My Disney Top 5 - Things I Thought Were Great About Disney's The Muppets
by Chris Barry, contributing writerAdvertisement
OK, so it’s been more than a week since my beloved Muppets returned to the silver screen with Disney’s The Muppets. I was right there on opening day with my kids in tow, just as I knew I would be from the moment this film was announced. Our schools happened to be closed on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the film’s first day in theaters, so it was no surprise that our local theater was packed for The Muppets. New movie. Kids are off. It was a perfect day for a trip to the theater. We caught the first showing of the day and there was actually a line out into the lobby waiting to get in. I point that out because there was no line waiting to get into Happy Feet 2 or Arthur Christmas. Not taking anything away from those two films, but it was painfully obvious that there was much anticipation for the first Muppet movie in theaters since 1999.
As I wrote two weeks back here on MousePlanet, nobody was waiting for this film more than I was. The Muppets represent a huge piece of my childhood. I was right there at the perfect age for the height of The Muppets superstardom. As I grew older, they stayed with me until there I was on the set surrounded by most of the very characters that I grew up watching and working with the creators and puppeteers that I grew to admire and respect. As a lifelong Disney fan and Muppet fanatic I kept waiting for their merger to pay off. I wanted something significant to come from this pairing of my two favorite creative giants. I wanted the Muppets back in the limelight again.
So, was this film the event that I have been waiting for? Did Disney and Jason Segel succeed last week in reintroducing The Muppets to today’s audience? Only time will tell for sure but in the meantime here are the Top 5 Things I Thought Were Great About Disney’s The Muppets.
The Muppets with stars Amy Adams and Jason Segel. © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
5 – It Was Nostalgic
In a way, nostalgia is a huge part of what this film is unapologetically about. Indeed, MousePlanet’s own Alex Stroup hit the nail on the head with his review last week. Alex wasn’t a huge fan of The Muppets when he was younger and therefore parts of this movie just didn’t resonate for him. That makes perfect sense. If you walked into this film in my shoes however, just the sight of these characters on the screen set you off, never mind the spot-on recreation of the old Muppet Show set or the pictures on the walls of Kermit’s mansion celebrating the Muppets glorious past. Perhaps my favorite bit of nostalgia is the Kermit watch on the wrist of Walter, the newest Muppet and brother to Jason Segel’s lead character Gary. I wore that same watch for years and still have a pristine one in a box tucked away someplace safe. If you’re a Muppet fan from back in the day, this film drips of good feelings and warm memories. That was definitely writer Jason Segel’s intent and he succeeds brilliantly in making Muppet fans wax nostalgic throughout the film.4 – No Bean Bunny
Bean Bunny. Photo courtesy of Google Images.
With all apologies to Steve Whitmire, master puppeteer, the “new” voice of Kermit the Frog, and as I remember quite a nice guy—but unfortunately also the puppeteer behind this insufferably cute little rabbit pictured above. Bean made the movie poster, but thankfully was nowhere to be found in this film. Sorry Bean, but I never really cared for you all that much.
3 – My Kids Loved It
I’m sure people of every age go through this. You get very attached to the shows, characters, music, movies, books and other things from your childhood that meant something to you. When you have children of your own, you secretly hope that they too will love the same things that brought you such joy as a child. Sometimes things are still completely relevant and they pass on from generation to generation, like a certain cartoon mouse from the ’20s that’s still quite popular or the timeless books and characters of Dr. Seuss. Trust me, my kids have been raised to know lots of things from my past from The Flintstones to Yogi Bear and from Bugs Bunny to The Beatles. Some they bought into and some they passed on. That said, I really wanted them to love The Muppets. They know Kermit and the gang from MuppetVision 3D at Disney and they know The Muppets from all of that stuff that their dad has and the DVD’s and tapes that I have played for them. But I really wanted something that they could have from their own time and it seems like this movie may have done that for them…and therefore, for me as well.
2 – The Rainbow Connection
Kermit and Piggy duet on The Rainbow Connection. © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Was it nostalgia that brought a tear to my eye when Kermit began singing this song during The Muppet Telethon in this film? I don’t think so. It’s a wonderful song and it had to be included in this movie and I’m glad it was. To me it’s the ultimate Muppet song and captures every endearing quality that Jim Henson wanted his creations to convey. The mom a few seats away from me was wiping her eyes as well, so I guess I wasn’t alone.
1 – The Mere Fact That They’re Back Where They Belong
I’ve read a lot online over the last week or so about this film. It’s garnering great reviews and getting great publicity, but there are plenty of people out there in cyberspace complaining about it. I’ve heard complaints about the script, about the so-called lack of celebrity cameos and the “controversy” over Fozzie’s fart shoes. I can solidly answer each of those criticisms. I found no problem with the script. It’s not The Godfather, nor is it supposed to be. It’s a simple premise and it tells a simple story.
As for the cameos, I’m sorry but if Mickey Rooney, James Carville, Judd Hirsch, Selena Gomez and Dave Grohl aren’t a diverse enough cast of cameos for you then you really can’t be pleased.
And as far as the poor taste fart shoes go, have any of you complainers ever watched The Muppets? Most people probably don’t remember this but I do because I was standing there on the set of The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson when Whoopie Cushions, the tap dancing whoopee cushion came farting out onto the set with Gonzo. Lest we forget that the tribute to Jim Henson’s life by The Muppets themselves featured a tap dancing farting whoopee cushion puppet in true Muppet irreverent form. These aren’t The Care Bears, they’re The Muppets.
Yes, that's Whoopie Cushions the tap dancing whoopie cushion. Photo courtesy of Google Images.
So, I’ll take all of these criticisms in stride because the bottom line for me is…there they are. They’re up on the big screen. Kermit is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. I waited on a line with my kids and half the kids in the neighborhood to see a new Muppet movie. My boys asked for Muppet toys for Christmas. I don’t know if it’s a true Muppet renaissance or not yet, but it’s extremely promising.
The Muppets haven’t left me all of these years. I never grew out of them. Neither did many of their fans out there, but like it or not, the movie tells it like it is. They did sort of disappear. They weren’t that relevant to the past generation of kids. There are kids out there that don’t know them and that’s sad. This movie alone may have the power to reverse that trend and for that reason alone, I was happy that it was there in front of me. It seems to be a bona fide hit and I truly hope that Disney can work The Muppets back into this generation of kid’s hearts.
Jim Henson was a creative genius and he was convinced that The Walt Disney Company was the place that could take care of his creations so that future generations would be able to love and experience them. Jim and The Muppets did change the world. They brought us all a little bit closer together by tapping into a series of common emotions. They should be on the big screen. They should be on the cover of magazines. Children the world over should continue to know them just as my generation did. That was Jim’s dream and it should be honored and respected.
The Muppets should endure and I hope that this movie is the beginning of much more to come.
That's My Disney Top 5 for today. What's yours? Click on the "Discuss this article on MousePad" link below and share your list!
 
Comments
3 – My Kids Loved It
Well, not my kids and not this particular movie but my son had his son watch The Muppets Take Manhatten and my grandson LOVED the movie. So now he's been introduced to the Muppets and will enjoy his trip to Disney World just a bit more in a month when we surprise him and his sister on Christmas Day. The Muppets will outlive everyone.
2 – The Rainbow Connection
I'm glad this song is in there. I have a very personal story about this song - my now husband actually knew this song when we first met and it made me appreciate him even more. It's so personal that the song was the "mother-son" dance at my son's wedding. People snickered and the DJ said he had a hard time finding the song but my son and I danced and I reminded him that if it weren't for the song, he would have never been born.
So yeah, the Muppets. Special place in the heart for me.
Sheri, that's priceless!
Great article. I also watched the Muppet Show on TV. I am happy to see them back on the big screen where they belong.
Thanks Chris, glad to know that I wasn't the only one that got teary during the Rainbow Connection song. I have loved that song since I first heard it, I was glad they brought it back for this movie.
You are very right also about the audience having to be muppet fans, there was a lot of inside jokes (physical and verbal) that only muppet fans would have found funny. In the small audience that we had when we saw it, it was funny to hear each family laugh at different times during the film. Some things were funnier with some families than others.
My husband and I took our daughters on opening day. We were at the first showing. We were at my in laws for Thanksgiving and the schools in the area were in session, our girls had the day off. There were maybe 25 or so people in the theater but I attribute it to school being in session and it being 10:45am. We enjoyed the movie soooo much and think Jason Segel did a great job with the story! Our daughters are only 6 and 8 and they love the Muppets. We have several of the Muppet Show DVDs and they love them. We have shown them all of the You Tube videos too. They find those very funny and are always excited to show them to my brother, also a big Muppet fan. When we were at our local Hallmark store they found the Beaker Ode To Joy ornament and just had to have it! I do not think there would be a problem with the younger generation enjoying the Muppets. It seems to me they already do! I say it is past time they are brought back on a regular basis. I would enjoy seeing The Muppet Show on tv again!! It is nearly impossible to find good family shows on any more. I hope we see much more of the Muppets in the future.
I very much enjoyed this article, just as I enjoyed the Muppet Movie. I've been a longtime fan, and never missed The Muppet Show or its slightly lesser clone Muppets Tonight. I didn't have any problem at all with the fart shoes. I did have a problem with one line, though. When Jack Black was rushed to his front door he yelled something about his...well, those spherical things that can mean something a child plays with or something more racy. It was a totally out of place nasty joke - typical of Jack Black, but it didn't belong in this script.
Other than that, the movie was a huge success with me!
Couldn't agree with you more. Wonderful story.
I noticed the same thing. The other person that I spotted tearing up also laughed at the same things that I laughed at. She was definitely from a Muppet family.
I would like to see The Muppet Show re-appear. Disney Channel will never air them. I could almost see ABC Family, but then again...not so sure they would go the vintage route.
They recently added 2 cable channels to my line-up, Antenna TV and the Hub. Hub airs Fraggle Rock, so that's a great possibility there. I'm sure there's a reason why they aren't being aired aside from just the obvious obliviousness.
I think I missed the joke you're referencing. It does sound out of place.
The inclusion of Jim Parsons' cameo was terrific. I was so glad I hadn't heard about his appearance before I saw the movie, and I laughed hysterically - he was terrific.