The Big 5 (and why it bugs me)

[Drtooth]

Pepe seems that he's in the new main five (or six... heck... seven if you count Rizzo). But do keep in mind that characters are rising to cult status, and getting more popularity.

Beaker is a great example. We have Beaker dolls, action figures, push toys, finger puppets, mints, and air fresheners. He never had many big roles in movies (Possibly in MFS, but I doubt that even counts as big).

The cult characters are Beaker, Pepe, Chef, and Animal. With the exception of Animal and perhaps Pepe (In MFS and VMC) none of them even had more than a minute of speaking roles in films, and were mainly used in the TV show, but now they have all this popularity.

Rolwf seems like he's coming up, albiet slowly allong with Scooter for either cult, or classic characters.

 

[turlem]

I don't remember (because I wasn't alive at the time) Rowlf ever being part of the main 5. Infact I never even saw a main five. I saw the main 4 muppets together all the time. Gonzo, Fozzie, Piggy, and Kermit. This might be due to me love of GMC though. I usually look to GMC when it comes to ranking characters.

Pepe had a large part in AVMMC, but not really that much. A good chunk of the movie was mostly classic characters. They didn't even show Pepe in the Kermitless world. Animal needed a little more time in the movie. Rowlf definatly did. It would have been nice to see a bit more Bobo as well, but overall it was a great mix.

Rowlf was definately in the big five, at times he was more significant than even piggy. GMC he wasn't big in cuz it was a movie really about kermit, hensre, rowlf takes a back seat. Rowlf is the second oldest muppet still in existance, and his character actually came into the major public eye before even Kermit.

AVMMC was great as far as the muppets go, some of the jokes were too topical, and all of the humans sucked. but it was an excellent balance of classic and new characters, except there was no clifford, and not nearly enuf Rowlf. but it would be a good basis for a new muppet show. Animal's role was perfect i think, he needs to be quick and meemerable, it was great "Drummer Boy!!"

Pepe seems that he's in the new main five (or six... heck... seven if you count Rizzo). But do keep in mind that characters are rising to cult status, and getting more popularity.

Beaker is a great example. We have Beaker dolls, action figures, push toys, finger puppets, mints, and air fresheners. He never had many big roles in movies (Possibly in MFS, but I doubt that even counts as big).

The cult characters are Beaker, Pepe, Chef, and Animal. With the exception of Animal and perhaps Pepe (In MFS and VMC) none of them even had more than a minute of speaking roles in films, and were mainly used in the TV show, but now they have all this popularity.

Rolwf seems like he's coming up, albiet slowly allong with Scooter for either cult, or classic characters.

I honestly think pepe should be preserved for smaller, quicker roles, i love him, but when compared to the original Big 5 his character is very flat, where as those 5 are completely rounded, to the point where they're incredebly believable as if they were people.

I think your right about those cult characters, but they gained that status by those priceless moments everybody waits for, i don't think people wanna see "The pepe show" Or "Swedish Chef live!" i think they should stay as they've been , making them all the more special

I love that scooter & rowlf are on the way back up, i'vr missed throughout the nineties, but those are classic characters and NEED to be back in the spotlight, even if it takes a little time

 

[Drtooth]

Rowlf's kind of tricky. Some say he was officially retired, others say he wasn't, so I don't know who to believe. However, Rowlf had a large significant role in the Weezer's Making of "Keep Fishing" video special (Someone posted an adress to realmedia clips of it, I forget the address, but It's on the weezer site)

Scooter is on the Rise, hopefully Janice and the rest of the Band will follow. In the NBC Bloopers special, when they showed VMC bloopers, they showed one with a significant Scooter appearance. "Okay! We'll try not to have any fun this time" he says.

 

[turlem]

Actually rowlf never officially retired, they just couldn't find a voice for him. Scooter WAS officially retired until VMC and i think they're trying to get both of them back in their old places. Granted Rowlf didn't say much in VMC (i don't think they're giving rowlf or bill a fair chance). He was in the background of almost every scene, and i think he's in the very first shot with the muppets. Hopefully this is a preview of things to come for ol' brown ears.

 

[Drtooth]

Bill Baretta plays him on and off. He was noticable on the Weezer's making of video (it's somwhere at www.weezer.com I think).

His Rowlf was very good, though he did go into the Bobo the Bear range. But even if he just grunts and says "hi Kermit" it's still better than the character being barely in the background during the two "book" movies.

Scooter was absent even as a background character until MFS. I hope either Brian or Matt can continue the character (and Janice) in future projects.

But in the Book films, the main four was definately Kermit, Piggy, Rizzo and Gonzo, which really stunk. Fozzie had a very short bit as the Feziwig guy, and a better role as Squire Terlawnious.

However, I've noticed that both times Sam the Eagle has had much bigger roles. In all other films he delivers one, two lines at most.

 

[turlem]

Bill Baretta plays him on and off. He was noticable on the Weezer's making of video (it's somwhere at www.weezer.com I think).

His Rowlf was very good, though he did go into the Bobo the Bear range. But even if he just grunts and says "hi Kermit" it's still better than the character being barely in the background during the two "book" movies.

Scooter was absent even as a background character until MFS. I hope either Brian or Matt can continue the character (and Janice) in future projects.

But in the Book films, the main four was definately Kermit, Piggy, Rizzo and Gonzo, which really stunk. Fozzie had a very short bit as the Feziwig guy, and a better role as Squire Terlawnious.

However, I've noticed that both times Sam the Eagle has had much bigger roles. In all other films he delivers one, two lines at most.

i'll try to find that video, also i've never seen the full weezer video, do you know where i could see it(w/o sitting in front of TV watching Mtv for 6 hours straight)

Yeah, it annoys me too the fozzie too a back seat in MTI, but MCC all the muppets did, and to be honest MCC and the first muppet movie are my favorites.

I think Brian does an excellent scooter, not perfect, but it's still great

 

[turlem]

scratch that, i just saw the video & the making of. That was great! Rowlf spoke for extended sentences, it was excellent. Granted, his voice slipped into bobo a bit, but it was no big deal. also, Bill's gotta change the laugh, rowlf has a silent laugh(check vet's hospital). Thanks for the info Tooth, it's great toi hear rowlf again

 

[Drtooth]

Eyyy... no problem! Someone gave it to me, now I give it to you.

But dispite the fact that I like MCC, I alway though (and I've said this at least a hundred times) the title should read "The Michael Cain Christmas Carol with the Muppets."

Fozzie's role in MTi was short, but I liked it better than his MCC role, which was a total diasppointment. I did like the Statler and Waldorf moment with him, and Emily Bear's appearance, though.

 

[WiGgY]

I think Fozzie had a nice role in MTI. Also, it was nice to see Sam get a major role in a movie for once.

Question:

If Frank Oz wasn't performing his characters in MTI, why was he performing Piggy for the Disney documentary about MTI? Was he there on set and Kevin just performed Sam while Frank did Piggy and Fozzie?

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Eyyy... no problem! Someone gave it to me, now I give it to you.

i posted that link sometime way back. good to see people still remembered it!

i think i heard somewhere, and i think its true, that this might have been the first time where frank decided not to go everyday to the mti sets to perform his characters. i think this was about the time where he was trying to get into directing movies.

ryan