For over 40 years, The Muppets have been some of the most iconic and comedic figures in pop culture. With countless movies, specials, and TV shows, it can be difficult to select one that stands out above the rest. However, a real contender for that title is their very first movie from 1979.
Appropriately titledThe Muppet Movie, this film depicts an origin story for our favorite cast of characters. Traveling to Hollywood hoping to become rich and famous, Kermit the Frog meets Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and more along the way.
There’s no shortage of musical numbers, which avoid thecontroversy ofThe Muppet Christmas Carol, laughs, or that signature Muppets meta-humor. It even has some surprisingly heartfelt moments for a movie based on a puppet sketch comedy. But just what is it aboutThe Muppet Moviethat’s allowed it to stand the test of time for decades? As both the first theatrical outing and an origin story, Jim Henson and the crew needed to get a lot right. It’s safe to say that they did. So let’s take a closer look at the movie and why it is still regarded as the peak of Muppet entertainment.
The Muppet Movie Features a Legendary Opening
The Muppet Movie
So what goes down inThe Muppet Movie? It starts in appropriate Muppet fashion, as a movie-within-a-movie where the familiar gang gathers in the theater to watch their completely “true” origin story. Kicking off with that legendary opening number, we first see Kermit the Frog home in his swamp as he’s approached with the possibility of becoming rich and famous.
He sets out for Hollywood and first encounters Fozzie Bear, struggling as a local stand-up comedian. The bear joins Kermit as the two evade fast-food magnate Doc Hopper, who wants Kermit to be the face of his fried frog legs restaurant. Kermit and Fozzie continue with more musical numbers and road trip hijinks, meeting Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, and more along the way. Doc Hopper catches up and attempts to brainwash Kermit into joining him, though the frog slips away again. Kermit and Miss Piggy also develop a romance, though she leaves after another job offer.
The Muppet Christmas Carol Is Still the Best Adaptation of the Charles Dickens Novel
The Muppet Christmas Carol was released over 30 years ago, yet it still features some of the best performances in a Charles Dickens adaptation.
The group continues, though Hopper’s assistant Max warns them that he hired an assassin to take out Kermit. The Muppet leader (joined by the gang and a returned Miss Piggy) decides to face off against Doc once and for all. Kermit is rescued thanks to Animal, who consumed some of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s growth pills and is now as tall as a building. Doc is scared off, and the gang finishes their trek to Hollywood, where they land that rich and famous contract.
The final musical number scene pans out to reveal countless Muppets,Sesame Streetcharacters, andThe Land of Gorchmembers singing and enjoying their newfound fame and fortune. For those under 65,The Land of Gorchwas Jim Henson’s “adult” Muppet series from the first season ofSaturday Night Live. The show was a bit different back then.
Why This Type of Movie?
The plot summary doesn’t do this movie justice; anyone who’s seen it knows just how iconic it is. Part of that legacy comes from the style of the movie itself. Back in 1979, The Muppets didn’t have the extensive filmography they are known for today. There were noMuppet Babies, noMuppets Christmas specialsor parody movies, nothing scripted, and obviously no streaming releases.
The Muppet Showwas their only major work. It was your conventional variety-sketch comedy show, just with Muppets instead of humans making up the cast, though it’s filled with fantasticguest stars. One might expect that a movie based on a sketch comedy show might follow the same setup. We could have seenThe Muppet Movieplay out like an extended episode of their show. Instead, we received a full-length scripted production that put care and attention into telling a compelling origin story.
Muppets Movies in Order Chronologically and by Release Date
It’s time to play the music, to light the lights, and determine if you want to watch the Muppet movies in chronological order or by order of release.
This isn’t to say that a sketch comedy movie would have been bad; if anyone could nail down that struggling genre, it’s the Muppets. However, this movie gave a chance to expand the lore and backstories while making the characters feel like real people instead of actors doing a bit. It still has that Muppet vibe with its musical numbers and severalgreat human performances.
Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, and Orson Welles all pop in for bit parts. They don’t exactly hold up the fourth wall, either. When Kermit and Fozzie meet Dr. Teeth, they give him the movie’s script to read rather than retelling everything that’s happened so far. He even reads ahead in the script to find out where they’d be when they reunite later.
The Muppet Movie Represents a 40+ Year Legacy
The Muppet Movieshould also be praised for doing something almost no Muppet production had done before. It shows us the bottom half of Kermit the Frog. They’re typically seen in a close-up from the head to the waist. Not only do we get to sneak a peek at Kermit’s legs, but we even see him ride a bike. Honestly, that sequence alone could have made this the most significant Muppet work of our time.
But really, this movie started it all, allowing the Muppets to experiment in their follow-up works.The Great Muppet Caperwas the first to try this new style, relocating the characters as investigative reporters in London.The Muppet Christmas CarolandMuppet Treasure Islandwent even further, retelling classic literature stories with our favorite cast in the iconic roles. Today, these movies are all held in similar high regard, and that experimentation may not have been possible without the success of their first outing.
Each new movie and series has played with the format in some way, allowing the franchise to remain fresh for 40+ years. This movie is theMuppets at their best. It has comedy, musical numbers, celebrity cameos, meta-references, and even some heartfelt deep moments. It’s everything audiences have come to expect from the franchise wrapped up in a strong origin story. In the 40 years since, Kermit’s friends haven’t stopped producing quality movie after quality movie.
Whateverproject comes next, it will haveThe Muppet Movieto thank for demonstrating how to properly craft a talking puppet sketch comedy show origin movie.
