Hey guys! How's it going? I'm doing pretty well. It's REALLY cold out today, so I'm not going outside. Also tomorrow is Valentine's Day, which honestly kind of snuck up on me this year. I mean, we're still in the pandemic, and in lockdown with stay at home orders in effect, so I can't have Kelly or Katie over for dinner like I normally would. Today I am going to be talking about one of the greatest movies ever made. That movie is The Muppet Movie from 1979. So let's get right into it.
One of the coolest things about The Muppet Movie is that it was my first shared cinematic universe. Big Bird makes a cameo appearance in the movie, and while Kermit had been on Sesame Street in the Sesame Street News Flash segments, where he'd begin with "Hi ho this is Kermit the Frog here from Sesame Street News", since 1972, I think this movie is the first time where Big Bird interacted with Fozzie as Fozzie never appeared on Sesame Street, even before Disney bought the Jim Henson Company. And being as young as I was when I first saw this movie, I thought it was cool that Big Bird was in the movie. I still think it's cool.
I appreciate that the jokes weren't overused. I mean there are some movies, and TV shows, where a joke or running gag is used too much, and it just stops being funny after awhile. But not here though. For example, at the beginning when Kermit is in the swamp, he encounters a talent agent from Hollywood, Bernie, who explains to him that he's lost, and Kermit asks, "Have you tried Hare Krishna?", which is meant to be a joke. However, they only use it once or twice more in the film, before giving it up, because even by the third time, where it's written on a sign next to the church where Kermit and Fozzie meet Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (the band Animal is in), it's starting to get old. One of my favourite jokes is when Kermit and Fozzie, and I think Gonzo and Camilla are with them at this point, are in the car and about to turn left and Kermit says, "Bear left" and Fozzie replies, "Right frog". Kermit just looks at him and says, "What?" with Fozzie replying, "Never mind". I laughed pretty hard at that scene because it goes back to the word play that Abbott and Costello did in their "Who's on First?" sketch, which is my favourite Abbott and Costello sketch.
Of course I'm very familiar with the main stars of the movie. I mean it's the Muppets and I grew up with the Muppets and have seen almost all of their movies except for The Muppets (2011) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014), so yeah, I'm familiar with the cast. Also, a few of the Sesame Street characters, besides Big Bird that is, appear at the end for "Rainbow Connection". Which is kinda cool since Bert and Ernie are there, as are Cookie Monster, Guy Smiley, Herry Monster, and the Two-Headed Monster. I'm also pretty familiar with some of the Human guest and cameo appearances like Dom DeLuise, Mel Brooks, Orson Welles, Edgar Bergen (along with Charlie McCarthy), Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, and Richard Pryor among others.
The songs in the movie are pretty great too. My favourite would have to be a cross between "Rainbow Connection" and "Movin' Right Along". Aside from "Rainbow Connection", which has more of a Broadway Musical feel to it, the rest of the music in the movie has a very country music feel to it. Which is cool, even though I had forgotten that that's the kind of music the movie has.
I don't exactly remember when I first saw The Muppet Movie, but I'm pretty sure it was before 1993. I'm pretty sure it was before that because I saw it before we moved out to Greely, AND the movie was re-released on VHS in 1993 with a clamshell case as well, so I think it was before that when the 1984 VHS release (cover shown above) was still in print. We only rented it once or twice, and I'm pretty sure I saw it again on TV at some point, but I don't remember for sure. I just remember seeing it when I was a kid and loving it. So it's been at least 30 years since I saw the movie last before I watched it on Disney+ last night. And it's held up quite well for a 42 year old movie. I was afraid it wouldn't because I remember it fondly, and it's been hyped up to me over the years from other people who watched it more frequently than I have.
Overall if you haven't seen The Muppet Movie, I strongly suggest you do so, because it is awesome. As I said, it's on Disney+ so you can stream it whenever you want. It's Muppets, and that's all you need to know about the movie. So definitely go watch it.
Alrighty that is going to be it for me for today. I'll be back next week with more reviews, and other dorky stuff here at the Review Basement. So until then have a wonderful weekend and I will talk to you all later. Take care.
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