X
- 1979
- G
- Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
- 1 h 35 m
- 1979
- G
- Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
- 1 h 35 m
Summary After a fateful meeting with a big-time talent agent, Kermit the Frog heads for Hollywood dreaming of show biz. Along the way, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo and the dazzling Miss Piggy join him in hopes of becoming film stars too. But all bets are off when Kermit falls into the clutches of Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), a fast-food mogul s...
Directed By: James Frawley
Written By: Jerry Juhl, Jack Burns
- 1979
- G
- Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
- 1 h 35 m
- 1979
- G
- Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
- 1 h 35 m
The Muppet Movie
74
8.2
Where to Watch
Summary After a fateful meeting with a big-time talent agent, Kermit the Frog heads for Hollywood dreaming of show biz. Along the way, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo and the dazzling Miss Piggy join him in hopes of becoming film stars too. But all bets are off when Kermit falls into the clutches of Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), a fast-food mogul s...
Directed By: James Frawley
Written By: Jerry Juhl, Jack Burns
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
74
86% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
14% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
74
86% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
14% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Perfect for family viewing.
After that first second we quit wondering: This is magic, after all, so who wants to know where Henson is?
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 41 User Ratings
8.2
98% Positive
40 Ratings
40 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 41 User Ratings
8.2
98% Positive
40 Ratings
40 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
The first ever feature film starring the Muppets, and they are just as fun as ever! It’s been 40 years and this film remains ageless. It’s a film within a film showing approximately how the muppets got together. An agent approaches Kermit in the swamp showing him an ad for frogs who want to become rich and famous, and so he gathers a bunch of different muppets, being the ones we all know and love, and takes them to Hollywood! The characters are just as loveable and there is some great character development involved in this film. There are a number of musical numbers just as the muppets are known for, and they are some of the most memorable songs especially Rainbow Connection, which has made numerous returns. There are many celebrity cameos throughout, with most of them being guest stars from the Muppet Show, and a few different ones. They made a lot of muppet style jokes which all hit so well, as well as fourth wall breaking which the muppets do a lot of! Overall, this film is perfectly balanced with the comedy and the charm, and it still remains the best out of all the muppet movies!
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songs, chase scenes, and slapstick humor.... they're a lot of fun.
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There’s a fair amount of Hollywood magic in the way director James Frawley and Henson’s Muppeteers stick Kermit and friends into scenarios in which he’s riding a bike, rowing a boat, and walking in cowboy boots. But the less showy effects always defined the Muppets.
Jim Henson, Muppet originator, and Frank Oz, creative consultant, have abandoned the successful format of their vidshow, and inserted their creations into a well-crafted combo of musical comedy and fantasy adventure.
Cute without being insipid, funny without being childish, The Muppet Movie contains enough magic to please all ages.
It's also very well written by Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns and directed by James Frawley ("Kid Blue," "The Big Bus") with a comic touch that never becomes facetious.
“Life’s like a movie. Write your own ending. Keep Believing. Keep Pretending”
- Jim Henson
Do not judge this film by the title. This is not strictly a children’s movie. This is a film that has a message for all of those who have a dream to achieve.
The film is a movie within a movie, with all of the muppets attending a screening of a movie that tells how they all met and became a family. The actual movie begins with Kermit in a swamp singing what would become one of the iconic songs ever created, “The Rainbow Connection”. When the song ends, an agent named Bernie comes in a boat explaining to Kermit that he is able to reach his dream, which is “singing, dancing, and making millions of people happy” by traveling to Hollywood, Los Angeles. Along the way, he meets an entrepreneur named Doc Hopper, and his assistant Max, who wants to convince Kermit to become the new spokesman of his French-fried frog legs restaurant. Kermit refuses, and as the film goes on, Hopper increasingly becomes more aggressive to make Kermit become part of the struggling restaurant.
As Kermit makes his journey to Los Angeles, he meets Fozzie Bear, a jolly bear who struggles as a stand-up comedian in a sleazy bar. Feeling sorry for him, Kermit invites Fozzie to come with him along the ride and they soon experience misadventures where they meet the rest of the muppet characters, including Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, their manager Scooter and their pet Animal, The Great Gonzo and his girlfriend Camilla the Chicken, Sweetums, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, and Miss Piggy, who would become Kermit’s love interest, and chaos soon ensues while also doing everything they possibly can to avoid Doc Hopper.
These characters become so believable and lovable that you actually begin to feel for them as the film goes on. And by the time comes when the muppets finally arrive at Hollywood and are hired by studio executive Lew Lord, you will end up cheering for Kermit when he realizes that he had finally achieved his dream and developed a new family at the same time.
What makes this film so significant is the inspiring story, music, and the development of these "puppet" characters. At first the all consider each other as just “weird”, but as they move along in their journey, they all put their differences aside and learn about each other, developing as a colorful family, and Kermit finding the “Rainbow Connection”.
Out of all the muppet films, I can honestly say that this is the film that truly has the perfect balance of comedy along with heart and charm. Furthermore, the way the characters are portrayed in this film is very strong and actually allows them to connect with the audience, and with Paul Williams' beautiful score, the emotional core goes above and beyond, especially during the grand finale.
In short, 'The Muppet Movie' is a great film that represents the Muppets at their greatest with great humor and a lot of heart.
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This is really quite a charming watch nowadays, as its obviously made pre-CGI and I find it quite nostalgic. I grew up watching the Muppets - The Muppet Show, Muppets films and the Muppet Babies cartoons etc. I sometimes prefer the real life (2D?) puppet style of animation compared to sometimes almost neon coloured CGI films. I was particularly impressed to see a scene featuring Kermit riding a bike - that can't have been an easy scene to film, certainly.
I was pleasantly surprised to notice some good celebrity cameos/appearances, inclduing Steve Martin and there are plenty of amusing moments. There are one or two jokes that adults are likely to get, rather than kids, which is nice to see, given I'm watching it as an adult. One example being Rowlf the dog talking to Kermit while playing the piano, where he says 'Stay away from women, thats my motto' Kermit says 'I can't' ? and Rowlf admits 'I can't either, that's my problem'.
I liked seeing the story of how the various Muppet characters met up (Kermit and Miss Piggy meeting for the first time!), Kermits naive optimism and everything. It is, of course, very cheerful and in a good way. I liked the music and I would certainly recommend this film, yes.
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Almost 35 years later and this film still holds up really well. There is not much a story here but there doesn’t need to be. The characters in this movie are likeable and have a lot of charm, which make the film entertaining. Plus, the songs are pretty good. It may be different from the show but I think fans of the Muppets will be happy to see their favorite characters on the big screen. If you are fan of the Muppets definitely check this out as this a film with a lot of heart and charm.
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Production Company
Henson Associates (HA),
ITC Films
Release Date Jun 22, 1979
Duration 1 h 35 m
Rating G
Tagline More entertaining than humanly possible!
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
