Five Muppet Movies from Disney
The Muppet Movie (December 17/05)
The Muppet Movie is a passable but awfully slight big screen introduction to Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets, elevated by a few genuinely catchy songs and (of course) the Muppets themselves. As the story opens, Kermit leaves his swamp in pursuit of fame and fortune in Hollywood; the ensuing road trip brings the frog face-to-face with many familiar Muppets, including Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo. With its distinctly irreverent sensibility and emphasis on celebrity cameos, The Muppet Movie essentially comes off as an extended episode of the show - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, although the lack of linearity eventually becomes oppressive (ie the film is just a little too free-spirited for its own good). Having said that, it's awfully difficult to resist the infectiously fun vibe and undeniably memorable tunes ("Moving Right Along," in particular, maddeningly stays with the viewer for days afterwards).
out of
The Great Muppet Caper (December 27/05)
Jim Henson made his feature-length directorial debut with The Great Muppet Caper, and while it's about on a par with The Muppet Movie, the film is ultimately just as silly and uneven as its predecessor. The gossamer-thin storyline follows crack reporters Kermit, Fozzy Bear, and Gonzo as they head to England to interview a famous designer whose priceless diamond necklace has just been stolen. There, they find themselves in the usual shenanigans and hijinks one might expect - while Miss Piggy pops up as (of course) Kermit's love interest. There's about an equal mix of effective and sluggish sequences contained within The Great Muppet Caper, and - generally speaking - the movie seems to have been geared more towards younger viewers than adults. Henson, working from a screenplay by Tom Patchett, Jay Tarses, Jerry Juhl, and Jack Rose, attempts to compensate for the lack of plot by throwing in a surfeit of musical numbers and celebrity cameos (John Cleese's minor role is particularly useless). It's really the effortless charm of the Muppets that elevates the movie to something that's consistently watchable, and there's no denying that the whole thing might be worth a peek if only for the Busby Berkeley-inspired sequence featuring a bevy of bathing beauties...and Miss Piggy.
out of
The Muppet Christmas Carol (December 30/05)
The Muppet Christmas Carol is an above-average Muppet movie for a couple of reasons: It's telling an established story that's inherently intriguing, and - more importantly - Michael Caine delivers a performance that's simply astounding. Caine is so good, in fact, that he brings an emotional sense of urgency that has conspicuously been missing from the rest of the Muppets' films, and it's virtually impossible not to feel something by the time the expectedly upbeat conclusion rolls around. The Muppet Christmas Carol is (of course) an adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous tale, in which Ebenezer Scrooge (Caine) is visited by three ghosts who vividly show him how his miserly ways have effected others (and himself). Gonzo (playing Dickens) and Rizzo the Rat (as himself) provide narration/comedic relief, and it's clear almost immediately that their presence is meant to keep smaller children amused (their hijinks are somehow a little too slapsticky for this classic tale). Still, as far as Muppet movies go, The Muppet Christmas Carol remains of their more memorable efforts (and you just have to love the sequence in which Animal begrudgingly plays a triangle).
out of
Muppet Treasure Island (January 2/06)
Though it has its moments, Muppet Treasure Island is ultimately a tedious and overlong adventure that offers little in the way of actual entertainment (younger viewers, however, might something here worth embracing). Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale, the film details the exploits of Captain Smollett's (Kermit the Frog) efforts to prevent an evil pirate named Long John Silver (Tim Curry) from capturing a legendary hidden treasure. Director Brian Henson, who actually did a nice job with The Muppet Christmas Carol, imbues Muppet Treasure Island with a grungy sense of style that lends the film an unpleasant and ugly quality that one doesn't generally associate with a Muppet movie. The songs, of which there are many, are instantly forgettable and thoroughly meaningless, despite the high energy with which they have been infused. And though there are a few fun bits here and there (ie Statler and Waldorf's stint as the figureheads for Smollett's ship), Muppet Treasure Island has little to offer all but the most die-hard Muppet fan.
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The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (September 24/05)
Though the quality of the Muppets' output has steadily been decreasing over the years, they've never made a flat-out bad film until now. The Muppets' Wizard of Oz is a shockingly terrible adaptation of L. Frank Baum's legendary novel featuring Ashanti as Dorothy and the Muppets as various characters (ie Kermit is the Scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tin Man, Fozzie Bear is the Cowardly Lion, etc), with the proceedings augmented by several utterly forgettable musical numbers. It certainly doesn't help that star Ashanti, though she comes off as personable enough, is almost entirely devoid of anything even resembling talent in terms of acting (and she's a mediocre singer to boot). While there are a couple of funny moments here and there - including an always-welcome appearance by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his loyal assistant Beaker - but this is otherwise strictly for kids (and makes one long for the original film).
out of
