Muppet Specials on DVD?

[Pex]

Does anyone know if there are plans for any of the old HBO (I think it was HBO...) Muppet movies, like Tale of the Bunny Picnic or The Frog Prince, to be released on DVD? Thanks!

 

[Drtooth]

I can safely say that DVD's of specials has never been talk about as of yet. And I think it's really a shame. While the "Specials" that were pilots were released with Seasons 1 and 2 (Sex and Violence and Valentines show respectively) and the third season came with a 1960's PBS special, there has been no talk of getting anything owned by Disney on DVD... I really think they could make a box set collection of the specials alone.

 

[Muppet Frog]

LTS was the first Muppet special on a solo DVD.

 

[Pex]

Its such a shame. Tale of the Bunny Picnic was my all time favorite Muppet anything and no one I know has ever seen it.

 

[dwmckim]

I've said it elsewhere, but i'm sure we will see dvd releases of the various specials - but not right away.

Disney outright owning the Muppets as a brand is a different situation than what the Muppets have had in the past - having a deal with a seperate company set up to distribute videos (which have an expiration date). Unless Disney sells the Muppets to someone else (which isn't going to happen), they have the Muppet brand for life. That means they don't have to rush. They can do things in good time and set up long-term marketing plans.

We know how Disney operates with its original material and other properties - the legendary "Disney vault" which every now and then something gets let out of..."but buy now - before it goes back into the Vault"!

Disney doesn't want to oversaturate the market all at once with Muppet dvds. Their big goal right now is the relaunch. That and the classic Muppet Show sets. The Big Guns. There's time for the more obscure stuff later (when the Muppets are at the peak of its relaunch plans, have gathered a new slew of fans and the demand for the earlier stuff is grown). They want to release stuff when the market value is up. When Muppet Mania is in full swing and people are clamoring for more, an older special will have more sales/value than a quieter release at a random time where it may warm the shelves.

It's frustrating and i think Disney could still do much more than what they've been doing as the dvds go (that was my big thing for Tough Pigs' Suggestion Box article) - but though patience may be required i do feel as far as Muppet dvds, the question is more "when" than "if".

In the meantime, TMS Season 4 is on the horizon (and though i can think of better bonus features, it should be noted each box set so far has had a Muppet special as a bonus feature...i'm hoping they go with The Muppets Go Hollywood since that was the timeframe) as well as a dvd release of a more recent Muppet special, Studio DC.

Slow, yes. Worth it, absolutely. And hey, perhaps the economy will be in better shape to where more people can afford a floodgate of stuff as opposed to now.

 

[Drtooth]

That said, Disney hardly puts any of its own specials on DVD. Took them years just to get Mickey's Christmas Carol out there, and it was part of a "Holiday Collection" DVD.

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

For everyone's reference...

John Denver & The Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday, A Muppet Family Christmas and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas were released on solo DVD's by Sony.

Letters to Santa: A Muppets Christmas was released on a solo DVD by Disney.

Emmet and The Christmas Toy were released by HIT sans Kermit scenes.

The two TMS pilots and The Muppets on Puppets are on The Muppet Show season sets.

 

[bazooka_beak]

I just want them to put out Muppets at Walt Disney World *sigh* And it's one big ad for them, you'd think they'd be faster about it.