Muppet Video

Credits

Descriptions by
V of Doom and PAV123

Captures by
V of Doom and PAV123

Editions by
Muzzarino

Video captures courtesy of
AussieRoadshow, LogicSmash and DudeThatLogo

Background

This was the original home video division of Henson Associates, Inc., which later became The Jim Henson Company. In Australia, it was one of eight labels Publishing and Broadcasting Video (later Communications and Entertainment Ltd) distributed. In the United States, most of the company's output was distributed by the Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company. RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video distributed the company's content in the UK.

In 1985, Henson Associates moved American distribution to Playhouse Video. The label was folded by 1987. Internationally, it was succeeded by Jim Henson Presents.

1st Logo (1983-1984)

Visuals: The screen fades into a shot of the stacked text "MUPPET HOME VIDEO", with "MUPPET" being from the Muppets franchise logo at the time, zooming out with a heavy trail effect extending forwards. As it becomes fully visible, the trail recedes backwards and inverts its path towards the back of the logo, revealing a dark blue background with several lavender dots scattered all across it. The background zooms in slightly as the dots occasionally increase in brightness to resemble 8-pointed stars.

Variant: At the beginning of the preview reel, the logo transitions into the first preview with a large flash.

Technique: Live-action lighting and video feedback effects.

Audio: "Flash", by Keith Mansfield (the pilot theme for Press Your Luck and the theme of the Australian Thorn EMI Video logo). The beginning logo has an announcer say "Welcome to a whole new world of Muppet fantasy."

Availability: This was exclusively used in Australia as a part of a preview reel, and is used on Publishing and Broadcasting Video releases of the Tales from Muppetland trilogy (e.g. The Frog Prince).

2nd Logo (1983-1984)

Visuals: On a white background, the same "MUPPET" logo from before is seen at the bottom of the screen, but in a yellow-orange gradient color and with a drawing of Kermit the Frog resting on top of it, smiling as he has his hand on his head and the other on the text. Below is the text "H O M E--V I D E O" in black.

Trivia:

• This logo was painted by legendary movie poster artist Drew Struzan.

Variant: There is a variant reading "MuppetMusic" in place of 'Muppet", as well as Kermit holding an eighth note like a guitar or banjo, on the box art of Doozer Music, but the video shows the next logo instead.

Technique: A painted card.

Audio: None.

Availability: Only appeared on the VHS and Beta releases of the Tales from Muppetland trilogy in North America (The LaserDisc releases use the 1978 Walt Disney Home Entertainment logo). This was likely meant to be a placeholder for the next logo.

3rd Logo (1983-1985)

Visuals: On a navy blue space background, a white line draws along the bottom, of which an odd white outline blob pops up in the middle. It's filled in to reveal Kermit the Frog, who stares in awe as two comets shoot over his head in opposite directions. A star faintly pings in the top left, and the arched large text reading "MUPPET", in a font similar to the logo for The Muppet Show and colored yellow-orange with a red backing, flies in and settles over Kermit. White text reading "H O M E--V I D E O" then fades in below with Kermit between both words. He then stares at them and nods his head before fading out.

Trivia: Kermit was probably operated by Jim Henson in this logo.

Variant: There is an extended version with Kermit also looking down at the line. At the end, the space background and the word "MUPPET" disappear, leaving Kermit, the pink line and the "Home Video" text behind on a black background. The rest of the logo then fades out.

Technique: Computer animation, with Kermit in live-action.

Audio: A warbly "outer space" synth scale, then a series of synth whooshes.

Availability:

• In North America, this can be spotted on the Fraggle Rock compilation releases "Fraggle Songs Vol. 1" and "Doozer Music".
• It is more common internationally, where it can be found on releases from PBV Video in Australia, and Fraggle Rock VHS/Beta releases from RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video in the UK.

4th Logo (1985-1987)

Visuals: After the Playhouse Video logo finishes, the background changes to a blue-red gradient background and the Playhouse logo flies and rolls to the top left. As this appears, 3 rings colored red, yellow, and white fly in, as well as the letters in the word "MUPPET", colored olive with a white outline on the "M" and a slightly different design compared to the other logos (but still influenced by the Muppets logo), fly in all over the screen and settle in the center as they zoom out. The rings bounce and flip all over the screen before merging into one large ring, an oblong shape consisting of a navy blue inside along with a black, white, and red borders slide in from all sides of the screen and meet in the center, several white dots swirl around everything, and an olive diamond with a white outline and a upside down black triangle outline inside of it flies down from the upper left corner. As they all meet in the center, the outlines appear on the rest of "MUPPET", the dots rearrange themselves along the border of the oblong, and the ring zooms in back into view. Upon coming together, the diamond is filled with the stacked text "JIM HENSON'S", "V I D E O" appears in the gap below "MUPPET", and the dots turn into chasing lights, making the entire logo resemble a marquee sign.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: The music from the 1984 logo but with a few added tinkling sounds at the end, accompanied by an announcer saying "Don't miss coming attractions at the end of this cassette."

Availability: Exclusively used in North America. It appears on compilation releases of The Muppet Show, such as "Children's Songs and Stories" and "Muppet Moments". All releases with this logo come in packaging styled after it, with the logo above a screenshot of the respective release.