ABC News Video: Jason Segel, Muppet Savior

[Frogpuppeteer]

Something about those movies
Muppet Christmas Carol
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppets From Space

Gonzo is the main character in all of them!!
Why is that?
I sort of like it that Kermit doesn't have to be the main main character in every movie, but why Gonzo every movie??

because Steve wasnt confortable being Kermit just yet, notice how Rizzo exploded in content too, and Dave Goelz was the only senior member at the time...its all the change process and seeing exactly want Kermit's fate was after the death of Jim

Muppets from space is Gonzo's story so hence thats why he is the main character

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well but he was the main character in The Muppet Show, TMM, TGMC, and TMTM
And is always going to be considered the main Muppet no matter who they focus on in every movie, but I'm fine with that.
It's just the problem with Gonzo getting them all.
Gonzo is'nt a replacement for Kermit.
But in this new movie if Walter's more of a main character than Kermit I'll be fine with that.

I love Gonzo but I agree, the whole chemistry of the characters was thrown off after Jim passed away.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

I love Gonzo but I agree, the whole chemistry of the characters was thrown off after Jim passed away.

Last year Steve Swanson of The MuppetCast (BTW if you don't listen to the MuppetCast you definately should) interviewed Steve Whitmire and they said Gonzo's character is sort of getting lost, Gonzo was supposed to be the crazy one, then Rizzo came along and Gonzo was always playing the straight guy. In Muppets Christmas Carol, he plays Charles Dickens (Pepe wasn't there yet) in Muppet from Space, Pepe was there and he became the new crazier guy to Rizzo and Gonzo's whole character just wasn't the same. We need Gonzo to be crazier.
Pepe iis stealing Rizzo's spotlight, Pepe should move over and let Rizzo get all those lines Rizzo was around before Pepe

 

[Duke Remington]

Well, you could say that Gonzo is getting some of his old craziness back in the new movie, though.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

Last year Steve Swanson of The MuppetCast (BTW if you don't listen to the MuppetCast you definately should) interviewed Steve Whitmire and they said Gonzo's character is sort of getting lost, Gonzo was supposed to be the crazy one, then Rizzo came along and Gonzo was always playing the straight guy. In Muppets Christmas Carol, he plays Charles Dickens (Pepe wasn't there yet) in Muppet from Space, Pepe was there and he became the new crazier guy to Rizzo and Gonzo's whole character just wasn't the same. We need Gonzo to be crazier.
Pepe iis stealing Rizzo's spotlight, Pepe should move over and let Rizzo get all those lines Rizzo was around before Pepe

Characters of all franchises grow just like you and me...especially as performers grow and change...if characters always stayed the same they would be boring and people would get tired of them...even slight changed are changes in the right direction

 

[beaker]

I understand what you mean, I've worried about that stuff before. But I think most companies are aware (or at least they should be) that people are changing their spending habits nowadays with the recession.

Stores are charging up to $15 for small plushes, like Angry Birds. In fact most stores are selling little small Angry Birds figurines for 9.99 and plushes for up to 13-15. Its ridiculous. The price of everything is going through the roof. Like action figures. Action figures are now dinky, fragile pieces of doo yet cost 10-12. Back in the 90's it was half that and they were much sturdier and bigger.

People should revolt and send a message to all companies. Why is it unhealthy fast food is bigger portions and cheaper than even in the 90's, but everything else is skyrocketing in price to absurdity? This is why most people I know "download" what they can. Who can afford games, movies, etc in this economy? Its so easy to spend money, very hard to make money.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Characters of all franchises grow just like you and me...especially as performers grow and change...if characters always stayed the same they would be boring and people would get tired of them...even slight changed are changes in the right direction

There's a difference between characters changing and characters not being written correctly.

 

[beaker]

I can barely afford anything. Guess how many of the Sonic Generations action figures I have. 0 Guess how many Nicktoons Shout released DVD's I bought 0. I'm amazed I had the money to get comic books, and maybe with 2 getting canned, I have a tiny amount more.

I'm going to try and get as much as I can and BEG everyone to grab me something for Christmas. I hate waiting till things hit clearance only to not even get them then. And this isn't a "new economy" thing... It's always been like this for me.

Im probably more poor than anyone on here, but I still pick up things if I have to have it. I dont buy merchandise that much, so its easier to afford smaller things. What other shout nick stuff came out besides Rocko? I snagged that up the second it was released and cant wait for season 2. I cant stand Jazwares dinky Sonic figures, so Im passing on those. They royally screwed up by not making 4-5" versions of their characters, so they lost my business. and surprise surprise, nintendo keeps releasing the same mario vinyl figures we already had in 1996. Nothing beats 1998-2002 as far as video game toys.

But honestly, just sell stuff on ebay or do under the table odd jobs. Heck I cant believe how much Ive saved by not eating out as much.

Btw, Dr Tooth...why are you hating on Hugo? The new trailer looks visionary. I LOVE films like Toys, Adv of Baron Munchausen, Bicentennial Man, etc.

 

[Ruahnna]

It is not that great of a movie.
I could not continue watching after seeing the first ghost of Christmas
WHAT WAS THAT!!!??
Why couldn't they use a Muppet???
I could easily find a Muppet that would fit in to that!!
Janice? Piggy? Anyone??
No one??
They could have brought in a new character!!
Anyway the first few scenes aren't that bad after Marley and Marley it's not worth watchting

Actually, MCC was a pretty good A Christmas Carol movie. I have about 20 different versions of A Christmas Carol (I'm a huge Scroogophile), and the Muppet version is closer to the original Dickens (despite the singing fruit and chickens and bears and stuff) than many of the previous Hollywood versions. The ghosts are very true to Dicken's description of them and the music is really great. (There have been at least three different versions of Scrooge that were musicals--one of them animated and two of them live actor versions.) The costuming is amazing, especially considering that you are trying to be historically accurate (I'm also a historical costumer) and you are costuming rats and bears and frogs and stuff.

I understand that some people don't consider this a particularly good Muppet movie, because the story is not based around the, er, muppetness of the characters. But I sort of see this as watching an actor I liked in something else perform a different character in a different type of story. If I watch Leonard Nimoy playing Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, I don't spend the whole movie thinking how un-Vulcan he's acting. I'm not saying it's wrong to what a different kind of muppet movie--I'm just saying that this movie isn't necessarily bad just because it isn't that kind of movie. For what it is--a retelling of one of the most beloved stories of all time, it's a pretty good rendition.

Michael Caine is wonderful (I'm a huge Michael Caine fan as well--let's face it--I was just destined to like this movie!) as the bitter man whose heart gradually is changed--not because he is afraid of what will happen to him if he doesn't, but because he actually comes to understand Christmas and what it is supposed to mean.

I have to say also that I don't quite understand what the complaint is about Piggy not showing up in the movie until "the end." She shows up as soon as Kermit/Bob Cratchit and Robin/Tiny Tim come home, which is pretty early in the film. I don't mean to quibble, but I wish people who are critical would at least be accurate in what they criticize the movie about.

Here are things that I really like about the movie:
We get to see the domestic side of Kermit and Piggy. This is Piggy's first (and, I suppose, only) maternal role and I think she's pretty convincing. I liked seeing what their household might have been like had they had a family of their own. The way that Robin fits into the role of Tiny Tim is touching and well-matched. The dialogue about "how green the place is" (the cemetery) is straight out of Dickens and apropos.
This version of the movie understands that Scrooge isn't frightened into change--he embraces it as he begins to understand. Fozzie and his Ma replacing Fezziewig and his wife is just a brilliant piece of serendipity. The music--as mentioned--is both muppety and well-suited to the plot. Gonzo as Dicken is just priceless. And there are sooo many good Rizzo lines--"Light the lamp, not the rat," and "God save my little broken body," and "Oh--that would explain the texture." Yep, yep, yep--lots to like.

If you don't like A Christmas Carol, you may not like this movie that the muppets performed in. I'm sorry, because I sincerely think that you are missing out. But if you--like me--love Muppets, Dickens (Did I mention I like Dickens?), Michael Caine, historical costuming and A Christmas Carol then--WOW!--have I got a movie for you!

Now, in the interest of dragging this thread back on topic, let's hear it for Jason Segel! I'll be honest--he wouldn't have been my first pic for someone to make a muppet picture. Everything I thought I knew about him was mostly hearsay, and I have found his previous work to be sensitive as well as silly, a meaningful as well as whimsical. But I am well on my way to adding talent to the list of my obsessions. Now--if only he'd make a version of A Christmas Carol....

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

very very well said you took all i was going to say and made it a great post

Kermit isnt Written as Kermi he is written as Bob Crachit..and that isnt wrong

There's a difference between characters changing and characters not being written correctly.

the thing with Gonzo is that he never lost all his crazy it was there all those year in subtle form... his clothes, his little comments, in Muppets tonight he had it back just upgraded to the 90's.

MFS i agree he wasnt the normal gonzo till the end but we know the reasons of that