Your Thoughts: The Muppets' Wizard of Oz

[AndyWan Kenobi]

"It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Carol" was full of blasphemy with Whoopi Goldberg as God

Why is it blasphemous to cast Whoopi Goldberg as God? Can not God choose to present Godself however God chooses? If we take it to an extreme, wouldn't it be "blasphemous" to cast any person as God? Any mere mortal (George Burns, Morgan Freeman, Jim Carrey, Graham Chapman, Alanis Morissette, Val Kilmer, Harry Shearer, Groucho Marx, Ellen Degeneres, and many others) must pale in comparison to a divine supernatural being . . .

In other news, I finally did get a chance to see OZ. Missed it when it was on, due to an unfortunate problem with my Tivo. Overall, I thought it was okay. I'd heard such conflicting things about it beforehand that I didn't really have any clear expectations. I'll have to watch it a second time to really know how I feel about it. I thought some parts were hilarious (including some of the "adult" parts), and I thought much of the script was clever. There were just places, though, where it didn't seem to hold together well as a movie. I think with more time to finesse the script and the performances, as well as the direction, it could have been better. Overall, though, it was entertaining, if a little disappointing.

 

[petrieboy]

I won't argue with anyone who liked "Muppets Wizard of Oz," because that speaks for itself.

To the 21 year old who claims the earlier Muppets were never spiritual, I will define spirituality for you here.

1. of the spirit or the soul as distinguished from the body or material matters
2. of, from, or concerned with the intellect, intellectual
3. characterized by the ascendancy of the spirit; showing much refinement of thought and feeling
5. of religion or the church; sacred, devotional, or ecclesiastical

I may have been offended by belittling the scope of Christians' perception of Jesus, and targeting the cross itself, but when I mentioned "spiritual" I did not specifically have #5 in mind. I would never ask that Muppets reveal themselves as Christians. Never, never. When I used the term "spiritual" to describe Jim Henson's Muppets, I thought of the "Muppet Movie" scene where they sit around a campfire and Gonzo sings "I'm Going Back There Someday" and Kermit divides into 2 and speaks to himself to figure out the right thing to do.

Yes, God can show Himself, Herself, Itself however God wants. I don't think God hired the Jim Henson company and its writers to do it for Himself, Herself, Itself... and I'm not the only one who was offended by Whoopi and her casual and detached God portrayal. They wouldn't even be able to show that in the Middle East, where I lived when "Bruce Almighty" was released and had the whole Morgan Freeman bit edited out in theaters.

Roger Ebert's Rule #1 for movies is "It's not about what it's about, it's about how it's about it." That's why Jim was sweet and humorous in his pitch for the Muppet Show when his puppet said "God will look down on us and smile." and why Scarecrow Kermit likening himself to Jesus on the cross was crass and unfunny.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Morality Rears It's Ugly Head

I ignored the negative fan comments and bought the dvd last night to see it for the first time. I want my money back.....

Muppets of the past: Moral, spiritual, funny, musical, great scripts.
Muppets of the present: Immoral, blasphemous, unfunny, non musical, poor scripts......

Fans, it is time we stop trying to believe in a feeling that is gone. We want the Muppets to continue throughout our lifetime, but how far will we allow them to go? We never used to have to TRY to enjoy a Muppet movie, their charms pulled us in with ease. The Muppets Wizard of Oz begins with a very stupid song, MTV reality show camera work, and a bad, stale actress named Ashanti. It begins with a surface scratching of ****, and descends into its fiery depths.

This is a sad day.

Wow, and Wow again, Well gang I have in the past been the one to stand on my soap box and spew out worthless drivel about morality and shift in society and how the Muppets have really taken a nose dive. And most of you have in your own special way instructed me to shut up and listen....to which I have....and I am very willing to say I have learned a few things, and I have also discovered a few things as well.

Weather we all agree here or not is not the point. Studies have been done and do prove that society has changed from the 1960's to the 1990's and into the 2000's, we are not the same people we once were, morality and family values have shifted. With out going into more worthless drivel about that shift, the Muppets very skillfully have tried to keep up with the times, and make that shift in morality and value as well. I believe that any mutiny among the ranks is due to the shift in our society, the pull away from family, morality and family values, that is reflected in ALL TV programming and films, not just in the Muppets.

Now I know many of you are going to start shouting at me about how that shift is not real, and the Muppets were always slightly unmoral to begin with, and I need to shut my mouth....and I agree with you to a point. I too took exceptions to the Christ reference in Muppets OZ, to me it was not funny, but I was willing to let it slide. Just as I let the nipple joke slide, along with angel Marie saying that the monkeys could spank him and call him names...I let those things go, because at the heart of it all.......And this is the most important part.......At the heart of it all, doing the best that they could be to re-introduce to the world and crate a new market for our childhood heroes is the Jim Henson Team and the Disney Corporation.

You talk about the team smoking, cursing, and partying.......Well the one thing I had to learn was that Frank OZ uses the F word loads, and Jim was not unfamiliar to cussing himself. They are after all only human, or wasn't that made clear when Jim passed. People like to smoke, and drink, and as adults we often take the privlage of using adult words to a higher level.

But to call upon all Muppet Fans to and I quote......"Fans, it is time we stop trying to believe in a feeling that is gone. We want the Muppets to continue throughout our lifetime, but how far will we allow them to go?".......

That is the biggest BLASFAMY I have ever heard....to let go.....to stop believing.....stop dreaming......I will tell you what I am glad, very glad that With Jim the Muppets did NOT Die! And perhaps I have issue with the writing, and the acting, and the Jokes.....But I am not simply going to walk away....what kind of a fan, and I friend to Jim would I be if I did.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Muppets OZ was good, very good, does it show signs of need improvement...yes. And in a way the Muppets with Disney are starting out all over again.....and now more than ever I realize it does not matter if I think it is morally right or wrong, if family values have shifted or not, if the jokes are not funny......BECAUSE they need our Support!! They need us to Remain FANS!!! Or else they really will die with JIM.

 

[DanDanStrawberry]

I agree as Much as I really did enjoy and Like Muppets OZ, it was a bit to modern. Again The book is better, but I think the Muppets got it mostly right.

Yeah, the original 2 muppet "role-plays" were set at the same time as the book and stuck to the story really well. But this one is all, like, modernised. If you get me.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Yeah, the original 2 muppet "role-plays" were set at the same time as the book and stuck to the story really well. But this one is all, like, modernised. If you get me.

yes I agree, i did not like the modern twist....but as I ahve said in othere posts, it really does fallow the original book very well.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Blog

if you are intrested you can all check out my new Blog at the link below.

http://cardboardconstructionco.blogspot.com/

 

[dan fife]

I really realy really cracked up so hard when the ride of the valkries music was playing as the bad muppets were going da da da da as they were ridding their motorcycles in the air. THAT WAS SOOO FUNNY.

I liked the witch is in the house song!!

IT was also halaries when they had to ignore waldorf and statler's heckling so thy would not falll off the log.

 

[anytimepally]

I enjoyed it.. sure, it wasn't great, and I missed Rowlf, but Gonzo was great and the "brain flakes / down the hall and to the left" exchange between the Wizard and Kermit made me laugh ... as did Piggy's "I'm not melting. I'm getting skinny!"

 

[The Good Doctor]

Bran Flakes

The Bran Flakes is really clever, in the original text by L. Frank Baum he wizard filles the scarecrows head with pins and needles so it will tingel when he thinks. And they are held in place with bran.....I think it is bran........Oh my gosh I can't remember.......... Wow gang I know so much about OZ, and I cant remember this.....I will ahve to do soem research and get back to you all.

 

[The Good Doctor]

The Magic Art of the Great Humb

Ok Gang here is the text right from the book; I found this on line and cannot claim its authenticity. But to my memory it is as accurate and specific too and does not change or deviate from the original text, so I feel confident in sharing it with you all.

The Magic Art of the Great Humbug

Next morning the Scarecrow said to his friends:
"Congratulate me. I am going to Oz to get my brains at last.
When I return I shall be as other men are."

"I have always liked you as you were," said Dorothy simply.

"It is kind of you to like a Scarecrow," he replied. "But surely
you will think more of me when you hear the splendid thoughts my new
brain is going to turn out." Then he said good-bye to them all in a
cheerful voice and went to the Throne Room, where he rapped upon the door.

"Come in," said Oz.

The Scarecrow went in and found the little man sitting down by
the window, engaged in deep thought.

"I have come for my brains," remarked the Scarecrow, a little uneasily.

"Oh, yes; sit down in that chair, please," replied Oz. "You must
excuse me for taking your head off, but I shall have to do it in order
to put your brains in their proper place."

"That's all right," said the Scarecrow. "You are quite welcome to take
my head off, as long as it will be a better one when you put it on again."

So the Wizard unfastened his head and emptied out the straw.
Then he entered the back room and took up a measure of bran, which
he mixed with a great many pins and needles. Having shaken them
together thoroughly, he filled the top of the Scarecrow's head with
the mixture and stuffed the rest of the space with straw, to hold
it in place.

When he had fastened the Scarecrow's head on his body again he
said to him, "Hereafter you will be a great man, for I have given
you a lot of bran-new brains."

The Scarecrow was both pleased and proud at the fulfillment of
his greatest wish, and having thanked Oz warmly he went back to
his friends.

Dorothy looked at him curiously. His head was quite bulged
out at the top with brains.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I feel wise indeed," he answered earnestly. "When I get used
to my brains I shall know everything."

"Why are those needles and pins sticking out of your head?"
asked the Tin Woodman.

"That is proof that he is sharp," remarked the Lion.

"Well, I must go to Oz and get my heart," said the Woodman.
So he walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door.

"Come in," called Oz, and the Woodman entered and said,
"I have come for my heart."

"Very well," answered the little man. "But I shall have to cut
a hole in your breast, so I can put your heart in the right place.
I hope it won't hurt you."

"Oh, no," answered the Woodman. "I shall not feel it at all."

So Oz brought a pair of tinsmith's shears and cut a small,
square hole in the left side of the Tin Woodman's breast.
Then, going to a chest of drawers, he took out a pretty heart,
made entirely of silk and stuffed with sawdust.

"Isn't it a beauty?" he asked.

"It is, indeed!" replied the Woodman, who was greatly pleased.
"But is it a kind heart?"

"Oh, very!" answered Oz. He put the heart in the Woodman's
breast and then replaced the square of tin, soldering it neatly
together where it had been cut.

"There," said he; "now you have a heart that any man might be
proud of. I'm sorry I had to put a patch on your breast, but it
really couldn't be helped."

"Never mind the patch," exclaimed the happy Woodman. "I am
very grateful to you, and shall never forget your kindness."

"Don't speak of it," replied Oz.

Then the Tin Woodman went back to his friends, who wished him
every joy on account of his good fortune.

The Lion now walked to the Throne Room and knocked at the door.

"Come in," said Oz.

"I have come for my courage," announced the Lion, entering the room.

"Very well," answered the little man; "I will get it for you."

He went to a cupboard and reaching up to a high shelf took
down a square green bottle, the contents of which he poured into
a green-gold dish, beautifully carved. Placing this before the
Cowardly Lion, who sniffed at it as if he did not like it, the
Wizard said:

"Drink."

"What is it?" asked the Lion.

"Well," answered Oz, "if it were inside of you, it would be courage.
You know, of course, that courage is always inside one; so that this
really cannot be called courage until you have swallowed it. Therefore
I advise you to drink it as soon as possible."

The Lion hesitated no longer, but drank till the dish was empty.

"How do you feel now?" asked Oz.

"Full of courage," replied the Lion, who went joyfully back to
his friends to tell them of his good fortune.

Oz, left to himself, smiled to think of his success in giving
the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion exactly what they
thought they wanted. "How can I help being a humbug," he said,
"when all these people make me do things that everybody knows
can't be done? It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion
and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything.
But it will take more than imagination to carry Dorothy back
to Kansas, and I'm sure I don't know how it can be done."