Your Thoughts: "The Muppets" Theatrical Film

[Speed Tracer]

I wanted to say this.

Within the first thirty seconds, upon meeting Walter, I realized that what I was watching was not just an accurate depiction of my own childhood, but the way it has carried into my adult life. He is an affirmation that that the smallest, simplest skill can be enough, that you can become a hero to your own heroes, that there is a way to follow your heart and still find your way back home. That we make our own families, and that our lives are given meaning by the people in it. I am deeply touched by Walter in a way I have not ever been by a character in a film, and I am so thankful for him.

 

[beaker]

right, the only canon stuff in any of the movies is in the first one when they're watching their own movie, right? and any time they break the 4th wall

Not really. The only real canon is what Muppets say in interviews, and even then sometimes they're just joking around. But in the Muppets.com exclusive videos, Gonzo talks about his life in the 1970's and trying to break into the biz.

The Muppets continually tell interviewers that what happens in the movies are just acting written by scriptwriters, but here and there there are shades of truth in there(like Kermit coming from a swamp and going back there a lot to visit family)
It looks like Kermit and Piggy are once again a full fledged couple tho from interviews
(I should say *whatever Steve, Eric, etc come up with the top of their head...not sure if there is a set guideline Disney makes them follow)

 

[beaker]

The movie had a loose canon in step with the first films. But even then, it treats those films like films, even though some of the events are taken into account. Considering there was to be a sequence with Nicky Holiday, it did treat some of the events into their reality... but then, the movie is discusses as just a movie to begin with. So, just remember, it's just a movie frees you from having to pay attention to a canon that, let's face it, was never really there.

In other words, its like ANOTHER Chris Cooper film: Adaptation

 

[Puckrox]

I am deeply touched by Walter in a way I have not ever been by a character in a film, and I am so thankful for him.

Could not agree more with this. I mean, having this forum to go on to has reassured me that I'm not alone in my love of Muppets, but just seeing his story fold out on screen... Gah. I can't even. I haven't connected with a character so strongly in ages.

 

[zoebell]

yeah, but also TMS. that's canon too, right? along with some of the specials, like muppets go to hollywood, go to the movies, fantastic miss piggy, etc. i'm pretty sure those are supposed to be them

 

[beaker]

That was the first. I mean, if they were big time celebrities, getting a Broadway career would have been cake. Especially if they made the movie now... all they'd have to do is take an old movie and make a musical out of it... boom bam, Broadway stars. The real confusion came into Muppet Babies...

it could easily be brushed off as a continuation of Piggy's fantasy from MTM... so that's easy to write off... UNTIL MFC when they have home movies of them as babies. Not to mention the instance that Skeeter does exist outside of the show, but she's been banished into some nonsense about being in a jungle adventure or something. Basically, Muppet Babies proves my point that there's no way a canon can be established. Though VMX takes the events of TMM, only because of the existence of Doc Hopper's... TM does things a little sneakier... taking the instances of the movies into canon, but also referring to them as movies, all the while saying it's a movie.

Plus, Walter has Muppet Babies toys in his collection.

Well where does the BOOM comics continuity come into play. Is it set in the 1970's? Yet it has some modern technology/references and grown up skeeter.

Gonzo has acknowledged his adult life in the 1970's...does this mean Muppet Babies takes place in the 50's? Yet Muppet Babies spoofs 80's movies. Again, such is why there cannot be any true canon

The Gonzo "people of earth" thing I guess was a reference to MFS?

 

[Avilos]

The Gonzo "people of earth" thing I guess was a reference to MFS?

I think we can assume so unless we are told otherwise. Here is an interesting thought of Gonzo's reluctance of returning to the Muppets. Perhaps with the learning of his alien origins he felt the desire to lead a more normal life on Earth, hence his return to the plumbing business once his wacky life in show business was no longer successful. So while he was at first reluctant to abandon his guise of a normal business man under that he was still hiding his performance costume and his willing to allude to his alien uniqueness.

 

[Drtooth]

The Gonzo "people of earth" thing I guess was a reference to MFS?

I have a feeling the writers had some disdain for that movie, and rather the "people of Earth" was a nod to his own high self value as an artiste. That's what I got out of it, anyway. That's something that was missing from Gonzo for some time. That deluded self image and his wacky stunts, which he views high art.

 

[Muppetfan2011]

Saw the movie Sunday night and really enjoyed it, my favorite songs were Kermit's Pictures In My Head and Life's A Happy Song! i couldn't help tapping my feet to that one. Me Party! was alright and i almost cried when Kermit was accompanied by the gang with their rendition of Rainbow Connection. Like Kermit said in The Muppet Movie, Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending.

 

[frogtownhollow]

JUST got back from seeing it, and I loved it. The Muppets as we "old timers" know them (I'm 37) are back. At least as "back" as we'll ever get.
I personally don't see anything wrong with the film - it is a virtual love letter to the Muppets and everything Jim created and stood for.
I thought I would HATE Walter - but I was wrong! I love the little guy!
As for the thing about Steve Whitmere not wanting to put his name on it at first, if that is indeed true at all, the only thing I can see is that maybe he felt that way because in the beginning, it paints the picture that everything the Muppets have done since their heyday (basically anything after MTM) has been a failure, and maybe from Steve's point, who let's face it, had the very difficult task of helping to keep the Muppets alive after Jim's passing, that would seem like a slap in the face. So, if that was indeed true, I can understand him feeling that way. But the big picture makes everything right again.
The ONLY flaw I can possibly see is in Fozzie's voice - SOMETIMES. 75% of the time, his voice is spot-on. As close to Frank Oz' as one could get. But those other times - very distracting. At least for us die-hard fans, anyway.
All in all, it was pure awesomeness. The small details made this film. I even saw my 1970's Muppet Show lunchbox in Walter's room!
I would say Jim would be proud that his creations have resulted in this, even if it took a little over 20 years. Somewhere, Jim is smiling.