John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979 TV Special) User Reviews

It's not Christmas until A Christmas Together

[Tollpatsch · 8/10 · 14 November 2005]

A Christmas Together actually came before my time, but I've been raised on John Denver and the songs from this special were always my family's Christmas music. For years we had a crackling cassette made from a record that meant it was Christmas. A few years ago, I was finally able to track down a video of it on Ebay, so after listening to all the music for some 21 years, I got to see John and the Muppets in action for myself. If you ever get the chance, it's a lot of fun--great music, heart-warming and cheesy. It's also interesting to see the 70's versions of the Muppets and compare them to their newer versions today. I believe Denver actually took some heat for doing a show like this--I guess normally performers don't compromise their images by doing sing-a-longs with the Muppets, but I'm glad he did. Even if you can't track down the video, the soundtrack is worth it too. It has some Muppified traditional favorites, but also some original Denver tunes as well.

A Classic !

[sweetadditions-hot · 9/10 · 23 December 2003]

this was a favorite Christmas Special that I wish that they would release on vhs or dvd , since my 33 RPM got lost,and any cassettes I made are also long gone.

I am not even a big John Denver fan but was very impressed with the music , which was mostly traditional favorites with a muppet spin ( esp Little St. Nick ! ) It also contained a few little known songs ( original ? ).

Even though it was done at the end of the '70's this show had a timeless feel to it. Hoping to find a copy soon !!!

Lots of Fun

[Christmas-Reviewer · 8/10 · 9 September 2017]

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

Pitch your tent for a ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY with John Denver and the Muppets in this Emmy-nominated special, which overflows with John Denver's memorable songs and Muppet -puppet laughs. When city slickers the Muppets join the ultimate country boy for a camping trip in the scenic mountains of Colorado, the Muppets adjust to outdoor living while John Denver serenades them with his beautiful music. With the clear blue skies, mountain streams and wild animals roaming free, they all share the wonderful experience of being out in nature with friends. And what better way to end the day than to sit around the campfire and sing songs and tell stories together! It's fun for the whole family with John Denver and the Muppets in a Rocky Mountain Holiday that you can enjoy any day and every day!

Lots of fun. If you are a fan of the Muppet's then put this on your must see list! This television special became such a huge success that Disney later made several Christmas theme projects with the Muppet's including the theatrical release "A Muppet Christmas Carol"

John Denver & The Muppets A Christmas Together

[stongeaz · 10/10 · 29 September 2005]

I was reviewing some old VHS tapes I have and came across The TV show John Denver & The Muppets A Christmas Together.This made me go to my computer and look it up to see if I could find a DVD version of this show to buy. I was disappointed not to be able to find it yet on DVD. The show aired in 1979 and was a delightful show. I have the record and the CD but I would love to buy a DVD version of this show. The tape is old and picture quality is pretty good but fading, the sound is not as good as the CD. There is also a few other songs not put on the CD. As a Fan of John Denver and of the Muppets, a DVD of this show would really be a good seller. If you don't have the CD it is a wonderful Chritmas collection of songs taken from that show. The album is also good if you can find it and still have a record player to play it on.

Still waiting for the DVD...

[Rick-80 · 10/10 · 29 December 2004]

For me too, this Christmas special is one that I remember very fondly. In 1989, I snatched up the 2 CDs I found of the soundtrack recording, giving one to my sister and keeping the other for myself. It's part of my family's Christmas tradition now, and I would love to be able to actually see the show again rather than just remember it as I listen.

It has been noted elsewhere that John Denver made a number of appearances on the Muppet Show, and they did more than one special together. The good rapport between Denver and his fuzzy companions comes through clearly here, in a charming and fun show that is good for all ages.

Find the CD

[hypermushu · 29 January 2005]

I wish that they would release this on DVD too. It was such a great show. I am surprised that at least some channel like ABC Family doesn't it put it on, but I have seen it in years. I caught it on accident a few years ago, but that was it. But in the meantime, if you need a new copy of the soundtrack you can buy it on CD in a lot of stores. check the bargain bins around Christmas time. Best Buy or Circuit City are good choices, you can also try Amazon.com. I got my copy for $5 when I discovered that there were so many scratched in my record that it would no longer play. The only thing is that the original pictures on the inner lining are not longer there and they changed the cover picture of John Denver.

john denver and the muppets a Christmas together

[dmd2222 · 10/10 · 16 December 2006]

yes i have a copy of it on VHS uncut in great condition that i transfered to DVD and if anyone one wants to bring back the memories of a Christmas classic please emil me at [e-mail].i searched everywhere and i found nothing on this and i thought that i cant be the only one on this planet that has this classic on tape there has to be other people and if they do i fit in with them being that very very few that has this classic so i consider myself lucky and i have all of the muppets Christmas except one that john denver did with the muppets again i thinks its called a smokey mountain holiday im not to sure but its close.

40th anniversary!

[Rockershowone660 · 10/10 · 6 December 2019]

Can anyone else believe (or not) that it was 40 years ago on this day that this special originally aired? At that point in time television was much newer to the mainstream of the world than it is today and John Denver probably captivated a lot of viewers the way he created the illusion of a man conversing with living puppets. Of course this had already been seen on Sesame Street for ten years but the way the television timeline compares to the present day would definitely have raised the bar in terms of shock for at least some watching back in 1979 and it's important to remember how living standards of that time strongly impact life today. I'm sure everyone has their own most cherished part of this special but my personal favorite was the peace carol sung by John and the muppets. Do you remember how that song began with an exterior shot of the house they were all gathered in to sing and share holiday feelings? If that isn't a sight to remind me of a time in life when anything was possible I don't know what one is! I'll bet many (if not all) of you have similar feelings as well. Also John's role in the toy soldier march showed just how talented an actor and how much a kid at heart he was! The way he stood in a blank space zapping magic out of his hands creating a village filled with holiday festivity I also found very moving in the spirit of Christmas. Given that John was a country music singer I find it easy to imagine how he developed such an inspiration for the simple things in life (which really shined in this instance) and this one role of his alone very likely motivated several generations so far never to give up loving those they are fortunate enough to have with them or pursuing their dreams in life. Tragically that incredible man died in 1997 and to this day is missed by this entire world who was touched by his voice. On this anniversary of such a heartfelt television film John Denver is especially remembered and his presence is infinitely felt. I love you John.

More Xmas Muppetry

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 16 December 2013]

This 1979 special has John Denver and his not-quite-mop/not-quite-puppet friends sing a selection of Xmas songs amid a series of brief sketches. It's mostly musical, with a thin story stringing the songs together, but it works for the most part. The only bit I found to be boring was the long toy soldier segment. John Denver, despite hardly being hip with the kiddies of any generation, has a gentle voice and brings a cozy warmth to the show. He also seems to be genuinely find his interaction with the Muppets to be funny.

It's never been aired again since 1979 and never been released on any home video format, but the soundtrack album has remained popular over the years. If you can find an old recording of the show then it is worth adding to your Muppet/Christmas special list.

Loved this movie and want a copy

[sdblack · 10/10 · 13 December 2006]

I am a huge John Denver fan. I have a large collection of his music on vinyl. I saw this Christmas special when it was originally on TV and loved it. I have the original vinyl album and CD. I have the original CD and later release. The later release is missing several songs though. I see that it has been released this year with all original songs. To my surprise I found the original CD for sale at $75.00. WOW - to think that a Christmas Cd would be worth that much. To me no amount is worth selling this treasure. It is my favorite Christmas CD. I have never been able to find it on VHS or DVD. I would love to have either version. If anyone has one available please let me know. Thanks

I wanted more Muppets and less people.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 31 December 2021]

Through the history of the Muppets, very, very often they were paired with various human guests and stars. While they sometimes worked very well (such as Jean Stapleton and her wonderful and bizarre hosting of "The Muppet Show"), too often the humans get in the way of what most folks wanted most....the Muppets. So, while "John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together" is a lovely television show, it can't be a perfect one because so much of the show lies on the host and some musical numbers (such as the awful "Have the Pleasure of Your Company" song and dance number). Yes, most of the musical numbers are lovely and sweet...but they are not exclusively Muppet sequences. I also would have preferred less music and more comedy.

As for the show, I have no idea if it's yet available on DVD or BluRay. But it is posted on YouTube, though the copy is a bit faded with age. Still, despite this, it's well worth seeing if this is the only place you can find it.

Overall, while it's not perfect, it's still very sweet and worth seeing...particularly with your family. I think I prefer the later "A Muppet Family Christmas", or, better yet, "A Muppet Christmas Carol". Perhaps seeing all of them would be a nice idea.

The greatest Christmas album ever - the show can be found on DVD

[tlundell · 10/10 · 17 December 2005]

My first child was born the year this program came out, and I played the record album for the boys every Christmas thereafter. When the CD came out, I bought about ten copies and still give them to friends and relatives as they start families...it invariably becomes their favorite Christmas album. I recently found several DVD's (made on DVD-R from video tapes, probably) for sale on eBay. The one I bought was an excellent copy, and it was so great to see the show again after more than 25 years. There are some songs on the show that were not on the album, and some of the songs on the album were studio versions of the same songs on the show. But both the CD and DVD will stay in our library as the best Christmas entertainment ever.

How long must we wait for this wonderful piece of family entertainment?

[smagwire · 3 December 2006]

How long must we wait for this wonderful piece of family entertainment? I watched this when it was first aired and hurried to buy the record, yes the old LP! Family members with children received records that year in November so they could enjoy the music before Christmas. Everyone in our family still loves this classic recording. I have worn out the LP, and two subsequent tapes as well. I even purchased the book of piano music! I now have a toddler granddaughter and would love to be able to share this holiday classic video with her. Is anyone pursuing this? Is there hope this will be available soon? I was a Best Buy today asking about the availability of this in DVD format and the clerk told me I was the 2nd person to ask about this video today.

Please release on DVD

[dbjcs · 10/10 · 20 November 2018]

I play my album every year, and remember fondly watching this on TV. Don't be such a Grinch! Please release this and not only will I buy one, but I'll get one for all the kids in the family!

Great Christmas Special!

[walterzukowski · 29 December 2008]

One of the most memorable and enjoyable Christmas specials of its era. I remember it fondly and would love to have it on DVD so that I could watch it again. Like many others, I own a copy of the CD and faithfully listen to it every Christmas. But hearing the songs is only half the fun. Let someone out there take note and do whatever is necessary. For those who are interested in purchasing the CD I have a word of warning. There are two versions floating around out there, one with ten songs, another with thirteen. Be sure to purchase the latter rather than the former or you, like me, might end up feeling that you're missing something.