"The Muppet Movie" Turns 45

My son and I are going to see The Muppet Movie on Monday night. Yeah, I know it’s kind of weird and unusual to review a movie before watching it, but even though I’ve never seen it on the big screen, I still know The Muppet Movie way better than my son. Not that I’m bragging or anything, of course, but I turned three when it came out and it was the movie I cut my teeth on. It was one of my favorites before I really got interested in movies.

For those who might not be familiar with The Muppet Movie, it was released in 1979 and was the first-ever Muppet feature. Although these were known characters, it was still a gamble, because it required more than just puppeteers standing behind a wall with their arms in the air. The outdoor sequences of Kermit riding his bike, for instance, are very impressive, with the puppeteers riding along in a crane pulling marionette strings.

The story follows Kermit, who leaves his swamp when he finds out Hollywood is looking for talented frogs to work in the movies. On his way to California he meets Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo, and Miss Piggy, and all the characters we know and love. By the end of the movie, Kermit has assembled a crazy group of loyal friends who are ready to hit the ground running in Tinseltown.

Their journey is not without obstacles, though, namely, a man named Doc Hopper who wants Kermit to be the face of his new chain of frog leg restaurants. The dicey profit margins of a frog leg restaurant notwithstanding, the guy sees no problem having a frog be his spokesperson. Kermit is horrified, though, and when he turns Hopper down, Hopper decides Kermit would make a better lunch than a spokesfrog, and chases him halfway across the country. The showdown is spectacular.

The Muppet Movie is chock-full of cornball vaudeville jokes, music, oak-laden California hills standing in for the Midwest, and is a ton of fun. Miss Piggy is dead gone on Kermit, of course. And there are guest stars. So many guest stars. What’s cool is that there were tons of Golden Age actors still living in the late seventies who obviously willing to take part, and they happily mingled with the then-new A-listers such as Richard Pryor, Elliott Gould and Cloris Leachman. There is something for everyone, although certain jokes easily go over kids’ heads. It’s also perfectly paced and has worn extremely well over the years.

For my part, I had the soundtrack record before I saw the movie, and when I finally did get to see it I never forgot it. Kermit was my mascot as a little kid, and I had a stuffed Kermit doll that went with me everywhere. I was kind of famous for my attachment to my Kermit. And yes, I still have him. Right next to my other mascot, Snoopy.

My son, on the other hand, even though he’s seen The Muppet Movie several times, doesn’t remember it all that much, and while I know it won’t be the game-changer for him that it was for me, I hope he’ll still get caught up in it and enjoy it.

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The Muppet Movie is currently in select theaters. Rated G.

My grade: A+

Principal Cast: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Charles Durning, Austin Pendleton, Edgar Bergen, Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Bob Hope, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin

Directed by James Frawley.

Written by Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns.