After a production delay, Warner Bros. has moved the release date for the upcoming Sesame Streetmovie from January 15, 2021 to June 4, 2021.
The film will follow Big Bird and his friends as they find themselves mysteriously transported to Manhattan. When unable to return to Sesame Street, they team up with a history show host to save her series from cancellation and to prove the existence of the childhood favorites’ home to the world, all while avoiding an evil mayor attempting to thwart their efforts.
Anne Hathaway is set to star in the film. No word yet if her recent pregnancy announcement will further delay the production.
Kermit the Frog made a surprise appearance this weekend at the Newport Folk Festival.
As Pitchfork reported, Kermit sang “Rainbow Connection,” backed by a band that included Janet Weiss on drums. Halfway through the song, was joined by My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James and the two then finished the song as a duet.
Russi Taylor, the voice of Baby Gonzo on the original Muppet Babies, has died.
In addition to Baby Gonzo, Taylor's other Henson connection is voicing Duchess the Cat and The Pink Poodle in Babe and Babe: Pig in the City.
During her career she voiced hundreds of other famous characters including Donald Duck's nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie as well as Webby on the original DuckTales, Strawberry Shortcake, Kissyfur's Miss Emmy Lou, Beehonie, Toot, Cackle Sister, Donna, My Little Pony's Rosedust, Cupcake, Morning Glory, and Pebbles Flintstone as well characters on
TV shows such as Heathcliff,The Smurfs, Pac-Man, Widget the World Watcher, Capitol Critters, Bonkers, The Critic, Quack Pack, The Wild Thornberrys, Disney's House of Mouse, Kim Possible, Teen Titans, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Sofia the First, The Lion Guard, and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, and feature films Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Jetsons: The Movie, and The Rescuers Down Under.
She also voiced Martin Prince and twins Sherri and Terri on The Simpsons, but her most famous role was voicing Minnie Mouse since the mid-1980s.
Taylor was married to Wayne Allwine, who was the voice of Mickey Mouse from 1977 until his death in 2009.
You can take a look at the myriad of characters she inhabited below,
Disney Junior has ordered a third season of the rebooted Muppet Babies.
So far details about the third season are primarily behind the scenes. According to Variety, Matt Danner, who previously served as co-producer/supervising director, will now serve as co-executive producer with Tom Warburton and supervising director for season 3. Danner also voices the role of Kermit. Chris Moreno is co-producer and art director, and Robyn Brown serves as story editor.
They also said that we should expect to see Scooter and Skeeter, Sweetums, the Swedish Chef, Vinny (Rizzo the Rat’spopstar brother),and Mr. Manny, who fills in for Miss Nanny for a day to appear during season 2 of show,which premieres August 9 on Disney Channel.
With celebration of The Muppet Movie's 40th anniversary, we look back at the variety of formats on which people have been able to watch the film at home.
After it's massive theatrical debut in the summer in 1979, The Muppet Movie made its way to home video in 1980.
Among it's first releases was this laserdisc released in 1980 by Magnetic Video:
Which was basically the same as their concurrent VHS release:
In addition to laserdisc, and VHS, Magnetic Video also released The Muppet Movie on another now long forgotten format, Beta:
RCA released the film on Selectivision 1981,
and The Muppet Movie was major part of the company's ad campaign for their VideoDisc System.
In the 80's through 90's The Muppet Movie was released and rereleased on VHS.
CBS/Fox Video released versions in 1982 and 1984.
In 1993, Disney released The Muppet Movie on VHS with a free watch,
as well as a laserdisc that would mark the first time the film was released in Widescreen.
Sony's dual format releases in 1999 marked two occasions, the first time The Muppet Movie was released on DVD and the last time it was released on VHS in the US.
The scant bonus features included director Jim Frawley's camera tests as well as Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Rizzo Muppetisms initially made for the Odessay network.
Soon after acquiring The Muppets, Disney released The Muppet Movie: Kermit's 50th Anniversary Edition in recognition of Kermit's 50th anniversary.
The sole bonus feature was Pepe Profiles: Kermit.
In 2011, Disney released the first ever Bluray of The Muppet Movie with their Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition.
This release saw the return of Pepe’s Profiles: Kermit - A Frog's Life, an extended version of Jim Frawley's camera test, along with Doc Hopper's Commercial, Original Theatrical Trailers, Frog-E-Oke Sing-Along/ Disney Intermission, and a hidden easter egg of Kermit's bicycle outtakes
This was the film's first HD release, check out this comparison on the upgraded picture from the previously released DVD.
The Muppet Movie has also been released on home video around the world, but two UK releases stand out among the rest, and for the exact opposite reason. This 1987 UK VHS release by Palace, Virgin/PVGis notable for having many differences from the US theatrical version.
It runs a full 5 minutes longer and includes a slightly longer comedy club performance from Fozzie, a longer dance number with Kermit, a short opening and closing speech from Doc Hopper on his French Fried Frogs Legs commercial, a longer conversation between Doc Hopper and Max before they encountered Kermit and Fozzie in the rainbow-painted Studebaker, Dr. Teeth gives a more in-depth reading from the script over scenes from the film, an extra verse is added to "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along", a different instrumental track is used for "Never Before, Never Again", and the Muppets' conversations during the end credits can be heard.
You can watch Dr. Teeth's extended script reading and hear the alternate music during "Never Before, Never Again" below:
By far the most interesting release of The Muppet Movie thoughwas its VERY first home video release in 1980 on Super 8 film.
The home video market was just starting and no format (VHS, Beta, or laserdisc) had really taken hold yet, and therefore there weren't any real standard players. Super 8 film was popular for recording home movies and therefore many people already had the projectors in their homes.
The studios wanted to capitalize on this accessibility, so they released many popular films on the format including Star Wars. One of the problems though was how much content could fit on the small reel of film. The full length of feature films was too long for the reels so they needed to be edited in order to fit. The total run of this version is a scant 18 minutes. Most of the running gags, most second verses of songs were all cut. New sound effects and audio cues were created. All the guest stars appear, though some of their lines were cut, and except for the shot were Doc Hopper and Max get hit with the giant pie, they are neither seen nor mentioned. You can watch the entire Super 8 version below:
Remember, you can celebrate The Muppet Movie's 40th Anniversary not just at home, but at a theater near you too thanks to Fathom Events.
And here's something you'll only see in the theater, the Universal logo.
According to Jim Henson Legacy President Craig Shemin, while ATV was the original distributor, and The Jim Henson Company owned the rights for a while, and though Disney owns the rights to film now, Universal owns the exclusive theatrical rights in perpetuity!
I hope you enjoyed this look back at the many sizes, shapes, and formats The Muppet Movie has been released.
Who know what formats will be next, but someday we'll find it....until then, check out the alternate end credit sequence from the extended version where you can actually hear the Muppets dialogue during the credits.
Weta revealed their new line of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance merchandise at SDCC last week. They'll have a set of figurines and prop replicas tied to the Netflix series.
Warner Archive Collection announced that it is finally releasing Jim Henson Productions' The Witches on bluray!
Below are the official specs:
THE WITCHES (1990) Run Time 92:00 Subtitles English SDH Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, 16 X 9 WIDESCREEN Product Color COLOR Disc Configuration BD 50
From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to The Wizard of Oz, many classic tales through the centuries wouldn’t be half as exciting without the devious doings of a witch. Now add another to the venerable tradition of stories that deliver family fun every witch way, a collaboration combining the effects wizardry of executive producer Jim Henson and the imagination of Willy Wonka creator Roald Dahl.
Academy Award® winner* Anjelica Huston won the Los Angeles and National Society of Film Critics Best Actress awards for her marvelous work as the Grand High Witch in this enchanting fable directed by Nicolas Roeg. Jasen Fisher plays Luke, the 9-year-old boy who must foil the plans of a society of witches to turn the world’s children into mice. It won’t be easy: They’ve already transformed him into one! But some big, bad witches may be no match for the resourcefulness of a single tiny rodent.
The Witches Bluray will be released 8/20/2019, and can be pre-ordered now through the Warner Archive Collection.
The nominees for the 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced and When You Wish Upon a Pickle, Sesame Street’s recent primetime special, received two nominations.
Eric Jacobson has been nominated for his "voice-over performance"of Bert, Grover, and Oscar, while the special itself was nominated for "Outstanding Children’s Program."
You can see all the nominees for each category below.
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance:
Kevin Michael Richardson as Rosie, F is for Family Alex Borstein as Lois Griffin, Tricia Takanawa, Family Guy Seth McFarlane as Peter Griffin, Family Guy Hank Azaria as Moe, Carl, Duffman, Kirk, The Simpsons Eric Jacobson as Bert, Grover, Oscar, When You Wish Upon a Pickle: A Sesame Street Special
Outstanding Children’s Program:
A Series of Unfortunate Events Carmen Sandiego Song of Parkland Star Wars Resistance When You Wish Upon a Pickle: A Sesame Street Special
We'll find out who winners are when The Emmy Awards are aired live Sunday, September 22nd at 8pm on Fox.
Already one of the longest running shows in TV history, Sesame Street is about to add another milestone to it's vast accomplishments: the first TV show ever honored by the Kennedy Center.
The event will also make it only the second time the Kennedy Center has bestowed the honor on a work of art rather than an individual, after last year's recipient Hamilton.
Accepting the honor will be Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, who co-founded the Children’s Television Workshop, which has since been renamed Sesame Workshop.
At least 33 Kennedy Center honorees have appeared on Sesame Street, including Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Tom Hanks, and Barbra Streisand.
“We started thinking about what it would be like here in this 50th anniversary year for ‘Sesame Street,’ and it was a runaway hit with the selection committee,” Deborah F. Rutter, the president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, said in an interview. “It really felt right to do this for ‘Sesame Street.’”
Other recipients this year include Earth, Wind & Fire, actress Sally Field, singer Linda Ronstadt, and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.
The Kennedy Center Honors will be held Dec. 8 and CBS will broadcast the gala Dec. 15th.
Still reeling from the cancellation of The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell? Well, you're in luck.
Christine McConnell just launched a new youtube series titled From The Mind Of Christine McConnell.
In the first episode, which you can watch below, McConnell transforms a 1970's pull-out couch into an Edwardian Style sofa.
As you can see Rose, Rankle, nor any of the other Henson characters/ performers from The Curious Creations arenot be part of the new series. If this new venture is successful enough though, maybe Netflix or another outlet may bring the show back from the dead. Stranger Things have happened!
You can subscribe to McConnell's Youtube channel here and support her series via patreon.
Hasbro's HasLab's is looking to crowdfund a life-size Cookie Monster photo puppet replica.
C IS FOR COLLECTOR’S DREAM
"Friend something better than chocolate ice cream… Maybe friend somebody you give up last cookie for." —Cookie Monster
For 50 years, Cookie Monster has been your friend: making you laugh, singing you songs, and entertaining you with his unapologetic appetite for COOKIES! “Om nom nom!”
And as Cookie Monster’s longtime fan and friend, you deserve the opportunity to bring home the ultimate collector item: a fully poseable, full-size, photorealistic Cookie Monster replica. Your very own version of a childhood icon. A dream collectible you’d give up your last cookie for.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
WHY COOKIE MONSTER ?
Because he’s been there from the start.
Because he’s a beloved fan-favorite.
Because “C is for Cookie” is an anthem of our collective childhood.
Because to bring the dream of a full-size Sesame Street product to life, we consulted with leaders and influencers in the Muppet fan community to voice fan opinion about character choice, product development, offering, and messaging—making this a by-the-fans, for-the-fans project, every step of the way.
This campaign will move into production when it reaches its minimum goal of 3,000 backers. All support must be received by 11:59 PM EST on August 25, 2019. You can own 38 inches of blue furry goodness by spring of 2020. Your payment method will be charged on August 25, 2019 if the campaign is successful.
SCULPT
In order to make an authentic replica, Hasbro product designers took measurements of the actual photorealistic Cookie Monster puppet used for Sesame Street’s still shots to create and build the skeleton. Scale, height, posture, and positioning had to be just right.
PERFECT PLUSH:
Product designer Teresa Levy paid special attention to Cookie Monster’s fur color and texture when meeting with Cookie Monster and the Sesame Street team. A swatch was sent to Hasbro’s factory to replicate the dyes and tumbling of the plush. Can you find the swatch of the real Cookie Monster plush within ours?
A full-size, fully poseable final model includes articulation in the hips so Cookie Monster can sit and stand, bendy wire in the hands and fingers, hinged mouth that opens and closes, and a ball joint that allows neck to move and pivot.
