Classic Movie Monday: The Muppet Movie (1979)

"I know that it's easier to portray a world that's filled with cynicism and anger, where problems are solved with violence.  That's titillating. It's an easy out. What's a whole lot tougher is to offer alternatives, to present other ways conflicts can be resolved, and to show that you can have a positive impact on your world.  To do that, you have to put yourself out on a limb, take chances, and run the risk of being called a do-gooder." ~ Jim Henson

The Muppet Movie

1979

We all have random childhood memories.  I wasn't alive when The Muppet Movie came to theaters, but my parents had a record player, and my Dad had the original soundtrack on that giant vinyl.  For hours (well, it felt like hours, time is a strange thing for a kid), I would look at the movie pictures.  Those images are blurred now, but the feelings I felt while listening to those songs have never faded.

Kermit the Frog sitting on his log playing the banjo, when all of a sudden a Hollywood agent boats across the swamp (so many questions).  The Muppet Movie is the muppets origin story, and this is Kermit's home.  He wants to make millions of people happy, but is quite content hanging in his swamp and watching movies in the theater.  It's the talent agent that encourages him to leave his comfort zone.  What would have happened if that agent hadn't appeared?  Would Kermit have ever left his swamp?  How many lives would have remained unchanged?

The Muppet Movie is a journey and coming together of the muppets as a group of performers and friends.  The movie is also a reflection of how vitally important Kermit is as a character and person.  Everyone he meets has a dream, and as Kermit leaves to follow his dream, he encourages others to follow their dreams.  A pebble in a pond rippling and bouncing everything into motion.

As an adult there's a lot that now makes a lot more sense.  Nuanced jokes are more funny, though some jokes are dated with forgotten in time cultural references.  In the scene where Kermit first meets Fozzie, one of them says, in order to clear the busy bar, "drinks are on the house!" and then everyone in the room runs to the top of the building.  I remember asking my Dad why that was funny.  He explained, though I didn't get it then, even after the explanation, but now it's silly funny.  Then there's the visual gags.  During "Moving Right Along" Kermit and Fozzie, while at a fork in the road, they see an actual giant fork in the road.  Little things like that.

Heh, and then there's the things in The Muppet Movie that would probably never make it in a current film, like Kermit being chased down to star in frog leg ads.  Creepy.  But as a child that was Terrifying!  So it worked.

It has been years since I've seen The Muppet Movie, and it was just a joy watching the movie again.  A pleasurable trip down memory lane.  All the funny cameos that fit well with the plot.  Toe tapping songs.  Dang can Frank Oz sing high!  Creative puppetry that I still marvel at, such as Kermit riding a bike.

The Original Muppet Movie really is the best.  Some of the films that follow are good, but the original is simply brilliant.

Sarah

P.S. Saw this on a meme: "Whatever you do today, do it with the confidence of a 4 year old in a Batman t-shirt". 

 

Barbie, The Muppets, and BYU

(Day 49 of the 365 day photo challenge 02-20-2012)

When the BYU barbie came out back in 1998, I didn't know it was so controversial, and that some people didn't like the skinny, skimpy doll posing as a BYU cheerleader.   At the time I was in High School, living in Porterville California, dreaming of attending the school, and surprised that the local Target had her in stock.  She was vying for a spot on the shelf with other notable schools.  Of course when I moved to Utah Valley about a decade ago, I had no clue how BYU was perceived, and the dynamics between all the schools here.  It was quite a shock.  

There are three top notch schools within 50 miles of each other: BYU Provo, Utah Valley University (which was Utah Valley State College when I moved here), and the University of Utah.  BYU and U of U have an extraordinarily loyal fan base here, and you're either a fan of one or the other; the football games between both school are a serious affair.  UVU/UVSC doesn't have a football team.  They have sports teams, but they pride themselves for focusing on academics, which is awesome.  I started attending UV, which I fell in love with, when I first moved here and was turned off whenever I visited BYU campus and had people tell me the school was nothing more then a continuation of High School.  And so I was quick to speak up and defend UV, and quickly lost all interest in attending BYU.  

Of course, thanks to my love of music, and knowing BYU had a more solid program back in 2004, I transferred, and I am proud to call it my alma mater.  It was harder adjusting to BYU then the other three schools I attended (Porterville College, College of the Sequoias, and UVSC), because there is an overachieving atmosphere of high stress at the Y, but I learned so much, and I'm glad I had those opportunities. 

The other item in the picture sitting next to Barbie is Animal from The Muppets.  My Dad had one just like it when I was a kid, and he would put the record of the first movie on the record player (I remember a life before CD players), and he would make Animal mouth the words.  I wanted my own, and so for my birthday last year he found one on ebay, and hid it in my closet a few months before my b-day, which I found within a month.  I was shocked when I found him.  Actually, I wondered if there was a chance my Dad's Muppet ended up in my closet by mistake, but it looked too clean to be his.  Running around the house I asked if anyone knew what was going on, and they were all clueless.  So in a panic I called my Dad, and he pretended at first that he didn't know what I was talking about, until he finally told me it was an early present. 

The first Muppet Movie will always be the best, with the Muppet Christmas Choral as an easy second.  I saw the new movie back when it came out last year, and as time has passed, I've grown less fond of it.  The new movie doesn't have the charm of the original, though I do appreciate the new film bringing the Muppet's back to the front of popular culture.          

Hope you're having a nice day!

Sarah