Muppets from Space (1999)

Director:

Tim Hill

Writers (WGA):

Jerry Juhl (written by) and
Joey Mazzarino (written by) ...

Release Date:

14 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Adventure

Tagline:

Space. It's not as deep as you think.

Plot:

Gonzo is contacted by his alien family through his breakfast cereal. He is kidnapped and it's up to Kermit and the gang to rescue Gonzo and help reunite him with his long-lost family.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Breakfast | Escape | Rat | UFO

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Dave Goelz	...	Gonzo / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew / Waldorf / The Bird Man / Swedish Chef / Zoot (uncredited) (voice)
Bill Barretta	...	Pepe the Prawn / Bobo as Rentro / Johnny Fiama / Bubba the Rat / Cosmic Fish #2 / Dr. Teeth / Rowlf (uncredited) (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Robin the Frog / Statler / Ubergonzo / Floyd Pepper (voice)
Brian Henson	...	Dr. Phil Van Neuter / Sal Minella / Talking Sandwich (voice)
Kevin Clash	...	Clifford (voice)
Frank Oz	...	Miss Piggy / Fozzie Bear / Animal / Sam the Eagle / Swedish Chef (hands) (voice)
Jeffrey Tambor	...	K. Edgar Singer
F. Murray Abraham	...	Noah
Rob Schneider	...	TV Producer
Josh Charles	...	Agent Barker
Ray Liotta	...	Gate Guard
David Arquette	...	Dr. Tucker
Andie MacDowell	...	Shelley Snipes
Kathy Griffin	...	Female Armed Guard
Pat Hingle	...	General Luft

Also Known As:

Muppets in Space (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

87 min | Argentina:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | France:U | New Zealand:G | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Screen Gems Studios - 1223 North 23rd Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Jim Henson Company, The

Trivia:

When the Muppets are at COVNET, the "Door in a Jar" is a replica of the door from 123 Sesame Street, where Bert and Ernie live.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right before Miss Piggy takes on the agent, he takes his glasses off twice.

Quotes:

Agent Barker: How about this story? It's about a big, bad wolf and a little pig.
Miss Piggy: Um, that's three pigs, okay?
Agent Barker: Not in this version.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D (2005)

Soundtrack:

Celebration

Platinum belt. With an unlimited line of credit.

The Muppet franchise has mellowed a bit with age. MUPPETS FROM SPACE doesn't have the level of frenetic insanity that occasionally marked the original syndicated MUPPET SHOW, and it's neither as edgy as, say, the latest Mike Meyers movie nor as fast-paced as an Indiana Jones yarn.

But even if it's a little on the laid-back side, its heart is very much in the right place. In some ways, this is a direct spiritual sequel to the original MUPPET MOVIE, focusing this time on Gonzo's origin story rather than Kermit's. Where the first film spoofed the "road" comedies and Westerns, this one spoofs CE3K and MiB (but not, as the title might suggest, the Star Trek or Star Wars franchises).

It's lighter on the zingy one-liners than MUPPET MOVIE, and longtime Muppet fans will probably be a bit frustrated at the soundtrack, which relies almost entirely on borrowed and guested songs rather than musical performances by the Muppets themselves. (Note: if you peeked at the soundtrack album listings first, be advised that "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" is NOT in the film. Should be, darnit, but isn't.) But there's some inspired silliness involving lab rats and a wonderfully zany infiltration of a Secret Government Installation.

All in all, what's here is a very warm and watchable comedy of a kind that's increasingly hard to find in theaters these days. And Miss Piggy's karate is still as dangerous as ever. I'm looking forward to the next Muppet film already. (How about a spy spoof, guys? "My name is Frog, Kermit the Frog.")