Film Review: The Muppets Take Manhattan

As you may have read in my reviews of the first two Muppet movies (The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper), one of my big fears for the forthcoming (unless you live in the States, where it's actually soon to be released on Blu-Ray!) Muppet movie was that it wasn't going to include a key feature for me, namely, the characters knowing it's a film (apparently, this isn't the case.)

But way before now, this had already happened, and my fears were for naught. While it doesn't reach the spectacular heights of The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan is a hugely enjoyable film in which the fourth wall is never broken.

Directed this time round by voice of Piggy, Fozzie, Animal etc. Frank Oz, the story involves The Muppets newly graduated from college, and deciding to take their successful college play to Broadway. But things are tougher than they seem when they hit New York, and before long they have to go their separate ways.

All the key elements are there, the songs (which are superb this time round, after being a bit forgettable in the previous film, especially 'Together Again' and the rather emotional 'Saying Goodbye' and 'He'll Make Me Happy'), the cameos (although these are definitely more aimed towards an American audience, Joan Rivers, Elliott Gould and John Landis were the only ones I actually recognized) and the great dialogue.

There's a few things that didn't work well for me however, the Muppet Babies cutaway was a rather blatant advert for the TV show which was soon to begin, cute as it was. And the amnesia story line that effects Kermit was both an easy way to pad the film out a bit and slightly disturbing, the sight of him being hit by a car was a bit much for what is essentially a kids film.

But the emotional connection with the characters was what made it for me. After being unable to connect on any level with War Horse, I was shocked at how sad I was when the gang failed to make it in New York and went their separate ways (the aforementioned song didn't help in the slightest) and the wedding scene at the end (complete with pretty much the entire Henson universe singing along), well I think I might have had something in my eye. That says a lot about both the failings of War Horse, and the likability of The Muppets.

After watching these first three Muppet films, I am still a bit worried about how a new one can be pulled off in this day and age. In the late 70s and early 80s thing seemed a lot simpler, and the world has grown into a more selfish and cynical place. I just hope that cynicism doesn't spill over into the Muppets, because the innocence, silliness and heart of films like The Muppets Take Manhattan towers over everything else about it.

***1/2
Not quite as good as The Muppet Movie, better than The Great Muppet Caper. Save for a useless storyline element (amnesia...ergh) and essentially a short advert for a TV show, The Muppets Take Manhattan is great fun on all levels. The ball is in your court Bobin, Segel et al...

Film Review: The Great Muppet Caper

Following on from my review of the first Muppet Movie (see here), comes the second original film that was released. The Great Muppet Caper came two years after, in 1981 and was helmed by the creator of all things Muppet himself, Jim Henson. But while the film retained a lot of what made the first film great, there was something missing this time round.

Again, everyone in the film knows they are in the film (something I love about The Muppet Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol, although it's more just Gonzo and Rizzo in the latter), so we are introduced to proceedings by Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo, with a nice song and the whole set up that they will be playing newspaper reporters who travel to London to interview the rich victim of a jewel thief (Diana Rigg.)

Once there, they find the Happiness Hotel, where most of the regular Muppet gang are staying, and Kermit 'meets' Miss Piggy, working for Lady Holiday (Rigg), and obviously, they fall in love.

I just couldn't get used to the 'fictional' storyline. The Muppet's playing themselves, but not themselves. It's clear that this is meant as a film the Muppet's made after they hit the big time in the first film (in fact there's one scene where Kermit and Miss Piggy break character and have a domestic!) but I just couldn't click with the story from that point of view.

But the positives, the songs are all good (although not quite as good as the first film), and there are some absolutely brilliant sequences. they may seem a bit ropy now, but the level of effort that would have had to go into a scene where all the Muppet's are cycling in a park, or a lavish underwater musical number at that time, must have been off the chart.

As usual, there's some great one liners, and the usual procession of cameos, with Peter Ustinov, John Cleese and Peter Falk being particular highlights, especially Ustinov whose appearance heralds another cameo from a different Henson show (no prizes for guessing that one!)

Also worth noting was an incredibly young looking Charles Grodin, hamming it up (no Piggy pun intended) as Holiday's dodgy brother, who is holding a candle for Miss Piggy too! He is great fun in the role.

It's not the greatest Muppet story ever told, but it's still highly enjoyable stuff. Just a shame about the story within a story stuff. Although, the next film is Muppet's Take Manhattan, where they drop the 'they know it's a film' factor entirely. Slightly worrying!

***
Another entertaining slice of Muppet fun, although inferior to The Muppet Movie that came before it. It still contains the charm that I don't know if the new Muppet film can replicate. Time will tell!

Film Review: The Muppet Movie (1979)

In the run up to the (belated) release of the new Muppet movie here in the UK, I've decided to take a look back at the original three films, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet's Take Manhattan, and try and get sorted what Jason Segel, James Bobin et al need to do to give us a proper Muppet film, and even if that's possible in this day and age.

It had been a long time since I last watched The Muppet Movie, probably not since I was a kid, and it just instantly draws you in. In fact, it made me kind of worried already about the new one, because I honestly don't know if it could replicate the silliness, the heart and the charm of the original.

The film (kind of mirroring creator Jim Henson's rise to fame) tells the story of how Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the rest of the gang became famous. Starting with Kermit sitting in his swamp singing The Rainbow Connection (a song that went on to be nominated for an Oscar) before leaving on the road to Hollywood, meeting his new friends along the way, everything about the film is a treat.

A air of danger is introduced with Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), a evil frogs legs restaurant owner who is relentlessly pursuing Kermit with eyes to make him his companies new spokesman/main course.

As is standard with Muppet movies, there's tons of cameos from the world of entertainment. Most kids today wouldn't have a clue who any of them are but it's generally amusing seeing the likes of Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Bob Hope and even Elliott Gould show up. They don't all hit the mark though, Mel Brook's appearance gets pretty tiresome, and it's frankly bizarre seeing Orson Welles crop up near the end. The best cameo, though, is saved for a cousin of the Muppet universe, let's just say.

But it's a minor quibble, everything else about the film caused a massive smile on this reviewers face throughout, the fantastic songs, the in-jokes (if the new Muppet movie isn't aware that it's a movie, then they are seriously doing it wrong) and the hilarious one liners ("Ah, a bear in his natural habitat - a Studebaker")

Another thing I hope the new film has taken from this, is that the film is about the Muppet's, not humans, they are incidental players in the whole story. Every human character in The Muppet Movie, bar Doc Hopper and his hapless sidekick, is just a cameo, and that is what makes it work so well. But time shall tell.

The Muppet Movie is fantastic fun for young and old alike. Sure, some kids won't get some of the dated references (I didn't get them all!), but there's loads here to recommend it. If you haven't seen it, and you want a crash course before the new film comes out, it's the only place to start.

****
A few ropey cameo appearances aside, this is a great film for kids and adults, who remember the Muppet's from when they were kids. Great songs, jokes, and tons of heart. You'd have to be made of stone not to get on with this.