Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas – 30th Anniversary Edition
by PhilfrogUsing the HBO, ABC and the official DVD version, this is the longest, most complete version of this memorable Muppet Christmas special. So, if you like your dancing rabbits, but miss “fall off the dock”, then this is for you.
member ratings:
(5 votes, average: 9.40 out of 10, rated)
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original film name: Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
film studio name: Jim Henson
Date Original Film Was Released: 1977 (v1) / 1980 (v2)
Date Edit Was Released: May 2008
Original Runtime: 50 min (each version)
New Runtime: 53 min
Amount of time Cut/Added: 2 minutes (+1 min audio)
Philfrog is proud to present this classic Jim Henson TV special in its most complete form ever, using all of the bits unique to each of the two officially-released edits (and all the different releases and recuts of each one). As a bonus, one scene has been cleverly extended to include the complete “Bathing Suit” song, with verses previously unused in the two official versions of this special. With every line, lyric, and Kermit the Frog segment intact, this is “Emmet Otter” as it deserves to be seen for generations to come.
This edit uses the following two versions of the “Emmet Otter” TV special:
1) “HBO” version – Version One, released (with some minor cuts) on VHS
-longer Gretchen Fox segment (“fall off the dock”)
-longer Washtub song intro (“I’m rowin’…where’s the singin’?”)
-four Kermit appearances (two visual, two audio)
-extra talent show dialog (“we’re off to a shaky start”)
2) “ABC” version – Version Two, released on VHS and DVD
-one Kermit appearance only (cut from the most recent DVD)
-longer Washtub song (“lunch with the upper crust” verse)
-dancing rabbits at the talent show
-longer reprise of River Meets The Sea song
The following sources (mainly 1, 4, and 5) were used:
1) Muppet Video VHS – HBO version (has edits to shorten black between fades)
2) Jim Henson Home Video VHS – ABC version, complete (has unique opening logo)
3) Columbia-Tristar VHS – ABC version, complete, with original audio mix
4) Columbia-Tristar DVD – ABC version, complete, but with faux stereo audio
5) Hit Entertainment DVD – ABC version, without Kermit’s intro
-also includes non-Kermit HBO-only bits in Deleted Scenes section, plus Making-Of featurette
6) Three VHS recordings (including my own) of the HBO version (used for reference only)
The edits appear in the following order:
0) Disclaimer and Philfrog logo.
1) Jim Henson Productions logo from Jim Henson Home Video VHS release. Lowered contrast, added click removal.
2) The Kermit intro, using video from Columbia-Tristar DVD, audio from Columbia-Tristar VHS. For some reason, the CTS DVD is in faux stereo (2.0 and 5.1), so I had to use the CTS VHS for the audio.
3) Opening credits. Except where noted, the majority of this edit uses video from Columbia-Tristar DVD, but audio from the Hit Entertainment DVD. Between the two DVD’s, the video quality is dead even, but the Hit DVD audio is better because of the CTS DVD’s faux stereo.
4) The extended Bathing Suit song segment. Audio edits: Some opening audio from the Hit DVD (not present on the Muppet Video VHS because of a weird edit), then Kermit’s narration from the Muppet Video VHS (hiss reduced), then back to the Hit DVD audio, then audio from the Hit DVD’s Making-Of featurette (mainly for the song’s missing verses), and ending with the regular Hit DVD audio. Video from the CTS DVD is used, with earlier and later portions of video carefully repeated to allow for the previously missing verses of the song.
5) The Gretchen Fox scene. Mainly sourced from the Hit DVD’s Deleted Scenes section, with video reshifted to match the main feature, and bits from the CTS DVD flown in to upgrade shots that are complete in both sources. (Notice Gretchen Fox’s roof as Ma and Emmet row up to her dock. It looks like that on all sources of the HBO version.)
6) Will Possum segment. First shot sourced from Muppet Video VHS (saturation raised), since neither DVD contains the entire (HBO version) shot. Audio switches from Hit DVD Deleted Scenes to Hit DVD main feature.
7) Emmet and Ma meet the Riverbottom gang. Video from CTS DVD, audio from Hit DVD.
8.) The Washtub song. Two shots of HBO-only dialogue (and part of the song) sourced from Hit DVD Deleted Scenes audio, with Muppet Video VHS visuals (saturation raised). (The Muppet VHS is used because Hit’s source tape has some ugly lines, easily noticeable across Ma/Alice’s face.) Second shot reshifted to match main feature.
9) Winter comes to Frogtown Hollow. Kermit’s narration inserted from Muppet Video VHS (hiss reduced).
10) Nearly twenty minutes of CTS DVD video, with Hit DVD audio.
11) Will Possum’s “shaky start” comment. Sourced from the Hit DVD Deleted Scenes section, with video reshifted to match the main feature, and audio reshifted because the sync (just for this portion) was off on the Hit DVD.
12) The ABC-only shots of Will closing the curtain, followed by the dancing rabbits. On the original HBO version, he already closed the curtain (followed by the HBO-only bit above). But, because of the HBO fade to black, I could fade in on the ABC-only curtain close, giving a “welcome back, here’s what just happened” appearance to counteract any curtain-related redundancy.
13) Over fifteen minutes of CTS DVD video, with Hit DVD audio.
14) Ma and the Jug-Band perform at Doc Bullfrog’s, followed by Kermit’s HBO-only outro. Video, then audio, switch to Muppet Video VHS (saturation raised, hiss reduced). CTS DVD black added to replicate the original black video between this and the next segment (which the Muppet VHS cuts out).
15) Ma and the boys walk home. Starts with dialogue and video (with original fade-in) from Muppet Video VHS (video reshifted, saturation raised, hiss reduced), then to the CTS DVD video and Hit DVD audio for the River Meets The Sea reprise.
16) Original end credits with “Henson Associates” copyright text. Hit DVD audio, with one shot from the CTS DVD, and the other from the Muppet Video VHS (saturation raised, video reshifted).
17) Jim Henson Television logo (after some black) from end of the CTS DVD. (Other Henson and Hit logos have been left unused, and can be found on the Hit DVD edit of the ABC version.)
18) Philfrog logo.
Total Running Time: 53 minutes, 16 seconds
Technical Info:
DVD footage was captured instead of ripped. (I simply don’t have a good ripping program at this time.) Despite removing the macrovision from the CTS DVD, it (and every DVD I captured using the DV500) still captured brighter than it should have (though without the ridiculous white levels caused by macrovision). To restore the correct levels, I manually brought down the brightness. This helped to mask compression artifacts present during black screen moments in the footage (created by the bright capture). Depending on your set’s contrast levels, the artifacts may still be visible. Apologies in advance.
Some shots, when viewed on a computer screen window, will have slightly bigger (than usual) black bars at the edges. This is due to different sources of “Emmet” being framed differently, causing me to reshift the picture (usually to the left, and up a bit) on these sources, so I could match footage from each version seamlessly. The majority of my video cuts are new dissolves (as opposed to straight cuts) over the original between-shot dissolves, so picture shifting to match sources was absolutely necessary.
I have also made a straight (no menu, chapter breaks every three minutes) DVD transfer of the Muppet Video VHS release (a slight edit of the HBO version). If you’re dissatisfied with the quality of my edit for any reason, you can use this as a source for your own. (Or you can track down the laserdisc release on the same label.)
If you want bonus features, please purchase the official Hit Entertainment DVD, which has outtakes, a lost song, behind-the-scenes featurette, and more. While you’re at it, check out the original book, too.
Some more information about this edit:
1) Edited with Adobe Premiere (w/DV500), Audition, and Photoshop.
2) DVD mastered with Ulead DVD Movie Factory.
3) Black laid over visual “noise” at bottom (and side) of VHS sources.
4) Planned three years ago, but canceled due to hard drive crash.
5) Resumed in late 2007 with superior video sources.
6) Release delayed by two months to include more upgraded footage.
7) Extended segment of Bathing Suit song unique to this edit.
8.) Original trailer (as posted online) included.
9) Not For Sale. If you get this, please buy the official Hit DVD.
Additional Comment: Be sure to buy HIT Entertainment’s official DVD of “Emmet Otter”, which was created with utmost respect and care for the material, plus plenty of bonus features, including bloopers, lost music, and a full-length documentary (none of which I will be using for my DVD). HIT owns all the non-Mupper Show and non-Sesame Street related Muppets, and also released the excellent Fraggle Rock series box sets. They deserve your support.
Buy the original DVD and support Fanedit.org by shopping via one of the amazon links.
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Images:
cover art by Philfrog (download here):
disc art by phaota (download here):
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For the longest time that I can truly remember, I didn’t miss this Christmas special if I knew it was on. My first memories are watching it on HBO, but it’s most likely that I first watched it in 1981 since I was born in 1977. This, THE MUPPET SHOW, SESAME STREET, and FRAGGLE ROCK made up many of my childhood days. Is it any wonder with the amount of television and feature film work The Jim Henson Company managed to put out every day during those 20 years for children that anyone that had been born OR grew up in the 70’s and 80’s were nicknamed “Jim’s kids?” I think not.
EMMET wasn’t original material, it was based on a children’s book first published in 1969. This is one of those rare cases where the filmed version of a book not only stays true to the source, but completely adds its own magic. This is in no small part due to the wonderful filming techniques they developed specifically for this special, which would later be utilized on a grander scale in THE MUPPET MOVIE. Not only that, but there is just a magic that seems to radiate from the TV screen as the obvious puppets suddenly seem to be living and breathing just as you or I.
For it’s 30th anniversary, Philfrog has taken all the alternative versions and deleted scenes to compile the most complete, original version possible, mirroring the original cut of the original HBO broadcast run between 1977 and 1979. Until now, the ABC broadcast version had been the most common version of EMMET…that was, until Disney bought The Jim Henson Company and Kermit’s original narration had to be edited away. Although his part is brief and small, he is a welcome sight.
Normally in my reviews I skip rating audio and video because as long as there’s nothing that distracts, I see no reason to rate it. Either it works…or it fails. There is no in-between. In creating this edit, Philfrog put his best foot forward each time, always asking himself “What would Jim do?” when faced with fixing the problems (he mentions his efforts throughout his IN THE WORKS thread…sometimes at the sake of his own sanity). In keeping with the spirit of these efforts AND for the first time since I’ve been writing reviews I WILL now rate the audio and video:
FLAWLESS.
That’s right, you’d have to be a cold-hearted nit-picker like Gretchen Fox in order to try to even remotely find even a blemish for either the audio OR video. It’s. That. Perfect. The audio and video taken from the VHS sources are so well captured, balanced and polished up that unless you do a “frame-by-fame” step OR close your eyes while wearing earbutton headphones with the volume jacked way up…you will not see nor hear a difference. PERIOD. Even the sole extra, Philfrog’s trailer for his 30th anniversary hybrid, is so well done it starts to spin the mind…making you wonder just how professional an editor can be if he just takes a few extra moments.
Philfrog, to sum up all the hard work you’ve done on this 30th anniversary hybrid of EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS I’ll simply quote from this song:
If you look to the good side
Fallin’ down’s a free ride
Slippin’ and a-slidin’ in the mud
So it twists and contorts you
The barrel supports you
You can feed and clothe yourself
With a rub-a-dub-dub!
When there ain’t no hole in the washtub
Ain’t no hole in the washtub
Ain’t no hole in the washtub
Review by InvisibleWolfMan — May 23, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
Thanks so much for offering this edit to us, Philfrog. It was more than wonderful to be able to see this in its entirety again after so many years. I very much appreciate your efforts.
Thanks again.
Review by Draftsman — November 10, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
This restoration has been available now for a very long time and I am still shocked to see it has not been given the amount of attention that it should have had. Nothing I can state here that IWM has not already mentioned in his wonderful review. Excellent work, and a lovely trip back down memory lane. Thank you Philfrog
10 out of 10 stars
Review by tranzor — March 14, 2009 @ 4:59 am
Let me give this more attention, then. I created a login to just provide feedback to this incredible video. First, let me say that I’ve watched this video in the hundred times range by now. As a thirty-seven year old man, watching this on HBO/ABC/wherever I could find it was an integral part of my childhood. For the past few years, I’ve actually watched the DVD by watching the old DVD version with Kermit, then switching over to the other ‘longer’ version, while pausing and shouting out missing lines at the television. Philfrog – I’m certain you probably did the same. I set up my own personal ambition to start building an edited version for this. Now – why bother? Perfection has been achieved through this. I never could understand why or how Jim never built this version himself… Phil – your building provides a wonderful homage to this nearly perfect version of this masterpiece. Your re-editing of the bathing suit may be the most masterful section of this piece. Its edits, while a bit creative, provide a beautiful extension to this song, and a more wonderful re-introduction to these characters. One that I can understand why might have been shortened thirty-two years ago, but as an homage to this stunning piece, gives an even more beautiful companion. I LOVE THE RETURN OF KERMIT! Thanks for this. A portion of my memory still recollected the bits around Kermit’s voice-over, but couldn’t place them around those two sections. Thanks for that. Piecing back each section surrounding the newly extended talent show is lovely, as well. I wasn’t MISSING them, but re-extending the section was excellent. Your edits are excellent, as well. I can’t say perfect, because those danged perfect copies hover between HIT and Disney, with neither able or willing to blink. However, your work within those constraints was masterful. Thanks. You’ve made this and every Christmas with my family more beautiful. Let me say – if/when this film ever receives a full release, I will buy it – yet again (for the fifth time now, I believe), but until then, I will continue to support HIT with every re-re-release, too. Thanks, Philfrog. I’m now looking through all of your other work. Do you have a worship page?
Review by bastos — November 5, 2009 @ 6:04 pm