The Muppets

[Daniel]

Moved posts regarding Alvin here.

To get back to the Muppets, here's the official plot synopsis.

[EricJ]

Wow...So it really IS the Country Bears Movie.

(And besides, "Manhattan" did the Muppets-in-retirement jokes better--If Richard Hunt were alive, Scooter would still be working at a 3-D movie theater...)

[Daniel]

A picture on set with the new Muppet.

[GeorgeC]

Peter Ustinov had the right attitude towards The Muppets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ustinov

=> "Ustinov appeared as a guest star during the first season of The Muppet Show in 1976. The theme of the show had Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Hilda ‘The Wardrobe Lady’ and Scooter openly saying to Kermit the Frog how much they admired and wanted to be like Peter Ustinov. Kermit was under the impression that they harboured these feeling towards him but hastily altered them when Ustinov was on the show, and so to cheer himself up Kermit goes off and sings ‘It’s Not Easy Bein' Green’. At the end of the episode Kermit admits to Ustinov that he feels a bit jealous and Ustinov responds by saying ‘...I’m jealous of you. I’ve always wanted to be a frog.’ One of the highlights of the episode is when Ustinov becomes ‘The Robot Politician’, which was Bunsen Honeydew's latest invention. In the sketch when ‘The Robot Politician’ inevitably breaks down, Ustinov accidentally punches Dr. Bunsen Honeydew in the face before blowing up. In a later interview about his time with Jim Henson's creations he said ‘...you took the characters absolutely seriously and paid no attention to the manipulator...’ adding ‘...there's an old theatrical saying...“never work with children or animals”...I would add puppets to that list because they always steal the limelight.’"

Of course, how could you disagree with a fellow who once said he'd like his tombstone to read, "Please keep off the grass"?

[EricJ]

A picture on set with the new Muppet.

WOW! IT'S THE NEW MUPPET! A...Sesame Street whatsit...

(And yeah, I know, he's the Country Bears:Haley Joel Osment equivalent in the plot, but still:
I sense a distinct lack of Henson/Juhl insanity, filled in by a lot of people trying to imitate what they remember from 1976. Or 1999.)

[Whippet Angel]

That... Sounds kinda lame...

And Eric, please don't ever mention that dreadful movie again. I'm still trying to erase my (shameful) memory of watching it by denying the fact that it ever existed in the first place.

[Daniel]

Official logo:



And a short interview with Amy Adams and Jason Segel. Miss Lane. Ha.

[Randall]

Underwhelmed by the logo, but no biggie. I just hope the movie soars.

[EricJ]

Underwhelmed by the logo, but no biggie.

And am I symbolically reading too much into the idea that the logo looks like Kermit beheaded?
(Oh sure, Disney, go ahead, mock our pain.)

And a short interview with Amy Adams and Jason Segel. Miss Lane. Ha.

"Watch as I call her Miss Lane."

(Watch as the interviewer is more excited about another Superman than about Adams being this year's New Charles Grodin...)

[gaastra]

Trailer for the new muppets film.

[Darkblade]

The trailer seems to be focusing on the human characters over the muppets for some reason.

[EricJ]

Think that was supposed to be the "surprise". (Although I sense the point you're going for, and concur.)

Although, if we were really supposed to think we were watching a romantic comedy about Segel and Adams as two Glee-escapee naifs acting all Enchanted-cutesy in the big city...seeing Kermit was kind of a relief.

[Macaluso]

That trailer is amazing and you're wrong if you think otherwise.

[Ben]

"Kermit The Fffffrog". Genius.

They pushed this just about as far as it would go before it looked like any other lame romantic comedy, but after the "Are there Muppets in this movie?" and the quick-cut montage, I had a huge grin on my face. I still don't like Eric Jacobson's Fozzie (too "rounded" in his tone, and too highly pitched), but it's cool (?) that they seem to have digitally erased the arm controlling sticks (I looked and looked and couldn't see any). I'm not sure if that's cool (as the question mark implies) and gives them more of their own "life", or if it takes away some of what makes the Muppets the Muppets.

But it is time to tweet the Muppets (love that!) and I can't wait!

[Dacey]

Another trailer:



I am so loving the marketing for this movie so far.