I bought this on Video years ago and its got Belle singing When Love is Gone, but then I upgraded to the DVD and When love is Gone is, well, Gone.
I really like that tune.
Does anyone know why they removed the song, it makes no sense to me.
According to Wikipedia on The Muppet Christmas Carol The song "When Love Is Gone" was removed from the DVD release, despite having featured on the VHS release. Henson felt it made the film too melodramatic.
The 2005 Kermit the Frog's 50th Anniversary release of the movie it has both Widescreen and Fullscreen presentations of the film, Fullscreen version on the dvd has the song included. I think your version is the 2002 DVD release which is fullscreen but doesn't have the song.
Also written on Wikipedia under Soundtracks
"When Love is Gone" was cut out of the original 1992 theatrical release as producers thought it would slow the film down a bit, but put it back in for the video release and TV airings. This song was once again cut from the 10th Anniversary Edition of the film released on DVD (widescreen only, the fullscreen version has the song). No Region 2 edition of the film contains the song. Two other songs were written but cut from the film; "Room in Your Heart", performed by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew & Beaker, and "Chairman of the Board", performed by Sam the Eagle. These songs were recorded, but cut from the script before filming began. Both songs appear on the motion picture soundtrack released by Jim Henson Records.
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Thank you for this, as I came to this board specifically to have this question answered!
I rented it on DVD last night and wondered where the song had gone. I had seen the film on tv within the last couple of years without the song too, but just thought they'd edited it out for time. I vaguely remember the song from seeing the film at the cinema and subsequently in the video when we watched it in school.
I miss the song, as I remember it being very emotional and Caine being very good... but it's been some years since I've seen it now.
EDIT: I will now go and find it on YouTube!
"And she's going to pay back... in fear dollars!"share
I think the song "When Love is Gone" was the worst of the movie, but even so I do miss it, having watched this movie many times on VHS, it just doesn't play right, without that song. Besides, it's hard to understand why Rizzo the Rat is suddenly crying at the end of that scene, because it is immediately after the song, so it seems pretty disjointed. I guess I watch the full-screen version for continuity, rather than see a strange progression in the plot.
Doctor Who fan
You need the Anniversary Edition of the DVD if you want that scene. There are two versions on that DVD, the widescreen theatrical version without the song and full screen extended version with the song.
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It's my opinion, get over it
I'm with you. When Scrooge sings the song with her and then gets so choked up that he can't keep singing, it's the first time during the movie that I start crying. Somehow Rizzo crying over it doesn't seem right without the song. I particularly like how it's changed to "When Love is Found" at the end.
Some of Paul Williams' songs tend to be a bit melodramatic, but it's also what makes them unforgettable.
Oddly enough, if you watch it with commentary the song is back in, with Henson mentioning that it had been cut for the theatrical release. It did slow the movie down a little, but it was kind of necessary for Rizzo crying, the strength of Scrooge's reaction to the Ghost of Christmas Past at the end of the scene and change in attitude toward the next ghost, and the song at the end of the movie to work as well as they can.
shareI watched the DVD I rented with commentary and it wasn't back in. It wasn't even mentioned.
"And she's going to pay back... in fear dollars!"share
Thank you! I was so annoyed that it was gone! (And I have the 50th anniversary edition, so I don't know what's going on there.)
The bit where Michael Caine sings with her is my favourite part too. It makes the reprise (When Love Is Found) at the end all the more special.
Am I the messiah? I don't know, I could be, I'm not ruling it out.
As pointed out earlier, it probably depends upon which version of the DVD you rented. Sounds like someone else, your best bet is to check it out on youtube. Here's one in my favorites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfI_N0vyxaI, which has the entire Belle arc, from when Fozziwig introduces her to Ebeneezer to when Scrooge tells the ghost to leave him. I've got tears on my cheek just from re-watching watching the clip, something I don't do when I watch my version of the DVD that doesn't have the song. I think leaving it out was a bad decision.
shareI almost upgraded to the DVD version as well... now i know this song has been removed i shall probably record my VHS version onto DVD, i hate it when directors mess around with their films.
shareActually I found out I was wrong. I always watched the wide-screen version of my DVD, which is where the song is missing. But after re-reading some of the posts in this thread, I checked the cover (it's the 50th Anniversary Version), I found this: "Includes Widescreen & Extended Full Screen Version with Deleted Scene!" The "Deleted Scene" is "When Love is Gone".
I don't like so many things cut out on the sides, things you can see in the wide-screen version, but it's worth it to see the song. So, yes, you can still upgrade to DVD by watching that version.
This movie came out after Henson's death so he can't be the one who made the change, unless you mean his son. The song is not in the version now on Disney Plus.
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