still hope; now that John Lasseter heads up the department, they may give him more free range to be expressive.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

They can't be termed "Muppet Show" Muppets because they've appeared on so many programs by now: The Jim Henson Hour, Muppet Babies and Monsters, Muppets Tonight, etc.

Classic Muppets reminds us of Kermit, Fozzie, and Piggy--but, also it doesn't necessarily exclude our new good friends Pepe, Sal, Johnny Fiama, and more.

Plus, Diz owns all the Classic Muppet stuff now, so it's still in the correct placement.