"Muppets Take Manhatten" Revisited

[beaker]

TMM 1979 and TMTM 1984 just feel like they are set in the real world. And it's amazing, a real naturalistic look, almost what one would call and indie look. I never get tired of just observing the cinematography.

Now a few years ago, at one of those Regal/Cinemark/AMC/big chain summer things where kids can see older movies for free, I went and saw The Muppets Take Manhattan. Which was surreal as they normally just show Dreamworks and other more recent kiddy stuff. But man, they had 3 sold out theaters in two showings, in two days. The one I sat in on was completely filled, and the kids all loved it.

Which to me proves that a lot of kids are not offput by old, pre modern/pre vfx heavy stuff and can learn to like the slower, more natural pacing and style.

 

[LouisTheOtter]

It may surprise a lot of people here that The Muppets Take Manhattan ranks second from the bottom on my personal list, just ahead of The Muppet Christmas Carol. (So, yes, that puts it behind Muppets From Space. Try not to have your heads explode.)

Don't get me wrong, I think the original Muppet performers did a terrific job and there are still a lot of elements about the movie that I enjoy - Kermit's defiant rooftop speech ("You hear that, New York? The frog is staying!"), a couple of the "postcards from friends" scenes (especially Rowlf and Gonzo), the "Rat Scat" kitchen scene, and even the odd reinvention of Kermit as a yuppie ad executive after his car accident and amnesia. (And the idea that he would play "Together Again" on glasses in the restaurant, leading the others to rediscover him in the next booth, is a piece of genius.)

Overall, though, I don't have the fondest memories of TMTM because it never seemed clear as to what kind of film it wanted to be. Was it charting inventive new courses for the characters or copping out and making them "cute" (my teeth still ache at the mere thought of the Muppet Babies' debut in "I'm Gonna Always Love You")? Was it trying to mine humour out of being a "New York movie" or playing with our hearts by breaking up the Muppets? ("Saying Goodbye" always leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth, especially since it was used so prominently in TV-news coverage of Jim Henson's death a few years later.)

I also didn't like the Kermit-Piggy wedding scene - I found that to be just a bit forced and fake. I think there was a certain conceit among Muppet productions of this era that the more characters that could be crammed into one scene, the better. It may have worked for the very end of The Muppet Movie but it seemed schmaltzy here. I much prefer the MMW wedding-fakeout scene.

The whole thing seems a bit dated, too, as opposed to the timeless quality of TMM and GMC. Especially the music. I remember listening to "You Can't Take No For Answer" in isolation on YouTube a couple of years ago, and it just left me wanting more.

And maybe I was too young (11 years old) for it to work, but I just didn't like Kermit getting hit by a car. Muppet mortality is a frightening concept.

Maybe I need to watch TMTM again, which Mrs. Otter has suggested we do once we get Netflix later this spring. Perhaps I'll appreciate it more when I can watch it as an adult with a fresh set of eyes. As it stands now, though, it's not a favourite.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well you kinda aren't supposed to like Kermit getting hit by a car.

And I'm glad they went there and I've been watching this movie since I was age 0, lol. That is true darkness and maturity in a Muppet movie.

 

[LouisTheOtter]

I've been watching this movie since I was age 0, lol.

In utero?

That is true darkness and maturity in a Muppet movie.

I've always said, "Muppet movies need more darkness."

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yup, one of those rare Muppet in utero fans. We are an oft misunderstood subset.

 

[WalterFan1234]

This has always been one of my favorites

 

[LouisTheOtter]

Mrs. Otter and I got a pleasant surprise over the weekend when one of the Canadian TV networks, Teletoon Retro, ran TMTM and MFS back-to-back over the past weekend - I was so excited I even decided to waive my disdain for animation-oriented networks running live-action movies! (Besides, the Muppets are always pretty "animated" anyway...)

It was the first time I'd seen TMTM in its entirety in 28 years and while this viewing pretty much bore out my initial misgivings of the movie, there were a few scenes that were actually funnier and more enjoyable than I remembered. These include the Dabney Coleman sleazy-agent sequence (I'm impressed at how Gonzo, Camilla and Animal were all still in motion in that scene's climax), Piggy freaking out at the construction site (Jenny: "Oh, that's just New York"), the "Rat Scat" kitchen number (check it out - a kitchen full of rodents, 33 years before Ratatouille!), Joan Rivers and Piggy at the makeup counter (I'm convinced that was all improvised), Gregory Hines in the middle of the Central Park argument ("Yeah, what's with the huggies?"), and Linda Lavin as Kermit's doctor (Kermit: "I...don't FEEL Italian").

I found myself getting increasingly impressed with Jim Henson's vocal range as the various incarnations of Kermit ("Boffo, Lennie! Socko, Lennie!"; snooty producer at Sardi's; bland Yuppie ad executive). And, yes, I think I've finally made peace with "I'm Gonna Always Love You" and the Muppet Babies' debut. That song's a lot catchier than I realized.

Overall, though, I still find that the music doesn't grab me, the pacing is rather pokey for long stretches, the wedding segment is more schmaltz than pizzazz (and I now think that's my least-favourite Muppet movie ending sequence of all time), I still don't like how quickly the Muppets desert Kermit in the run-up to "Saying Goodbye," and there's an alarming amount of footage of unhappy Muppets in what's supposed to be a comedy.

Nice to see TMTM again, though. Maybe I'll check it out again in another 10 years or so, but I've got plenty of other sources for a good Henson-era Muppet fix.

 

[CensoredAlso]

and there's an alarming amount of footage of unhappy Muppets

Which makes their reunion infinitely more touching for me. A lot of great comedies don't shy away from the poignant. And it's not so much that they desert Kermit. They feel bad for being a burden on him.

But glad to hear you liked the movie a little more.

 

[Muppet Master]

MTM is always on TV, let me attempt to count all the times I've seen it in less than a year on TV.

1. July 2013 ch. KDOC
2. July 2013 ch. KDOC (again)
3. August 2013 ch. KTLA-2 (back-to-back with MFS)
4. December 2013 ch THIS
5. December 2013 (again) ch. THIS
6. May 2014 ch. MOVIES
7. May 2014 ch. MOVIES (again)

7 TIMES! ON NON-CABLE! Anyways MTM seems to be the most easy-to-get muppet film, I mean it's always on TV and the DVD is literally everywhere! With that being said, it is the darkest ( besides the "consumerism" of muppet babies) and it is quite realistic, I mean it's in the middle of muppet movie list, but I can see that it's a great muppet movie.

 

[dwayne1115]

I love MTM, because Kermit shows so many different emotions, and styles. I also love Kermit and Piggy's relationship throughout the whole movie. I also love how when Kermit went missing Piggy took the leadership role, and did a wonderful job pulling everyone together and getting the show ready with or without Kermit. I wish we could see more of Piggy like that, supportive of Kermit, and the rest of the Muppets.