Jim Henson's The Storyteller ~ The Complete Collection (1987) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm amazed that this series has gotten so little attention. This is Jim Henson and crew at their best, making fun of the lines between fantasy and reality, costume and puppetry, and new storytelling and old stories.
All of these short pieces were unfamiliar to me, at least in part. 'Sapsorrow' turned out to contain a story I knew, or thought I did. Part of the reason these fairy tales were unfamiliar was their authenticity. These stories were originally meant for adults. They had hard, dark edges, and were not the vapid Disneyfied versions that most people know.
Lots of kids will like these stories as much as adults do, but this may be too much for younger children. This isn't Sesame Street - it's one of the dark alleys off to the side.
The narrator is one of the unexpected treats on this disk. He opens and closes each short story, talking to his dog on a fire-lit night. The narration is a treat, too. It has a wonderful rolling cadence, too musical for regular speech but too prosaic to be a chant. It may give you some idea what the old epic poems must have sounded like in their original settings.
This is for anyone who likes fantasy, who likes a rich visual experience. You just have to see it for yourself - written words can't begin to give the experience you'll find in this collection.
//wiredweird

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jim Henson's The Storyteller ~ The Complete Collection (1987)

Henson fills the screen with wonderful creatures that have a wisp of J.R.R. Tolkein fantasy.Directed by Anthony Minghella (The English Patient), he takes us through the fantasy of recognizable European folk/fairy tales with narration by the Storyteller played wonderfully by John Hurt. The entire series on DVD for the first time! From the master Jim Henson who brought us The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Stars John Hurt, as the narrator. Adapted by Oscar-winning filmmaker Anthony Minghella (The English Patient).

Click here for more information about Jim Henson's The Storyteller ~ The Complete Collection (1987)

Read More...

The Muppet Show - Season Two (1977) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This four-disc set includes all 24 episodes of "The Muppet Show" from the 1977-1978 television season -- one of the show's funniest years -- digitally remastered like those on The Muppet Show - Season One and The Muppet Show - Season Three. Each show has all of its original content, includes segments originally seen only in the United Kingdom, and runs a full 25:30. As with those in the other years, the guest stars for this season are a mix of Hollywood legends and then-current celebrities, but this year had more than its share of major stars. Here's the complete line-up:
EPISODE 1: Don Knotts
EPISODE 2: Zero Mostel
EPISODE 3: Milton Berle
EPISODE 4: Rich Little
EPISODE 5: Judy Collins
EPISODE 6: Nancy Walker
EPISODE 7: Edgar Bergen
EPISODE 8: Steve Martin
EPISODE 9: Madeline Kahn
EPISODE 10: George Burns
EPISODE 11: Dom DeLuise
EPISODE 12: Bernadette Peters
EPISODE 13: Rudolf Nureyev
EPISODE 14: Elton John
EPISODE 15: Lou Rawls
EPISODE 16: Cleo Laine
EPISODE 17: Julie Andrews
EPISODE 18: Jaye P. Morgan
EPISODE 19: Peter Sellers
EPISODE 20: Petula Clark
EPISODE 21: Bob Hope
EPISODE 22: Teresa Brewer
EPISODE 23: John Cleese
EPISODE 24: Cloris Leachman
Most of these shows have a lot to offer, but to me two really stand out. First, the John Cleese show is hilarious. In its Pigs in Space skit, the Monty Python star chews up the scenery as pirate Long John Silversteen. "A pirate don't use an intercom!" Cleese scarls when a Muppet suggests a modern way to communicate. "'Twould be sissy!" The Nureyev episode, on the other hand, is a real oddity. After the ballet star sings "Putting On My Top Hat," he shoots down his chorus line with a machine gun. Later, he dances to "Swan Lake" with a human-size pig.

Bonus features include "The Muppets Valentine Day Special," a 1974 television pilot which aired more than two years before "The Muppet Show" debuted. Kermit the Frog and actress Mia Farrow star, but the host is Wally, a Henson character who would rarely be seen again. Also included is "The Muppets on The Muppets," (a 13-minute series of tongue-in-cheek interviews) and the 2002 music video "Keep Fishin'" by Weezer.
Also worth mentioning is the packaging. The menus on each disc are hosted (Fozzie Bear and Kermit chat with you on Discs 1 and 3; Animal and Rizzo handle Discs 2 and 4) and the episodes themselves have (unidentified) chapter stops. In addition, the box itself is more than just cardboard, at least in this initial printing. On the front, Miss Piggy's face is fuzzy, and her blue eyes sparkle.
Problems? Just one: the closed captioning doesn't include any song lyrics!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Muppet Show - Season Two (1977)

And now a show that needs no introduction, but here's one anyway... Go bonkers with Beaker, goofy with Gonzo and join the brave cast of "Pigs In Space" for one of the most revolutionary and acclaimed shows in the history of television. Garnering an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program in its hilarious second season, THE MUPPET SHOW redefined prime time and showcased a host of outrageous guest stars, including Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, Elton John, Julie Andrews and more. Experience all 24 episodes from Season Two – digitally remastered and restored – in this special 4-disc DVD set. With hours of bonus features, including THE MUPPETS VALENTINE SPECIAL and rare archival footage, THE MUPPET SHOW is even better than you remember!

Get 33% OFF

Click here for more information about The Muppet Show - Season Two (1977)

Read More...

The Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition) (1976) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Like most children of the 70's, I grew up loving The Muppet Show. Sitting down to watch the Muppets was a weekly ritual the whole family enjoyed. Everyone could enjoy their humor and the music. More than that though, the Muppets could be inspiring and touching at times as well. There really is no way to adequately express how wonderful the Muppets can be.
So why am I only giving this collection 3 star? Because despite the claim on the box of being "restored and remastered," some of the episodes have been butchered. I saw the Vincent Price episode when it was originally shown, and it closed with Vincent and the Muppet monsters singing "You've Got a Friend." It was, for me, one of the most enjoyable scenes in the series. The sequence was included in the Columbia House "Best of the Muppets" series, but it is excluded from this set. Likewise, the Jim Neighbors episode originally opened with Jim singing, "You'll Never Walk Alone." Re-runs on Nickelodeon included this sequence, but the sequence is missing from this set. I can only guess what is missing from the other episodes in the set.
Mind you, these omissions do not keep one from enjoying the set, especially children who did not see the series when it originally aired and do not realize that they are missing. And, I must admit, the screwy antics of the Swedish Chef and the weekly face offs between Fozzie Bear and Stadler and Waldorf still make me smile. Still, it is frustrating to read that the episodes have been "restored" when they clearly have not.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition) (1976)

It's time to raise the curtain on THE MUPPET SHOW!Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Swedish Chef and more, in the complete first season of this groundbreaking twist on the classic Variety Show.Included are all 24 episodes, completely restored and remastered, plus two never-before-seen episodes, bonus features, and something you were never meant to see: Jim Henson's original "pitch reel" that propelled the Muppets' blend of original songs, sketch comedy and guest stars into a primetime hit for all ages!Come discover for yourself the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational pleasures of THE MUPPET SHOW: SEASON ONE!

Get 35% OFF

Click here for more information about The Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition) (1976)

Read More...