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Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Disclaimer: The manufacturer provided NewTechReview with a unit of this product for review. Reviewed by Scott R. Garrigus | ||
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"A treasure trove of hearty laughs is yours when two of the funniest, most action-packed Muppet movies of all time make their Disney Blu-ray debut in this special star-studded 2-Movie Collection. From the swashbuckling lunacy in Muppet Treasure Island to the jewel-heist hilarity of The Great Muppet Caper, these two classic comedy-adventures are packed with music, mirth, mayhem and, of course, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo, and all your Muppet favorites." That's the official description for this Muppet-themed Blu-ray combo pack from Disney. Basically, these two classic Muppet films have been restored, remastered and transferred to Blu-ray. Similar to what was done with A Muppet Christmas Carol, the Muppet Treasure Island film follows Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale, but of course, with a modern Muppet twist to it. Kermit plays Captain Smollett, Miss Piggy plays Benjamina Gunn (in reference to the original character, Benjamin Gunn), Kevin Bishop plays Jim Hawkins and Tim Curry plays Long John Silver. The Great Muppet Caper, on the other hand, is the sequel to the original The Muppet Movie. In this film, the Muppets take on roles a bit different from the original. Here, Kermit and Fozzie are newspaper reporters with Gonzo as their photographer. They are assigned to investigate a jewel heist in London. While there, they run into Miss Piggy and the mayhem ensues. I won't ruin the story for those that haven't seen it and if you're a fan then you already know what happens. Both films are presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Disney has done a nice job of transferring the original films to the Blu-ray format, although The Great Muppet Caper is still grainy and noisy in some places. Muppet Treasure Island provides a better picture, but with more subdued tones. For audio, both films provide English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, and while most of the audio is still in the front speakers for The Great Muppet Caper, the surround sound for Muppet Treasure Island is much more noticeable, especially during the musical numbers. The Great Muppet Caper also provides Dolby 2.0 tracks in French, Spanish, and German. Muppet Treasure Island provides Dolby 2.0 for the French track and 5.1 Dolby for the Spanish and German tracks. For bonus features, this Blu-ray combo pack provides: * Audio Commentary – From the original DVD release of Muppet Treasure Island, this bonus feature provides Brian Henson describing how he made the movie, along with comical insights from Gonzo and Rizzo. * The Tale of the Story: Beyond the Tail (SD, 22 min.) – Also from the original DVD release, this bonus feature provides a behind-the-scenes look at Muppet Treasure Island hosted by Gonzo and Rizzo. * 'Let the Good Shine Out' Music Video (SD, 3 min.) – A music video starring Kermit, which is also from the original DVD release. * Frog-E-Oke Sing-Along (HD, 5 min.) – A new Blu-ray bonus in HD that provides karaoke versions of three songs from the movies, so that you can sing along with Kermit and the gang. 'Cabin Fever' from Muppet Treasure Island and 'Steppin Out With A Star' and 'Happiness Hotel' from The Great Muppet Caper. While the Frog-E-Oke is really nothing special, true Muppets fans will still probably want to get this Blu-ray combo pack. Both movies definitely look better than their DVD counterparts and if you don't already have them, it's a definite buy. However, if you like the Muppets but aren't die hard fans, and you already own the DVD versions, then you may not need this release. For more information, visit movies.disney.com. |
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