Muppet movie problems

[Oscarfan]

I've been re-watching some of the movies recently, and some things come up that kind of bug me/don't make sense.

For example, in MTM, why does the show need to go up in two weeks? Ronnie says they can have all the stuff, but his dad needs to open the show in two weeks. Why? There's no reason except to give the story a ticking clock.

 

[muppetlover123]

Same here ive always wondered that

 

[Mo Frackle]

The answer is quite simple. Ronnie's dad liked to see people (and Muppets) sweat.

It all stemed from Ronnie's past as a young wannabe producer, much like his son. Ronnie was hired by a Muppet to act as a gofer. Let's face facts: a human working for a Muppet is going to be chaotic. Young Bernard (or "Bernie", as he was affectionately called) was asked to routinely perform tasks that aren't humanly possible. These included changing the sets in under five seconds and successfully performing in glorious closing numbers that were never rehearsed. Additionally, Bernie was not allowed to blink or show his legs. Bernie just could not keep up, and was quickly fired as a result.

Following a brief stint as a moving target during the War, Bernie sunk into a sea of depression. After six months of self therapy, Bernie figured that Muppets were the cause of his troubles. From then, Bernie continuously stalked different Muppets, hoping to get revenge. Some of his evil plans included sending a crony (disguised as a restaurant owner) to stalk and kill a Muppet, sending a second crony to rob a fashion designer and blame it on a Muppet, and disguising himself as a Muppet monster in order to eat a non-monster Muppet. All ideas failed miserably.

His chance finally came when a young Muppet arrived in New York to get his musical produced. Bernard, by then a well-known producer, decided to grab the show. As he told his cronies, "No one would be insane enough to produce something like this... except me! Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!" Bernard planned to force the Muppets to get the show ready in two weeks, something that isn't humanly possible when it comes to Broadway. But after meeting with the show's writer, Bernard realized that he wasn't dealing with humans. At the last minute, Bernard paid a taxi driver to hit the show's writer with his cab. With their writer and boss missing, the Muppets spent the next two weeks sweating like pigs (some literally), much to Bernard's delight.

On the night of the premiere, Bernard had a big grin on his face, feeling he had finally gotten his revenge. Not only did he make Muppets suffer while putting a show together, but he also knew that making a good Broadway show in two weeks isn't humanly possible. As the curtain went up, Bernard once again realized he wasn't dealing with humans. Any production that a Muppet is in charge of is bound to be a success, no matter how rushed it is. In a last-ditch effort to get revenge on Muppets, Bernard and two of his cronies (an accountant and a delusional ex-Nazi soldier) attempted to blow up the theater. While Bernard did succeed in getting rid of the audience, the Muppets naturally survived the explosion unharmed. Frank Oz and Mel Brooks both found this story so hilarious that each used elements for their solo directing debuts. As for Bernard, being a non-Muppet meant that the explosion sent him away with the audience.

An alternate answer:
"If you're wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts, just repeat to yourself 'it's just a show. I should really just relax'". - Joel Hodgson

 

[minor muppetz]

I've wondered if it is realistic or even normal for a play to open within two weeks of a producer deciding he wants to get it produced.

Maybe there were so many Broadway theaters booked within the near-enough future that the only theater available in the near-enough future just happened to be free of any reserved shows within two weeks. If they didn't take the theater they could, it might have taken a long time for them to be able to find a Broadway theater they could do the show at (even if Broadway shows do end their run early if they are flops).

Of course, considering Bernard Crawford didn't like the concept of Manhattan Melodies (and it seems he wasn't too thrilled with his promise to help his son become a producer, since Ronnie informs his father that he's ready to take the chance he was promised, he says "when do we get to the good news?" before he even knows what it's about), maybe he just wanted to get it over with, to him the sooner the better.

I've also wondered a bit about Bernard's deal to give Ronnie one chance to be a producer. We don't really know all the terms. Ronnie's interrupted when he starts to tell Kermit the terms of the agreement. We know that he's giving Ronnie one chance to be a producer, that he's promised to pay for everything, and that the show has to open in two weeks (not sure if that was part of the original deal). Heck, at the end of his scene, he's about to give a "when I started out in show business..." lecture before getting interrupted.... I'd like to have heard the whole lecture (I'd also like to know details of part 3 of Kermit's 3-part plan)/

I guess since Bernard is a respected producer and his son wants to be a producer as well. He probably wanted to help his son follow his dream but didn't want him to just leech off his father's reputation, so he likely promised to help him once and then his son's on his own (I used to think that he'd help his son be a producer as long as he's making hits, but I guess he was only going to help him once regardless of success). Or, since Ronnie wanted to produce something different, maybe Bernard didn't want to be too involved with the kinds of plays his son was interested in, but felt obligated to help him get started.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

The answer is quite simple. Ronnie's dad liked to see people (and Muppets) sweat.

That was brilliant. You're a comedic genius.

 

[Muppet Master]

I've been re-watching some of the movies recently, and some things come up that kind of bug me/don't make sense.

For example, in MTM, why does the show need to go up in two weeks? Ronnie says they can have all the stuff, but his dad needs to open the show in two weeks. Why? There's no reason except to give the story a ticking clock.

Another problem with MTM is the fact that all the dogs, bears, and chickens and whatevers were in the manhattan melodies show and they magically know what to do in 2 seconds flat. As for the 2 weeks thing it was just a way for the movie, as you said, to have a ticking clock. These minor problems shouldn't stop you from loving MTM.

 

[Bridget]

Another problem with MTM is the fact that all the dogs, bears, and chickens and whatevers were in the manhattan melodies show and they magically know what to do in 2 seconds flat. As for the 2 weeks thing it was just a way for the movie, as you said, to have a ticking clock. These minor problems shouldn't stop you from loving MTM.

EXTREME laugh out loud!!! That is so true!!! When I was younger and I first saw that movie, I was thinking, "Sooooo five minute rehearsal?"

 

[Muppet Master]

EXTREME laugh out loud!!! That is so true!!! When I was younger and I first saw that movie, I was thinking, "Sooooo five minute rehearsal?"

Actually it wasn't even 5 minutes, I just watched MTM and the time-span of rehearsal was literally 32 seconds LOL, only the muppets could pull that off.

 

[Bridget]

Actually it wasn't even 5 minutes, I just watched MTM and the time-span of rehearsal was literally 32 seconds LOL, only the muppets could pull that off.

So true, Oh my goodness I am literally dying of laughter here. It's something that you really do not think deeply about until years later! I am so putting that movie in my player just to watch that part now XD.

 

[Mo Frackle]

Another problem with MTM is the fact that all the dogs, bears, and chickens and whatevers were in the manhattan melodies show and they magically know what to do in 2 seconds flat.

The answer to that is quite simple: all Muppets automatically know what to do in a musical number without any rehearsals. It's in their foam blood.