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-   -   Letters To Santa - Muppets Christmas (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=25072)

Raph's Girl 09-08-2008 03:13 PM

Letters To Santa - Muppets Christmas
 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080908/tv_nm/muppets_dc_1

Quote:

NBC is getting into the holiday spirit with "Letters to Santa -- A Muppets Christmas."

Whoopi Goldberg, "The Sopranos" alumni Tony Sirico and Steve Schirripa, "Harry Potter" regular Richard Griffiths and Madison Pettis are set to star in the special alongside Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the rest of the muppets gang.

"Letters" is set on Christmas Eve when Kermit and company mistakenly avert three letters en route to Santa Claus, which triggers a race against time to bring a happy Christmas to the kids whose wishes were lost in the mail.

The special will feature songs by "The Muppet Movie" songwriter Paul Williams.

It follows last year's ABC special "Elmo's Christmas Countdown," which starred the Muppets' "Sesame Street" cousins as well as Sirico, Schirripa, Ben Stiller and Alicia Keys.
I doubt this will be as good as "A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" which starred Whoopi Goldberg as god. Whoopi's probably playing Santa since she became Santa in "Call me Clause" :lol:

ThirdMarioBro 09-08-2008 03:32 PM

Could be interesting, but nothing will ever beat "A Muppet Family Christmas".

Tinuvielsdreams 09-08-2008 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirdMarioBro (Post 632635)
Could be interesting, but nothing will ever beat "A Muppet Family Christmas".

I have Muppet Family Christmas on VHS and still watch it every year. It isn't Christmas without it for me.
They managed to get everyone even the Fraggles in on it and Swedish Chef sees big bird and wants to cook him until BB gives him Bird seed LOL! I loved the addition of Fozzie's mom and Doc.

Oops went on a tangent there but yeah...
It's is great to see more Muppet Specials, but I dunno if they can hold up to our old faves

Drtooth 09-09-2008 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinuvielsdreams (Post 632643)
I have Muppet Family Christmas on VHS and still watch it every year. It isn't Christmas without it for me.
They managed to get everyone even the Fraggles in on it and Swedish Chef sees big bird and wants to cook him until BB gives him Bird seed LOL! I loved the addition of Fozzie's mom and Doc.

Of course, with the Franchise split into 3 parts, Disney owning the Muppet Show characters, Sesame Workshop owning its characters, and Fraggles being the last thing Henson owns itself (with a HIT! partnership), don't expect that to EVER happen again.

Personally, they had me at Paul Williams.

VaughnMichael 09-09-2008 08:41 AM

Some how when I saw this on Muppet Central I missed that it said Paul Williams, so now add me to the list of people got by that.:D
He and the Muppets work so well together, he seriously should have been doing the music for every muppet film.
It's really nice to see disney doing things with these characters.
And I agree with the rest of you Muppet Family Christmas is a fave of my family as well and we watch it every year.

Mandi-chan 09-09-2008 08:44 PM

Firstly, I'm thrilled to hear that we will be getting a new Muppets X-Mas special. I love It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas and Muppet Family Christmas, and am sure to enjoy this one too.

Speaking of...

Quote:

I have Muppet Family Christmas on VHS and still watch it every year.
Is the VHS copy uncut? I remember reading somewhere that the dvd copy cuts stuff out (for unknown reasons)...

Drtooth 09-10-2008 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandi-chan (Post 632938)

Is the VHS copy uncut? I remember reading somewhere that the dvd copy cuts stuff out (for unknown reasons)...

Cut for idiotic music rights. If you aren't livin' large off the royalties from Santa Claus is Coming to Town already, then give it to the public domain where it belongs. They're almost as bad as the old biddies that own "Happy Birthday."

ThirdMarioBro 09-11-2008 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinuvielsdreams (Post 632643)
I have Muppet Family Christmas on VHS and still watch it every year. It isn't Christmas without it for me.
They managed to get everyone even the Fraggles in on it and Swedish Chef sees big bird and wants to cook him until BB gives him Bird seed LOL! I loved the addition of Fozzie's mom and Doc.

Indeed. Too bad we'll probably never see a "legal" DVD release since all the characters have been busted up to three different parties since Jim Henson's death. It's sad.

I love my Christmas TV rituals: Muppet Family Christmas, Super Mario Bros. Super Show Christmas, ALL the Rankin-Bass specials, Casey Casem's top 40 Christmas song countdown...the list goes on and on.

VaughnMichael 09-11-2008 08:11 AM

www.toughpigs.com has some pics and a nice write-up about this tv movie.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...oup-795820.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ave-725171.jpg
I'd like to also make a comment on something I didn't notice before, these Puppets look the best I've seen them in years.
It also makes me wonder if for the first time in a long time if the Henson company is making them instead of the other people who have been making them for Disney, Gonzo for instance looks very solid and doesn't look all half @ssed looking like he's been looking on recent promotions on tv.

Drtooth 09-11-2008 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirdMarioBro (Post 633256)
Indeed. Too bad we'll probably never see a "legal" DVD release since all the characters have been busted up to three different parties since Jim Henson's death. It's sad.

Well.... it could. it could... Disney has been working with Sesame Workshop, so the Sesame characters appearances on the Muppet show and the Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog (only in the pilot film extra) appearances are intact in the Sesame Old School sets...and some of the others have Kermit segments too. Plus, Kermit's old skits still appear dubbed in international episodes.
It's more of the Emmit Otter/Christmas toy Kermit appearances we have to worry about.

Ra 09-12-2008 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaughnMichael (Post 633269)
I'd like to also make a comment on something I didn't notice before, these Puppets look the best I've seen them in years.
It also makes me wonder if for the first time in a long time if the Henson company is making them instead of the other people who have been making them for Disney, Gonzo for instance looks very solid and doesn't look all half @ssed looking like he's been looking on recent promotions on tv.

Dude, I just noticed that as well when I was looking at them. Gonzo doesn't look as...well, grimy. I swear, they look so clean now. As if someone has given them new skin and a bit of a wash.

VaughnMichael 09-12-2008 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra (Post 633477)
Dude, I just noticed that as well when I was looking at them. Gonzo doesn't look as...well, grimy. I swear, they look so clean now. As if someone has given them new skin and a bit of a wash.

Yeah Gonzo's looked really wonky for the past couple of years with a really long neck, and his eyelids have been missplaced.
It's nice to see these characters looking good.

Mandi-chan 10-10-2008 09:13 AM

Was that Camilla (sp?) I saw standing next to Gonzo in that pic? O.O

Yay!

Aside from a cameo in the Muppets Wizard of Oz, I don't think I've seen her in anything in YEARS (she's Gonzo's girl, why haven't we seen more of her?!)

I can't wait to see this!

Raph's Girl 10-10-2008 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandi-chan (Post 639557)
Aside from a cameo in the Muppets Wizard of Oz, I don't think I've seen her in anything in YEARS (she's Gonzo's girl, why haven't we seen more of her?!)

I can't wait to see this!

I loved how Muppet Wizard of Oz focused on Gonzo and Camilla's relationship rather than Piggy and Kermit. Very few of the Muppet films do that. Muppet Wizard of Oz (Gonzo as the tin woodsman who wants a heart so he can love Camilla again), and Muppets Go to Disneyland (Gonzo and Camilla get jiggy with it in the Disneyland laundrymatt after singing how fun it would be to make love in a laundrymatt...Camilla screaming "Oh Gonzo!" haunts me to this day...) are the only 2 films I can think of that focused on their love.

Camilla's in the Disney SNL wannabe thing...at least the chickens are anyways...I forgot to watch the last one...

VaughnMichael 10-10-2008 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl (Post 639617)
Camilla's in the Disney SNL wannabe thing...at least the chickens are anyways...I forgot to watch the last one...

I'd hardly call it an SNL wannabe thing since I actually laughed at some of both of the episodes they've made, SNL is nothing more than an overly political rap song that doesn't know when to end.
Anyway you really should watch this new one as it's got allot of Her & Gonzo in it, he turns her into a Turkey by accident lol

Raph's Girl 10-10-2008 02:25 PM

*watches the vid* OMG!!! I have the exact same cell phone as Kermit!!! :o *faints*

Loved that duet between that girl that looks a bit like Myam Bialik (Blossom) and Beaker. Good to see Scooter again.

Hero 10-16-2008 08:56 PM

Muppets Christmas Carol is still the best muppet movie for me.

I'll need to track Muppet Family Christmas down since I've not seen it yet. I hope its good.

===HERO

Jester 10-16-2008 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero (Post 641056)
Muppets Christmas Carol is still the best Muppet movie for me.

I'll need to track Muppet Family Christmas down since I've not seen it yet. I hope its good.

===HERO

I agree with Hero. This thread almost makes me wanna post a video of me and my Kermie puppet, but I'll only do it if there's a demand for it.

FYI though, I'm no ventriloquist, just a wanna be puppeteer.

Raph's Girl 10-16-2008 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero (Post 641056)
I'll need to track Muppet Family Christmas down since I've not seen it yet. I hope its good.

===HERO

Ah Muppet Family Christmas....where Kermit informs Robin that Fraggles aren't real.

To this day I feel sorry for Fozzie's mom.

VaughnMichael 10-17-2008 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero (Post 641056)
Muppets Christmas Carol is still the best muppet movie for me.

I'll need to track Muppet Family Christmas down since I've not seen it yet. I hope its good.

===HERO

GOOD!!?? GOOD!? My Friend, Muppet Family Christmas is Amazing! Best get yourself a copy this christmas ;)

gobo 12-01-2008 11:11 AM

5-min preview
 
http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_M...review/852503/
It started with a Smirnoff commercial for me. Brilliant... :P

Raph's Girl 12-01-2008 06:07 PM

Couldn't find the 5 min preview on zap to it...so I went to NBC:

http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_M...review/852503/

All I can say is I sure hope the entire film isn't an advertisment for the U.S Postal Service.... :roll:

VaughnMichael 12-01-2008 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl (Post 650532)
Couldn't find the 5 min preview on zap to it...so I went to NBC:

http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_M...review/852503/

All I can say is I sure hope the entire film isn't an advertisment for the U.S Postal Service.... :roll:

You've a problem with the post office?

Raph's Girl 12-01-2008 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaughnMichael (Post 650533)
You've a problem with the post office?

No... singing and dancing postal workers seems a bit weird to me....They're too cheerfull to be working in a post office....with rats, chickens, and what looks like Seseme Street monsters..

VaughnMichael 12-01-2008 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl (Post 650535)
No... singing and dancing postal workers seems a bit weird to me....They're too cheerfull to be working in a post office....with rats, chickens, and what looks like Seseme Street monsters..

Most of those characters are from the Muppet show they just haven't been used in years.
There is one Muppet Monster though that's a light brown color with a long nose and it is from a short lived program called Mopatop's Shop.

The singing and dancing in odd places made seem odd but go back and watch all of those old Muppet Movies and you'll see that it's nothing new.
They're trying to get back to how the classic Muppets used to be and I couldn't be happier.
The Luncheon Counter Monster from the Nancy Walker episode of the Muppet show makes his return in this special as well.

Also Big Mean Carl from Muppets Tonight seems to be back as well.

Drtooth 12-01-2008 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl (Post 650535)
No... singing and dancing postal workers seems a bit weird to me....They're too cheerfull to be working in a post office....with rats, chickens, and what looks like Seseme Street monsters..


Which is COMPLETELY different from singing dancing rats, monsters, and chickens working in the hotel industry in GMC...

gobo 12-01-2008 07:30 PM

Exactly, Doc... Because they're puppets.

Peanut 12-01-2008 07:47 PM

I'm excited for a new Muppets Christmas special, but my favourite will always be the long forgotten Bump in the Night Christmas special.

Raph's Girl 12-01-2008 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drtooth (Post 650549)
Which is COMPLETELY different from singing dancing rats, monsters, and chickens working in the hotel industry in GMC...

Happiness Hotel!! :lol:

Ok yeah...They do seem to be getting in with the old skool muppets. Even saw Sweetums working at the post office.

Jester 12-01-2008 08:06 PM

The only thing that irks me is that Frank Oz is out...did he retire?

VaughnMichael 12-01-2008 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester (Post 650568)
The only thing that irks me is that Frank Oz is out...did he retire?

Yes, a long time ago.

Jester 12-01-2008 08:20 PM

:( He was one of the few remainin g original "Muppet preformers" left and now...:(

Raph's Girl 12-01-2008 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester (Post 650568)
The only thing that irks me is that Frank Oz is out...did he retire?

Eric Jacobson's been doing Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, and Sam since 2000.

VaughnMichael 12-02-2008 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester (Post 650575)
:( He was one of the few remainin g original "Muppet preformers" left and now...:(

The last one left is Gonzo's performer Dave Goelz.
Jerry Nelson has left also I'm pretty sure he did Floyd and Robin the frog just to name a few.

Lycanth 12-02-2008 04:07 AM

Kevin Clash still around?

VaughnMichael 12-02-2008 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lycanth (Post 650629)
Kevin Clash still around?

He hasn't been working with the Muppets at all, I'd love for him to come back though he's a great talent.
He's mostly working as Elmo these days, I guess that's a full time job.

Lycanth 12-02-2008 05:39 AM

Oh, I though he was involved in a lot of the Muppet movies? Ah well. Shame, because yes, he's very talented. Certainly gave Splinter real life in TMNT1!

Drtooth 12-02-2008 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaughnMichael (Post 650628)
The last one left is Gonzo's performer Dave Goelz.
Jerry Nelson has left also I'm pretty sure he did Floyd and Robin the frog just to name a few.

Yeah, Jerry supposedly only performs Sesame Street characters now, and it seems like he's basically looping dialogue for the Count. I don't understand why Steve Whitmire isn't considered an original performer... he was in the Muppet show... sure, about the last 2 years he finally got speaking roles.

As for Kevin Clash... not only is he Elmo, but he's got like... well... a hundred hats to wear... puppetry coordinator, executive producer... he does so much, you almost wonder if he even has time to even play Elmo.

VaughnMichael 12-02-2008 12:11 PM

It's because Steve took over Kermit and Steve's main character Rizzo really didn't to well know (or become as we know him now) until Muppets Take Manhattan.

Raph's Girl 12-02-2008 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lycanth (Post 650629)
Kevin Clash still around?

Kevin Clash is Clifford in Letters To Santa so yeah he's still around. He only does Clifford and Elmo these days.

Dave Goetz is Gonzo, Waldorf, Bunsen, and Zoot

John Henson is Sweetums

Brian Henson is Sal Manilla

Steve Whitmire is Kermit, Rizzo, Beaker, Statler, and Bean

David Rudman is Janice and Scooter


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