EMMET OTTER'S JUGBAND CHRISTMAS
The 30th Anniversary Edit (1977-2007)
a fan edit by Philfrog
released 1 April 2008
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.
Enjoy!
-Philfrog