Will the Muppet Movie magic ever come back?

[Drtooth]

Originally posted by WiGgY
In the last 3 theatrical releases the muppets had a sense of self awareness in the movie. It's just not done as much. In MCC Sam says, "It's the American way" when he is suppose to be British. Gonzo whispers to him and he says the line right, "It's the British way" That's about as far as that went.

In MTI there was plenty more. Like the whole Pi-Rat tours thing. When the Chef showed up with a pig snout someone said, "Well, how else did you expect us to get him in this film" or something like that. And let's not forget the tour going by the set of muppet treasure island. So, if that's the magic then it was in these films as well.

In MFS it goes back to being very limited. Basically Bobo a.k.a. Rentro loved Gonzo on TV and wanted his autograph. That's about it.

Well, I meant the later ones, MFS, KSY (didn't see it yet, not sure), and VMC

They did have some in MFS, actually.

:this is a Muppet Movie, okay. It's much more realistic... and romaaaaaaaaaaaaantic...

GMC, there was QUITE a lot of, in fact, that's the opening theme song of the film (Hey a Movie). Plus Kermit and Piggy fighting, causing the entire movie to stop.

I didn't quite catch one in MTM (even though I saw it twice in the last two months).

MCC, well, that's kind of a tough call. Gonzo and Rizzo are the Narrators, and they interact with the characters (as you said correcting Sam the Eagle)

But none I know of on VMC...

But also, I've noticed that the use of running gags has plummeted to small usage after GMC (where they used like so much of them, the bed, the lights please, What color are thei hands now?"

In MTM, the only one I can think of is Pete's weird hold of English, "Let me tell you what it is... is no workin' is singing, is dancing, is cheese, is beeg shoes." But that's all I know of.

 

[Walker Boh]

Originally posted by beaker
The original heartfelt/moving, and fun songs?
(Like Movin Right Along, etc)

For me, this is why the past two Muppet projects I've seen (Muppets From Space, and the Very Christmas special) just didn't feel like true Muppet movies. While both movies had songs, they just didn't have any of the fun musical numbers that all of the other movies had. The whole duration of MFS I was waiting and wondering why they hadn't broken into a fun, original song sung by the Muppets cast.

 

[WiGgY]

As far as running gags go, I think we have had a few. Rizzo's eating all through MCC and even MTI was a running gag, pretty funny too. In MFS we didn't really have any, but in AVMMC Miss Bitterman called Pepe Peepee alot. Does that count?

I do agree that KSY was just plain bad. It lacked a good script, good human actors, and muppets. Where were all the young muppets? Kermit could have passed by a young bear selling jokes on the corner, or a young Scooter out with his uncle, or a young Bunsen in the pet shop looking for new lab rats, or Janice and Floyd sharing a soda in a diner window, or even a young Lew fishing in the pond. Instead, we got a really bad Rowlf reference and a pig joke. Sure the pig thing was funny, but baby piggy could have been in the next pen over clutching a frog doll.

None of these cameos would have required lines either, so I don't see why it couldn't have been done. If it's the cost of building the puppets then they could have just used them in other projects. Besides, baby piggy, scooter, and fozzie already exist as well as animal , gonzo and rowlf. We should have seen them somewhere. OH! A small teenage band rehershing in a garage, later known as Dr. Teeth and the electric mayhem would have been cool! So many missed opportunities. Why didn't JHC think of this stuff when they did the movie?

 

[WiGgY]

Re: Re: Will the Muppet Movie magic ever come back?

Originally posted by Walker Boh
For me, this is why the past two Muppet projects I've seen (Muppets From Space, and the Very Christmas special) just didn't feel like true Muppet movies. While both movies had songs, they just didn't have any of the fun musical numbers that all of the other movies had. The whole duration of MFS I was waiting and wondering why they hadn't broken into a fun, original song sung by the Muppets cast.

MFS did lack songs but I think it did fine without them. I would have at least liked to see the band perform or have Kermit sing something, anything really.

AVMMC had enough songs if you ask me. 2 songs, one of which was a huge musical number and then the heart felt one with Kermit and Gonzo were great. I think there was more theater stuff that was cut but I don't know if a whole song was cut. I know that a segment with the band was cut and maybe they sang a song.

 

[RockSTAR girl]

i think personally mti was the best muppet movie. sure, the trilogy was the "originals" especially with Jim behind those projects. but none of those had a constant movement to them. they were all a little, um, boring. but i do wish the muppets didnt have to resort to cheesy made for tv movies. or at least had a movie that was a big production and not boring all in one.

ps. this is soo cool

 

[Chilly Down]

I do think the original stuff is put upon a pedestal too much. I mean, watching the Time-Life videos, I now see that TMS didn't hit one out of the ballpark with every sketch and every episode. Similarly, there's been a lot of funny, entertaining stuff in the post-Jim era. I would agree that, as a whole, the Jim-era stuff is funnier and has more energy to it. But I think we can talk ourselves into complaining too much.

I also don't think that they necessarily have to be self-referential in order to save the franchise. MFS would not have been 100 times better if they put in a few "This is a movie" jokes. The concept of the movie itself was flawed. Better scripts overall are more important than focusing on "Hey, they didn't make a reference to this being a movie."

I don't have time to go back and edit this, but if I sound , I apologize. I don't mean this personally at anyone, just expressing an opinion.

Daffyfan, did I understand you right in saying that you've never seen TMM? Go to the video store NOW and rent it! You'll it! But I must ask: why on Earth are you saying the new films don't hold up to TMM if you haven't even seen it?

Walker, though you seem to have posted a lot, I don't remember seeing you here before. Welcome! I would have liked to have seen musical numbers in MFS, too, but unfortunately most musicals for kids don't do very well nowadays and (in the eyes of the studio) they would have been dating themselves by using songs. At least there were a couple in VMMCM.

Rockstar, welcome to you as well!

 

[foofoocakes]

I have been lending out my time life videos to the tweny somthing kids in my office and they Looove them. They had never seen them before. Granted not every show was really funny but they were all original and different. Maybe if some channel would start to run the shows the demographics would improve and get more people intrested.

 

[beaker]

Re: The Muppets: Sex and Violence

Originally posted by Koozbanian Foob
The muppets need a bit of their edge back. Things need to explode in their faces and the humor needs to move away from pop culture references and become pop culture references. If I say "Bork! The chicky-booky" in front of my Mom, she will still, to this very day, laugh herself silly.

Here's hoping the new Muppet TV series gets it right.

AND we have a WINNER! Dang Foob, that was THE best post Ive read all week! You said it all in a nutshell...they need their edge back, and become the pop reference...nice!

Originally posted by WiGgY

BTW, why can't Fraggle Rock be on PBS or Disney or something like that? I think it would make a great

Now that is a darn good question!
PS: sorry about that Palisades post thing, I should have mentioned it was a joke and not been such a meanie...apologies

 

[Bulldawg]

they should create a movie centered around The Electric Mayhem.

. a la Almost Famous or This Is Spinal Tap or The Blues Brothers or RockStar.

a ROAD movie.

 

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Originally posted by WiGgY
I would say that Fraggle Rock had something that we haven't seen in a long time, but I still wouldn't call it magic.

Then apparently you have not seen "Change of Address", or selective other episodes which actually reference the "m"-word.



But no, really, FR is probably the most magical thing Henson ever did...

*sigh*