Muppet Wizard of Oz to film in September

[Chilly Down]

WHo is this guy, Rickey Boyd?

Rickey Boyd has a done a lot of background puppeteering, I think in Muppets Tonight and Muppets from Space. I think he may have also done some Sesame work, but I'm not sure.

At any rate, he has worked for the Henson company for years, so it's not like it's just some guy off the street.

EDITED TO ADD: Kynan at Tough Pigs posted this:

"Pre-looping, Rickey was Animal and Lew Zealand in MFS.

He was also Waffle the Cow-Monkey in Animal Jam.

Which everybody hated except me."

 

[McFraggle]

We had heard solid rumors, but I don't know if it had been confirmed yet.

 

[Chilly Down]

Rickey said they have worked hard NOT to copy the classic Oz movie.
They don't want to get sued by MGM.

Well, technically it'd be AOL Time Warner now, but I get the point.

 

[Beauregard]

And so the waiting begins...er..carries on..er...hmmmm

 

[The Good Doctor]

MGM/ VS Muppets

It is unfortunate that the MG M film is still so popular. Do not get me wrong I love that film, and it is apiece of true Americana, but it makes it hard to perform OZ. In a way just as Jim Henson and The Muppets set the standard for puppetry, so too MGM's film sets the standard for OZ. Everything else will be compared to that film, so not patterning after it is a very smart move.

After all there really is no one today who can sing Over the Rainbow the way Judy Garland did at age 16 back in 1939. In the same way there isn't any one who can perform the scarecrow as well as the original rubber man Ray Buldger. Unfortunately the finished film cut out a lot of Buldger's incredible scarecrow performance. And like wise the same can be said for the rest of the cast of that famed film.

I think the Muppets are right to want to make the story there own. Oz is such a wonderful story, and is open to so much interpretation, it is a story that has been told and retold many many times. I think it would be fun if Gonzo was the narrator again. :

 

[christyb]

Yes. But technically Buddy Ebsen was supposed to be scarecrow. He would've done great but Ray Boldger (Buldger?) did awesome. Back on topic though. Stereotypes are hard to avoid. So when it comes out it will be inevitably compared to the MGM version. No matter how great I will think it is. Gonzo was a great narrator in MCC but I think it's better that he's a part of the story this time around.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Yes. But technically Buddy Ebsen was supposed to be scarecrow. He would've done great but Ray Boldger (Buldger?) did awesome. Back on topic though. Stereotypes are hard to avoid. So when it comes out it will be inevitably compared to the MGM version. No matter how great I will think it is. Gonzo was a great narrator in MCC but I think it's better that he's a part of the story this time around.

I am sorry i did not know how to spell Ray's last name ( soem Oz Fan I am). Buddy was supposed to be the sarecrow, the got switched to the tin man, and ended up in the hospital. The studi gave him a really hard time about it too, which stunk because it was there fault he was there.

I had forgotten that Gonzo will be the Tin Man, and that does play well I think. Not to mention the fact that Gonzo is full of heart.

Dorothy: "It's a, well A Thing! A thing made out of Tin!"

 

[McFraggle]

But he needs oil.

 

[dwayne1115]

Well i have only read a few short pages, of the book. but there was just such detail and creativity in the book about the darkness of Kanssas that it almost felt like i was really there. So i think that the Muppet crew as creatvie as they where in AVMMM will give this movie what it was really meant to be.
Brian Henson once said about MCC that it was the most closeset to the book then any other version, because of Gonzo being Mr. Dickons i think it would be really neat to have that kind of format in this movie as well. We already know that Gonzo and Rizeo have parts already but maybe they are going to try and bring two more classic muppets back into the main spot light.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Mcc

Well i have only read a few short pages, of the book. but there was just such detail and creativity in the book about the darkness of Kanssas that it almost felt like i was really there. So i think that the Muppet crew as creatvie as they where in AVMMM will give this movie what it was really meant to be.
Brian Henson once said about MCC that it was the most closeset to the book then any other version, because of Gonzo being Mr. Dickons i think it would be really neat to have that kind of format in this movie as well. We already know that Gonzo and Rizeo have parts already but maybe they are going to try and bring two more classic muppets back into the main spot light.

That is really true, if you have ever red the original text "A Christmas Carol" the muppet version follows it very well, and does use the narrator aspect in a great way. Having another character tell the story of OZ (Scooter) would be a good idea, but regardliss it will be loads of muppet fun.