Opening sequence mysteries

[superboober]

These have always intrigued me, perhaps someone else has their own theories:

-what do you suppose Doc is screwing together when we go into the workshop?

-interesting how the entire Rock seems to be waiting for Gobo to return from wherever he was before the camera caught up with him; do you suppose it was a special postcard that he asked to read to them?

-you do have to wonder what then compels him to go to the Gorgs' garden when it's not his regular duty to do so

-that impact on the side of the well after Ma slaps him away would seem to be rather fatal given the size differential and the speed at which he was likely traveling (probably why it was redone in a tamer way for the animated series). What do you suppose saved him from instant and horrible death (one would think the fall into the pond from the height implied would be fatal too regardless of the water)?

-and does Wembley have an ulterior reason for jumping in after him apart from the typical Fraggle impulse for spontaneous pleasure?

 

[CensoredAlso]

-interesting how the entire Rock seems to be waiting for Gobo to return from wherever he was before the camera caught up with him; do you suppose it was a special postcard that he asked to read to them?

Lol, that's a good point, never thought of that!

What also confuses me is why Pa Gorg is the one pumping the well; wouldn't he just have Junior do it for him? Hehe

and does Wembley have an ulterior reason for jumping in after him apart from the typical Fraggle impulse for spontaneous pleasure?

I would say the spontaneous pleasure is the best reason, to demonstrate to the audience what the Fraggles are like.

 

[dwmckim]

I imagine Gobo was on his way to see the Trash Heap before he was intercepted.

As for Wembley jumping in, as Red explains to Cotterpin in her Fraggle Lessons, (paraphrasing) "swimming is the greatest, most Fraggle-y thing there is"...and we all know how Wembley likes to echo other people so if Gobo is going to start off a "diving party" why not follow up on that lead?

 

[MartyMuppets]

-that impact on the side of the well after Ma slaps him away would seem to be rather fatal given the size differential and the speed at which he was likely traveling (probably why it was redone in a tamer way for the animated series). What do you suppose saved him from instant and horrible death (one would think the fall into the pond from the height implied would be fatal too regardless of the water)?

Perhaps you may have a valid point about this. But when you think about how muppets on Muppet Show are able to survive the most seemingly fatal of accidents and bearing in mind that Fraggles are technically muppets too, I'd say the explanation is simple. Gobo could be electrocuted, run over by a steamroller, blown to pieces or even eaten by a monster, and it wouldn't really hurt him. Muppets can survive anything. So therefore what happens to him at the start of every FR episode is of no serious consequence.

 

[Drtooth]

The big mystery as far as I'm concerned is how come they never fixed an obvious error in the opening title.

You can clearly see that Gobo's mouth isn't open long enough for the "WOWEEEEEEEEEEE" he interjects while running through the cave. He closes it just as soon as he starts the "EE" sound, but it lingers for a second later.

And I'm so glad that after 4 viewings of the FR opening that's all I can see and think about. I wish I didn't know that.

 

[CensoredAlso]

You can clearly see that Gobo's mouth isn't open long enough for the "WOWEEEEEEEEEEE" he interjects while running through the cave. He closes it just as soon as he starts the "EE" sound, but it lingers for a second later.

Probably just a lack of time to go back. Also you often see that with Muppet music numbers. As we know, they record the songs in a studio beforehand and then lip synch to the recordings during filming. But sometimes the puppeteers don't quite remember how they sang something and the lip synch is slightly off.

But yeah I know what you mean, you would think they fix it if it's the theme song! Hehe

 

[Beauregard]

You can clearly see that Gobo's mouth isn't open long enough for the "WOWEEEEEEEEEEE" he interjects while running through the cave. He closes it just as soon as he starts the "EE" sound, but it lingers for a second later.

Worth mentioning that in the Spanish opening, his mouth does match the sound!

 

[Drtooth]

Worth mentioning that in the Spanish opening, his mouth does match the sound!

Hmm... clearly because the dubbers really want to match the mouth movements. Clearly it was a little error on Jerry(or some other puppeteer)'s part. But when you keep showing a tiny error over and over it starts to stick out.

i'll say it's just the echo of the cave. That'll help me to get my mind of it next time I watch it.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Worth mentioning that in the Spanish opening, his mouth does match the sound!

Well to be fair, the Spanish dubbers might have had the screen right in front of them as they recorded. The original Muppeteers did not.

 

[Speed Tracer]

I always thought it seemed rude that Gobo would leave for the garden so soon after all the other Fraggles greeted him so heartily.

Jerk.