Tim Burton's rarely seen 1982 version of 'Hansel and Gretel'

June 17, 2014 7:53 AM

Hansel and Gretel is a 34 minute television special directed by Tim Burton for The Disney Channel in 1982. Brimming with practical effects and long thought to be lost, the film has recently resurfaced via a recording made from its single broadcast at 10:30 p.m. on October 31, 1983.

According to its Wikipedia entry, "A New York Times article states that this was screened at Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) as part of a Tim Burton special exhibition which ran from November 22, 2009 to April 26, 2010. It was part of a traveling exhibit, and the last time it was shown was in Paris, where the exhibition ended in August 2012."

posted by item (12 comments total)

Thirty years later, the disappointment of the Disney channel being mostly Anne of Green god damn gables reruns instead of wall-to-wall Mickey Mouse cartoons still resonates.

Great find!
posted by dr_dank at 8:00 AM on June 17, 2014 [6 favorites]

Why; hello, Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I thought I recognized your design sensibility.
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:01 AM on June 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

Heh - - Michael Yama makes a pretty great evil stepmother/wicked witch! (eg: 14:15)
posted by fairmettle at 8:29 AM on June 17, 2014

I didn't realize that the Disney Channel had been around that long! My, how time flies.
posted by Melismata at 8:32 AM on June 17, 2014

dr_dank, have a YouTube video of the intro to Donald Duck Presents, from the Disney Channel's early days.
posted by JHarris at 8:38 AM on June 17, 2014 [2 favorites]

Curious Artificer: "Why; hello, Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I thought I recognized your design sensibility."

It's in the same ballpark, although it reminds me more of Burton's stop-motion work. Even though Burton's visual tropes are all over Pee Wee's Big Adventure (which he directed), he didn't really have anything to do with the design of Playhouse, which was done by a team of artists led by Gary Panter. They were certainly all working in the same kind of eclectic '80s retro-kitsch style, but Burton's stuff definitely has a creepier edge.

This is one heck of a find, item. 1,000,000 Metafilters to you!
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:46 AM on June 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

Ughhh I still remember every word and note of the theme to Dumbo's Circus, Good Morning Mickey, goddamn Welcome to Pooh Corner and friggin You and Me Kid thanks to my younger cousin keeping that channel on 24/7 at my grandparents' house.

Donald Duck Presents too, but that theme is pretty chill so I am glad I know it.
posted by SharkParty at 8:48 AM on June 17, 2014 [3 favorites]

I don't get it - I can't spot Johnny Depp *or* Helena Bonham-Carter. Can someone help me out?
posted by ominous_paws at 8:51 AM on June 17, 2014 [12 favorites]

I am really pleased by the fact that the obvious Tim Burton aspects aren't even in the top 5 strangest things about this. I'd put the nonstop Mr. Rogers music at maybe #1 or #2.
posted by SharkParty at 8:55 AM on June 17, 2014 [2 favorites]

I'm really digging the score to this. Also, this would have scared the shit out of me as a child.
posted by jbickers at 8:57 AM on June 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

Seriously considering changing my user name now to "Anne of Green God Damn Gables"
posted by phong3d at 2:29 PM on June 17, 2014 [2 favorites]

I just now got to watch this with the sound turned up (I didn't have my headphones at work today) and had the realization that the John Costa listed in the opening credits must be the same one who did all the wonderful music for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:17 PM on June 17, 2014 [1 favorite]