Info & Request: Muppet Christmas Carol - Widescreen w/ deleted song and Dir. commentary!

Disney has just released The Muppet Christmas Carol for the second time on DVD. The first release was no-frills pan-and-scan only. This time the disc does contain the threatrical cut in 16:9, but only the pan-and-scan version contains the crucial song that the studio insisted that the director cut for its theatrical release. (Execs thougt scene with no Muppets would make the kiddies squirm.) The song had been included in all previous home video releases. But to finally release this in its proper widescreen version, but omit the song is maddening. Also the director’s commentary can ONLY be listened to while watching the pan-and-scan version. Unbelievable!

I do not have the computer skills to re-author a disc to my liking, but perhaps someone here who is as big a fan of this film as I am will be able to create what Disney Home Video should have in the first place:

A single layer DVD with only the enhanced widescreen version of the film, including the deleted song (“When Love is Gone” w/ a young Scrooge and his fiance) inserted in its proper place. The song sequence would have to be taken from either–

the pan and scan verson, cropped to the proper 1.85:1 ratio and then anamorphically squeezed

from the widescreen laserdisc, cleaned up and resized for anamorphic 16:9 display

& edited into the proper place. Then add the second audio track (director’s commentary). Oh, and stripping all the annoying shilling for the other Disney products…

Anyone here have the skills and willingness to have a go at it? Please!?

This would still make a good project! The BD is getting a release but from reviews sadly it doesn't contain the DC or the extra song as an extra.

I managed to find a torrent of a LD rip! However no seeders and only got up to 75% of the file. I managed to salvage what I got so far and can confirm When Love is Gone is in there in widescreen.  However the quality is not great.  I'd be happy to watch this version if only I could get the complete file.

Or does anyone out there have the laserdisc and is willing to rip this properly?

Too bad to hear!

I was going to ask if the MCC Laser Disc rip was ever completed (it is listed as released on here: http://originaltrilogy.com/fan-edits/fan-project-details.cfm/Preservations/title/Uncut-Muppet-Christmas-Carol/project/136/category/5/) so I guess it was! Hopefully we can find someone who has the full file to help us out. I'm guessing there'd be no easy way to get a hold of this "mrfivefingers" easily.

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but wasn't that song cut from the film originally and only added back into the home video release since "children could fast forward if they wanted"?

This is what I always read. So the widescreen version is the intended version of the film.

But that commentary would be great! 

I'm looking for the AC3 audio track taken from uncut P&S DVD. Can anyone help?

Has anyone made a widescreen version eventually with the deleted song?

I'm trying to but I'm not working with the best elements.

Ive also been working on this too ! this is how far i have got 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvKRQ_dNgY&feature=youtu.be

tried cleaning it up by removing scratches and dust marks 

Deviantnick said:

Ive also been working on this too ! this is how far i have got 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvKRQ_dNgY&feature=youtu.be

tried cleaning it up by removing scratches and dust marks 

Cool you're working on it! 

But it looks like you are cropping the already cropped pan & scan transfer from the DVD.

Here is how it should look in widescreen - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r57KXWeXKoY

its not the best quality but maybe you can use that instead? I also have an LD rip if you need it but to be honest the YouTube clip might be better quality. I'll need to check again to confirm 

Yes i had to use the FS version because the all other versions i found was really poor quality , I did try use a video on youtube but the quality was really poor ! I have been trying to get the laserdisc version but to no avail !! A user has just sent me the ac3 audio track which will make things a lot easier when i do the Blu-Ray edition

Quick update used the video from youtube mixed with my blu-ray and the audio track a user gave me , im not going to start removing scratches and dust marks yet just incase i get my hands on a better laserdisc copy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVq0oF0caHg&feature=youtu.be

Great stuff!

Obviously a big drop in quality but I think I would prefer it this way over using a cropped clip.

Nice work :)

cheers neon , did u manage to have a look at your laserdisc version to see if the quality was any better ?

Did anyone get anywhere with this before i have a go?

deanbayley said:

Did anyone get anywhere with this before i have a go?

Deviantnick never got back to me in the end 😦

Your go is more than welcome 😉

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDJXJ3Bm3sc&feature=youtu.be

Managed to get hold of a better quality video , changed where the scene cuts in and out , the audio is a bit
out but that will be fixed and the bar at the top is shaky but that will be fixed also! last , i will get this one finished this year ! what do you think of the new video ?

Fixed everything mentioned above also made the cutting in and out of the scene a bit more smoother so its not so much in your face , next thing now is to try clean the scene up abit

https://youtu.be/aStndZ-Ffd8

Deviantnick said:

Fixed everything mentioned above also made the cutting in and out of the scene a bit more smoother so its not so much in your face , next thing now is to try clean the scene up abit

https://youtu.be/aStndZ-Ffd8

Good to hear from you Nick! And the clip is shaping up really well.

Lets hope this is the year where this long awaited edit comes to fruition 😃