Rumor: The Muppet Wizard of Oz

[Whatever]

Just read this on Ain't It Cool:
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=16331
This would be so SWEEEET!

This link doesn't work for me.

 

[frogboy4]

I personally think it's another step backwards, but it does combine two beloved icons and was a very successful Muppet Show sketch at one time. I say go for it. I just hope that all of the projects don't turn out to be remakes. The Muppets are far to creative to do that.

 

[matleo]

I don't know. I'm just not too excited about this idea. I mean, I'd love to see another Mupet project. And making it another Muppet Tv movie? Yeah, that's fine too. but whil the Muppets have done 2-3 min parodies of thia and made it work, I don't think it's enough of an idea to really carry for a 90 min TV special. I think the characters from Oz are so strong that to inflict the uppets upon them (or viceverse) would just stry too much from the Muppets or from the story itself. take Piggy for example. Where woudl you cast her? Dorothy? Dorothy is supposed to be a little girl. It's a story about her growing up and finding her way home. you cast Piggy in that role you sacrifice what the story is about. The Wicked Witch? Nobody is going to buy into a film where Piggy is the villain. The good witch? Nobody is going to want to see a Muppet project where piggy is only in the first 10 min, then disappears. Leave Pigy out of this? Same problem with casting her as Glinda.

Also as someone said, the 1939 has become SUCH a piece of Americana andis so ingrained on people that there simply is no comparison. There really is no need for another retelling of this story. Ok, so there may be some animated versions of it, but who watches those really? you're just never going to top Judy Garland, et al so what's the use in trying? just seems kind of a waste to me.

Honestly, of all the idea that have been rumored in the last few years, ot of even the ones I didn't like too much. I would still prefer those over this. this just seems like a real waste of a project. I'd ratehr see them do something clever and even slightly original then just a parody movie. no thanks. I'll probbaly pass on this (if it's true).

--Matt

 

[Drtooth]

If anyone doesn't like it, I'm guessing this will be in production limbo, like every other Muppet Project thus so far.

Personally, I'm for it and against it.

MCC and MTI were good, but the thing I had a problem with was the low Muppetty ness of them both. The storybook movies are cute, and they're fun to watch, but the Humans dominated the MCC (Once again, they should have called it the Michael Caine Christmas carol with the Muppets) and MTI had more characters made specifically for the film then the classic ones.

If they were to do this ALL Muppet, then this would be great, but if the Muppets have to play second to a bunch of Humans, then it won't be that great. Granted, I'll be there opening day, but I'd rather something like "The Muppet's Next Movie" or "The Cheapest Muppet Movie" than this...

 

[frogboy4]

I'll probbaly pass on this (if it's true).

--Matt

You'd actually pass on a Muppet Movie? I'd pay to see a film of Kermit eating his lunch for ten minutes, but that's just my fan side talking.

I can see a 90 minute film being made where only 30 minutes are actually spent on OZ. Did you realize that only about 12 mintues were spent in the "alternate universe" in VMX? As long as there's enough real Muppet footage sandwiching the OZ story it could work. Not my first choice, but if anyone can bring something new to the tale, it would be the Muppets. As for the music, if MGM owns it there might be a shot of them using it. MGM did co-release the VMX DVD.

 

[Drtooth]

Also as someone said, the 1939 has become SUCH a piece of Americana andis so ingrained on people that there simply is no comparison. There really is no need for another retelling of this story. Ok, so there may be some animated versions of it, but who watches those really? you're just never going to top Judy Garland, et al so what's the use in trying? just seems kind of a waste to me.

There have been a few other Oz movies (and project), animated, live action, etc.... NONE of them can hold up to the original. It's like trying to remake Star Wars. Even George Lucas Himself couldn't top the first three with his prequals. No matter how much technology they'd use... no soap.

But Anything with the Muppets I'd pay good money to see, since I'm a loyal fan and all (I'm still trying to see KSY) but something like this wouldn't even be a good 90 minutes. I mean, if the premice of the moive was sort of like, I dunno...

Statler and Waldorf going to see several different movies that are all satires of real ones featuring the Muppets, and giving commentary during the film...

other than that, I just don't see this as a very good idea... I'm sure they'll wow me, but until then, it's just very iffy....

 

[matleo]

You'd actually pass on a Muppet Movie?

Let's just say MFS left a REAL bad taste in my mouth.

but you're right, I woldn't necessarily pass on it. of course i'd watch it. But I just don't think I'd watch it with the same excitment and anticipation of some of the other projects. I've foudn that all to often these days when I get my hopes up, a project just seems to not be everythign it could be. Here, I feel like there's just so much other potential why tell a story that's already been told once and told well. So well, I'll certinaly watch it, I'm not goign ot get too excited about it.

I can see a 90 minute film being made where only 30 minutes are actually spent on OZ. Did you realize that only about 12 mintues were spent in the "alternate universe" in VMX?

Really? hm, I wonder how much time is spent with Whoopi and that Arquette guy? Actually I think the film might have benefitted from cutting Whoopi and Arquette a bit and expanding the alternate muppe-verse a bit. I know it's one of the deleted scenes on the DVD but I would have like to have seen them do something with Pepe in the alternate world. I felt they lost an opportunity there. especially afater he was kind of crucial to the rest of the story.

Getting back the the Oz thing, if they only did 30 Minutes in the Oz world, again what would be the point? The thing about the Wizard of OZ is that MOST of the action takes place IN Oz!!

Also, I was thinking about it and wouldn't sending the one of the Muppets into a sort of parallel reality that they had ot egt back home from just kind of be a rehash of VMX. Ok, I know there's no confirmation that "Dorothy" will be a muppet, but I was thinking about 'what if they cast kermit in that role' and started to work out ohw they might work....kermit gets threatened by evil woman character (probably a human), kermit gets whisked away to oz where he meets alternate versions of his friends (Scooter has no brian, Fozzie has no heart/humor, gonzo has no bravery) and of course he kindo f confuses them for the real thing but they have no idea who he is but he decides to help them get that back and find his way home and I just thought "they just did this story" I mean it's not this story exactly but it's too close to the story they just did. Why? Why?? Why??? Why????

So like I said, I'm just not too exctied about this and I think it's goign to take a lot before I'm convinced otherwise. just my 2 cents.

--Matt

 

[frogboy4]

I'm not wild about it, but I think it does have possibilities. The story could be cut between the real life and the Oz world that one of the cast is experiencing. That's an easy way it could take up less than half the screentime. Or, it could he the show they are performing in the theater much like Moulin Scrooge. There are a lot of diffeerent ways it could be done. None of them are the top of my list. but some of them aren't too shabby either. I like your Kermit twist.

Think of this. The gang is rehearsing a Wizard of Oz show, Kermit (or someone) gets hit by a piece of scenery and passes out thus entering the world of Oz. Cut scenes of the Muppets in the theater between Kermit's dream. Contrived, but could work and get a little out of the Oz world for a while by going to different areas backstage, outside and such.

Another idea is why does the witch have to be a witch at all? It could easily be Statler and Waldorf. Who knows. And this is still just a rumor, but I remember another rumor about a film being made where the Muppets had to save their theater. That was posted at Aint It Cool as well. Hmmm. However, they didn't tell the whole story that it was an It's a Wonderful Life remaike TV Christmas special. Let's hope this story has more spin on it if it's true. We know it wouldn't be a straight story if they did it.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

As for the music, if MGM owns it there might be a shot of them using it. MGM did co-release the VMX DVD.

Well, it's Warner Bros./Turner Entertainment who owns the classic MGM films nowadays, so the Lion is almost irrevelant. I even heard that WB is making a "Wizard of Oz" remake starring Drew Barrymore. Good times...

As for the idea of a Muppet Wizard of Oz. I dunno. This whole thing's probably a rumor, but if it ain't there better be some freak cameo at the end by FRANK Oz.

 

[Drtooth]

Getting back the the Oz thing, if they only did 30 Minutes in the Oz world, again what would be the point? The thing about the Wizard of OZ is that MOST of the action takes place IN Oz!!

Also, I was thinking about it and wouldn't sending the one of the Muppets into a sort of parallel reality that they had ot egt back home from just kind of be a rehash of VMX. Ok, I know there's no confirmation that "Dorothy" will be a muppet, but I was thinking about 'what if they cast kermit in that role' and started to work out ohw they might work....kermit gets threatened by evil woman character (probably a human), kermit gets whisked away to oz where he meets alternate versions of his friends (Scooter has no brian, Fozzie has no heart/humor, gonzo has no bravery) and of course he kindo f confuses them for the real thing but they have no idea who he is but he decides to help them get that back and find his way home and I just thought "they just did this story" I mean it's not this story exactly but it's too close to the story they just did. Why? Why?? Why??? Why???

I agree.. if OZ is only 30 minutes and is the only place to see the Muppets in the movie it will be even WORSE than MCC, in the fact that the Muppets played pretty much second and third to live actors. They might as well make a remake of OZ without the Muppets, if they want to go in that direction.

I mean, MCC had a lot of potential if it were all muppet. JP Grosse would play Scroogew and Scooter could have played his nephew (except he had no continuer back then) and Fozzie could have had a much larger role, not just a 5 minute scene. I liked the movie, but I thought there was much more Muppet action in MTI, since they at least interacted with the humans much more (and much better)... between you and me, the effeminat kid should have been replaced by Robin... Bean would be a no go, since Steve was performing Rizzo at the time...

The idea of OZ being 30 minute of OZ makes it more like the end of the Cosby episode. I was waiting forever tfor the Muppets, and watched a lot of action between the regulars before they came on, and even then there were few popular characters (Sweetums and Gonzo), and that was just less than half the episode...