Some thoughts on Muppet Treasure Island

[Drtooth]

i did not like this one. it's criminal how tiny a part piggy has, and kermit too for that matter.

The problem is, there WAS no place to put Piggy as far as the story go to begin with. Jerry managed to find a way to add her in, gender swapping a character and changing the character's role. I agree her role was kinda... well... contractually obligated in the film. Not her best one, but I'm starting to dislike her role in MFS more.

That's the thing about MTI over MCC... Jerry managed to warp the source material to fit as many Muppets as possible in it. MCC was more rigid, much closer to the story... and that isn't really a great thing. Seems like with MCC, the only Muppety alterations were cut and paste in front of character roles... this one was put in a blender with extra Muppet flavors and it comes out a much more fun movie overall.

 

[Misskermie]

This part gets some serious laughs out of me! Kermit, have you learn nothing?

MISS PIGGY WEIGHS THREE TONS!

LOL!

 

[mo]

aw poor kermit. haha that that part was awesome i haven't seen it for years but i remember that part!

 

[DramaQueenMokey]

I've said this before and I'll say it again:

Love Led Us Here gets me every single time! The Kermit/Piggy love is perfect and even though I know they're not going to fall to their deaths, the 'heaven seems so near' part especially makes me go: 'Wow...they're willing to die together....oh!'

Now, I really like MTI, I like how the original story was changed to fit Muppet needs, I like it better than the original in fact.

Whereas, I don't like MFS and I saw that in the theater as a kid and I may have had a bunch of the Wendy's toys from MFS but, even at 4 I knew something wasn't right. And what kills me about MFS, is that Kermit and Piggy's interactions are so awkward that its almost a round-about way of trying to imply that Kermit and Piggy are broken up. I mean, I really pick up that they're broken up and I don't like that feeling. And on the subject of that broken up vibe, this is another thing that bugs me: Kermit and Piggy seem to be broken up in MFS, yet, they're awkwardly living in the same house...great example.

Anyhow, back on topic, MTI is wonderful!

 

[dwayne1115]

MTI was great! Love led us here was such an awesome song that my now wife became a Muppet fan because of that very song! The movie it's self had everything and really could appeal to any and everyone.
I really loved the first DVD release of the movie bonus features where so good they really put a whole lot of love into that, and then when they re released it made the movie stink just a little.

 

[Drtooth]

Whereas, I don't like MFS and I saw that in the theater as a kid and I may have had a bunch of the Wendy's toys from MFS but, even at 4 I knew something wasn't right. And what kills me about MFS, is that Kermit and Piggy's interactions are so awkward that its almost a round-about way of trying to imply that Kermit and Piggy are broken up. I mean, I really pick up that they're broken up and I don't like that feeling. And on the subject of that broken up vibe, this is another thing that bugs me: Kermit and Piggy seem to be broken up in MFS, yet, they're awkwardly living in the same house...great example.

Piggy's role in MFS is quite easily her worst. Somehow I used to think her completely added in role in MTI was kinda off... but now I realize how "just there" Piggy is in MFS. She barely interacts with Kermit, and Kermit barely acknowledges her. I still wish there was a scene where the other Muppets were fighting over the television and Kermit lectures them about how this is Piggy's first show and how supportive they should be. And it really seems she's been Flanderized down to "she's a diva" instead of anything even the slightest bit complex in that one. I like Kermit and Piggy as a couple... I thought the new movie had some visionary concepts about their relationship. But MFS doesn't even bother trying to mention they're together. That's why the newer characters steal the movie... most of them are just there and don't act like themselves... (Still don't get why Animal was there to rescue them... other than running off after Kathy Griffen, what did he do?)

MCC and MTI both have some great scenes of Kermit and Piggy... MCC having them both play that they're married, MTI giving a sense that they lost each other and didn't realize they missed each other that much... there were even some choice bits about them in VMX... but MFS lost every importunity it was given, and ten to one the lousy director is to blame.

 

[Princeton]

And it really seems she's been Flanderized down to "she's a diva" instead of anything even the slightest bit complex in that one.

Can you explain what you mean by 'Flanderized'? I'm assuming you're referring to the Simpsons character, but I'm having trouble picking up on the context.

 

[Drtooth]

Can you explain what you mean by 'Flanderized'? I'm assuming you're referring to the Simpsons character, but I'm having trouble picking up on the context.

Flanderized is a TV Tropes term. It's when one of a character's traits are utilized above all others, turning complex characters into stale stereotypes. In other words, one tiny thing about a character is ALL the character is about. Named after Ned Flanders from The Simpsons due to the writers devolving the character to ONLY be about his Christianity, rather than his original stance as the neighbor that's better in every way.

 

[minor muppetz]

I liked Muppet Treasure Island a lot better when I first saw it. But I'm not too big on adventure. I like MTI less than Muppets from Space, but better than Kermit's Swamp Years.

But it does have it's moments. Out of all the movies, it would have made most sense for this one to have it's own action figure line (it's a shame Palisades didn't get around to releasing more MTI figures), as well as it's own video game (unless you count the CD-ROM). I'm not a big fan of many of the songs (mainly Cabin Fever and Something Better). Love Led Us Here and Love Power are both very boring songs, in my opinion. But I do like pretty much all the original characters who appear in this, and there are some really funny scenes and lines (like Gonzo's limbs being stretched, the Mr. Bimbo stuff, the fourth-wall breaking moments, and other stuff). And it's funny how Sam Arrow seems to overthink things, as well as how helpful he is (going far enough to risk his life on a lifeboat implied to be unsafe). Though I wonder why he suddenly thought Long John Silver "might not be trustworthy" after seeing that his lifeboat was safe (yeah, Long John tricked him into thinking he needed to test it out, but it seems Long John tricked Sam into thinking he did it on his own).

And it is a shame we didn't get more familiar Muppets as pirates. Sweetums had limited dialogue while Lew Zealand had no dialogue. Crazy Harry should have been a pirate, as should more classic monsters and frackles. And with Blind Pew resembling and sharing the performer of Uncle Deadley, why didn't they just put Uncle Deadley in that role? I wonder if The Animal Show was on the air at this point and if audiences recognized Yves St. LaRoach as one of the pirates.

 

[Ozymandias]

I have to say, this is impecable timing, for you see, I jusat finished reading "Treasure Island" for the first time today for my Children's Lit class, and will be watching "Muppets Treasure Island" for the first time in a few days to celebrate.

Beaker exploding through the door scared me SO much as a child. Dr Livesy had a lot more to do in the book...and was a doctor of medicine.

What. WHAT?

Dr. Livesy...is played by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker? My favorite character of the whole novel is played by my two favorite muppets, respectively?

HECK YES. *starts fistpumping*