Pre-Order The Christmas Toy DVD

[Phillip Chapman]

Henson’s beloved 1986 special, The Christmas Toy is coming to DVD for the first time on Tuesday November 4. Currently, you can pre-order for 40% off the regular price.

Since most of us will be getting The Christmas Toy DVD, we'd like to mention that if you order the release from Amazon using this link, a small portion of your order will go to Muppet Central to help keep the site, forum and radio running smoothly. It's a great way to help MC and get a great price on the DVD set with a low-price guarantee. We greatly appreciate each person that helps support MC by placing orders through the site.

Here’s more information on The Christmas Toy DVD release…

http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2008/090908.shtml

Discuss away...

[rexcrk]

I bet it's going to be edited.... *sigh*

[heralde]

Wow hehe, I almost feel silly having bought a VHS from Amazon, lol. On the other hand, if this is edited, then I'm glad to still have a VHS.

Well, whether it's edited or not, I'm glad this special is finally seeing the light of day after so long. I'm not really a MCC person, but I still adore this show.

[Jacquelyn]

I lovee this movie! When I was little I used to call it "Dolls Alive" I'm so delighted that it is on DVD because my VHS player doesn't really work well anymore.
It makes me sad every time I read that my beloved Kermit and the others are owned by the evil corporation Disney.
I felt it was so degrading to make Kermit sing and dance with Ashley Tisdale to a Highschool Musical song! Just not right.

[Rugby]

Finally! I've been demanding this DVD for YEARS! But considering the chance that this will be edited cuts my excitement factor in half. I'll be sick if it's edited. It won't be the same without Kermit. Why can't these companies ever work out a licensing agreement for the benefit of the fans?

[Radar]

I'm SO excited about this! The Christmas Toy is my all-time favorite Christmas special. I too am worried they will cut out Kermit. If he's cut out, there goes the whole introduction to the show...Kermit telling us the names of the major characters. that Jamie got Rugby for Christmas. It just wouldn't be the same with out Kermit in the beginning. And then they'd also have to edit out the song at the end where Kermit joins in. If this turns out to be edited, I'm grateful I spent way too much on the European region 2 version a couple years ago on eBay.

Also, Amazon has the year of release wrong. They say 1990 instead of 1986.

[Ilikemuppets]

Glad this movie is finally being released!

[Zack the Dog]

I don't know for sure, but if you look at the running time on Amazon.com is says 48 mins, the special is 50 mins. so unfortunately to me it seems Kermit might be edited out...

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Zack the Dog

I don't know for sure, but if you look at the running time on Amazon.com is says 48 mins, the special is 50 mins. so unfortunately to me it seems Kermit might be edited out...

This may seem a little obsessive, but I just timed the intro and the song at the end with Kermit. His intro is about 1 min 28 seconds, and at the end is 1 min, 10 seconds... making Kermit's screen time 2 mins 38(or 40) seconds. So its hard to say if Kermit has been edited out. Maybe they've edited it in some other way, the credits or intro title screen or something.

[Skye]

I am so excited that this special is being released! I'm anxious to know if it will be edited or not (I really, really hope not). But I'm excited to be able to own it, too!

[bazooka_beak]

I want to, but I think I should wait until it comes out, so I'll know if it's edited before I spend my money. Otherwise I'll stick with my taped-off-the-TV version I've had since I was a kid, 80s commercials and all

[heralde]

Originally Posted by bazooka_beak

I want to, but I think I should wait until it comes out, so I'll know if it's edited before I spend my money. Otherwise I'll stick with my taped-off-the-TV version I've had since I was a kid, 80s commercials and all

You can't beat the 80s commercials!

[Radar]

Originally Posted by heralde

You can't beat the 80s commercials!

Who ever taped The Christmas Toy off TV when I was a little kid edited out the commercials! It was nice to watch it straight through, but I would love to have seen it with the neat 80s ads!

[heralde]

Originally Posted by Radar

but I would love to have seen it with the neat 80s ads!

I remember seeing this awhile ago!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wUtjDd3jEQ

[Convincing John]

I taped that special when it first aired...oh those Kraft commercials! I always wanted that "Christmas Toy" poster they advertised...(sigh)

They also had (I think) an M&M's commercial with a horse drawn sleigh (with Christmas lights!) going down a hill. As a kid, I was amazed at the concept of the battery-operated Christmas lights.

Back on topic...do we know for sure if Kermit will be edited out? The only other special where Kermit is just a "bookend" is in Mr. Willowby. Let's hope that someone can convince Disney to play nice and keep Kermit in them both. To me, having Kermit in these specials is like he's introducing us to friends outside his Muppet family.

I'm tired (as I'm sure many of us are) with chopped up versions of our favorite Muppet Christmas specials. Disney played nice and let Kermit be in the Old School Sesame Street sets (thank goodness). Does Sesame Workshop have better negotiations with Disney than Disney does with the Henson Company?

Is it a money issue? Is Disney worried that another company would make a lot of money from DVD sales featuring Kermit? If so, why would they be concerned about relatively little-known Christmas specials rather than the widely-known Sesame Street? Sure, Sesame Workshop is a non-profit organization, but the way Disney operates...

We'll, just have to see, I guess.

Convincing John