Your Thoughts: The Muppet Movie 40th Anniversary in theaters July 25 and July 30, 2019

[Phillip]

Relive the wonder. Rediscover the magic. Remember dreams can come true. See "The Muppet Movie" in theaters July 25th and 30th from the fine folks at Fathom Events.

Tickets: http://bit.ly/muppetmovie40th

Here are the original trailers for the film.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2108392439262680

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1154445190695923721

Here are new promotional segments with Kermit (Matt Vogel) and Fozzie Bear (Eric Jacobson).

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1154164901733998592

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1154164356432695296

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1154166067520057348

After you see the film on the big screen, please post your thoughts.

 

[minor muppetz]

I saw it today. It was a great experience. There weren't many other people there, I think most were grown ups, but I did hear a lot of laughter.

I was expecting the Universal logo, but I was surprised that it was the modern logo as opposed to the old logo from around 1979 (though I don't think Universal started distributing ITC's content until 1980 or 1981). I was also a bit surprised to see it followed by the Jim Henson Pictures logo. I know that logo remains on current releases and broadcasts from Disney, I guess it comes from me thinking we'd get the old Universal logo as well.

I had wondered if they'd be doing a current remastered print used on DVD/Blu-ray or whatever the best possible print they had was. I assume a high definition version is what was broadcast on ABC Family a few years ago, and I feel it looks a little darker than it did on TV back then (but of course this is going by memory).

 

[Oscarfan]

Thanks for the tix, MC!

I went in the evening and the theater was almost full, it seemed (I was in one of the first rows, so I didn't really gauge behind me). The audience was responsive enough. They laughed the most at Steve Martin (as they should) and when Mel Brooks licks his machine. There was a couple next to me singing along to every song (sheesh), while some small girls behind me were doing Kermit impressions singing "Rainbow Connection" before the film started.

 

[minor muppetz]

and when Mel Brooks licks his machine.

For some reason, I had never noticed this part before until I saw it in the theater yesterday.

They had some trivia questions before the film started, one was "how many characters did Jim Henson voice in The Muppet Movie". I actually felt stuck counting in my head how many of them spoke, I think the "correct" answer was 7 though only Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, and The Swedish Chef have dialogue. Though while watching I remembered that Henson dubbed some dialogue for one of Doc Hopper's henchmen who fights Miss Piggy, and somebody on Facebook said that one of the chickens Sweetums slaps during the credits makes a sound that sounds like a Henson voice (easier to hear in the UK version). It listed what characters Henson performed, I didn't have much time to read but I noticed it listed Link, who doesn't have any dialogue (I'm guessing The newsman was listed despite basically the same deal, of course there's also a lot of Henson characters at the very end). I do wonder if maybe I misread The Muppet Show for The Muppet Movie. And of course the question was who did he voice - the performers would say they performed, not voiced.

 

[DMHFan]

I might see this movie on Tuesday.

 

[Oscarfan]

For some reason, I had never noticed this part before until I saw it in the theater yesterday.

They had some trivia questions before the film started, one was "how many characters did Jim Henson voice in The Muppet Movie". I actually felt stuck counting in my head how many of them spoke, I think the "correct" answer was 7 though only Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, and The Swedish Chef have dialogue. Though while watching I remembered that Henson dubbed some dialogue for one of Doc Hopper's henchmen who fights Miss Piggy, and somebody on Facebook said that one of the chickens Sweetums slaps during the credits makes a sound that sounds like a Henson voice (easier to hear in the UK version). It listed what characters Henson performed, I didn't have much time to read but I noticed it listed Link, who doesn't have any dialogue (I'm guessing The newsman was listed despite basically the same deal, of course there's also a lot of Henson characters at the very end). I do wonder if maybe I misread The Muppet Show for The Muppet Movie. And of course the question was who did he voice - the performers would say they performed, not voiced.

We didn't even get trivia. We got nothing but black silence until the Universal logo abruptly began like 15 minutes after the scheduled start.

 

[D'Snowth]

We when got Emmet Otter last Christmas, they also had trivia questions before the showing.

 

[Duke Remington]

For some reason, I had never noticed this part before until I saw it in the theater yesterday.

They had some trivia questions before the film started, one was "how many characters did Jim Henson voice in The Muppet Movie". I actually felt stuck counting in my head how many of them spoke, I think the "correct" answer was 7 though only Kermit, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, and The Swedish Chef have dialogue. Though while watching I remembered that Henson dubbed some dialogue for one of Doc Hopper's henchmen who fights Miss Piggy, and somebody on Facebook said that one of the chickens Sweetums slaps during the credits makes a sound that sounds like a Henson voice (easier to hear in the UK version). It listed what characters Henson performed, I didn't have much time to read but I noticed it listed Link, who doesn't have any dialogue (I'm guessing The newsman was listed despite basically the same deal, of course there's also a lot of Henson characters at the very end). I do wonder if maybe I misread The Muppet Show for The Muppet Movie. And of course the question was who did he voice - the performers would say they performed, not voiced.

You forgot Waldorf.

 

[Phillip]

We saw "The Muppet Movie" Thursday night and it was such a delight to see the film on the big screen again. It was a thrill for our kids to see the movie in the theater for the first time as well.

About one-third of the theater was full and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. It was wonderful to hear the laughter and responses from other audience members throughout the movie. There was clapping at the beginning and end of the film which was so enjoyable.

All that being said, I really wish there would've been a 40th anniversary featurette on the making of "The Muppet Movie" before the film began. Seeing new interviews or even just a few archival interviews would've added so much to the presentation and the film's historical significance. "The Muppet Movie" was a pivotal moment for the Muppet franchise. The Henson team not only succeeded in unchartered territory, they pioneered a whole new art form of having puppets co-exist in the real world. "The Muppet Movie" was as groundbreaking to puppetry as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was to animation. Communicating this to the audience before the film would've added so much.

 

[Froggy Fool]

Just got back from seeing it with my dad - can never go wrong with The Muppet Movie, it’s pretty much perfection. (Again, thanks MC for the free tickets!)

And yeah, the trivia was nice I suppose... but like Phillip said, it would’ve benefited from a new documentary or something like that. But overall, a great experience!!