Wonkette Movie Night: The Muppet Movie
'Keep believing, keep pretending; we've done just what we've set out to do, thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and you!'
Since cute dancing frogs have been in the news lately we needed to watch a movie about our most favorite frog, Kermit. If you’re like me it has been a long time since you watched this fun flick. I think most of us have some nostalgia about The Muppets, whether you started on Sesame Street or with The Muppet Show that aired from 1976 to 1981.
The Muppets themselves were created in 1955 by Jim Henson, starting as a TV show called Sam and Friends which aired from 1955 to 1961. In 1969 The Muppets found a home on Sesame Street and the legend was born. In 1976 they got their own show, which was a smash hit and won four Emmy Awards in five years. Then there were the feature films and new characters for a spin-off, Fraggle Rock.
The characters were eventually sold to Walt Disney in 2004.
Although aimed at kids, The Muppets appealed to our inner children and the humor could tickle our grownup funny bones. Produced by Jim Henson, The Muppet Movie was the first film released in theaters that starred The Muppets. It kept with the themes of the TV show which include guest stars and music. Most importantly it kept those great one liners and zingers. The story is of how Kermit the Frog left his pond on a road trip to Hollywood and along the way met the Muppet family that we all have come to love.
As I watched this movie in advance to write about it I realized I had forgotten just how damn funny The Muppets could be.
Kermit: It’s too bad the dancing girls are on vacation; this crowd’s getting ugly.
Fozzie: Huh. If you think this crowd’s ugly, you should see the dancing girls.
Then there are the guest stars. It was the last movie that Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy appeared in, appropriate as he was an inspiration to puppeteers. See how many of these actors you can spot:
Mel Brooks
Orson Welles
James Coburn
Steve Martin
Paul Williams
Dom DeLuise
Richard Pryor
Charles Durning
Elliot Gould
Bob Hope
Milton Berle
Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy
Cloris Leachman
Carol Kane
Madeline Kahn
Telly Savalas
The film features original music by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. But one thing I loved about the TV show was the cover songs. Including this Emmy Award winning performance of “Fever” by Rita Moreno and Animal.
“Jungle Boogie” performed by the Electric Mayhem with a rap by Sam the Eagle.
The Muppet Movie is free on the Internet Archive. On Disney+ with subscription, $3.79 in the usual places.
The Muppet Movie stars Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, and Caroll Spinney. Directed by James Frawley. Produced by Jim Henson.
To make requests and see the movie lists and schedules go to WonkMovie.
Instead of an animated short I bring you a song that brought tears to my eyes, but in a good way. “Rainbow Connection” with Kermit, Choir! Choir! Choir!, and a bunch of New Yorkers singing along at Lincoln Center.
Our next Movie Night selection is Fantastic Voyage, available for free with ads on Daily Motion. $3.99 in the usual places. Quoting Mr. Voice-Over guy, “Four men and a beautiful girl off on a fantastic voyage.” I would argue that it was more like four boys and a beautiful woman.
𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀:
Edgar Bergen died shortly after his scene was shot in 1978. It held particular meaning for Jim Henson, who cited, on many occasions, how Bergen and his wooden sidekick, Charlie McCarthy, influenced his interest in puppetry. The end credits include a dedication to Bergen. As a kid, Henson was enamored with Edgar Bergen, the ventriloquist who appeared on The Chase and Sanborn Hour with his dummy Charlie McCarthy. Bergen made a huge impression on Henson, as well as many of the puppeteers who would dominate his Muppets crew. Bergen appeared on the second season of The Muppet Show and also had a cameo in The Muppet Movie with Charlie McCarthy, much to Henson’s delight. But he sadly passed away before the film’s release. Henson dedicated the film to his memory, and vowed to continue his legacy. (The Bergen family clearly saw Henson as Edgar’s heir; his widow Frances and daughter Candice gave Henson a framed photo of Bergen and Charlie with the engraving, “Dear Jim—Keep the Magic Alive.”)
𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀:
After Henson passed away on May 16, 1990, his friends and family prepared a medley of his favorite Muppet songs for his memorial at St. John’s Cathedral in New York City. Gonzo’s poignant Muppet Movie ballad, “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday” was one of the selections, and Gonzo himself (or at least his voice actor, Dave Goelz) performed it. https://youtu.be/bGmrId5E9K0?si=oSERMd5WptuXQMb9