Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

This movie is a tender loving movie with lots of humor, it is a wonderful family movie. I remember every Christmas my brothers and I couldn't wait for this movie to show on HBO. The story is a version of the gift of the magi set with animals and a little twist on the story. The characters are adorable and you want to take them home. and who can forget the River bottom band? I highly recommend seeing this movie and making it a tradition in your home.

This year was the 28th annual showing of Emmett Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas (EOJBC) at my parents' home. It's our family Chanuka tradition! I was very happy to read all of the other glowing reviews of EOJBC. All of the characters are so great. My dad's favorite character is Wendel, and his lines, "Let's see...half a fifty cents, half a fifty cents..." and "Golly, you got mashed potatoes?!" My sisters and I all love to hate Gretchen Fox, (we wish she WOULD fall off the dock). And while we're on the subject of ol' Gretchen, does anyone else find it just a little convenient that she is one of the talent contest judges who casts her vote AGAINST the jugband and Ma? There's also that crotchety Old Lady Possum who micro-managerially watches Wendel and Emmet rebuild (NOT repair) her fence with her broom in hand, cawing, "Don't just stand around, boys! Ya got WORK to do!" I love the snake when he says to Chuck, "Geez, a guy should be grateful he's got shoulders!" and the bug-eyed fish when he condescendingly spits at the man in the street, "Oh, so sorry!Pbbfft!!"

As many times as I've seen EOJBC, I never tire of it. The scene in the ORIGINAL version with George and Melissa Rabbit's talent performance (gotta love those jazz paws!) absolutely trips me out to this day! I laugh so hard I cry! It was a crime that their scene was scrapped when the movie came out on cassette. Thankfully, that scene is back in on the DVD, but Kermit is gone. I wish the big companies would just put aside the copyrights for a while and reissue a DVD of the original version of EOJBC as it was first shown on HBO, complete with Kermit the Frog and George and Melissa Rabbit's stellar performance. I bet there are a lot of viewers out there who have no idea that George and Melissa were even there! In the version that cuts out their scene, you can still hear their music in the background as Harrison Fox is telling the jugband to get back inside before they miss their curtain call.

Not only are the characters fully developed with great personalities, but there are some great one-liners in the script. Will Possum closes the curtain after the first act, Carrots the Dancing Horse, makes a memorable exit Stage Left AND Right. Pulling the cords, Will drolly says, "It's gonna be a loooooong night," and shakes his head. Ever the gracious hostess, Alice "Ma" Otter welcomes Hetty Muskrat into her home to use the spinning wheel Ma keeps borrowing from her. As she holds a tea kettle in her hands, Ma looks around frantically and asks, "Now, where'd I put that teapot?" We are trying (unsuccessfully as of yet) to get my 4 year old niece to watch it, but she hasn't shown much interest yet. Maybe next year.

Paul Williams is a masterful songwriter and composer (Mr. Big Time Conductor, to quote Harvey). If you like his style, I highly recommend Bugsy Malone (1976), the all-kid casted gangster movie starring Scott Baio and Jodie Foster.

If you have any inclination to watch this movie, go for it. You will not be disappointed!

Charming Christmas special from Jim Henson, based on the book by Russell and Lillian Hoban. This sweet story is about dirt poor Emmet Otter and his mother. Unbeknownst to each other, they both get the idea to join a talent show in hopes of winning the prize money to buy a gift for the other. It's a sentimental tale with a great moral lesson and some nice songs. Wait until you get a load of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band! Try to find the uncut version if you can. Unfortunately, after Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets, some scenes were removed from the DVD releases. Still, whatever version you watch I'm sure you will enjoy this delightful Christmas special.

I very fondly remember watching this movie when I was little. It never really mattered to me that Emmet and his mother didn't win the contest for the money because I got the brilliant message that it didn't matter that neither of them won the contest - what mattered was they love each other and were always going to be there for each other. The characters in this movie are truly memorable and the music is still some that I sing today. And really who could forget the part when the Jug band finally gets to perform with Ma as their lead singer? I am an avid fan of anything Jim Hensen and I love the fact that he created such a sweet movie that teaches a very important lesson to young children: material possessions are just that; what really matters is you as a person.

So what if you can see wires on all the characters, this classic will remain a must view every year for my family and myself. Emmitt Otter's story is one that teaches us all, young and old, that the best things in life are the things that we take for granted. I am glad that my family can say after watching this gem, that "We're closer now than ever before".