Back in 1977, just after "The Muppet Show" debuted but before "The Muppet Movie", Jim Henson decided to make a project to help them work out the kinks for the upcoming movie. "Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" is that project--more ambitious than the show but not a full-length theatrical release like the movie. While the show isn't as as refined as later work (you can see strings when some of the characters move) but they did try some DIFFERENT techniques and styles of puppets. For the most part, it's quite sweet and successful--and mostly it's really, really cute. My only reservation about this sweet show is that there is A LOT of singing and it might have worked better with less. Heck, with just a few less songs I would have given this one a 9--but the songs tended to disrupt the story and seemed, at times, like filler.
As for the story, it's a reworking of the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi". However, instead of a husband selling his watch and a wife selling her beautiful hair to buy presents for each other, it involves poor Emmett and his mother trying to win a talent show so they can buy each other nice presents. Naturally, it doesn't work out as they expect--but it's all quite charming, nonetheless. Well worth seeing--particularly if you are a kid or a kid at heart.
As for the story, it's a reworking of the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi". However, instead of a husband selling his watch and a wife selling her beautiful hair to buy presents for each other, it involves poor Emmett and his mother trying to win a talent show so they can buy each other nice presents. Naturally, it doesn't work out as they expect--but it's all quite charming, nonetheless. Well worth seeing--particularly if you are a kid or a kid at heart.