Your Thoughts: "The Muppets" Theatrical Film

[Oscarfan]

Well, first of all (and I know someone else has made this point already), but when the first people call in--the call Sweetums gets--and the first dollar amount goes up on the board, it's $25. No one would call in to a telethon and donate $.25. You might drop $.25 in a jar on a counter, but you wouldn't call it in. The other dollar amounts that the sign board goes up by--it's the same thing. Heck, if someone told us here at MC that we could have a muppet movie if we just raised $10,000 it'd be a done deal--and we're all broke.

Also, there were at least a thousand people out in the street--people who cared enough to come out to the theater on short notice (since none of them came IN TIME, we can assume they didn't know about the show until it began to air), to make signs, to chant and clap and cheer. And they only raised slightly less than $10,000? I was once at a fan convention that raised over $14,000 for charity out of less than 400 people. So if each of the fans in the street spent their money for the theater instead of on poster board and markers...well, you can see the point.

So, having the board go down like that really didn't make any logical sense and it annoyed me.

The power did go out during the telethon. They could've been getting the amount of money shown on the board, but then the power outage screwed it up somehow.

I think the meaning of it is Fozzie hits the board, showing its true value. The $25 thing doesn't bother me; it never occurred to be when watching it. I don't see why it would be a miserable a failure if he broke the sign and showed a number they didn't have. It is more devastating to them if it's the other way around.

 

[Drtooth]

I've had things stolen from me by students before and it has always been my opinion that taking things that don't belong to you is wrong. The fact that is was a group of students, or even an organization or a union of students who banded together to take it from me wouldn't seem to make it right. But perhaps I'm looking at this too logically.

Seems you confused a group of people who can't really do anything with a version of Robin Hood who doesn't have his priorities straight. Just sayin'...

 

[Pinkflower7783]

Did I mention it's only a movie people? I'm just saying as well.

 

[jvcarroll]

I'm neither a fan of Wall Street nor the Occupy movement and I'm not sure why this thread has been derailed by them. There are always those rowdy members of nearly every social movement, but is there some current crime spree of actual muggers who identify themselves as part of the Occupy movement? I don't have cable therefore I don't have to suffer the sort of tabloid journalism that is cable news. You know the kind of "news" where they exaggerate or create a problem, hire guest stars, compose theme music and force people to choose sides on something that either doesn't really exist or is far more nuanced than it has been portrayed.

On another topic, I've been a big supporter of Jason Segel's vision from the start, but he's recently expressed that part of "growing up" involves putting away all of his Muppet memorabilia and severing all ties with future Muppet productions. He made himself the posterboy of life-long fandom as a productive adult so this recent turn saddens me. I don't dismiss him for making a personal choice. It's just that most of us fans felt that he was the guy that "got it" and now that appears not to be the case. To be honest, it does diminish his scenes in the film for me just a little bit, but nothing can derail the overwhelming dose of healthy nostalgia the film presents as a whole. The fact that he was instrumental in creating that is what I will cling to and I thank him for that very much. I am convinced that this movie (and no other) was the one needed to usher in a new era of Muppets. They can now go anywhere from here.

Segel also revealed three official Muppet rules on national television.

1. The Muppets do not think of themselves as puppets.
2. The Muppets know they are stronger together than they are apart.
3. The Muppets never lie to each other. (Diversion is more their game)

 

[Pinkflower7783]

With all due respect to Jason and I just wanna say without his love for the muppets and his passion and drive to get the movie made lets face it the muppets would be right back where they were before the movie came out doing well...not much. I mean he really is what got the muppets back to where they should be. However I don't mean to sound heartless but I feel like he does he did what he wanted to do. He said he doesn't want it to seem like he's trying to capitalize on the muppets all he wanted to do was bring them to how he remembered them. And has also said their gonna do just fine without him and I agree they don't need him. They needed him to give them the boost they needed and that's it.

I personally don't care what Jason does with his muppet collection. I mean I went to see the muppets not Jason. Just my opinion.

 

[Drtooth]

I'm neither a fan of Wall Street nor the Occupy movement and I'm not sure why this thread has been derailed by them.

Poorly executed joke that wasn't funny because of skewed facts. Person who posted it is in the camp that believes that wanting corporations to pay their fair share of taxes and not being on the very same welfare state they complain the poor are abusing is somehow considered "stealing." I'm not saying any more to that.

With all due respect to Jason and I just wanna say without his love for the muppets and his passion and drive to get the movie made lets face it the muppets would be right back where they were before the movie came out doing well...not much. I mean he really is what got the muppets back to where they should be. However I don't mean to sound heartless but I feel like he does he did what he wanted to do. He said he doesn't want it to seem like he's trying to capitalize on the muppets all he wanted to do was bring them to how he remembered them. And has also said their gonna do just fine without him and I agree they don't need him. They needed him to give them the boost they needed and that's it.

This is the real story and the basis of the thread.

We probably would have got another Muppet movie in time under Disney. Problem is, those who have been on the inside feel that the Muppets need some sort of gimmick to make a new project stand out.

That's why we had Muppets From Space and Muppets In Space (the one that wasn't made). They wanted a movie with Muppets and Sci-Fi because the movie was due out in 1999, and that was the summer Star Wars episode 1 came out, and every movie had to have some reference to Star Wars (or Smashmouth's All Star).

Look at the first three Muppet Movies. Other than the fact GMC is a period piece and an homage to musicals and crime caper films, all three of the first movies had the Muppets in an organic story where they play themselves, even though they hit the reboot button every time. Then look at the films we had since, but before tyhe new one...

Muppet Christmas Carol, Treasure Island and Wizard of Oz... classic retellings. Gimmick.

Muppets FROM Space.... sci-fi story (already covered this)... Gimmick

Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Letters to Santa... holiday special... Gimmick.

Kermit's Swamp Years.... prequel... not as gimmicky as the others, but still Gimmick.

Even the films that didn't get made... Time Travel, Super Heroes, Camelot... everything but Brain Lynch's Muppet Movie Sequel... all Gimmicks.

The Muppets should be strong enough to hold a movie down with the least amount of gimmickry possible. But when you're inside too long, it's not so much slowly becoming blind to what made the characters special... they always knew. It's slowly starting to think that you need a gimmick to get people to start watching them again.

We would have seen some sort of meh classic retelling or some theme movie of some sort if they made it themselves, and it wouldn't have the same passion from the fanbase or the common theater goer that forgot they liked the Muppets. Even the flier for the Cambridge MA Brattle Theater showing of the new Muppet Film weekend before last called the movies before The Muppets subpar sequels.

It took the outside vision of Jason, Nick and James, and the franchise know how of the veterans to make a great movie that brought them back to where they should be, movie wise.

 

[jvcarroll]

Poorly executed joke that wasn't funny because of skewed facts. Person who posted it is in the camp that believes that wanting corporations to pay their fair share of taxes and not being on the very same welfare state they complain the poor are abusing is somehow considered "stealing." I'm not saying any more to that.



This is the real story and the basis of the thread.

We probably would have got another Muppet movie in time under Disney. Problem is, those who have been on the inside feel that the Muppets need some sort of gimmick to make a new project stand out.

That's why we had Muppets From Space and Muppets In Space (the one that wasn't made). They wanted a movie with Muppets and Sci-Fi because the movie was due out in 1999, and that was the summer Star Wars episode 1 came out, and every movie had to have some reference to Star Wars (or Smashmouth's All Star).

Look at the first three Muppet Movies. Other than the fact GMC is a period piece and an homage to musicals and crime caper films, all three of the first movies had the Muppets in an organic story where they play themselves, even though they hit the reboot button every time. Then look at the films we had since, but before tyhe new one...

Muppet Christmas Carol, Treasure Island and Wizard of Oz... classic retellings. Gimmick.

Muppets FROM Space.... sci-fi story (already covered this)... Gimmick

Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, Letters to Santa... holiday special... Gimmick.

Kermit's Swamp Years.... prequel... not as gimmicky as the others, but still Gimmick.

Even the films that didn't get made... Time Travel, Super Heroes, Camelot... everything but Brain Lynch's Muppet Movie Sequel... all Gimmicks.

The Muppets should be strong enough to hold a movie down with the least amount of gimmickry possible. But when you're inside too long, it's not so much slowly becoming blind to what made the characters special... they always knew. It's slowly starting to think that you need a gimmick to get people to start watching them again.

We would have seen some sort of meh classic retelling or some theme movie of some sort if they made it themselves, and it wouldn't have the same passion from the fanbase or the common theater goer that forgot they liked the Muppets. Even the flier for the Cambridge MA Brattle Theater showing of the new Muppet Film weekend before last called the movies before The Muppets subpar sequels.

It took the outside vision of Jason, Nick and James, and the franchise know how of the veterans to make a great movie that brought them back to where they should be, movie wise.

Perfectly stated. Segel, like us, saw the untapped value of the franchise instead of the corporate cynicism that tainted Muppets From Space or the presumption from other insiders that the Muppets could just pick up where they left off and the public would automatically accept them. He knew that the Muppets required another introduction so that new fans could be created and keep the franchise alive. Of course all of this was done while maintaining the roots of the Muppets.

A lot of us longtime forum members have witnessed many steps and missteps as they were happening over the years. We know there is no lone savior of the Muppets. It's not that simple. Many things came into alignment and Segel was one of the very strong pillars in the Muppets' relaunch.

I personally don't care what Jason does with his muppet collection. I mean I went to see the muppets not Jason. Just my opinion.

In the end, you're right. It doesn't really matter. The film was wonderful and it did the trick. It's probably a good idea for him to move on professionally. I just find it strange that Segel's rabid fandom, an integral part of the "Muppets" film promotion, has fizzled so quickly. He's been actively making a point to personally distance himself from the Muppets in ways we don't really need to know as kind of an over-share. It could be due to the adult-themed film he's promoting that hasn't been doing very well. Heck, if Segel wants to get rid of some Muppet stuff...I'll take it!!!

 

[zoebell]

well, i think it's because he didn't want people to get the impression that he wanted to take over and become like the new jim henson, forever associated with the muppets

to which i say, that's probably going to happen anyway, that people are going to associate him with relaunching them into a new era and that won't be forgotten, because he had so much to do with it. and also because when they were promoting the movie, he really was the face of it in many ways, and he openly and enthusiastically exposed his passionate muppet love to the world. and then of course, the movie was a hit, got stellar reviews and won an actual oscar to boot. it'd be one thing if it had failed and gone away, but huge successes are well documented, and he was very much associated with that

esp by the media. muppet fans themselves are all about the muppets, and most of them didn't mind at all that he wasn't coming back, and probably didn't even expect it. but the media had basically sealed jason segel to the muppets success, so if he wanted to do just the one movie and then move on, he probably has to make that as clear as possible very early

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I just hope I made it clear I am in no way knocking Jason at all...I don't know that he wants to totally distance himself and act like he never made the movie but like he said that movie took up a decade of his life. Bascially in my opinon Jason just wanted to help the muppets and he did just that plain and simple. And I agree with Zoebell I don't think he wants people thinking he's trying to become the next Jim Henson. I doubt right after the movie he took his muppet stuff out to the dumpster and trashed it Lol! Like he said he's just ready to do more adult type movies. Also it could be right now he just wants to concentrate on his recent movie that came out Five Year Engagement.

Nick did say he would like to show Jason the finished script for the next movie when it's done to just maybe get his input.

I'd also like to add I don't need to be a member of this forum to know that the muppets until this movie were pretty much at a standstill. Like the movie I basically forgot them for 12 years. And I've said it before The Muppets went through the exact same thing that Disney did when Walt died. They both went through dark periods where again nobody knew what the heck to do with them without their leaders. Until some years later when finally someone or many people just got it.

 

[jvcarroll]

I'd also like to add I don't need to be a member of this forum to know that the muppets until this movie were pretty much at a standstill. Like the movie I basically forgot them for 12 years.

That's true for a lot of the public and I kinda get your point, but here are just a few high-profile highlights that forum members have been talking about since Muppets From Space and before last year's film. While the Muppets hadn't maintained a wave of popularity as they did in the 70's and 80's, they really weren't stagnant either. There have been plenty of active projects and products on the market. Not many franchises get a fraction of this kind of love...

2000:

• Muppet V-chip Ads

2001:

• Muppet Fest
• Best of the Muppet Show, Muppet Movie, DVDs

2002:

• It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
• Kermit's Swamp Years DVD
• Music, Mayhem and More! CD
• Muppets dominate Macy's windows
• Palisades Muppets action figures
• Sideshow Muppet busts
• UPS, Denny's & Long John Silvers commercials

2003:

• MasterCard commercials
• Rocky Mountain Holiday comes to DVD

2004:

• Muppets.com relaunches
• Best of the Muppets CD
• Pizza Hut Commercials

2005:

• The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
• Muppet Postage Stamps
• Muppets dominate Macy's windows again
• Muppet Show Season One comes to DVD
• Target, NBA & Dove Commercials

2006:

• Kermit's Ford Commercial Campaign
• Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony at Movies.com
• Kermit's Book: Before You Leap
• A Green & Red Christmas CD (Grammy Winner)
• Master Replicas Kermit poser is released
• Muppet TV airs in France

2007:

• Muppet Show Season Two comes to DVD
• Disney Store begins to trickle Muppet merchandise

2008:

• A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa
• Studio DC Almost Live
• Muppets on Disney XD Launches
• Pepe's Book: It's Hard Out Here for a Shrimp
• Muppet Show Season Three comes to DVD
• Master Replicas' Animal & Gonzo posers are released

2009:

• Bohemian Rhapsody & Viral Muppets
• Muppets Comics from Boom!
• Muppets Give A Day Campaign
• Piggy's Book: The Diva Code

2010:

• The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora
• More Viral Muppet Content