will Jim Henson's works ever have DVD audio commentary?

[minor muppetz]

Has anybody noticed that nothing that Jim Henson has ever worked on has been released on DVD with an audio commentary feature? Not even big special edition sets, like The Dark Crystal, Labrynth, and The Storyteller collectors editions, and certainly not the recent anniversary rereleases of The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper. Of course, many of Jim Henson's works have been released on DVD with other informative features. I believe that TDC and L have had informative booklets. The original releases of The Storyteller and The Storyteller: Greek Myths also had informative booklets (and I expect the two-disc special edition to have done the same). The Muppet Show has Muppet Morsels, Fraggle Rock and Emmet Otter have had audio commentaries, and Sesame Street: Old School Vol. 1 has an informative booklet, but no commentaries. Do companies think that only Jim Henson should be allowed to give commentary on his own work, which obviously can't be done?

 

[BEAR]

Great question! I'd like to see this happen as well. Surely we could get some commentary from Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire, if anything.

 

[minor muppetz]

When I heard that TMM and GMC were being rereleased last year, I had hoped that Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, and maybe also Frank Oz and Jerry Juhl would have done a commentary track. Frank Oz has given commentary for DVD releases of other movies he directed, so why not The Dark Crystal (or The Muppets Take Manhattan)? I don't know how willing David Bowie or Jennifer Connelly would be to give commentary on a Labrynth DVD, but commentary from Brian Henson would be nice.

While the Muppet Morsels are just as good as commentary (yet it's a shame that feature wasn't included in the Muppet movie DVDs), The Muppet Show: Season One could have at least had commentary on a few noteworthy episodes, such as the ones with Juliet Prowse, Rita Moreno, Paul Williams, and Valerie Harper. The Sesame Street: Old School set could have had commentary on at least the first and third season premiers (I think the thrid premier is very noteworthy as it featured the debuts of Maria, Luis, David, and Mr. Snuffleupagus). Caroll Spinney, Loretta Long, and Bob McGraph could have given commentary for both episodes, and Jerry Nelson and Sonia Manzano could have given commentary for the third season premier.

 

[Giar Fraggle]

Let me just set this straight. Not EVERY Henson thing on DVD is commentary-less. The 50th-anniversary release of Muppet Christmas Carol has commentary by Brian Henson. Muppets from Space has commentary by Gonzo, Rizzo, and the director. And the two Fraggle Rock season sets have interviews that I think could count as commentary (in the first season set, they have sessions devoted to specific episodes, and in the second season set, they have a session devoted to Traveling Matt segments).

Yes, it's a shame that there isn't more commentary out there, but it's not completely lacking.

 

[minor muppetz]

Let me just set this straight. Not EVERY Henson thing on DVD is commentary-less. The 50th-anniversary release of Muppet Christmas Carol has commentary by Brian Henson. Muppets from Space has commentary by Gonzo, Rizzo, and the director. And the two Fraggle Rock season sets have interviews that I think could count as commentary (in the first season set, they have sessions devoted to specific episodes, and in the second season set, they have a session devoted to Traveling Matt segments).

I was referring to projects that Jim Henson himself had involvement with. The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppets From Space were both made after Jim Henson died (Muppet Treasure Island, also made after Henson's death, had commentary in the original DVD release).

Of course, I don't know if Into the Night had a DVD release with commentary, but that probably shouldn't count (since Henson just had a cameo and no behind-the-scenes invovlement).

 

[Giar Fraggle]

Oh, sorry. Guess I misunderstood.