Jason Segel talks The Muppets and his inspiration

[Drtooth]

Personally, I don't think they should use posers or puppet images. I'd like to see Drew Struzan painting like he did for TMM, GMC, MCC and MTI.

I don't think we're ever going to get illustrated movie posters again. Muppet movie or otherwise. We've got waves of ugly photoshoots and posed CGI characters and all that. I miss the classic drawn movie poster. Those were works of art that made you want to see these movies. Now it's just cheap advertising.

 

[frogboy4]

I don't think we're ever going to get illustrated movie posters again. Muppet movie or otherwise. We've got waves of ugly photoshoots and posed CGI characters and all that. I miss the classic drawn movie poster. Those were works of art that made you want to see these movies. Now it's just cheap advertising.

Drew Struzan is still working on movie posters these days so there's a chance. Not a very likely one, but it's out there. Both Disney produced Muppet films MTI and MCC got the Struzan Treatment. We'll see. I hope so.

 

[beaker]

Actually, I rather liked Hercules. I just wish they made the ACTUAL sequel and didn't just shove 3 episodes of the show (which was oddly better in concept). The actual sequel, ironically enough, was the original concept of the movie. Brother Bear was okay... it did Native American Legend better than P-hantus. But it pretty much was carried on the Strange Brew reunion it had going. Dinosaur was a sluggish slog. The dialogue was added last minute, and it showed. Plus, the character designs were BEYOND pug fugly. Especially the monkeys.

That said... Jeez. no love for Great Mouse Detective or Oliver and Company?

So Hurcules, good? I saw Great Mouse, Rescuers, Oliver, etc when I was little.


Btw, I finally Toy Story 3 yesterday, waited for it to come to the cheap theaters and boy...was that rather creepy, unsettling and not the best movie for kids. Though I did love the Totoro character addition. The animation as expected was a lot different, which was good. But I just felt rather unsettled and depressed watching it...didnt you say the original Toy Story 3 plot was also unsettling? I think TS2 was my fave

Aside from Massive Muppet Movie equaling Mass Attack of the Ugly Posers, the other element of the promotional campaign i'm dreading is too much giveaway - with all the marketing muscle that we're being led to believe will be behind the film, i so hope it doesn't fall in the trap so many movies (even with small promotion) fall into where between the trailers and the clips shown in various places, you've seen a lot of the movie before going into the theatre and seeing it! I know that details of the film/script are being kept very much under wraps during the pre-production/filming window - but it's the time between post and release that concerns me. Please leave lots of great surprises for the theatre!

Oh I say bring on the ad nauseum saturation. I wanna be driving and see giant muppet billboards. I want to not be able to walk anywhere without seeing promotion. The thing I fear is not enough over the top saturation.

 

[frogboy4]

So Hurcules, good? I saw Great Mouse, Rescuers, Oliver, etc when I was little.


Btw, I finally Toy Story 3 yesterday, waited for it to come to the cheap theaters and boy...was that rather creepy, unsettling and not the best movie for kids. Though I did love the Totoro character addition. The animation as expected was a lot different, which was good. But I just felt rather unsettled and depressed watching it...didnt you say the original Toy Story 3 plot was also unsettling? I think TS2 was my fave


Oh I say bring on the ad nauseum saturation. I wanna be driving and see giant muppet billboards. I want to not be able to walk anywhere without seeing promotion. The thing I fear is not enough over the top saturation.

I agree that the Muppet movie deserves a Pixar-level billboard ad blitz.

TS3 was unsettling especially since the antagonist gets a chance at redemption and passes on it. Woody and Buzz were missing a lot of the camaraderie of the previous pictures. I think that was what really set the tone apart.

 

[Mupp]

Getting back on topic. ...

I'm really looking forward to seeing the theatrical trailers and poster for this new Muppets film!

 

[frogboy4]

Getting back on topic. ...

I'm really looking forward to seeing the theatrical trailers and poster for this new Muppets film!

We've been on topic for several posts now, but I think the other bits of organic growth to this thread have added richness the discussion too.

I wonder how many of Segel's "How I Met Your Mother" costars will lend cameos in this film since it will shooting around his TV schedule. They'll be available. I hope Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan pop up somewhere. They both Muppety actors.

 

[beaker]

I agree that the Muppet movie deserves a Pixar-level billboard ad blitz.

TS3 was unsettling especially since the antagonist gets a chance at redemption and passes on it. Woody and Buzz were missing a lot of the camaraderie of the previous pictures. I think that was what really set the tone apart.

Yeah they were apart most the film...heck, Buzz isnt exactly Buzz for most of it. And that big baby, ugh...that just wasnt right. The look of the film was beautiful, especially the hue of it. I just felt rather unnerved by the whole thing. The saving grace though was the ending and the credits epilogue. There's a moment in a lot of modern Pixar films, like in Ratattoie or Up or here at the end of TS3 that has true heart...almost like this moment out of time, and I like that. Didnt feel that in Cars, Incredibles, Wall E, etc. I wonder if the intention tho by Pixar was to go for as dark a tone as they went for with Toy Story 3. I felt it should have been PG. I look forward to what they do with monsters inc 2 as i loved the first one. I realize not every Pixar film is meant to have heart or be deep or inventive, I just wish they'd make more than one production a year.

 

[beaker]

We've been on topic for several posts now, but I think the other bits of organic growth to this thread have added richness the discussion too.

I wonder how many of Segel's "How I Met Your Mother" costars will lend cameos in this film since it will shooting around his TV schedule. They'll be available. I hope Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan pop up somewhere. They both Muppety actors.

As Dr Tooth would be better fitted to make a diatribe on this, but this film needs to have a very real world/outside of a movie lot soundstage feel. Its how the first three felt, even Follow that Bird. Muppets From Space and Very Muppet Christmas just felt like they were filmed on lots, same with a lot of Letters To Santa(which I really love, just wish was longer) Muppets look best in the real outside world I feel

 

[Drtooth]

I wonder how many of Segel's "How I Met Your Mother" costars will lend cameos in this film since it will shooting around his TV schedule. They'll be available. I hope Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan pop up somewhere. They both Muppety actors.

Confidentially, I'm disappointed they didn't put Neil in the villain role. He would have been perfect, especially if you look at his HIMYM character.

Man, I'm so glad I've been liking the show for years now... I didn't quite get it at first.

Btw, I finally Toy Story 3 yesterday, waited for it to come to the cheap theaters and boy...was that rather creepy, unsettling and not the best movie for kids. Though I did love the Totoro character addition. The animation as expected was a lot different, which was good. But I just felt rather unsettled and depressed watching it...didnt you say the original Toy Story 3 plot was also unsettling? I think TS2 was my fave

The plot for the one Disney threatened to make was a LOT more disturbing and depressing... and not in a good, organic way. Buz getting recalled... probably with cheap animation and sound-a-likes... cheapquelity to it... no thanks.

As Dr Tooth would be better fitted to make a diatribe on this, but this film needs to have a very real world/outside of a movie lot soundstage feel. Its how the first three felt, even Follow that Bird. Muppets From Space and Very Muppet Christmas just felt like they were filmed on lots, same with a lot of Letters To Santa(which I really love, just wish was longer) Muppets look best in the real outside world I feel

The Muppets just look GREAT when they're in natural environments... That's why I actually like the Murray segments of Sesame Street. Even if only a couple scenes are filmed out doors, that's fine by me. I mean, the Muppets among other things rely on the illusion that they are real. The suspended disbelief. And taking them out of a musty old studio and breathing in natural sunlight makes them more real... heck, it makes ANY film more real.

 

[Mupp]

Can I be honest? And If I may be so bold...

At this point I am getting slightly annoyed at the things happening in this thread, but not for the reasons one might think;

Earlier in this thread, a couple of people here kept telling me to stay on topic, so I did.
Now it seems all that is going on here is people going off topic and lecturing about they felt that certain Disney and Pixar films were failures.
Whether or not I agree with these opinions is irrelevant.

We might as well re-name this thread "Let's bash Disney and Pixar"

The point is, so far two people here (Duke and myself) have gotten upset about this, and who knows how many more nerves will get touched if this continues.

Sorry for the rant.