Fraggle Rock Complete Collection Coming to DVD

Fraggle fans will be able to dance their cares away with an all-new, fully-loaded DVD box set featuring hours of Fraggle fun! Fraggle Rock: The Complete Collection is set for release on November 4, 2008 from HIT Entertainment. The giant box set will feature all 96 episodes of Fraggle Rock plus hours of behind the scenes bonus features distributed over 20 discs (totaling more than 38-hours of content). The big set will include more than two hours of never-before-seen bonus features including an all-new Fraggle Rock short. The set will also include an original Fraggle Rock poster, plus special collectible packaging!

The all-new Fraggle Rock short, produced by The Jim Henson Company, will star the one and only Red Fraggle (puppeteered by Karen Prell). Filming is expected to take place later this month for the short, which is being written and directed by Cory Edwards (writer/director of the upcoming Fraggle Rock film).

The DVD set will include the 24 unreleased episodes from Fraggle Rock's forth season - including "Sprocket's Big Adventure," "Wembley's Wonderful Whoopie Water," "Sidebottom Blues," "Uncle Matt's Discovery," "Junior Faces the Music," "A Tune For Two," "The Perfect Blue Rollie," "A Brush With Jealousy," "Wembley's Flight," "Red's Blue Dragon," "Wonder Mountain," "Space Frog Follies" and "Boober Gorg."

Below is a run-down of new special features exclusive to this set. I will be sure keep you updated with more details on this release, and the status of the stand-alone fourth season set, as soon I get them.

DVD Special Features:

• ALL-NEW exclusive Fraggle Rock short
• Let the Music Play featurette
• Directing the Fraggles featurette
• The Inner Gorg: Interviews with performers inside the costumes
• Designing the Puppets: Interviews with puppetmakers
• You Cannot Leave the Magic: Last day of Shooting
• Celebrating Fraggle Rock: Excerpts from wrap party
• Dance Your Cares Away: Evolution of Fraggle Rock Theme Song
• Alternative Show Opens from UK Fraggle Rock series
• Original Fraggle Rock illustration poster

Jim Henson's "The Cube" on iTunes

The rare Jim Henson tele-film "The Cube" is now available for purchase online via iTunes. The hour-long experimental film depicts a man (Richard Schaal) who finds himself in a white cubical room and has no idea how he got there. Although anyone can enter the cube, the man cannot leave. Panels in the cube open temporarily to admit various visitors, some of whom seem to know the man or want to offer advice. "The Cube", directed by Jim Henson and written by Jerry Juhl, first aired on NBC in February 1969. This iTunes premiere marks the first commercial release of the film. The Jim Henson Company plans to continue to release more titles from their vast video libray through iTunes in the near future. I'll keep you updated as more titles become available.

"Studio DC: Almost Live" Moves to August Premiere

As previously reported, The Muppets have teamed up with the Disney Channel stars for an all-new variety show special. "Studio DC: Almost Live!", originally slated for a July premiere, has since been rescheduled and is now set to make its bit debut on Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 8:00pm ET/PT (check your local listings for details). The half-hour variety show will feature special appearances by Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, Dylan & Cole Sprouse, Jonas Brothers, and (of course) the Muppets. The special will feature singing and dancing, comedy sketches and the backstage antics of the original Disney Channel variety show.

Highlights of the program include Miley Cyrus performing her hit song "GNO" with the help of the Electic Mayhem; Kermit the Frog and Ashley Tisdale performing "Bop to the Top" (from High School Musical); Miss Piggy's failing attempts to join Nick, Joe and Kevin for a musical number (posing as a long-lost Joanas Sister); Kermit and Gonzo join the cast of "The Suite Life" for a comedic skit; plus much more.

You won't want to miss this all-new musical extravaganza, as a second "Studio DC" special featuring the Muppets is already planned to air on Disney Channel sometime fall. So be sure to re-mark your calendars, and prepare for this brand-new Muppet show. I will be sure to keep you updated with more information on the premiere of this long-awaited television event as details become available.

The Muppets Unleash More Viral Videos onto the Web

Last month, the Muppets (via Sam Eagle) released an exclusive Independence Day video onto the world-wide-web. The patriotic "viral" video has already gained thousands of hits on YouTube, MySpace and elsewhere. Since then, the Muppets (namely the Swedish Chef, Gonzo, and Beaker) have posted other original videos for web surfers to enjoy.

The Swedish Chef and Beaker preform "Habanera", Gonzo conducts a bunch of "classical chickens" , and Beaker(s) sing "Ode to Joy". So check out these new videos and be sure to foward the links on to all of your friends!

Sesame Street to Launch New and Improved Website

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind "Sesame Street", hopes to forged a new path onto the Internet this fall with the launch of a brand-new website. On August 11, Sesame Workshop will launch SesameStreet.org, a new website that has been in development for over two years. The site will be making its debut the same day as Season 39 of "Sesame Street" hits PBS. The new site will feature videos, games, activities, and plenty of Muppets.

The site will feature unique live-action videos staring the Muppets of "Sesame Street". Each day on the new site, Muppet videos will welcome visitors with a different theme, and provide a daily playlist of seven short videos and games tied to the theme. The site, which will be will be 100% free, will include more than 3,000 videos, 400 games, customizable playlists, and lots more. There will be a sections organized around specific Muppet characters, and a "My Sesame" area for visitors to save their favorites. Special video segments for the new website were filmed at the same time as the television show, and producers hope to expand the TV-Web crossover in the future with even more original content.

I will be sure to keep you updated with more information on this exciting new website as soome as more information become available.

"Sesame Street Playground" Coming in September

As previously reported, Putumayo Kids is planning to release "Sesame Street Playground", an all-new CD/DVD set featuring songs and videos from Sesame Street productions around the world. "Sesame Street Playground" will be the first globally distributed Sesame Workshop audio CD, and features thirteen unique songs from Brazil, France, China, India, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, Palestine, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania and the United States.

The two-disc package features a music CD with 13 songs, featuring favorite Sesame Street Muppets from around the world; while the DVD features 5 music videos that visit such locales as Russia, South Africa and Mexico. The CD/DVD set will also inclue colorful liner notes (in four different languages) that explains each song.

"Sesame Street Playground" is set to hit stores on September 30, 2008. So be sure to mark your calendars and prepare for some multicultural educational and entertainment from Sesame Street's extended global family.

CD Track List
1. Sesamstraat Theme - Sesamstraat (The Netherlands)
2. Pollution Song - Takalani Sesame (South Africa)
3. Elmo’s Song - Sesame Street (USA)
4. Rubber Duckie - Zhima Jie (China)
5. La Chanson de l'Amitié - 5, Rue Sésame (France)
6. Our City - Ulitsa Sezam (Russia)
7. Sing (The Kids) - Sesame Street (USA)
8. Ricas Frutas - Plaza Sésamo (Mexico)
9. Galli Galli Sim Sim Theme - Galli Galli Sim Sim (India)
10.Traditional Game Song - Shara’a Simsim (Palestine)
11. En Den Dino - Rechov Sumsum (Israel)
12. Don’t Be Sad Song - Kilimani Sesame (Tanzania)
13. One Small Voice - Vila Sésamo (Brazil)

DVD Play List
1. Galli Galli Sim Sim Theme - Galli Galli Sim Sim (India)
2. Ricas Frutas - Plaza Sésamo (Mexico)
3. En Den Dino - Rechov Sumsum (Israel)
4. Pollution Song - Takalani Sesame (South Africa)
5.The Song of Caretakers - Ulitsa Sezam (Russia)

Sesame's Christmas Countdown Comes to DVD

"Elmo's Christmas Countdown", Sesame Street's 2007 television special, is coming to DVD. Written by Joey Mazzarino and directed by Gary Halvorson, this holiday production is full of music, comedy, an holiday cheer. The special is currently slated for a deluxe DVD release on October 14, 2008.

Christmas finds itself in trouble when Stiller the Elf's magical Christmas Counter-Downer breaks down. It is now up to Elmo and Abby Cadabby to help find the missing parts and get the official countdown to Christmas back on track. The giant musical extravaganza features many special guests - including Alicia Keys, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Brad Paisley, Ty Pennington, Anne Hathaway, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, Kevin James (as Santa Claus), and Ben Stiller (as the voice of Stiller the Elf).

I will be sure to keep you updated with more information on the release of this, and other Sesame Street home video titles, as soome as more details become available.

Unstable Fable's "Tortoise vs. Hare" Coming in September

Following the sucessful release of "Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby", the Jim Henson Company and Genius Products are planning to release the second title in the "Unstable Fables" series later this fall. "Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare" is set to hit stores on September 9, 2008.

Fifteen years after their famous race, Murray Hare (Jay Leno) and his unwilling son Butch (Drake Bell) challenge Walter Tortoise (Danny Glover) and his daughter Crystal (Keke Palmer) to the rematch of the century. The two teams face off in wild on and hilarious adventure, but this time around they learn a whole new lesson - that some things are more important than competition.

The DVD, which is now available for pre-ordering, will include a deluxe presentation of the film along with a special bonus features.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the recently released "3 Pigs and a Baby" (the first film in the "Unstable Fables" series); and be sure to check out "Tortoise vs. Hare" when it hits stores in September; and I will be sure to keep you updated as more information on future installments in the "Unstable Fables" series films become available.