The Muppet Movie (1979)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

James Frawley

Writers:

Jack Burns (written by) &
Jerry Juhl (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical

Tagline:

More entertaining than humanly possible

Plot:

Kermit and his new found friends trek across America to find success in Hollywood, but a frog-legs merchant is after Kermit.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Restaurant | Road | The Muppets | Friend

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Jim Henson	...	Kermit the Frog / Rowlf / Dr. Teeth / Waldorf / Doc Hopper's Men / Link Hogthrob / Swedish Chef (voice)
Frank Oz	...	Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle / Doc Hopper's Men / Marvin Suggs / Swedish Chef / Motorcycle Guy (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Floyd Pepper / Robin the Frog / Crazy Harry / Lew Zealand / Camilla / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (assistant) (uncredited) (voice)
Richard Hunt	...	Scooter / Statler / Janice / Sweetums / Beaker / Fozzie Bear (assistant) (voice)
Dave Goelz	...	The Great Gonzo / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew / Zoot / Doglion / Iraqian in El Sleezo Cafe / Pig (voice)
Charles Durning	...	Doc Hopper
Austin Pendleton	...	Max
Edgar Bergen	...	Himself / Charlie McCarthy (voice)
Milton Berle	...	Mad Man Mooney
Mel Brooks	...	Professor Max Krassman
James Coburn	...	El Sleezo Cafe Owner
Dom DeLuise	...	Bernie the Agent
Elliott Gould	...	Beauty Contest Compere
Bob Hope	...	Ice Cream Vendor
Madeline Kahn	...	El Sleezo Patron
Carol Kane	...	Myth
Cloris Leachman	...	Lord's Secretary
Steve Martin	...	Insolent Waiter
Richard Pryor	...	Balloon Vendor
Telly Savalas	...	El Sleezo Tough
Orson Welles	...	Lew Lord
Paul Williams	...	El Sleezo Pianist
Scott Walker	...	Frog Killer
Lawrence Gabriel Jr.	...	Sailor
Ira F. Grubman	...	Bartender
H.B. Haggerty	...	Lumberjack
Bruce Kirby	...	Gate Guard
Tommy Madden	...	One-Eyed Midget
James Frawley	...	Waiter
Arnold Roberts	...	Cowboy
Steve Whitmire	...	Fletcher Bird / Scooter (voice)
Kathryn Mullen	...	Camilla (voice)
Bob Payne	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (as Robert Payne)
Eren Ozker	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Caroly Wilcox	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Michael Earl	...	Animal / Beaker / Big Bird / Dr. Teeth / Fozzie Bear / Janice / Scooter (voice) (as Michael Davis)
Olga Felgemacher	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Buz Suraci	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Bruce Schwartz	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Tony Basilicato	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Adam Hunt	...	Muppet Performer (voice)
Caroll Spinney	...	Big Bird (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tim Burton	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Lisa Henson	...	Beauty Pageant Model (uncredited)
Jerry Juhl	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)
Earl Kress	...	Ernie (uncredited)
John Landis	...	Grover (voice) (uncredited)
John Lovelady	...	Muppet Performer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
James Frawley

Writing credits
Jack Burns		(written by) &
Jerry Juhl		(written by)

Produced by
Lew Grade	....	executive producer (as Sir Lew Grade)
Jim Henson	....	producer
David Lazer	....	co-producer
Martin Starger	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Paul Williams

Cinematography by
Isidore Mankofsky

Film Editing by
Christopher Greenbury

Casting by
Gus Schirmer

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Art Direction by
Les Gobruegge

Set Decoration by
Richard B. Goddard

Costume Design by
Gwen Capetanos

Makeup Department
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Kurt Neumann	....	production manager
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive in charge of production
James Potter	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Penny Adams	....	second assistant director (as Penny Adams Flowers)
Ron Wright	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Horst Grandt	....	props
Julia Harmount	....	set designer
Hank Kentop	....	construction foreman (as Henry Kentop)
Julius King	....	set designer
Roy Kirkpatrick	....	construction coordinator
Eric Orbom	....	assistant art director
Kenneth Rickey	....	greensman
Tom Southwell	....	production illustrator
Tommy 'Tom' Tomlinson	....	assistant property master (as Tommy Tomlinson)
Bruce Wayne Mecchi	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ralph Babcock	....	boom operator
David Dockendorf	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles Lewis	....	sound mixer
Paul Nelson	....	playback operator
Michael Perricone	....	assistant sound engineer
Bill Wistrom	....	sound effects editor (as William H. Wistrom)

Special Effects by
Scott Forbes	....	special effects technician
Robbie Knott	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Leigh Malone	....	visual consultant: New York
Paul Nelson	....	video playback opticals

Stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer
George A. Clark	....	grip
Joe Collins	....	key grip
Richard J. Edesa	....	camera operator
Lee Heckler	....	gaffer
Bruce Hill	....	camera operator: video camera
Lindsay P. Hill	....	video operator
Bob Lowry	....	video operator
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon Day	....	costumer
Calista Hendrickson	....	muppets' costumes
Charles E. James	....	costume supervisor (as Charles James)
Marta McElroy	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ellen Adolph	....	associate editor
Robin Forman	....	post-production assistant
Steven Polivka	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Caper Jr.	....	music editor
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	music arranger
George A. Martin	....	assistant music editor
Gary Ulmer	....	music scoring mixer
Ian Freebairn-Smith	....	conductor (uncredited)
Paul Williams	....	music adaptor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Donald R. Casella	....	transportation captain (as Don Cosella)

Other crew
Sherry Amott	....	muppet designer
Martin G. Baker	....	muppet workshop technical coordinator: New York
Bill Beaumont	....	craft service (as William Beaumont)
Ulla Bourne	....	script supervisor
Edward G. Christie	....	muppet designer
Buck Edwards	....	location manager
Bonnie Erickson	....	muppet designer
Faz Fazakas	....	muppet designer
Fred Fisher	....	production assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Michael Flynn	....	production assistant
Michael K. Frith	....	design consultant: muppets
Dave Goelz	....	muppet designer
Jim Henson	....	puppeteer: "The Swedish Chef"
Richard Holloway	....	muppet workshop technical coordinator: New York
Jeffrey A. Humphreys	....	studio utility
Larry Jameson	....	muppet designer
Mari Kaestle	....	muppet designer
Saul Kahan	....	unit publicist
Lynn Klugman	....	production coordinator: muppets
Janet Lerman-Graff	....	muppet designer
Kermit Love	....	muppet designer
John Lovelady	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Mireille Machu	....	secretary: Mr. Frawley
Robert McCormack	....	muppet workshop supervisor: New York
Wendy Midener	....	muppet designer
Kathryn Mullen	....	muppet designer
Frank Oz	....	puppeteer: "The Swedish Chef's Hands"
Lee Rose	....	production associate
Don Sahlin	....	muppet designer
Shirley Snyder	....	production coordinator
Teresa Stokovic	....	production coordinator
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet designer
Amy Van Gilder	....	muppet workshop coordinator
Pamela Varney	....	secretary: Mr. Henson
Rusty Warren	....	production auditor
Caroly Wilcox	....	muppet designer
John Landis	....	additional puppeteer: "Grover" (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	set nurse (uncredited)
Lee Solters	....	publicist (uncredited)
Curt Vig	....	puppeteer: "Pigs in Space D & E" (uncredited)
Rik Vig	....	puppeteer: "J. P. Gross" (uncredited)

Thanks
David Odell	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Henson Associates (HA)
• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Distributors

• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• Jim Henson Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1980s) (USA) (video)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Elephant Films (2005) (France) (all media)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS) (Beta)
• VTI Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• Solters & Digney  publicity

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Canada:G | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:G | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Trivia:

Shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Lake Sherwood, California.

Goofs:

Continuity: Just as the gang hit the billboard for the pie advertisement, Fozzie yells, and the steering wheel comes off, but it's reattached the next time we see them in the Studebaker.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Statler: I'm Statler.
Waldorf: I'm Waldorf. We're here to heckle "The Muppet Movie".
Gate Guard: Gentlemen, that's straight ahead. Private screening room D.
Statler: Private screening?
Waldorf: Yeah, they're afraid to show it in public.
[they laugh as their car proceeds forward]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Zodiac Killer (2005)

Soundtrack:

Can you picture that

Write your own ending: Existential awareness in hand puppets

In many ways, the perfect movie. The "Incredible Journey" and Horatio Alger tale come together for a positive spin on the usually depressing subject of existentialism. In essence, the travails of the muppets boil down to the finale song of the movie: "Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending." They create their own reality, which has all the trappings of every epic tale: a lofty goal at the end of what is necessarily a obstacle-laden journey; an ever-increasing group of like-minded individuals for camaraderie; a nasty set of villians who are not beyond all redemption; and a big-budget Hollywood ending because, darn it all, they CAN.

Only Jim Henson could pull this off. He walks the line between sentimentality and philosophy without swerving too long or too hard into either. Of course it seems odd that invest such weight into a film starring puppets, but in the end perhaps they are the perfect, uh, puppet to make these points. The movie's atmosphere allows for the pure enjoyment of the Hollywood dream, the "happy" ending, unnecessary cameos, and bursting into song at the drop of a hat. Usually these aspects are anathema to quality in film, but the self-deprecating manner under which the story is delivered makes for guilt-free viewing. One of the few films that can truly be called "suitable for all ages."

The other muppet-related films (including "The Empire Strikes Back"), while palatable, do not touch the simple grace of this film. Take, for instance, the musical number "Hope that Something Better Comes Along," the duet of Kermit and Rowlf. Amusing in its vaudevillian goofiness, yet makes a bitingly crucial point about the motivations behind life choices. Brilliant.