Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Please note, this is not a review of the special but rather the 40th anniversary DVD. The good news is that the Kermit and the laundry scenes have been restored. The bad news, the special is matted to widescreen and features a manipulated film-like framerate (this was confirmed by Amazon user The Movie Man) . This is the transfer the Jim Henson Company made a short while ago and I hate to say it, I'm disappointed. The Jim Henson Company has also done this to Fraggle Rock (matted widescreen but framerate, 60fps, is correct) and they should know they don't have to matte something to widescreen (especially if that production was full screen to begin with) and manipulate a 60fps framerate to 24fps. I appreciate the fact they were able to restore the Kermit and laundry scenes (the former we should also thank Disney for giving them permission), but the presentation should NOT, nor should it ever be interfered.Which is why I suggest to you to boycott this release and ask The Jim Henson Company/Sony to do a replacement program featuring the special in original full screen and with the original 60fps video framerate.

DISAPPOINTED, I LOOOOOVE EMMET OTTER, I AM IN MY 40'S, I GREW UP WITH EMMET OTTER, I GREW UP WITH THE MUPPETS THAT IS WHY I HATE THIS VERSION, I READ A COMMENT SOMEONE SAID IT WAS THE ORIGINAL CABLE VERSION, ITS NOT, THEY CUT OUT ALL OF KERMIT'S NARRATION THROUGHOUT THE STORY, I BELIEVE THIS THE VERSION I HAD GOTTEN BEFORE AND WAS HURT HOW THEY CUT SCENES, AND KERMIT'S ENDING SCENES, I JUST WISH I COULD GET THE ORIGINAL VERSION FROM SOMEWHERE, I HAD TRIED TWICE BEFORE AND HAD NEVER GOTTEN THE REAL VERSION AND I THOUGHT I HAD FINALLY FOUND IT THIS TIME AND AGAIN I DIDN'T. IF YOU ARE FROM MY GENERATION AND GREW UP WITH THE REAL VERSION THAT WAS AIRED EVERY DECEMBER,AND YOU WANT THE UNTOUCHED BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC, DO NOT BUY THIS ONE

We love Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas but we cannot understand why the picture was cropped for this 40th anniversary edition of the TV show. The result is a blurry, fake widescreen presentation with the top and bottom of the original picture missing. If I wanted to view the show this way I would have zoomed in on it on my TV. What were they thinking releasing the show in this condition? Who are they trying to fool? Very disappointing.

Love this show! Saw it when I was a kid and was so happy to be able to share it with my kids.Paid extra for the HD version and it’s not the original 4:3 aspect ratio. They zoomed it in and cropped off the top and bottom so that it would fit 16:9 and it’s awful. So disappointing! Why do they do this? If someone really hates black bars then they can use the zoom function on their TV, but as it is everyone looses out. I wish I could return it and just find the DVD, which hopefully isn’t butchered like this one is.

I am reviewing the 2017 release of the 40th anniversary edition, not any other release.As a self proclaimed Muppetologist, this is the best version of the film ever released. How the Henson company got rights to use Kermit in the film is beyond me but they did it. This is the original HBO version that Muppet fans have been waiting for for years.This includes:-Kermit in the opening and ending scenes-The cut dialogue-Cut song lyrics-Complete HBO versionWhat I am not sure about is the fact that is is wide screen. I am not sure if they cropped the picture but it looks pretty good. For the Muppet completest (like me) you should get all the version but this is the best version so far.

[...]We take what we wantWe do anything that we wishWe got no respectFor animal birdy or fishThe grass does not growOn the places where we stop and standRiver Bottom Nightmare BandWe know we’re a messBut I does not like to be cleanWe don’t brush our teeth‘Cause our toothache can help us stay meanWe don’t wish to learnBut we hate what we don’t understandRiver BottomWhen you see us comin’You better startin’ runnin’We’re always startin’ troubleAnd we’re happiest when things are outta handRivers are for boilin’Parties are for spoilin’We either like to sit and poutOr else go out and terrorize our landRiver Bottom Nightmare BandWe laugh in your faceOr we practice our growl and our sneerWe break up your placeWe are dangerous when we are nearAnd when we are done with our songWho will get the biggest hand?Who?River Bottom Nightmare Band!River Bottom Nightmare Band!

A truly wonderful, heartwarming, beautiful film made with creative ingenuity and a lovely aesthetic. Some of the other reviews here refer to previously released versions of the film. As of 12/19/17, this version DOES include Kermit's narration and the scenes that were omitted in some versions due to Disney owning the rights to Kermit, or something like that. As far as I can tell, this is the full version. A beautiful story with lovely details.

Emmet Otter's JBC is a wonderful charming story about a poor but upbeat otter widow and her son, who decide to enter the local talent contest in order to buy each other a nice christmas present. There are great quirky characters and amazing music throughout (Paul Williams take a bow - I feel like I knew the songs for years after just a couple of listens. I especially love Bar-b-que with Harvey Beaver rocking it on washboard and kazoo!). I actually think it's the best thing that Jim Henson has ever done, and I never thought I'd see anything of his that would beat a muppet family christmas for heart-warming story, music and charm, but Emmet just shades it. There is a very entertaining hour-long documentary included on this dvd, as well as some very funny out-takes and deleted scenes. I wish I could give this 10 stars!

This film reminds me of when I was a child, watching it with my parents, and reminds me of wonderful family christmases. The only downside is this DVD doesn't have Kermit the Frog on, introducing it, which the original tv show and video did. Still, a wonderful family film and a firm christmas favourite in our house. It would take someone with a heart of stone not to love this!

We were unable to play because the DVD is the wrong region for the UK - we were unaware of any problem beforehand and made a disappointing looked-forward-to Christmas present. Hopefully, we can find a way of rectifying the issue.

Been thinking about this film since I first saw it on TV in the 1970's. So glad to have my own copy at last.

Old childhood memoeory for my daughter and hope to build the same with grandkids..clean honest fun show. Kids can sing along ..