This review originally appeared on the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s “Roll Film” movie review site (http://www.biketraffic.org/content.php?id=219_0_6_0). Each film was also reviewed by my CBF colleague, Greg Borzo, who focused more on the bike content.
THE MUPPET MOVIE
4 Wheels
Yes, The Muppet Movie only features one scene with a bicycle, but it's a doozy. Kermit the Frog had, up to this point, only been seen from the torso up. When we see America's most beloved frog in full for the first time, he is riding a bicycle. Remember, this is long before computer animation. For many in my generation, this is as memorable a special effect as Superman flying. (You'll believe a frog can pedal!)
I claim no objectivity in this review. I grew up with the Muppets and they are fully integrated with my childhood memories. For many in their thirties today, the Muppets played the same role as Walt Disney characters for earlier generations. "Sesame Street" debuted in 1969, the year before I was born. As toddlers, we learned to read and count with the help of Jim Henson's creations.
As we grew from toddlers to children, the Muppets grew with us. "The Muppet Show" (1976-1981) was not just for kids, but for the entire family. Unforgettable characters like Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and The Great Gonzo combined slapstick, music and puns for a consistently high quality satire of seventies-era variety shows. After The Muppet Movie, Henson developed more realistic and even disturbing creatures for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, which was geared toward young teens.
The genius of The Muppet Movie is that it took these characters we grew up with in a TV studio and placed them, for the first time, in the real world. It's an old-fashioned road movie about how the core Muppets first meet and their dreams of becoming movie stars in Hollywood. The first shot is a zoom into a real swamp with Kermit playing banjo in a rowboat.
Throughout, the Muppets will interact, not with a kid's movie cast, but with legendary performers like Bob Hope and Orson Welles. This movie also features bits by Steve Martin, Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks. These are not just three of the funniest comedians of the time, but also the edgiest.
Among other things, The Muppet Movie has going for it are the memorable musical numbers by Paul Williams. "The Rainbow Connection" is a simply beautiful song. Its lyrics about making dreams come true are genuinely moving and provide an emotional anchor to contrast with the silliness.
Speaking of silliness, my favorite pun is the exchange between Kermit and Fozzie as they reach a fork in the road. Kermit says, "Bear left," and Fozzie replies, "Frog right." Looking at the film again as an adult, I was pleased to discover that, unlike many childhood favorites, The Muppet Movie holds up. Somehow these pieces of cloth come off as more human than many actors who have starred in similar plots. For my money, it's my favorite film geared primarily towards kids. It's full-on entertainment and a classic.
(By the way, none of the Muppet sequels approach the quality of the original, but it should be noted that in 1981's The Great Muppet Caper, a whole slew of Muppets are seen riding bicycles as a nod to the famous bike scene in this film.)
THE MUPPET MOVIE
4 Wheels
Yes, The Muppet Movie only features one scene with a bicycle, but it's a doozy. Kermit the Frog had, up to this point, only been seen from the torso up. When we see America's most beloved frog in full for the first time, he is riding a bicycle. Remember, this is long before computer animation. For many in my generation, this is as memorable a special effect as Superman flying. (You'll believe a frog can pedal!)
I claim no objectivity in this review. I grew up with the Muppets and they are fully integrated with my childhood memories. For many in their thirties today, the Muppets played the same role as Walt Disney characters for earlier generations. "Sesame Street" debuted in 1969, the year before I was born. As toddlers, we learned to read and count with the help of Jim Henson's creations.
As we grew from toddlers to children, the Muppets grew with us. "The Muppet Show" (1976-1981) was not just for kids, but for the entire family. Unforgettable characters like Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and The Great Gonzo combined slapstick, music and puns for a consistently high quality satire of seventies-era variety shows. After The Muppet Movie, Henson developed more realistic and even disturbing creatures for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, which was geared toward young teens.
The genius of The Muppet Movie is that it took these characters we grew up with in a TV studio and placed them, for the first time, in the real world. It's an old-fashioned road movie about how the core Muppets first meet and their dreams of becoming movie stars in Hollywood. The first shot is a zoom into a real swamp with Kermit playing banjo in a rowboat.
Throughout, the Muppets will interact, not with a kid's movie cast, but with legendary performers like Bob Hope and Orson Welles. This movie also features bits by Steve Martin, Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks. These are not just three of the funniest comedians of the time, but also the edgiest.
Among other things, The Muppet Movie has going for it are the memorable musical numbers by Paul Williams. "The Rainbow Connection" is a simply beautiful song. Its lyrics about making dreams come true are genuinely moving and provide an emotional anchor to contrast with the silliness.
Speaking of silliness, my favorite pun is the exchange between Kermit and Fozzie as they reach a fork in the road. Kermit says, "Bear left," and Fozzie replies, "Frog right." Looking at the film again as an adult, I was pleased to discover that, unlike many childhood favorites, The Muppet Movie holds up. Somehow these pieces of cloth come off as more human than many actors who have starred in similar plots. For my money, it's my favorite film geared primarily towards kids. It's full-on entertainment and a classic.
(By the way, none of the Muppet sequels approach the quality of the original, but it should be noted that in 1981's The Great Muppet Caper, a whole slew of Muppets are seen riding bicycles as a nod to the famous bike scene in this film.)
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