Has Frank Oz's opinion on the new movie changed?

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

He didn't say he'd perform with the Muppets if Disney asked him he said they HAVENT asked him. Big difference there.

Now I heard and I don't wanna spread unfounded rumors so take what I say on this with a grain of salt but I had heard Frank doesn't really speak to Jim's kids. Again don't quote me on that but I did hear that at one time. How true it is I have no idea.

I've heard that a few times myself to that Frank doesn't really speak to Jim's kids!

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I heard it was over them selling The Muppets to Disney that he was against it. Like I said though take it for what it's worth but I did hear that at one time.

 

[Muppet Master]

Thanks for that link, Mo. I was curious about that myself.

It's interesting to hear Frank's assessment that the movie was "too safe" when the very concept of The Muppets - casting them as themselves (as opposed to MCC and MTI) and attempting to recreate the long-lost TMS vibe, on a big screen no less, while producing an entirely new and entertaining stand-alone movie - strikes me as risky in and of itself. I regularly shake my head in amazement that Segel, Stoller and Bobin pulled it off.

But I understand where he's coming from, to a degree. And of course he's more than entitled to his opinion. I appreciate that he was careful in his remarks because he "didn't want to hurt anybody."

I suspect that the next movie, which will likely be more of a flat-out crazy comedy than The Muppets was, will be more to Frank's liking.

By safe, I think he means a little on the kiddy side of things. The Muppets (2011) was trying to do two things

1. Trying to resurrect the muppets (obviously)
2. Trying to relate to a new generation

With this we got to knoiw that the 70's and 80's had edgier family entertainment than now, and TM'11 didn't have drinking, guns, ect. TMM had guns and drinking and some adult humor, and GMC had drinking, violence, ect. and go to the CSM page to see how much stuff there's other the violence tab, the inneundo tab, and there's also some under the language, drinking, and consumerism tabs. The Muppets in all was a much kiddier film than TMM or GMC and even MTI maybe.

 

[SkeetScootSquat]

That's not their decision to make though that's a business thing. And like I said I honestly don't think Disney wants Frank. Don't get me wrong I would LOVE LOVE to see Frank come back in some capacity with The Muppets even if he can't really do voices anymore but the reality is that's more then likely not gonna happen.

He's also said before he really can't do voices like he used to particularly Piggy because she's too high pitched. He has also said in old video footage done in the 1970's-1980's at the time when performing her it was hard singing high notes

If Oz ever comes back, I think Eric should do Piggy while Oz does Fozzie.Not that he is gonna come back, however.

 

[minor muppetz]

With this we got to knoiw that the 70's and 80's had edgier family entertainment than now, and TM'11 didn't have drinking, guns, ect. TMM had guns and drinking and some adult humor, and GMC had drinking, violence, ect. and go to the CSM page to see how much stuff there's other the violence tab, the inneundo tab, and there's also some under the language, drinking, and consumerism tabs. The Muppets in all was a much kiddier film than TMM or GMC and even MTI maybe.

I never thought of The Muppets as being more kiddie/less edgy than the other movies.

 

[Duke Remington]

I never thought of The Muppets as being more kiddie/less edgy than the other movies.

I agree. The Muppets 2011 is not "kiddie" and Muppets Most Wanted won't be kiddie either.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Goes both ways for me. I'm grateful that Disney has actually done something successful with the Muppets. Absolutely.

Do I think The Muppets (2011) was more "kiddie" than the original movies? Yes, I do. As others have said, "family entertainment" meant something different in the '70s and '80s. You could get away with more. You could show adult concepts in kid's films and not worry about the child's brain exploding. Now the studios are terrified of mothers yelling at them. So things have been toned down a lot, to the detriment of most children's entertainment in my opinion.

If I was channel flipping and saw MTM, GMC or MTM and didn't realize they were Muppet movies, I would think they were for grown ups. If I saw Muppets (2011) without the Muppets I still would lean towards thinking it was for children.

That doesn't mean I think Muppets (2011) is bad. But there is a difference in tone.

 

[Drtooth]

But you have to admit, it was a lot less Kiddy than the previous three theatrical films and waaaaay less juvenile than Kermit's Swamp Years.

Also, if anything else, I really love how them managed to make the Piggy/Kermit relationship complex and far more adult than the lame "Kermit says something stupid and Piggy Karate Chops him" stuff you usually see.

 

[CensoredAlso]

It was a lot less mean spirited and juvenile than previous theatrical films, I will say that. But that's as far as I'll go. And again, it doesn't mean I don't like the movie.