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| The Muppet Movie | |
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 film poster by Richard Amsel |
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| Directed by | James Frawley |
| Produced by | Sir Lew Grade Jim Henson Martin Starger |
| Written by | Jack Burns Jerry Juhl |
| Starring | The Muppets |
| Music by | Paul Williams Kenny Ascher |
| Editing by | Christopher Greenbury |
| Distributed by | AFD (1979) Walt Disney (2005 DVD) |
| Release date(s) | June 22, 1979 |
| Running time | 95 min. |
| Country | UK USA |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15,000,000 |
| Gross revenue | $65,200,000 |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Muppet Movie is the first of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Released in 1979, the film was produced by The Jim Henson Company under their second name and ITC Entertainment.
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The film is a film-within-a-film, as we see Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets creating havoc in a screening room, where they are about to watch The Muppet Movie. When asked by Robin if the film depicts how the Muppets began, Kermit responds that the movie is a somewhat fictionalized account.
As the story opens, Kermit is enjoying a relaxing afternoon in a Florida swamp, singing a tune and strumming his banjo, when he is approached by an agent named Bernie (Dom DeLuise) who recognizes his talents and encourages Kermit to pursue a career in Hollywood. Inspired by the idea of making millions of people happy, Kermit sets off on a cross-country trip to Hollywood, initially via bicycle but eventually via Studebaker after teaming with Fozzie Bear, who had been working as a hapless stand-up comedian in a sleazy restaurant. During their journey, they are pursued by the villainous Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), owner of a struggling French-fried frog legs restaurant franchise, and his assistant Max (Austin Pendleton). Doc Hopper (who wears an outfit similar to Colonel Sanders) wants Kermit to be the new spokesman for his restaurants, but when Kermit refuses, Hopper resorts to increasingly threatening means of persuasion.
Kermit and Fozzie's journey also includes misadventures which introduce them to a variety of eccentric characters, some played by human guest stars, others played by Muppets; some of these Muppets, such as Gonzo (who had been working as a plumber) and Miss Piggy (introduced as a beauty contestant) join Kermit and Fozzie as they continue traveling to Hollywood. Along the way, they meet Sweetums, (who wanted to go with them to Hollywood but missed the ride), The Electric Mayhem and their manager Scooter (who planned to turn an abandoned church into a coffee house), Rowlf (who worked as a pianist at a lounge), Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker (who owned a laboratory in a ghost town).
Meanwhile, Doc Hopper continues to try a variety of schemes to coerce Kermit into accepting the spokesman position, including kidnapping Miss Piggy, teaming up with a mad scientist (played by Mel Brooks) in an attempt to brainwash Kermit, and even hiring an assassin named Snake (Scott Walker) who kills frogs for a living. Before the climax, Max appears to Kermit disguised as a motorcycle policeman to warn Kermit. Their conflict comes to a climax when Hopper and Kermit attempt a Western-style showdown in a ghost town; Kermit breaks tradition by trying to talk Hopper into backing off, but Hopper orders his henchmen to kill him; Kermit is saved only when one of Dr. Bunsen's inventions, the "insta-growth" pills temporarily turns Animal into a giant who is able to permanently scare off Hopper and his men (he is later shrunken back down to his normal size in the next scene since the effect of the pills is temporary). The Muppets proceed to Hollywood, where they finally meet the imposing producer and studio executive Lew Lord (Orson Welles), who hires them on the spot after an idealistic speech from Kermit.
The film ends with Kermit and the gang attempting to make their first movie, which turns out to be a surreal pastiche of their experiences, hinting that the movie they're making is the same one the audience has been watching all along. As the movie ends, Sweetums tears through the screen, finally catching up with the others. After the credits finish rolling, Animal tells the viewers to go home, then he says goodbye and falls asleep.
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Note: This movie is dedicated to Edgar Bergen.
The Muppet Movie uses meta-references as a source of humor, as characters occasionally break the fourth wall to address the audience. In a particularly meta-fictional plot twist, Kermit and Fozzie actually give the screenplay to Dr. Teeth, who later uses it to find and rescue them after they've been stranded in the desert.
The Muppet Movie was both a critical and commercial success. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 89% of critics gave positive reviews based on 35 reviews. The film grossed $65,200,000 worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Muppet film. The success of the film gave the Jim Henson Company an advantage to release more Muppet productions theatrically, all of which were successful until the critical and commercial failure, Muppets from Space.
The soundtrack for the movie was released on CD in March of 1993. As of July, 2008 it still commands a high price on on-line auction sites due to its out-of-print status. The song Rainbow Connection is available on "The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More-the 25th Anniversary Collection" released in 2002 and selling for considerably less at retail outlets. "Rainbow Connection" was nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the music score was nominated for Best Original Score Oscar.