Old video formats

Jarin Blaschke · January 27, 2004

A couple weeks ago, I saw Jim Henson's "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas" (or similar title, sorry) for the fist time on DVD. I thought the look was remarkable, especially considering that it seemed to be shot on video in the 1970s. I could tell they needed to use a lot of fill light and sparks and fire looked very 'video' but overall it was very sharp, clean with a distinctive, dry, desaturated look. Does anyone know what format this was captured on? I'm very intrigued. Thanks.

-Jarin

IBL · January 27, 2004

Check out U-Matic. It might have been done on that. Tube cameras where also around that time.

John Pytlak RIP · January 28, 2004

Found this on the net (not verified):

http://www.azd.com/list/video/076782900X.html

"To clear up some of the confusion and angry reviews about this special being edited, as a fan of Emmet Otter, let me explain that there are 2 different versions of this classic holiday special. In 1977, HBO first aired Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas and also ran it in 1978 and 1979 which is the version that's been available on VHS for years and was just released on DVD. In 1980, ABC snatched the special away from HBO for one year and made some changes to it including adding Kermit's voiceover narration, trimming some of the songs ("Ain't No Hole In The Washtub" and the reprise of "When The River Meets The Sea"), extending some scenes like the Riverside Rest scene where Emmet, Ma and the boys are singing inside where it pans over to Kermit narrating to us the audience (the original 1977 version did not have Kermit at the Riverside Rest but just dissolved onto the next scene when Emmet, Ma and the boys are walking home after singing) while trimming others. HBO began airing the special again in 1981 and throughout the '80s but instead of using the original 1977 version that they ran from 1977 to 1979, they instead ran the ABC network version which is what most viewers had remembered seeing and therefore were upset by the video release which was the original 1977 cut and not the 1980 network version. So my advice to those who still have a copy from HBO recorded during the '80s, keep it and buy the video version which is the original version that aired back in 1977 on HBO and watch them back to back and decide for yourself which version you like the most. Personally, I prefer the video edition because that was the version I had remembered watching as a kid. I just wanted to clear up any confusion by those who had bought the video or DVD and was disappointed to see what they thought was an "edited version" of what they had remembered seeing on ABC or HBO in the '80s which is not really the case when it comes to this classic holiday special where there are 2 versions: the 1977 cut which ran on HBO from 1977 to 1979 and the 1980 ABC network version which ran once on ABC in 1980 and on HBO from 1981 into the late '80s. Hope this information helps. "