The Muppet Movie meanings, messages, and simpolizm

[mupcollector1]

I had some thoughts about The Muppet Movie this and last week and I wanted to talk on the forum about. I think in general as a lifetime Muppet fan and continuing, You know like lots of people here we grew up watching The Muppets some way or another and remember seeing the shows and movies. But what's really great and also like lots of animation is that when you get older and turn to an adult, you start to recognize certain messages for adults that was totally over your head as a kid. Either adult jokes or even meanings and plot. Anyway I just starting to think and analyze The Muppet Movie a little bit. First I wanted to ask was the lyrics of The Rainbow Connection, thinking of the lyrics I finally realized that it's not about rainbows, it's about something else. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the song about following your goals and dreams? I was listening to the new version that was used in the new Muppet movie sung by Steve and I started to reconize the lyrics a little more then the original version, probably because of sound quality has changed since the 70s, I'm not sure. lol But the lyric that sticks in my mind is "I'll prove them wrong wait and see, someday we'll find it The Rainbow Connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me." Now isn't the lyrics meaning that when people say something negitive about your dreams and goals that you'll prove them wrong by following them or something like that?
I just think this is really fascinating. Though also I remember Jerry Juhl quoted in The World of Jim Henson documentary "The song in The Muppet Movie is right." So it started to make me think about it a little more.

Also the whole thing with Kermit vs. Doc Hopper, was that a simple of art and making people happy vs. cheaply selling out for piles of money? Also Kermit's speech made me think a little bit too. "Well I have a dream too, but it's about singing and dancing and making people happy and well I found a whole bunch of friends who share the same dream and it makes us kind of like a family, dreams get better with the more people who share it with. Who are your friends Doc, those guys? If your not going to let me and my friends go then go ahead and kill me." I think now as an adult in my mid-20s just how beautiful and speech that speech really is. Because I truely cherish friendship relationships strongly, even though I've had people who became jerks and didn't feel that strongly towards me. But anyway that's kind of like The Muppets standing up for their love of entertainment vs. the bullies of corporate business and cash cow operations. I can totally relate to that as an artist.

And finally isn't the movie sort of a simple of Jim Henson and his crew. I know of course the story is a work of fiction, but just Kermit's speech kind of makes me think of The Muppet crew behind the scenes, because they all related to the art and have so much passion for it.

But anyway, I wanted to post this to see if anyone else ever thought of it that way.

 

[tutter_fan]

I totally agree on this.

 

[Hubert]

Yeah. There is a ton of inspiration meanings and messages in the Muppet Movie, but also in all Muppet productions in general. I've found "The Rainbow Connection" to be the most inspirational and complex song ever written.

And I'm not trying to shamelessly plug, but I actually have a blog where I write about the inspirational messages in Muppet productions: http://dynamitedetermination.weebly.com

 

[mupcollector1]

Oh cool Sounds interesting, Can't wait to check it out. Thanks for sharing

But yeah The Rainbow Connection to me listening to the lyrics and even how the movie is written plus Robin's comment "Is this how The Muppets really got started?" and Kermit said "It's somewhat how it happened".

So I wonder if the movie itself is a symbol of not only The Muppets meeting each other and following their dreams but Jim and the crew themselves. Of course there was no Doc Hopper chasing Jim around. lol But the symbolism of the Hollywood system. Because according to the history of getting The Muppet Show to air, Jim searched high and low to get it made and no one wanted it because no one believed The Muppets could entertain adults. I think Doc Hopper was a satirical symbol of Hollywood itself wanting Kermit to sell his soul to selling out and making money to something so cruel and sick and Kermit just wants to sing and dance and make people happy through entertainment. "Then I found a whole bunch of friends who share the same dream and it kind of makes us like a family, once you have that your dream gets better the more people you share it with, who are your friends Doc, those guys?" And it's sort of true behind the scenes because Jim's employees were much more than that, they here his friends and Jim was their friends. They went on fun vacations together, and had parties and things. And I'm sure they hung out after work for fun as well. And again, look in history. Jim was very shy and it seemed like he didn't have much of a social life but once he focused on what he wanted in life, it just seemed like everything started to unfold and succed in every direction. Social Life, Fame, even money. Jim seemed very very wealthy. He had a NY home, one in London, and even a ranch in New Mexico. But one of the many things that I like about Jim is yes he was pretty much rich but he was never ever greedy, he keep focusing on the art he wanted to do. You don't really see that much in Hollywood. Not many artists willing to fight the Hollywood system and say "No, I want creative freedom". But I guess it's all about believing in yourself and you can accomplish everything your heart desires, and Jim was living proof

 

[Hubert]

Yep...exactly. The theme that is pretty much recurring in all of Jim's work is that we must follow our dreams and that they can be achieved. One of the reasons I like the Muppet Movie is because of how much inspiration about following your dreams is in it.