KERMIT THE FROG’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVDS: THE MUPPET MOVIE, THE MUPPET CAPER, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND

Kermit The Frog’s 50th Anniversary Edition DVDs: The Muppet Movie, The Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island

Movie: * * *
Disc: * *

Kids today may find them old-fashioned but we think they’re rather sweet and that the humour is surprisingly adult (read: as in sophisticated, not dirty) and goofy at the same time. We’re referring of course to The Muppets. Disney has recently reissued four of the Muppet movies, namely The Muppet Movie, The Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island on remastered DVDs separately and not as a boxed set.

THE DISCS: Both the wide and full screen versions are available for viewing on each disc (stick to the wide-screen versions which are better framed) and there is a small spattering of special features. Nothing to get all excited about however: a making-of featurette showing just how Kermit the Frog is made to a ride a bicycle without any visible wires showing – an effect more impressive than any of the myriad of today’s computer-generated effects – would have been welcome. Also, the image quality isn’t quite as crisp as one would like it to be since the edges seem soft and the source print used has the occasional speckle.

WORTH IT: Perhaps never uproariously funny, one can’t help but chuckle or groan at some of the Muppets’ attempts at sight gags and puns. Do kids find them entertaining in an age of much louder and faster spectacle? I don’t know: my three-and-a-half year old daughter grew slightly distracted while watching them, but a friend assures me that his somewhat older kids love them.

RECOMMENDATION: The point is though I like watching them, and a lot of other adults also prefer them to some of the more idiotic kiddie entertainment out there . . .

NOTE: Yeah, I know the Muppets isn’t sci-fi, but I couldn’t say no when a studio rep wanted to know if I could review them for this website. You wouldn’t have been able to say no either . . . so just think of them as possessed plush toys and check out these clips:

Dr. Teeth and Electric Mayhem

Muppet Treasure Island – Roll Call

A Muppet Christmas Carol - Daddy's Home

The Great Muppet Caper - Taxi