Jim Henson vaulted Kermit, the famous floppy-armed frog, and his Muppet pals to the big screen with this charming 1979 musical adventure. Like the TV show that inspired it, Henson and director James Frawley playfully ackno... more »wledge movie clichés and conventions and allow the characters to address the camera in asides, like a Hope and Crosby road film for the 1980s. The ambitious singing frog decides to leave his swamp and conquer Hollywood, gathering a group of friends along the way (Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and more) and bumping into oodles of guest stars making tongue-in-cheek cameos (my favorite is the tip-of-the-hat appearance by Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy). Meanwhile, despicable fast-food king Charles Durning pursues Kermit, hoping to make him the spokesfrog for his Frogs-Legs restaurant franchise. Austin Pendleton costars as Durning's sad sack henchman while guest stars include James Coburn, Dom DeLuise, Madeleine Kahn, Steve Martin, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Carol Kane, Cloris Leachman, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Elliot Gould, Orson Welles, and Big Bird. Paul Williams penned the bouncy, song-filled score. You'll believe a frog can sing! --Sean Axmaker« less
Bridgett M. (WalkingAndTalking) from HOPKINS, MN Reviewed on 10/22/2022...
Every kid and every adult-who-never-really-grew-up should have some version of this movie, the original and the best of all the Muppet movies, in their collection. It is great and has wonderful songs and cameos.
Kermit: "Where did you learn to drive?"
Fozzie: "I took a correspondence course."
Jeannie H. (skahlet) from EDWARDSVILLE, IL Reviewed on 10/25/2009...
I had not watched this movie in a long time and had forgotten how incredibly clever and witty it is. So much of the humor (a good deal of it puns) is geared toward adults, with all the visuals being quite satisfying to children. Just a brilliant, creative film. There will never be another Jim Hensen.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
5 star movie, 2 stars for shoddy treatment and extras
Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 11/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"OK to clear up some confusion about the latest incarnation of "The Muppet Movie" this edition is celebrating the fact that Kermit always a bit green around the gills is 50 years old. That said I'm completely unimpressed with this edition of a classic family movie. I'll get to the reasons why in just a bit in the meantime here's a recap of the plot for those of you who have forgotten what its about.
Discovered by a big time agent (Dom DeLuise) playing his banjo among the reeds and lilly pads, Kermit (Jim Henson) moves to Hollywood for fame and fortune. Along the way he hooks up with Miss Piggy (Frank Oz), Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz) and other Muppets who are looking for their road to the big time. Kermit is pursued by Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) who wants to open a chain of fast food frog leg restaurants. He hopes to make Kermit his company mascot. Along the way Kermit and his friends meet a who's who of Hollywood's funniest comedians along the way. Featuring a who's who list of top notch celebrity talent including Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahnm Richard Pryor, Edgar Bergen, Steve Martin and others, "The Muppet Movie" provided the early template for family films that could also be adult friendly as well.
With bright vivid colors "The Muppet Movie" looks solid in this DVD transfer but the film could have used a bit of restoration. Image clarity and sharpness are not what they could have been as well with an occasional softness that surprised me. Granted, this edition looks better than the Tri-Star release of four years ago but the film really needs to be carefully restored improving the overall image and sound quality. The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix presents dialogue with nice clarity but the music score and just about everything else in the movie's soundtrack comes across sounding tightly compressed. Again, an overall disappointment even when compared to the previous edition of this movie from four years ago.
I would have thought that a great movie would deserve great extras. Instead, the best extra from the previous edition (Frawley's test footage) is missing from this edition. Instead of that we get an underwhelming five minute featurette about Kermit. It's a waste of money and space on the DVD. We also get the usual assortment of Disney previews at the beginning although you can skip them. A note to Disney--including a full screen version of the same movie no longer counts as a special feature
About the only good thing about this DVD release are the chapters placed throughout the film. It makes navigating to a particular scene pretty easy overall but that's not saying much in an age where "The Wizard of Oz" gets a deluxe three DVD edition or even the recent "War of the Worlds" a two disc edition. Honestly, it feels like Disney blew it here. I'm not sure they knew what they wanted to put on the disc and this smells suspiciously like a double dip down the line. Considering the deluxe treatment that Disney recently gave "The Muppet Show" on DVD, I'm really surprised at how shabbily they treated this classic film.
A classic that receives truly pedestrian treatment, I'd recommend waiting to see if a deluxe edition of this film is coming out before buying. If you don't have the very good previous edition of this film on DVD and feel you must have it now by all means feel free to pick it up. I have the distinct feeling you'll be kicking yourself later however and suggest renting and then taking a wait and see attitude about buying this feeble "Special Edition". Man talk about being green, watching the treatment this classic received on DVD made me sick to my stomach.
"
Great movie--but what the HEY? Censorship!
Wayne Klein | 11/05/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I love the Muppet Movie. Its nods to film noir and buddy films, the music by the fabulous Paul Williams, the celebrity cameos, the characters--especially Miss Piggy and Fozzie. Now then, I always watched the Muppets very aware that the movies were working on both the child and adult level, and happily put in the DVD anticipating my favorite muppet joke of all: when Kermit walks into a bar after having lost Piggy and says, sadly, "I'll have a grasshopper, please."Great joke! Kids won't know what a "grasshopper" is or that he is boozing over being stood up--they'll just tune out til the music! So why did they cut it from the DVD? Especially when they kept the visual that Kermit drank alllll the champagne after Piggy left, and Rowlf's assertion that every night he has "a coupla beers." This PC thing has gone too far. I suppose it's not enough to deduct a whole star--except it's my all time fave muppet moment.Oh well, love the movie. And love the DVD option of watching it in French, where they have to change Piggy's trademark "Moi!" to "Me.""
DVD NOT "censored", but "The Muppets Go Hollywood" SHOULD'VE
Just A Fan | Atlanta, GA | 07/15/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Let's clear up some confusion here....the "grasshopper" comment was on the movie soundtrack ONLY. It was NOT in the film. If you listen to the song "I hope that something better comes along" from the soundtrack recording, MOST of the dialog exchange between Rowlf and Kermit prior to the beginning of the song, is DIFFERENT than the movie (not just the "grasshopper" line). The different dialog on the soundtrack was to help make sense of the scene in which the song takes place, for those who hadn't seen the film.
I have an old VHS tape of The Muppet Movie from 1984, and the "grasshopper" line isn't on that either. Nothing was censored for the DVD.
I agree that the Muppets' 1979 TV special "The Muppets Go Hollywood" (which promoted the film's release), SHOULD have been included on this DVD. I'm deducting one star for that ridiculous omission."
Creme de la Kermie.
David C. Roller | United States | 06/04/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mini review of one of my alltime 10 favorite films.Many people question why this is on my top 10. I think the question is why is it not on theirs? This is pure entertainment for the whole family. It is a movie that works on all levels. The story is enchanting. The music is charming and whimsical. The muppetry is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a better opening to a movie than the rainbow connection sequence. The movie is a cornucopia of awesome quotes. I think my favorite still remains: If frog's couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn.The cameo roles are excellent as well. Steve Martin excels as a put upon waiter. Dom Delouise is impressive as a hollywood agent adrift in a swamp and Mel Brooks steals the show as a german mad scientist."
Bittersweet, uplifting, and utterly charming!
Michael J. Chrush | Kent, WA United States | 07/25/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the original, and the best of the three original Muppet Movies. Following this was THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER and THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN. Those are also very good, but THE MUPPET MOVIE is by far the best for many reasons. Not only does it make a wonderful family film, but a good film to watch with your loved one. This movie contains the best cast of Celebrity Cameos, has the most memorable moments, and is an important movie, due to the story of Kermit the Frog and friends pursuing their dreams of going to stardom in Hollywood. It inspires us as young viewers to have a dream and to pursue it without ever giving up. Last reason, and the best reason as to why this film is so great is the soundtrack. I personally love THE RAINBOW CONNECTION song at the beginning. It is such a beautiful song. It is so bittersweet and most of the time when I hear it, it makes me cry. What are you waiting for? Buy this wonderful film now!"