The Muppet Movie
Encyclopedia
The Muppet Movie is the first of a series of live-action musical
feature films starring Jim Henson
's Muppets
. Released in 1979, the film was produced by Henson Associates
, Children's Television Workshop and ITC Entertainment
.
The film is dedicated to Edgar Bergen
who died during production.
It was released on DVD by Sony Pictures
on June 5, 2001 and again by Walt Disney Pictures
on November 29, 2005 as Kermit's 50th Anniversary Edition.
and the rest of the Muppets create havoc in a screening room, where they are about to watch The Muppet Movie. When asked by Robin if the film depicts how the Muppets began, Kermit responds "It's sort of approximately how it happened."
As the story opens, Kermit is enjoying a relaxing afternoon in a Florida
swamp, singing a tune (the Oscar-nominated "Rainbow Connection
") and strumming his banjo, when he is approached by an agent named Bernie (Dom DeLuise
) who recognizes his talents and encourages Kermit to pursue a career in Hollywood. Inspired by the idea of "making millions of people happy," Kermit sets off on a cross-country trip to Hollywood, initially via bicycle but eventually via Studebaker
after teaming with Fozzie Bear
, who had been working as a hapless stand-up comedian
in a sleazy bar, whose owner and pianist are cameoed by James Coburn
and Paul Williams
respectively. During their journey, they are pursued by the villainous Doc Hopper (Charles Durning
, speaking with a Southern accent and wearing an outfit similar to Colonel Sanders
), owner of a struggling French-fried frog legs
restaurant franchise
, and his shy assistant, Max (Austin Pendleton
). Doc Hopper wants Kermit to be the new spokesman for his restaurants, but when Kermit refuses, Hopper refuses to accept "No" for an answer and resorts to increasingly threatening means of persuasion.
Kermit and Fozzie's journey also includes misadventures which introduce them to a variety of eccentric characters, some played by human guest stars, others played by Muppets. During one of their drives, they encounter Big Bird
and offer him a ride. Big Bird declines stating that he's heading to New York City
to make a debut in public television
. Kermit and Fozzie Bear encounter Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
and their manager Scooter
who plan to turn an abandoned church into a coffee house. They manage to disguise Kermit's car so that Doc Hopper can't recognize them. They end up encountering Gonzo
and Camilla the Chicken whom had been working as plumbers until their truck crashes into Kermit and Fozzie's car. When it comes to getting a replacement car from a used car dealer owner Mad Man Mooney (Milton Berle
), they meet Sweetums
and invite him to join them. Sweetums runs off and Kermit drives away unbeknownst that Sweetums has left to pack his things. At a carnival, the group meets Miss Piggy
following a beauty contest (she falls in love with Kermit in the process). She joins Kermit and Fozzie as they continue traveling to Hollywood. Sweetums is still trailing Kermit. At a local motel, Kermit meets up with Rowlf (who works as a pianist at a lounge). Doc Hopper and Max kidnap Miss Piggy and Doc sends a call to Kermit to exit the motel where Kermit runs into Doc's henchmen because Doc Hopper said that if Kermit didn't, Miss Piggy would be slaughtered. Doc Hopper has hired a mad scientist
named Professor Max Krassman (Mel Brooks
) in an attempt to brainwash Kermit. Fortunately, the scientist insults Miss Piggy just before he starts the process, causing her to break free in a rage and defeat Doc Hopper's henchmen. Immediately after freeing Kermit, Miss Piggy gets a call from her agent about a job and leaves Kermit to attend it.
Following a problem with the film, the movie continues as Kermit's group is now joined by Rowlf. Meanwhile, Doc Hopper goes to an even further scheme by hiring an assassin named Snake Walker (Scott Walker
) who kills frogs for a living. Doc Hopper broadcasts on the CB Radio threatening for Kermit to surrender and agree to Doc Hopper's deal or he will become a frog burger. When night falls, Kermit's car breaks down leaving the group stranded in the desert. Luckily for Kermit, the Electric Mayhem and Scooter arrive in their bus having followed the script that Kermit left behind and end up taking them to Hollywood.
The next day, Max appears to Kermit disguised as a motorcycle policeman to warn Kermit that Doc Hopper has hired an assassin to kill Kermit. Refusing to be hunted any longer, Kermit attempts a Western-style showdown in a ghost town
where the group meets Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker
(who owns a laboratory in a ghost town
). Kermit breaks tradition by trying to talk Hopper into backing off, but Hopper refuses and orders his henchmen to kill him and all his friends. Kermit is saved only when one of Dr. Bunsen's inventions, "insta-grow" pills, temporarily turn Animal
into a giant who is able to permanently scare off Hopper and his men.
The Muppets proceed to Hollywood, where they finally meet the imposing producer and studio executive Lew Lord (Orson Welles
) (a reference to Lord Lew Grade
who in real life gives The Muppet Show
the green light
), and hires them on the spot under "the standard rich-and-famous contract" after Kermit reveals why they've come. The film ends with Kermit and the gang attempting to make their first movie, which turns out to be a surreal pastiche of their experiences, hinting that the movie they're making is the same one the audience has been watching all along, but a huge stage accident occurs causing most of the props to collapse and fall, and cause the lights to explode. As the dust around shattered roof clears, a stream of rainbow appears, and the Muppets joined in by other Muppet characters, the characters from Sesame Street
, and the characters from "The Land of Gorch" segment of Saturday Night Live
sing one last reprise of "Rainbow Connection", ending the film.
After the end title appears, Sweetums tears through the screen "finally" having caught up with the others to the amusement of the audience who then talk amongst each other as the credits roll. After the credits finish rolling, Animal tells the viewers to go home, then he says goodbye and passes out.
s as a source of humor, as characters occasionally break the fourth wall to address the audience or comment on their real-life circumstances:
(This refers to Big Bird's future "career" on Sesame Street
.)
In a particularly meta-fictional plot twist
, Kermit and Fozzie actually give the screenplay to Dr. Teeth, who later uses it to find and rescue them after they have been stranded in the desert.
squeezed into a specially designed metal container complete with an air hose (to breathe), a rubber sleeve which came out of the top to perform Kermit and a monitor to see his performance, and placed himself under the water, log, and the Kermit puppet. He was also assisted in this operation by Kathryn Mullen
. This scene took five days to film.
Before this, no movie had a hand puppet act with their entire body appearing on-screen. To have Kermit ride a bicycle in a full-body shot, a Kermit doll with legs was posed onto the seat and his legs and arms were attached to the pedals and handlebars. An overhead crane with a marionette system held the bicycle through strong strings invisible to the camera, guiding the bicycle forward. The crane and system was out of the camera's frame of vision.
Other shots required Muppets standing and acting in a full-body shot. Specially-made, remote-controlled dolls were placed on the set and controlled by puppeteers out of the frame. A dancing Kermit and Fozzie Bear were operated by their usual puppeteers in front of a blue screen, and were composited onto a separate reel of the stage. Both of these effects and the bicycle effect would be used again, and refined, in the next Muppet films.
Commander Coupes. In the film, Fozzie states that he inherited the car from his uncle. When asked by Kermit if his uncle is dead, Fozzie replies "no, he's hibernating
". One car was painted but unmodified and driven by a person in the front seat. It was used for long, traveling shots. The second car was driven by a person in the trunk, who viewed the road through a TV set. The TV received its image from a camera located in the center nose of the car's front grill. This made it possible for Frank Oz to sit in the front seat and portray Fozzie driving the car in close up shots. This car is now on display at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana
.
Doc Hopper is chauffeured throughout the movie by Max in a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood
Limousine. The 1959 is distinctive for its enormous fins.
The final car driven by the Muppets is a 1946 Ford 'Woody' Station Wagon, which is famous for its wood panel siding and is a valuable collectible.
, based on 35 reviews and a 67/100 rating, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", at Metacritic
. Roger Ebert
gave it three-and-a-half out of four stars. He stated, "The Muppet Movie not only stars the Muppets but, for the first time, shows us their feet." The film sold nearly 26 million tickets and grossed $65,200,000 domestically (adjusted for inflation, this would equal $206,509,960 in 2010 dollars), making it the highest-grossing Muppet film. The success of the film gave The Jim Henson Company
an opportunity to release more Muppet productions theatrically, all of which were successful.
In 2009, it was named to the National Film Registry
by the Library of Congress
for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant and will be preserved for all time.
in 1979, and on CD by Jim Henson Records
in March 1993. The songs were written by Paul Williams
and Kenny Ascher. Williams recalled to Songfacts: "Jim Henson gave you more [creative] freedom than anybody I've ever worked with in my life. I said, 'You want to hear the songs as we're writing them?' He said, 'No. I'll hear them in the studio. I know I'm gonna love them.' You just don't get that kind of freedom on a project these days."
"Movin' Right Along", "Never Before, Never Again" and "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along" were shortened in the film, compared to their soundtrack versions, for continuity purposes. The latter, a duet between Rowlf and Kermit, contained references that the studio considered too mature for children. In "Finale: The Magic Store", a line performed by Kermit in the film is sung by Fozzie on the soundtrack recording.
Several of the songs were included The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More
- The 25th Anniversary Collection released in 2002.
Track listing
Awards and nominations
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
feature films starring Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
. Released in 1979, the film was produced by Henson Associates
The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
, Children's Television Workshop and ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
.
The film is dedicated to Edgar Bergen
Edgar Bergen
Edgar John Bergen was an American actor and radio performer, best known as a ventriloquist.-Early life:...
who died during production.
It was released on DVD by Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
on June 5, 2001 and again by Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
on November 29, 2005 as Kermit's 50th Anniversary Edition.
Plot
The film is a film-within-a-film, wherein Kermit the FrogKermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
and the rest of the Muppets create havoc in a screening room, where they are about to watch The Muppet Movie. When asked by Robin if the film depicts how the Muppets began, Kermit responds "It's sort of approximately how it happened."
As the story opens, Kermit is enjoying a relaxing afternoon in a Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
swamp, singing a tune (the Oscar-nominated "Rainbow Connection
The Rainbow Connection
"Rainbow Connection" is a popular song written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and originally performed by the character of Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie in 1979...
") and strumming his banjo, when he is approached by an agent named Bernie (Dom DeLuise
Dom DeLuise
Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise...
) who recognizes his talents and encourages Kermit to pursue a career in Hollywood. Inspired by the idea of "making millions of people happy," Kermit sets off on a cross-country trip to Hollywood, initially via bicycle but eventually via Studebaker
Studebaker Champion
The Studebaker Champion is an automobile which was produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from the beginning of the 1939 model year until 1958....
after teaming with Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
, who had been working as a hapless stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
in a sleazy bar, whose owner and pianist are cameoed by James Coburn
James Coburn
James Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
and Paul Williams
Paul Williams (songwriter)
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
respectively. During their journey, they are pursued by the villainous Doc Hopper (Charles Durning
Charles Durning
Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
, speaking with a Southern accent and wearing an outfit similar to Colonel Sanders
Colonel Sanders
Harland David "Colonel" Sanders was an American fast food businessman who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain, now re-branded as KFC...
), owner of a struggling French-fried frog legs
Frog legs
Frogs' legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Cantonese cuisine. They are also eaten in other regions, such as Thailand, Vietnam, the region of Alentejo in Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, northwest Greece, and the Piemonte region in Italy, as well as the Southern regions of the...
restaurant franchise
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
, and his shy assistant, Max (Austin Pendleton
Austin Pendleton
Austin Pendleton is an American film, television, and stage actor, a playwright, and a theatre director and instructor.-Life and career:...
). Doc Hopper wants Kermit to be the new spokesman for his restaurants, but when Kermit refuses, Hopper refuses to accept "No" for an answer and resorts to increasingly threatening means of persuasion.
Kermit and Fozzie's journey also includes misadventures which introduce them to a variety of eccentric characters, some played by human guest stars, others played by Muppets. During one of their drives, they encounter Big Bird
Big Bird
Big Bird is a protagonist of the children's television show Sesame Street. Big Bird, like many of the other Sesame Street characters, is a Muppet character. He is sometimes referred to simply as "Bird" by his friends....
and offer him a ride. Big Bird declines stating that he's heading to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to make a debut in public television
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. Kermit and Fozzie Bear encounter Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
and their manager Scooter
Scooter (Muppet)
Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
who plan to turn an abandoned church into a coffee house. They manage to disguise Kermit's car so that Doc Hopper can't recognize them. They end up encountering Gonzo
Gonzo the Great
Gonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
and Camilla the Chicken whom had been working as plumbers until their truck crashes into Kermit and Fozzie's car. When it comes to getting a replacement car from a used car dealer owner Mad Man Mooney (Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
), they meet Sweetums
Sweetums
Sweetums is a very large, imposing and hairy Muppet of about eight feet. Despite appearing menacing, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless.-Description:...
and invite him to join them. Sweetums runs off and Kermit drives away unbeknownst that Sweetums has left to pack his things. At a carnival, the group meets Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
following a beauty contest (she falls in love with Kermit in the process). She joins Kermit and Fozzie as they continue traveling to Hollywood. Sweetums is still trailing Kermit. At a local motel, Kermit meets up with Rowlf (who works as a pianist at a lounge). Doc Hopper and Max kidnap Miss Piggy and Doc sends a call to Kermit to exit the motel where Kermit runs into Doc's henchmen because Doc Hopper said that if Kermit didn't, Miss Piggy would be slaughtered. Doc Hopper has hired a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
named Professor Max Krassman (Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
) in an attempt to brainwash Kermit. Fortunately, the scientist insults Miss Piggy just before he starts the process, causing her to break free in a rage and defeat Doc Hopper's henchmen. Immediately after freeing Kermit, Miss Piggy gets a call from her agent about a job and leaves Kermit to attend it.
Following a problem with the film, the movie continues as Kermit's group is now joined by Rowlf. Meanwhile, Doc Hopper goes to an even further scheme by hiring an assassin named Snake Walker (Scott Walker
Scott Walker
Scott Walker may refer to:*Scott Walker , Governor of Wisconsin, and former county executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin*Scott Walker , boxer...
) who kills frogs for a living. Doc Hopper broadcasts on the CB Radio threatening for Kermit to surrender and agree to Doc Hopper's deal or he will become a frog burger. When night falls, Kermit's car breaks down leaving the group stranded in the desert. Luckily for Kermit, the Electric Mayhem and Scooter arrive in their bus having followed the script that Kermit left behind and end up taking them to Hollywood.
The next day, Max appears to Kermit disguised as a motorcycle policeman to warn Kermit that Doc Hopper has hired an assassin to kill Kermit. Refusing to be hunted any longer, Kermit attempts a Western-style showdown in a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
where the group meets Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker
Beaker (Muppet)
Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
(who owns a laboratory in a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
). Kermit breaks tradition by trying to talk Hopper into backing off, but Hopper refuses and orders his henchmen to kill him and all his friends. Kermit is saved only when one of Dr. Bunsen's inventions, "insta-grow" pills, temporarily turn Animal
Animal (Muppet)
Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K...
into a giant who is able to permanently scare off Hopper and his men.
The Muppets proceed to Hollywood, where they finally meet the imposing producer and studio executive Lew Lord (Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
) (a reference to Lord Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
who in real life gives The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
the green light
Green Light
Green light or greenlight may refer to:*The wavelengths of light perceived as green by the human eye*The green light on a traffic light*Green-light, formal approval of finance for film or TV production*Fishing light attractor...
), and hires them on the spot under "the standard rich-and-famous contract" after Kermit reveals why they've come. The film ends with Kermit and the gang attempting to make their first movie, which turns out to be a surreal pastiche of their experiences, hinting that the movie they're making is the same one the audience has been watching all along, but a huge stage accident occurs causing most of the props to collapse and fall, and cause the lights to explode. As the dust around shattered roof clears, a stream of rainbow appears, and the Muppets joined in by other Muppet characters, the characters from Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, and the characters from "The Land of Gorch" segment of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
sing one last reprise of "Rainbow Connection", ending the film.
After the end title appears, Sweetums tears through the screen "finally" having caught up with the others to the amusement of the audience who then talk amongst each other as the credits roll. After the credits finish rolling, Animal tells the viewers to go home, then he says goodbye and passes out.
Cast
- Charles DurningCharles DurningCharles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
as Doc Hopper - Austin PendletonAustin PendletonAustin Pendleton is an American film, television, and stage actor, a playwright, and a theatre director and instructor.-Life and career:...
as Max - Scott WalkerScott WalkerScott Walker may refer to:*Scott Walker , Governor of Wisconsin, and former county executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin*Scott Walker , boxer...
as Snake Walker - Lawrence Gabriel, Jr. as a sailor
- Ira F. Grubman as a bartender
- H.B. Haggerty as a lumberjack
- Bruce KirbyBruce Kirby (actor)Bruce Kirby is an American character actor.Though he has been a working actor since the 1950s, Kirby is most familiar to Columbo fans as the gullible Sergeant Kramer. He also appeared in the 1971 movie called How to Frame a Figg with Don Knotts and the 1972 comedy Another Fine Mess with Rich Little...
as a gate guard - Tommy MaddenTommy MaddenThomas Joseph Madden was a Major League Baseball outfielder. Madden played in four games for the Boston Beaneaters in the season, and for the New York Highlanders in . In five career games, he had four hits in 16 at-bats....
as One-Eyed Midget - James FrawleyJames FrawleyJames Frawley is an American director and actor. Frawley was born in Houston, Texas. He has worked on Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Judging Amy and The Monkees, as well as many other programs...
as a writer - Arnold Roberts as a cowboy
Cameo Guest Stars
- Edgar BergenEdgar BergenEdgar John Bergen was an American actor and radio performer, best known as a ventriloquist.-Early life:...
as Himself and the voice of Charlie McCarthy - Milton BerleMilton BerleMilton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
as Mad Man Mooney - Mel BrooksMel BrooksMel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
as Professor Max Krassman - James CoburnJames CoburnJames Harrison Coburn III was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.A capable,...
as the owner of El Sleezo Cafe - Dom DeLuiseDom DeLuiseDominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise...
as Bernie the Agent - Elliott GouldElliott GouldElliott Gould is an American actor. He began acting in Hollywood films during the 1960s, and has remained prolific ever since. Some of his most notable films include M*A*S*H and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, for which he received an Oscar nomination...
as a Beauty Contest Compere - Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
as an Ice Cream vendor - Madeline KahnMadeline KahnMadeline Kahn was an American actress. Kahn was known primarily for her comedic roles in films such as Paper Moon, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, What's Up, Doc?, and Clue.-Early life:...
as a patron at El Sleezo - Carol KaneCarol KaneCarolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
as Myth - Cloris LeachmanCloris LeachmanCloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
as Lord's Secretary - Steve MartinSteve MartinStephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
as an insolent waiter - Richard PryorRichard PryorRichard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
as Balloon Vendor - Telly SavalasTelly SavalasAristotelis "Telly" Savalas was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz...
as El Sleezo Tough - Orson WellesOrson WellesGeorge Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
as Lew Lord - Paul WilliamsPaul Williams (songwriter)Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
as the pianist at El Sleezo
Muppet Performers
- Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
as The Great GonzoGonzo the GreatGonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
, Zoot and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew - Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
as Kermit the FrogKermit the FrogKermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
, Rowlf the DogRowlf the DogRowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, Swedish ChefSwedish ChefThe Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:... - Richard HuntRichard Hunt (puppeteer)Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...
as ScooterScooter (Muppet)Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
, Statler, Janice, SweetumsSweetumsSweetums is a very large, imposing and hairy Muppet of about eight feet. Despite appearing menacing, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless.-Description:...
, and BeakerBeaker (Muppet)Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask.... - John LandisJohn LandisJohn David Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies, his horror films, and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson.-Early life and career:...
as GroverGroverGrover is a Muppet character on the popular television show Sesame Street. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a monster who almost never uses contractions when speaking or singing....
(uncredited) - Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
as Floyd Pepper, Crazy HarryCrazy HarryCrazy Harry is a Muppet with an explosives fixation, who appeared in The Muppet Show and was originally voiced and operated by Jerry Nelson....
, Robin the Frog, Lew ZealandLew ZealandLew Zealand is a Muppet character who's name is a play on the Oceanian country of New Zealand. Performed by Jerry Nelson, he has an obsession for throwing fish. His thrown fish are unique in that they return to him once thrown. In the 1984 movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, he appears at Scooter's...
, Camilla the Chicken - Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
as Miss PiggyMiss PiggyMiss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
, Fozzie BearFozzie BearFozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
, AnimalAnimal (Muppet)Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K...
, Sam the EagleSam the EagleSam the Eagle is a character from the syndicated television show The Muppet Show, performed by Frank Oz. The name "Sam" is possibly derived from Uncle Sam. The Bald Eagle is the official symbol of the United States, and Sam's patriotic spirit differentiates him from the rest of the Muppet cast, as... - Caroll SpinneyCaroll SpinneyCaroll Edwin Spinney, sometimes credited as Carroll Spinney or Ed Spinney , is an American puppeteer most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the children's television show Sesame Street.-Life and career:...
as Big BirdBig BirdBig Bird is a protagonist of the children's television show Sesame Street. Big Bird, like many of the other Sesame Street characters, is a Muppet character. He is sometimes referred to simply as "Bird" by his friends....
Style
The Muppet Movie uses meta-referenceMeta-reference
Metareference, a metafiction technique, is a situation in a work of fiction whereby characters display an awareness that they are in such a work, such as a film, television show or book. Sometimes it may even just be a form of editing or film-making technique that comments on the...
s as a source of humor, as characters occasionally break the fourth wall to address the audience or comment on their real-life circumstances:
- Fozzie: [to Big Bird] "Hey, there! Wanna lift?"
- Big Bird: "Oh, no thanks. I'm on my way to New York City to try to break into public television."
(This refers to Big Bird's future "career" on Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
.)
In a particularly meta-fictional plot twist
Plot twist
A plot twist is a change in the expected direction or outcome of the plot of a film, television series, video game, novel, comic or other fictional work. It is a common practice in narration used to keep the interest of an audience, usually surprising them with a revelation...
, Kermit and Fozzie actually give the screenplay to Dr. Teeth, who later uses it to find and rescue them after they have been stranded in the desert.
Effects
To perform Kermit static on a log, Jim HensonJim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
squeezed into a specially designed metal container complete with an air hose (to breathe), a rubber sleeve which came out of the top to perform Kermit and a monitor to see his performance, and placed himself under the water, log, and the Kermit puppet. He was also assisted in this operation by Kathryn Mullen
Kathryn Mullen
Kathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...
. This scene took five days to film.
Before this, no movie had a hand puppet act with their entire body appearing on-screen. To have Kermit ride a bicycle in a full-body shot, a Kermit doll with legs was posed onto the seat and his legs and arms were attached to the pedals and handlebars. An overhead crane with a marionette system held the bicycle through strong strings invisible to the camera, guiding the bicycle forward. The crane and system was out of the camera's frame of vision.
Other shots required Muppets standing and acting in a full-body shot. Specially-made, remote-controlled dolls were placed on the set and controlled by puppeteers out of the frame. A dancing Kermit and Fozzie Bear were operated by their usual puppeteers in front of a blue screen, and were composited onto a separate reel of the stage. Both of these effects and the bicycle effect would be used again, and refined, in the next Muppet films.
Prop vehicles
Several classic cars were specially selected by Henson for appearances in the film. The most famous was a pair of psychedelic painted 1951 StudebakerStudebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
Commander Coupes. In the film, Fozzie states that he inherited the car from his uncle. When asked by Kermit if his uncle is dead, Fozzie replies "no, he's hibernating
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
". One car was painted but unmodified and driven by a person in the front seat. It was used for long, traveling shots. The second car was driven by a person in the trunk, who viewed the road through a TV set. The TV received its image from a camera located in the center nose of the car's front grill. This made it possible for Frank Oz to sit in the front seat and portray Fozzie driving the car in close up shots. This car is now on display at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
.
Doc Hopper is chauffeured throughout the movie by Max in a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood
Cadillac Fleetwood
Lawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac in its early years. In 1916 he joined the Fisher Body Company which had been formed by two of his brothers in 1908. Larry was one of four of the seven Fisher brothers who brought Fisher Body Corporation under the General...
Limousine. The 1959 is distinctive for its enormous fins.
The final car driven by the Muppets is a 1946 Ford 'Woody' Station Wagon, which is famous for its wood panel siding and is a valuable collectible.
Reception
The Muppet Movie received positive reviews; as of July 6, 2009, the film holds an 89% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 35 reviews and a 67/100 rating, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave it three-and-a-half out of four stars. He stated, "The Muppet Movie not only stars the Muppets but, for the first time, shows us their feet." The film sold nearly 26 million tickets and grossed $65,200,000 domestically (adjusted for inflation, this would equal $206,509,960 in 2010 dollars), making it the highest-grossing Muppet film. The success of the film gave The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
an opportunity to release more Muppet productions theatrically, all of which were successful.
In 2009, it was named to the National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant and will be preserved for all time.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was released by Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1979, and on CD by Jim Henson Records
Jim Henson Records
Jim Henson Records was a short-lived music label made by The Jim Henson Company and BMG Kidz. It began in late 1992 with the soundtrack for the film The Muppet Christmas Carol....
in March 1993. The songs were written by Paul Williams
Paul Williams (songwriter)
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
and Kenny Ascher. Williams recalled to Songfacts: "Jim Henson gave you more [creative] freedom than anybody I've ever worked with in my life. I said, 'You want to hear the songs as we're writing them?' He said, 'No. I'll hear them in the studio. I know I'm gonna love them.' You just don't get that kind of freedom on a project these days."
"Movin' Right Along", "Never Before, Never Again" and "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along" were shortened in the film, compared to their soundtrack versions, for continuity purposes. The latter, a duet between Rowlf and Kermit, contained references that the studio considered too mature for children. In "Finale: The Magic Store", a line performed by Kermit in the film is sung by Fozzie on the soundtrack recording.
Several of the songs were included The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More
The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More
The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More is a Muppets soundtrack/compilation album released in 2002 by Rhino. Its release commemorates the 25th anniversary of The Muppet Show. Although the disc is considered a Muppets Show and Muppets soundtrack collection, it includes two tracks that originated on...
- The 25th Anniversary Collection released in 2002.
Track listing
- "Rainbow Connection" - Kermit
- "Movin' Right Along" - Kermit and Fozzie
- "Never Before, Never Again" - Miss Piggy
- "Never Before, Never Again" (Instrumental)
- "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along" - Kermit and Rowlf
- "Can You Picture That?" - Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
- "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along" (Instrumental)
- "I'm Going to Go Back There SomedayI'm Going To Go Back There Someday"I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" is an original song written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams for The Muppet Movie. The Muppets get stranded in the desert, and as night falls they sit around a campfire...
" - Gonzo - "AmericaAmerica the Beautiful"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward....
" - Fozzie - "Animal...Come Back Animal"
- "Finale: The Magic Store" - Company
Awards and nominations
- Gold Record (Soundtrack)
- Platinum Record (Soundtrack)
- Grammy Award - Best Children's Album (Soundtrack)
- Golden Globe Award - Best Song ("Rainbow Connection")
- Academy Award Nomination - Best Song ("Rainbow Connection")
- Academy Award Nomination - Best Original Score (Soundtrack)