Ryan Dosier – Universal just released It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie on DVD again today. It is being called a “Digitally Remastered” “Widescreen” release and comes with two discs, one of the movie and a few bonus features, and one that includes nine holiday songs. Let me preface this review by saying that this is a very odd release… for more than a few reasons. Let’s go through them, shall we? For one, no one at all predicted a release of an unknown 2002 Muppet Christmas special that isn’t owned by Disney being released. 

Second, this release is billed as being “Digitally Remastered in Widescreen for the First Time Ever!” and, well, it certainly is! A few inches is added to the right and left side of the screen and those trademark black bars are tacked on the top and bottom of the screen. Is it enough to make a noticeable difference? Let’s put it this way… I had to put in my other DVD of the special to really see the difference. Here, see for yourself…

This release is also getting a very odd special treatment from Universal. The DVD comes in an O-Sleeve and the packaging has an awesome design to it. It’s only ten bucks at Wal-mart, so go get it if you don’t already own it… but should you get it if you don’t already own it? I have no idea. If you’re a Muppet completist and you love It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie like I do, then yes, go spend a measly ten bucks and pick it up. The new, apparently digital remastering looks fantastic and the widescreen is nice. It’s especially fun in group shots like the Muppets having their meeting in the theater seats and the whole “Moulin Scrooge” number.

The weirdest part of this release, however, is the totally pointless and very, very strange second disc. As I mentioned earlier, the second disc is a 9-song music CD filled with Christmas music. You would expect this to be Muppet Christmas music, right? Well… you’re wrong! So terribly, terribly wrong… terribly because what is in place of Muppet music is terrible. The CD has nine songs sung by some random, nameless, bad-voiced guy just pushing out Christmas music for a quick paycheck. Universal really pushed the envelope with this CD.

But aside from that this really is a nice DVD. The bonus features included are deleted scenes and bloopers–all of which can be found on the 2003 DVD as well. Oddly enough, each of the deleted scenes and bloopers have retained the “Inside Pepe’s Studio” watermark at the bottom right hand corner. This is odd because Inside Pepe’s Studio isn’t mentioned once on this DVD. Seems like they were just too lazy to take off the logo… or the clips don’t exist without it. Either way, all of the deleted scenes and bloopers were included on the 2003 DVD–including the hidden Easter Egg scenes.

Overall, I do recommend this DVD. It’s not the best release from the Muppets… but for a DVD released by a studio other than Disney, it’s pretty impressive. The box art is wonderful–especially the big group picture on the back–and the menus are a LOT less annoying than the 2003 DVD. Thankfully nothing moves or talks to you… there’s just a nice instrumental of “Deck the Halls” that plays over the menu.

Should you buy this DVD if you already own the 2003 release? Well… that’s entirely up to you. As a Muppet fan, I’m obligated to say yes–especially since it’s only $10 at Wal Mart–but as someone who understands lack of cash flow… I’d say just think about it or ask for it for Christmas or something. If you don’t get it, you’re not missing too much, but if you do you’ve got a shiny new Muppet DVD to add to your collection! And… a crappy Christmas CD to microwave!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier