Prismark10 With the Muppet Show being a big hit on television, The Muppet Movie quickly followed but a non Henson company man (James Frawley) was tasked to direct which led to creative differences and a film that is a little distant from the hit television show.After meeting a Hollywood agent (Dom DeLuise) by chance, Kermit the Frog leaves his swamp to go to Hollywood. He is pursued by fast food mogul Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) and his henchman (Austin Pendleton) who wants Kermit to promote his failing frog legs business.What is essentially a road movie Kermit meets other Muppet characters such as Fozzie Bear in El Sleezo bar, Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the Great Gonzo and Miss Piggy.In a sense the film maps out how the Muppets formed and the film is a mixture of slapstick, star cameos, songs, comedic set pieces as well as taking satirical swipe at the commercialisation of modern times. The film has a surreal even Pythonesque appeal with humour directed at kids and adults but it does not always quiet come together but is still better than some sequels which had more direct control by the Henson clan.Lord Lew Grade pulled some favours as he enticed stars such as Telly Savalas, James Coburn, Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Madeline Kahn, Elliot Gould, Carol Kane, Bob Hope and even Orson Welles.

JoshSharpe I have been a part of the Muppet experience since a very young age. The first Muppet production I watched was "The Muppet Christmas Carol" from 1994. My grandfather, being a great fan of the Charles Dickens classic, was watched it and as I joined him, I was instantly transfixed. Then, I moved on to "Muppet Treasure Island" and "Muppets from Space" but I wasn't till a few years ago that I finally saw this classic. Back in the mid to late 70's, Jim Henson decided to make his successful new program, "The Muppet Show", into a feature film. And that has helped the Muppets grow and has helped them become what they are today. This movie showed how the Muppet gang came together in a very entertaining and fun way. All of the main characters of the show, from Rowlf the Dog to Camilla the Chicken, and of course, Kermit the Frog, are all there along with a variety of songs. In addition, there are several cameos from stars of that time. Among my favorites are Steve Martin and, specifically, Mel Brooks. This is a great introduction for someone who is not familiar with the Muppets and is a must see for those who are.

Lee Eisenberg And so, we finally get to learn the origins of Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and the rest. Of course, "The Muppet Movie" is more than a series of absurd gags (but make no mistake, there are quite a few of those). The main issue is friendship and standing up for what one believes in. Still, it's fun to watch Kermit elude the lascivious Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) and the Doc's meek assistant Max (Austin Pendleton) while meeting the rest of the Muppets on the way to Hollywood, and to spot the seemingly endless number of comedians in bit parts.OK, so we could be cynical and note that Jim Henson's work got excessively commercial after he died. But still, the movie is a perfect representation of Henson's original vision. And besides, how can you not like Steve Martin's performance as the waiter and Mel Brooks's performance as the scientist? "The Muppet Movie" is one flick that you can't afford to miss! PS: director James Frawley is the son of William Frawley, who played Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy"

johnstonjames why are there so many songs about rainbows? as a relatively committed cynic, i find that man cannot live by purely edgy and cynical entertainment alone. too much cynicism and negativity can get shoved down your throat as much as optimism gets pushed at people. in a day and age when so much in entertainment is like 'South Park' or 'Family Guy' and 'The Simpsons', sometimes you need a change of pace. sometimes even things that seem trendy or novel and new, get tiresome and old news.don't get me wrong. i really like 'South Park' and 'The Simpsons', but i've watched so much of that kind of thing for a couple of decades and occasionally i like a change from all the nihilism and cynicism and find myself watching a old Disney film or something by Jim Henson with the Muppet puppets. i've grown a lot since my early days. even in my twenties i was unrealistically optimistic about things and life and people. well, eventually people and events in life changed all that. more than likely it was somewhat for the best. you can't always try to see the good in everything. that outlook has no balance. sometimes you need to address the negative in your environment, other people, and yes, in your self. there's a old saying that you can go to the other extreme of something, you meet your other self coming back around. but i don't think anything ever gets solved by being too negative or too optimistic.if you have seen Jim Henson's wonderful puppet Muppet fantasy 'Labyrinth', you might remember the characters at the end who tell the teen ager "if you ever need us time and again...", well that's the essence of the Muppets and Disney for all adults, if ever you need those things from childhood that were fun, friendly, and made you feel safe, you should feel free enough to call on them. as long as you bring yourself back into reality to address serious matters. like other people.as far as the Muppets and the "rainbow connection" go, it's all good. i don't even think Disney has the track record of flawless perfection the Jim Henson "experiance" has. the Muppets and Henson never offend, but they also entertain effortlessly without violence and grotesque crudity and imagery.i'm always surprised how well the original film holds up decade after decade. i hadn't seen it in a while, and i was reminded again what a timeless classic it is. partly due to the memorable genius of Paul Williams as well as Henson.i also think that younger generations should be reminded that Jim Henson and the Muppets did not start with Disney. Disney simple acquired the Jim Henson genius decades later through monopoly purchase. i love Disney, but i hate the Disney trend for engulfing the works and talents of others. it would be a sad day if the genius of the Muppets becomes synonymous with Disney and Jim Henson was forgotten. give credit where credit is due, and all this is due to the incredible whimsical genius of Jim Henson.