A new episode of "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony" was posted on Movies.com today. In the latest installment of the bi-weekly web-show, Statler has to look for a new co-host after Waldorf leaves him. Will the two get back together, or is this goodbye forever? So check out the "From the Balcony" website on Movies.com and watch the latest episode. And be sure to look for the next episode on June 10th.
"Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons" DVD box set, which was released earlier this month, ranked surprisingly high on DVD sales charts in its first week. The 4-disc box set ranked #11 overall for the premiere week (pretty remarkable for a 15-year-old "family" TV show release). Based on the consumer reception, hopefully we'll be able to see the third and fourth seasons get equally impressive releases in the near future. For those who have not picked up the set, I highly recommend it. You can read my in-depth review on Muppet Central (click here to read) for the entire disc details, my overall reactions and even instructions on how to find all the hidden Dino-Eggs. Enjoy!
I've contacting Sesame Workshop about the issue of "classic" Sesame Street on DVD, and I've been waiting for some development or further information on the potential project. I am happy to say that there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. Recently I received the following response from Sesame Workshop on the issue:
So there you go; that says it all! The first DVD box set of "classic" Sesame Street material should be release (if all goes as planned) in October, 2006 (just less than five-months). There are no further details on the set available at this time, but I'll be sure to keep you all updated as more information is reviled on this exciting upcoming release.Thank you for your inquiry. We are planning to release a "Sesame Street Nostalgia Box Set", however this is something that will not happen until October '06.
In the meantime, we released a boxed set of The Electric Company in February '06, and there are plans for a second volume of The Electric Company as well.
Sony Wonder is our domestic licensee for audio and home video products. I would encourage you to visit their website (http://www.sonywonder.com/) where you can peruse titles and purchase products. There are various (25th, 30th, and 35th) anniversary editions available, which feature classic clips, as well as some "best of" titles, which feature specific characters.
I hope that this has been helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions, comments, or concerns.
A very special Muppet exhibit opened today at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, located in Washington DC. The exhibit, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Muppets, is entitled "Muppets and Mechanisms: Jim Henson’s Legacy" and includes two exciting displays honoring the work of Jim Henson. The exhibits opened today (May 19, 2006) and will run until September 4, 2006.
Many one-of-a-kind objects from the Henson Company are displayed on the museum’s first and third floors and represent two important eras and achievements in Henson’s extraordinary career -- the fleece-and-foam Muppet characters, and the technologically intricate animatronic creatures.
The first floor display includes many original animatronic creatures, including figures from "Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas", "The Dark Crystal" and others.
The third floor display includes some of the original "Sam and Friends" puppets created by Jim Henson in 1955, the original Kermit the Frog (famously made from a green felt coat discarded by Jim's mother), another Kermit puppet from 1969, an early Rowlf the Dog puppet, the Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, and the banjo player from the Country Trio (which is the Muppet that resembles Jim Henson himself).
If you are in the Washington area this summer, be sure to take some time to stop by the National Museum of American History to see these one of a kind Henson artifacts and displays up-close and in person.
We Remember
Jim Henson
A new episode of "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony" was posted on Movies.com today. In the latest installment of the bi-weekly web-show, viewers are treated to never-before-seen Muppet X-Men auditions and a clip from "Poseidon: The Musical"! Plus you can learn the meaning of this weeks balconism, "LAUGHTERmath". So check out the "From the Balcony" website on Movies.com and watch the latest episode. And look for the next episode on May 27th.
In a round of recent interview, Brian Henson (co-CEO of the Jim Henson Company) gave some more insight to the upcoming Fraggle Rock movie (which was announced back in September). Henson said “Yes, we are writing a Fraggle Rock movie and trying to pull it together.”
Although the film will be coming, is still in very early stages and fans should not expect to see anything until 2007 or 2008 (at the earliest). Brian said that the project is the Company's number two priority right now (behind "Power of the Dark Crystal"), and the pre-planning and script writing is just getting started.
Henson also said that fans should expect the movie to be something more of a "revisiting" of the classic characters, rather than a straightforward continuation of the series. All the characters we all have come to know and love will be there -- but the film will not necessarily fit the exact timeline or cannon that the series created. Plus the world will be updated by almost 25-years since the last time we saw the Fraggles, but the characters and relationships will remain somewhat timeless and unchanged. Henson indicated the plan is "to do something that sort of stands next to the Fraggle Rock series rather than be a continuation of the show." It has also been stated that much of the original performers will return to bring the magic of the classic characters to the screen. According to many trade reports, Brian may direct the Fraggle film (however any final cast or crew has not to be confirmed or announced).
Brian stated in one report that "I think we announced that we’re trying to develop a Fraggle Rock movie a little bit early...But yes, we’re working on a Fraggle Rock film." As always, I'll keep you posted as more develops on this upcoming project.
I’ve been getting lots of e-mails about Fraggle Rock’s future on DVD, so I thought I would give a quick update on the sets. In January I reported that "Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season" DVD set will be released on September 5, 2006. Excited fans have been bouncing off the walls with excitement, especially after the great treatment seen in with the first season. HIT has stated that they are working hard to create a second set that will please the fans - and given the standard set from season one, HIT has big expectations to fulfil.
The first season set held the classic "Down at Fraggle Rock" documentary hosted by Jim Henson along with over 100 minutes of new interviews and behind the scenes insights from the cast and crew Dave Goelz (puppeteer of Boober and Traveling Matt) stated in January that The Jim Henson Company had begun scanning the archives for bonus material for the second season box set.
Steve Whitmire (puppeteer of Wembly and Sprocket) recently reveled some insider information on the upcoming set to a group of fans in London. Steve stated that he has already done another set of interviews for the second season set. So fans should be able to expect another round of interviews similar to those found on the first season set. Steve also said he gave disc producers a copy of his "never-before-seen" personal home-videos from the set of Fraggle Rock. The producers hope to use some of the footage in someway on the upcoming season sets.
There are just over 120 days left until the final release of the second season, the final disc details are not ready yet, and neither HIT nor Henson have officially confirmed any of the sets discs' final features publicly yet. I'll keep you posted as soon as more information on the sets is released.A special thanks to Warrick and the other UK fans who talked with Steve Whitmire in London, and posted about their conversations in Muppet forums around the web.
Awhile back I reported that The Muppet Show – Season 2 was bumped off Disney's release schedule due to production delays. The set was originally slated for February 2006 but was put "on hold to allow producers to "do it right".
But now several industry reports are revealing that Disney has now added The Muppet Show back to their release calendar! "The Muppet Show Season – 2" is currently situated for release in "Fall 2006" (just over a year after season 1's release). There is no specific release date yet, nor any disc specifications; but Disney is stating that the second season set will be out this fall!
Disney is expecting to be able to release all five seasons of The Muppet Show in time (and there are rumors of a complete Muppets Tonight set to follow the fifth season's release). Hopefully the third season's wait won't be as long. But I'm sure Buena Vista's extra time spent "doing it right" with these sets will be well worth it. Also to note, I'll keep you posted as soon as any more information surfaces.
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