Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

[frogboy4]

I actually enjoyed this better than Muppet Family Christmas. I do love that special (I made it the first Muppet Central holiday menu so you gotta know that), but it's all set in the house and it's more of a sing-song special. This was an interesting departure. First of its kind sort of thing and I appreciate them taking that leap.

I still think the movie had a sweetness to it. I actually got goosebumps toward the end. The past three Muppet films haven't done that for me. The Muppets were never sticky sweet. They had just enough and then Miss Piggy would fall on her face or something like in this special.

Maybe Kevin Clash did Lew or Robin. I wonder. Maybe Brian did Robin. It was pretty darn good. Hmmmm. Characters Clash could have done: Statler, Pops, Robin, Lew, an Elvis, Animal, or maybe just puppeteering.

 

[Jack Job]

I'm actually of the opinion that Muppet Family Christmas was the best thing ever done with the muppets. I don't think they ever achieved a truer feeling of family. How can you possibly resist anything in which Grover says "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, puppets, thank you."

 

[frogboy4]

Yeah. It was really special. I remember buying Muppet Family Christmas on video several years ago. I hadn't seen it since it aired and had forgotten about many scenes (though I know much was cut out in the video version). The one thing that got me was Jim washing dishes with Sprocket in the end. It totally took me by surprise and I teared up.

That being said, I enjoyed this special more. It explored the world outside the theater, the Muppets as more than mere actors and caught up with the times. I think it's jarring to some because it practically happened overnight. I was concerned when I heard a Simpsons writer was involved in the script because their brand of course humor (that suits the Simpsons) would be a bad fit. After seeing it, I actually think they could have done more. But not more of the Pepe cleavage thing. They already showed more than enough of that. But I really got chills in this movie at the end.

 

[Chilly Down]

Buck:

The snowman was a double joke. First, it was a spoof of the snowman narrator voiced by Burl Ives in the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" special. Second, that puppet was initially created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop for the box-office turkey "Jack Frost." So to have him quickly escorted out of the movie was, I think, a kidding reference at themselves!

Misfit Toy and Jack:

I appreciate your honesty. Sometimes in a forum, it's hard to speak your mind openly when everyone else is saying something different, but that's after all what a forum is for. I will respectfully disagree with your conclusions.

First, regarding "relying on topical references and cheesy parodies": the Muppets have ALWAYS spoofed pop culture. Remember Veterinarian's Hospital? It was a spoof of General Hospital. How about Monsterpiece Theater? Super Grover? Placido Flamingo or Ross Parrot? The Great Muppet Caper was a movie-long spoof of the action/spy/detective movies of the era. During Jim's time, I've seen Muppet spoofs of everything from "The Wizard of Oz" to Ingmar Bergman films, from "My Dinner with Andre" to "Godzilla" (in the same sketch!). More recently, we've had the "Kermit Unpigged" album and "Forrest Green" T-shirts. Yours is not the first time I've heard this sentiment expressed, but I find it puzzling that people think the Muppets started spoofing pop culture just with this movie. If the Muppets WEREN'T showing up on Scrubs or spoofing Moulin Rouge, I'd think there was something wrong.

Admittedly, this movie didn't bring me to tears the way "Saying Goodbye" in "Muppets Take Manhattan" did, or some of their other productions. I still thought it was a pretty solid effort overall.

And just for the record, I think Gonzo with a performing brick is pretty darn wacky.

 

[trekkie1701E]

The film had a sweetness to it, but I just didn't think it had quite enough of that, 'scuze me if this sounds corny, "magic" as the first five full length films had. Now, don't get me wrong; I do love MUPPETS FROM SPACE & this new movie. And I do truly appreciate the departure & somewhat risky moves taken in their latest film. But, gimme MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN and THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (The two greatest muppet full length features in my opinion) because while IVMC is a great and well executed effort, these two films are Henson muppet masterpieces!

And I also think the scenes with Joan Cusack and Pepe the Prawn are un-funny...

 

[sidcrowe]

MISFIT TOY AND JACK JOB:

Yeah, I've got it on tape, and something came up and I haven't been to the end yet (then I'll REALLY get going), but I was bummed by all of the topical references. I mean, why? To fire a shotgun and drop a million little names in a desperate attempt at a handful of laughs?

Lazy!

And Triumph the insult dog?

The lame bad puppet joke from Conan about a dog that defecates on and/or has sex with anything all the time?

If you're gonna put Kermit on the same screen with Triumph the insult dog, why not just throw Kermit into a dumpster and call it a day?

What, was the pets.com dog puppet too busy to do a scene instead

Unbelievable

 

[beaker]

Do you realize we just saw a brand new Muppet film? Not some tv special or straight to video thing, but the first brand new feature since Muppets From Space? Think about that...and it was free!

I have to agree, Muppets Family Xmas is perhaps one of the coolest specials the Muppets have ever produced. I mean it is truly beyond words and special for me...I have fond memories of seeing it when it first aired, and blown away by the crossover chemistry of Muppet Show meets Sesame meets Fraggle.

Muppets Take Manhattan is simply a masterpiece to me(it too having all three franchises at the time together at the end)

But I have to say there was some extrordinary things in this film(I go into detail on the Henson Headline IAVMMC thread)

As a footnote, I wondered why that Snowman looked familiar in an unsettling way. Gosh that Jack Frost movie, ick.

Finally it's good to be back on Muppet Central. I missed you guys. And Jamie, youre too sweet of a kid to ignore. Holla at me when the next puppet guild meeting is!

 

[Jack Job]

I guess I spoke too soon on the spoof issue. I've always enjoyed spoof of genre, whereas I've always found spoof of specifics to be cheap. I think a Muppet western would be cool, but I'm not sure the world is ready for Muppet Silverado. By the same token, I'm not sure Forrest Green was a muppet high point. I would hate to think of the muppets trying to cash in on the "next big thing". I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Jack Job]

As a P.S., nothing quite gets me like "saying goodbye".

 

[frogboy4]

Just making sure here for the new members:

Before more is said on this thread, I must iterate that opinions are not only valid, but encouraged here. I have noticed some new members (welcome!!) and I want to make sure they feel comfortable expressing their thoughts. We are all very passionate Muppet fans and should remember that no we have the love of Muppets in common.

This was just to touch base. I have a feeling that we will get all sorts of opinions tomorrow.