History Literature / EmmetOttersJugBandChristmas

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/CBC}} in Canada. It debuted in the U.S. in 1978 on Creator/{{HBO}} and was very well received, winning a [=CableACE=] award, and remained a holiday staple on HBO for over a decade (its success making ''Series/FraggleRock'', also made in Canada with many of the same talent, possible a few years later), thereafter syndicated on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written by Music/PaulWilliams; despite positive reviews, a soundtrack was never officially released until November 2018 through Varese Sarabande.[[note]]"When the River Meets the Sea" is also notable for having been sung by Jerry Nelson (Emmet) and Louise Gold at Jim Henson's memorial service.[[/note]] In 2008–09, the Goodspeed Theater and The Jim Henson Company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

** The original 1977 version broadcast on HBO, featuring Kermit the Frog as narrator.
** A 1980 VHS release that has various little bits added and taken out, like some additional dialogue when Ma and Emmet are wondering what to do about Christmas presents.
** A 1996 home video[=/=]broadcast edit removed Kermit completely, as the rights to Kermit and the other Muppets had been sold to Disney. This was further tweaked in 2005 in another edit that restored the original 1977 broadcast version, still sans Kermit.

** “When the River Meets the Sea” returns at the end, when Alice and Emmet and the jug band all sing for Pa after their first regular performance at the Riverside Rest.

* ChekhovsGunman: Doc Bullfrog, seen relatively briefly early in the show greeting Ma and Emmet. Seen briefly again at the talent contest, where he's identified as the owner of the local inn. He saves Emmet and Ma at the end by offering them jobs singing at the inn.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: After all that trouble neither Ma nor Emmet's band win the contest -- but they do get steady jobs working for Doc Bullfrog, so presumably they'll be able to afford the guitar and the piano.

* HardTruthAesop: Sometimes, jerks win legitimately over more likable people, as shown by the River Bottom Nightmare Gang beating both Emmet and Ma's acts with a performance that's more impressive than either of theirs despite them being mean to just about everybody.

* KarmaHoudini: The River Bottom gang are generally mean to everyone and cause a fair bit of damage and trouble. Then they win the contest (although by all appearances they win fair and square, aside from entering at the last minute and the talent show being extended in consideration of the distance they'd traveled to do so from Riverbottom).

* SnakeOilSalesman: Ma Otter's deceased husband was one (due to AmbiguousSyntax -- apparently he sold oil ''for'' snakes).

* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: At first the mood seems somber since both Alice and Emmet and his gang lose the contest to the Riverbottom gang, but then when they combine the songs they performed, this prompts Doc Bullfrog and the patrons of his restaurant to hire them as the house band and get paid regular along with meals for all, which they happily accept.

* VillainSong: "Riverbottom Nightmare Band" -- a boastful tune about what delinquents the Riverbottom kids are.

* RealityEnsues: The River Bottom Nightmare Band puts on a big, flashy, professional-level musical act... and wins the talent contest. Emmett and Ma's incredibly poor decision to gamble with each other's livelihoods nearly ruins them. It all works out serendipitously, but there's a substantial period where it looks like it didn't.

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/CBC}} in Canada. It debuted in the U.S. a year later on Creator/{{HBO}} and, after winning a [=CableACE=] Award (thus helping to pave the way for ''Series/FraggleRock'', which used many of the same staff, a few years later) was a holiday staple on that channel through the '80s, and was later syndicated on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written by Music/PaulWilliams; despite positive reviews, a soundtrack was never officially released until November 2018 through Varese Sarabande.[[note]]"When the River Meets the Sea" is also notable for having been sung by Jerry Nelson (Emmet) and Louise Gold at Jim Henson's memorial service.[[/note]] In 2008–09, the Goodspeed Theater and The Jim Henson Company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/CBC}} in Canada. It debuted in the U.S. a year later on Creator/{{HBO}} and, after winning a [=CableACE=] Award (thus helping to pave the way for ''Series/FraggleRock'', which used many of the same staff, a few years later) was a holiday staple on that channel through the '80s, and was later syndicated on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written by Music/PaulWilliams; despite positive reviews, a soundtrack was never officially released until November 2018 through Varese Sarabande. In 2008–09, the Goodspeed Theater and The Jim Henson Company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/CBC}} in Canada. It debuted in the U.S. a year later on Creator/{{HBO}} and was later syndicated on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written by Music/PaulWilliams; despite positive reviews, a soundtrack was never officially released until November 2018 through Varese Sarabande. In 2008–09, the Goodspeed Theater and The Jim Henson Company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

* IrrelevantActOpener: Emmet and his ma are introduced singing a folk song about "The one bathing suit that your Grandma Otter wore" as they row down the river.

* RealityEnsues: The River Bottom Nightmare Band puts on a big, flashy, professional-level musical act... and wins the talent contest. Emmett and Ma's incredibly poor decision to gamble with each other's livelihoods nearly ruins them. Though as Emmet points out to Ma after Doc Bullfrog hires them, they make much better singers than they do launderers and doing odd repair work, if they had never taken the risk, their hidden talents would have never been discovered. Talents that are actually appreciated, as opposed to the way Ma's customers and Emmet's brief employers treated them.

* HilariousOuttakes: Included on the DVD, special mention goes to a scene of a drum rolling out of the music store. They wanted it to roll and fall in a specific way, and except for one test before they started rolling the cameras, it ''never'' landed right. Even after 200 tries. The puppeteers stayed in character the whole time.
-->'''Ma Otter''': [[PrecisionFStrike Sweet Jesus!]] (to the very large and human crewmember resetting the scene) Did you see that?

With their hopes and livelihoods gone, Ma, Emmet, and his friends head home. On the way, Ma stops to sing her song again with the jug band playing behind her, and the local innkeeper hears them and hires them as the house band.

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/CBC}} in Canada. It debuted in the U.S. a year later on Creator/{{HBO}} and was later rerun on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written for the special by Music/PaulWilliams; though the music was well-received it was never officially released until 41 years later, when Varese Sarabande released a soundtrack on November 2, 2018. In 2008 and 2009, the Goodspeed Theater and the Jim Henson company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

[[https://nerdist.com/article/bret-mckenzie-taking-on-emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas/ A remake is currently in production for HBO]], with ''Flight of The Conchords''' Bret [=McKenzie=], songwriter for the recently Muppet movies, taking the helm for the music and script and possibly directing.

* CounterpointDuet: "Brothers in Our World". On the 2005 DVD Music/PaulWilliams revealed that "Our World" and "Brothers" were actually both written as the counterpoint reprise, with the latter song being written as a streamline to the former.

* DigitalDestruction: The 2015 airings on ("Freeform, the new name for") [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]] give this special (along with ''The Bells of Series/FraggleRock'', which were both originally videotaped) a horrible faux film look[[note]]Which, compared to something like Series/HannahMontana, which was also videotaped, but also has a faux film look, is much more noticeable. Although one must also consider the fact that though Hannah Montana is videotaped, the video format used is ''digital''. When Emmet Otter was being filmed, they only have professional grade ''analog'' tape, digital recording wouldn't be for another few years.[[/note]].

** Emmet and his ma look everything like otters... they just bear more of a resemblance to sea otters than the river otters they're intended to be.

* KarmaHoudini: The River Bottom gang are generally mean to everyone and cause a fair bit of damage and trouble. Then they win the contest. (Although by all appearances they win fair and square, aside from entering at the last minute and the talent show being extended in consideration of the distance they'd traveled to do so from Riverbottom.)
* MediumBlending: This is really unlike a typical Jim Henson production as it didn't just use hand puppets. It also used marionettes for long shots of the characters walking, and kabuki puppetry for some of the acts in the talent show.

* MusicalWorldHypothesis: All of the songs in the special are diegetical, though about half the time the background music isn't.

* ReCut: The TV special has a checkered history.
** There's the original 1977 version broadcast on HBO, featuring Kermit the Frog as narrator.
** There's a 1980 VHS release that has various little bits added and taken out, like some additional dialogue when Ma and Emmet are wondering what to do about Christmas presents.
** A 1996 home video and broadcast edit removed Kermit from the show completely, as the rights to Kermit and the other Muppets had been sold to Disney. This was further tweaked in 2005 in another edit that restored the original 1977 broadcast version, except for still leaving Kermit out.
** A 2015 television edit for ABC Family's "25 Days of Christmas" series put Kermit's scenes back in the show for the first time in 20 years. [[DigitalDestruction But the film was matted from its 1977 4:3 aspect ratio to widescreen, the frame rate was changed from 60 fps to 30 fps to make it look more like a movie]], and there were other major edits, like removing the "Ain't No Hole in the Washtub" number.[[note]]There is another possible reason why the video is in 30fps -- in its original 60fps form, the video is ''interlaced'' since it was originally recorded to magnetic tape. When converting an interlaced video to progressive scan, both fields are usually melded together and then interpolated, causing the frame rate to half, unless additional post-processing is done to add motion compensation/smoothing and retain the 60fps frame rate. The other side effect of this is the picture will ''blur''. This appears to be the case of the ABC Family and 40th Anniversary DVD release, as when the DVD media is paused, there is no telltale sign of interlacing but instead there is blurring, indicating that processing has been done to convert the video to progressive scan[[/note]]
** The 2017 40th Anniversary DVD release took the ABC Family cut, removed the faux film look and restored a lot of the deleted scenes (namely, the scene with Alice telling Gretchen Fox to fall off the dock once she's out of earshot, the ''Ain't No Hole in the Washtub'' song, and the snow sliding scene), but still contains the other issues of the ABC Family broadcast (ie it's still matted to 16:9, with no vertical panning in the scenes that needed it; it's also still 30fps, but see the above note about conversion to progressive scan).
** The 2018 Blu-Ray release is about as perfect as it gets without destroying the image quality- they took the 2017 DVD release's time sheet and applied it to a fresh transfer, which thus restored the 4:3 aspect ratio while retaining every scene present in the 2017 DVD release. However given that the media is Progressive Scan (trust me, you do ''not'' want to upscale an interlaced video source to 1080p without first deinterlacing it), it's a given that the video is still at 30fps unless they throw in motion smoothing to drag the frame rate back up to 60fps[[note]]Which also carries the risk of ruining the video- read: motion smoothing has been known to induce ''motion sickness'' in some people[[/note]].

** 2 rabbits that have a dance in the contest are about twice as tall as Emmet, his friends and mother[[note]]given that the largest species of sea otters grow up to almost six feet tall on average while the largest known species of rabbits is the Flemish giant which grows to a an average of four and a half feet tall. [[/note]]

* TalentContest: With a prize of $50 attached.
* TheyStoleOurAct: Emmet and his bandmates have to change plans in a hurry after another act in the talent show performs "Barbecue", the song they had rehearsed.

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/HBO}}. It later aired on Creator/{{ABC}}, {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} and Creator/{{Freeform}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written for the special by Music/PaulWilliams; though the music was well-received it was never officially released until 41 years later, when Varese Sarabande released a soundtrack on November 2, 2018. In 2008 and 2009, the Goodspeed Theater and the Jim Henson company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

* DigitalDestruction: The 2015 airings on ("Freeform, the new name for") [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]] give this special (along with ''The Bells of Series/FraggleRock'', which were both originally videotaped) a horrible faux film look[[note]]Which, compared to something like Series/HannahMontana, which was also videotaped, but also has a faux film look, is much more noticeable. Although one must also consider the fact that though Hannah Montana is videotaped, the video format used is ''digital''. When Emmet Otter was being filmed, they only have professional grade ''analog'' tape, digital recording wasn’t invented yet.[[/note]].

In 1977, Creator/JimHenson adapted the story (with [[strike:puppets]] {{Muppet}}s, of course) for {{Creator/HBO}}. It later aired on Creator/{{ABC}} and then on {{Creator/Nickelodeon}}. It sticks very true to the story. (The only real difference is that in the special, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band are a gang of mean-spirited bullies. In the book, they were just a band with a flashier, more glamorous act.) Original music was written for the special by Music/PaulWilliams; though the music was well-received it was never officially released until 41 years later on November 2, 2018. In 2008 and 2009, the Goodspeed Theater and the Jim Henson company produced a live stage version of the show, featuring a mixture of Muppets and costumed humans.

* RodentsOfUnusualSize: The muskrat in Emmet's jug band isn't any smaller than the otter, porcupine, or beaver.

* TriumphantReprise: “When the River Meets the Sea” returns at the end, when Alice and Emmet and the jug band all sing for Pa after their first regular performance at the Riverside Rest.

* WickedWeasel: In the special and stage adaptation, the River Bottom gang includes Chuck Stoat and Stanley Weasel.

* InformedSpecies: Invokes a touch of this. Emmet and his ma look everything like otters... they just bear more of a resemblance to sea otters than the river otters they're intended to be.
** Chuck Stoat looks more like a bear than a stoat, which is a type of weasel.

* KarmaHoudini: The River Bottom gang are generally mean to everyone and cause a fair bit of damage and trouble. Then they win the contest. (Although by all appearances they win fair and square.)
** Yancy Woodchuck gets no comeuppance for performing "Barbecue" which Emmet and the jug band had spent so much effort to rehearse.

** 2 rabbits that have a dance in the contest are about twice as tall as Emmet, his friends and mother[[note]]given that the largest species of sea otters grow up to almost six feet tall on average while the largest known species of rabbits is the flemish giant which grows to a an average of four and a half feet tall. [[/note]]

* TriumphantReprise: “When the River Meets the Sea” returns at the end, when Alice and Emmit and the jug band all sing for Pa after their first regular performance at the Riverside Rest.

In October 2019, it was announced that [[https://nerdist.com/article/bret-mckenzie-taking-on-emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas/ HBO is planning to remake the special]], with ''Flight of The Conchords''' Bret [=McKenzie=] taking the helm for the music and script, with the option of also directing the special. Fans reaction is of course split- some thinks that [=McKenzie=] can bring a fresh coat of paint to an otherwise aging movie, while others argue that Paul Williams' original scores are perfection and HBO should not be messing with their childhood. Time will tell if the remake will be as universally accepted as the original.

In October 2019, it was announced that [[https://nerdist.com/article/bret-mckenzie-taking-on-emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas/ HBO is planning to remake the special]], with ''Flight of The Conchords''' Bret [=McKenzie=] taking the helm for the music and direction. Fans reaction is of course split- some thinks that [=McKenzie=] can bring a fresh coat of paint to an otherwise aging movie, while others argue that Paul Williams' original scores are perfection and HBO should not be messing with their childhood. Time will tell if the remake will be as universally accepted as the original.

In October 2019, it was announced that [[https://nerdist.com/article/bret-mckenzie-taking-on-emmet-otters-jug-band-christmas/ HBO is planning to remake the special]], with ''Flight of The Conchords''' Bret McKenzie taking the helm for the music and direction. Fans reaction is of course split- some thinks that McKenzie can bring a fresh coat of paint to an otherwise aging movie, while others argue that Paul Williams' original scores are perfection and HBO should not be messing with their childhood. Time will tell if the remake will be as universally accepted as the original.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** Listen to the lyrics of "When the River Meets the Sea". It's a song about ''death'', in a children's Christmas puppet show.[[note]]It should be noted that WordOfGod from composer Music/PaulWilliams in the 2005 Making of Documentary/Retrospective gives the opposite explanation on the song's meaning. He states it's a song about ''life'', a secular hymn on how in his view, we can never truly understand it, just appreciate it reverently. The special itself leaves the interpretation open to the viewer. Still doesn't help that it is often performed at the funeral of Muppet performers tho.[[/note]]
-->''...Thus our soul '''will leave this land most peacefully...'''''
** ''"The Bathing Suit That Grandma Otter Wore"'' suggests Grandma was a woman of size in every possible way.
-->''...She was known for her '''generous silhouette''' and yet...''
** And the original book mentions ''Sister Possum'', a song that the ''Tough Pigs'' Muppets fan supersite calls ''potentially scandalous''. Thankfully, the only thing the book gives us about the song is the two lines below:
--> ''Going to Old Man Possum’s shack[=/=]Sister Possum waiting out back''

* DigitalDestruction: The 2015 airings on ("Freeform, the new name for") [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]] give this special (along with ''The Bells of Series/FraggleRock'', which were both originally videotaped) a horrible faux film look[[note]]Which, compared to something like Series/HannahMontana, which was also videotaped, but also has a faux film look, is much more noticeable. Although one must also consider the fact that though Hannah Montana is videotaped, the video format used is ''digital''. When Emmet Otter was being filmed, they only have professional grade ''analog'' tape.[[/note]].

* DigitalDestruction: The 2015 airings on ("Freeform, the new name for") [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]] give this special (along with ''The Bells of Series/FraggleRock'', which were both originally videotaped) a horrible faux film look[[note]]Which, compared to something like Series/HannahMontana, which was also videotaped, but also has a faux film look, is much more noticeable.[[/note]].

** The 2018 Blu-Ray release is about as perfect as it gets without destroying the image quality- they took the 2017 DVD release and restored the 4:3 aspect ratio. However given that the media is Progressive Scan (trust me, you do ''not'' want to upscale an interlaced video source to 1080p without first deinterlacing it), it's a given that the video is still at 30fps unless they throw in motion smoothing to drag the frame rate back up to 60fps[[note]]Which also carries the risk of ruining the video- read: motion smoothing has been known to induce ''motion sickness'' in some people[[/note]].

** The 2018 Blu-Ray release is about as perfect as it gets without destroying the image quality- they took the 2017 DVD release and restored the 4:3 aspect ratio. However given that the media is Progressive Scan (trust me, you do ''not'' want to upscale a interlaced video source to 1080p without first deinterlacing it), it's a given that the video is still at 30fps unless they throw in motion smoothing to drag the frame rate back up to 60fps[[note]]Which also carries the risk of ruining the video- read: motion smoothing has been known to induce motion sickness in some people[[/note]].