Everyone has those movies from their childhood that they secretly love to watch well into adulthood. Well, maybe not everyone, but I certainly do. I can't count the number of times I've watched Hook. Being bedridden with a bad cold doesn't feel complete without a viewing of The Last Unicorn. Of course, any day is a good day for Classic Disney.
The greatest of all, perhaps, is The Great Muppet Caper. Most movies aimed at children tend to also have moments thrown in for adults as well, but a recent viewing of this classic Jim Henson film showed that just as much of the movie, if not more, was meant for an older audience to 'get.' This may be a given, since the Muppets are most associated with The Muppet Show, a prime time variety show that may not have had cursing or other such 'adult content' standbys, but certainly was a little bit easier for adults to laugh along to than your garden variety children's program. Of course, some of the moments that the young viewers could understand are just as funny.
What better way to celebrate one of my favourite classics than to take a look at some of the moments that made me laugh, not only as a child, but as an adult as well. And what better number of these moments to look at than twenty?
20. Cornered in the Closet
Miss Piggy has lied to intrepid hero Kermit the Frog, letting him believe that she is famous fashion designer Lady Holiday after a mix-up in Holiday's office. Taking advantage of the gullible hero; who she falls in love with on sight, she arranges for them to have a dinner date. Only he wants to pick her up from her house, and Piggy's digs aren't quite up to famous fashion designer standards, so she does the only logical thing. Makes up a swanky address, and breaks into the house so Kermit has a nice door to walk up to. Inside the house live an elderly couple who haven't left their home or had exposure to other people in twelve years (played hilariously by John Cleese and Joan Sanderson). While Piggy takes Kermit on a quick tour of the place, Cleese's Neville follows, fire-poker in hand, ready to confront the invaders.
He corners them in the closet, and as he pulls the door open, poker poised to strike, he sees a Pig and Frog all done up in their finest. So he does the only logical thing for him to do. Look embarrassed, hide the poker behind his back, and offer his assistance. The scene ends with Piggy telling the homeowner "No time for cocktails," before his wife enters and they squabble over the restaurant (or rather 'supper club') he recommended to them.
Only in England could the elderly be so accommodating to their animal home invaders.
19. Bears and Frogs
One of the great parts of the movie, which is the basis for several jokes, is that the muppets aren't playing themselves, they are playing characters. Kermit the Frog is playing an investigative reporter who also happens to be named Kermit the Frog, for example.
One of the (seemingly random) plot points of the movie is that Kermit and Fozzie Bear are playing identical twin brothers. Obviously, this is a point for much hilarity throughout the movie, since nothing is done to the 'actors' to make them look any more alike. One of the recurring jokes on the subject is that Fozzie and Kermit only look alike when Fozzie is wearing a hat (even if Kermit isn't wearing one). That leads to this joke, where Kermit is sitting alone on a bench, contemplating life, and a man and his daughter pass by.
"Look Dad, there's a bear!" says the girl. "No Christine, that's a frog; bears wear hats," corrects the father, and the girl gives an understanding nod.
That the only discernible difference between a bear and a frog is that a bears wear hats is a broad (and hilarious) proclamation to make just to reinforce a useless plot point.
Also funny and somewhat related: the picture of Kermit and Fozzie's "father:"
18. Adults are Complicated
This is a somewhat odd moment in the film. Even as a child, I didn't quite understand how this made it into a movie that is mostly for children. It isn't particularly risque, but it just somehow seems...inappropriate. But at the same time it is a rather funny moment.
Kermit and Piggy are out on their date, accompanied by Fozzie, Gonzo, and pretty much the rest of the muppet cast. Kermit realizes that the roast beef costs the same as an Oldsmobile, and that he needs some cash in order to pick up the bill. Gonzo, intrepid photographer, is on the job! He'll take pictures of the other diners, and offer to send them the photos for a $10 fee. An excellent idea.
One pair of diners, however, don't really want the pictures. Gonzo insists that it would make a lovely memento of a night out for the wife, to which the man counters that his wife is feeling quite under the weather at the moment. "Maybe she should be at home," Gonzo offers helpfully, with no small amount of sympathy. "My wife is at home!" the man snaps with venom almost visibly flying from his mouth.
Adultery seems like a somewhat...adult topic for a muppet movie. But the pure rage the man delivers the line with after a great set-up, and the hasty retreat Gonzo beats are pure gold. Though it also would have been great if Gonzo snapped the picture anyway, and then demanded some fat cash. Extortion is funny, right?
17. Of Accents and Licenses
Beauregard, the janitor from The Muppet Show, plays a friendly cab driver in Caper. Friendly, but rather simple. Like Fozzie and Kermit being identical twin brothers, Beau is playing a character, though there is no discernible change to the rest of his character.
As Beau navigates his cab to the Happiness Hotel, destruction following in his wake, he comments that it does take some to get used to navigating the city of London. When asked how long he's lived in the town, Beau, completely serious, replies "all my life." When asked why he doesn't have an accent like one would expect, Beau's reply is to say "Hey, I'm lucky to have a driver's license!" drive up onto a sidewalk and narrowly avoid hitting a newspaper stand and several pedestrians.
Hahahahaha, what?
16. Can You Imagine?
While staying in London, Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo elect to stay in the Happiness Hotel, which offers payment options like credit card, cash or 'sneak out in the middle of the night.' It's permanent tenants are an eccentric and colourful bunch (see: The Muppets), and is staffed by an elderly clerk and a group of rat bellhops.
As the occupants do a little song and dance to welcome their guests, Kermit remarks to piano-playing dog Rowlf that the bellhops seem to resemble group of rodents. "You should see the chambermiads!" Rowlf replies.
We never see these chambermaids, but if the bellhops are rats, one can only wonder what horrible creatures these chambermaids are.
15. Barnyard Animals
The funny thing about Miss Piggy is that not only does she believe she is basically a perfect, sophisticated person (despite being a pig that often resorts to physical violence and hard-talking), but she is seen by almost everyone around her as being a perfect, sophisticated person. In The Great Muppet Caper this is basically explained by the fact that they are all actors playing roles. The character of Lady Holiday, however, is generally unimpressed by Miss Piggy's supposed looks and talents.
In Piggy's introduction, she is shortly proceeded by Lady Holiday remarking to her secretary that work needs to be done on the fashion line, as her models are all "going around looking like barnyard animals." On cue, enter the pig. Funny, but the real joke comes after.
Piggy announces her intentions to become a high fashion model. This proposal is met with Lady Holiday saying with no small amount of deadpanned exasperation: "Doesn't surprise me, seems to be the way we're headed."
Take THAT 1980s high fashion industry!
14. Pleasant Accommodations
Like anyone visiting a foreign country, our trio of heroes waste no time in beginning their search for a place to park their carcasses. Luckily for them, they happen to land (after being thrown out of a plane, the most economical way to travel. I expect it will become the norm soon) in a pond right in front of a friendly bench-sitting Englishman, who also happens to have the world's smallest book of accommodation listings. His book offers the following cheap places to stay for the broke reporters and their photographer: Riverbanks, Bus Terminals, and the Happiness Hotel.
To Kermit, the Happiness Hotel sounds like a pleasant enough place to stay. Gonzo seems to have other ideas as he indigently demands "What's wrong with bus terminals?"
Also, notice the Gonzo is officially classified as a "Whatever," finally answering the all-important question of "what the heck is that thing?"
13. Paper Towels
Lew Zealand is a muppet best known for throwing fish. That's pretty much his schtick, he talks a little like a young Jack Donaghy and throws fish that come back to him like boomerangs.
His contribution to The Great Muppet Caper is to be pretty much the most unhelpful character who offers useless solutions to insurmountable problems. When the gang of muppets decides to catch the villainous jewel thieves, they must first get into the museum where the theft is going to take place. To get into the museum, they need to get past the iron bars that block the way. Rowlf managed to forget the blowtorch (or if you ask him, no one said anything about a blowtorch), but Lew Zealand pops forwards (un)helpfully, declaring, "I've got some paper towels!" The solution they first decide upon is to try to get Animal to eat the iron bars, so maybe Lew's suggestion to go with the towels wasn't so bad, in hindsight.
Later on the group is faced with another challenge, this time getting from the roof of the museum down to the room where the giant Baseball Diamond is on display, ripe for stealing. Kermit decides that the best idea is to make a ladder that would support their weight. "Good idea!" Lew Zealand enthuses, "here's the paper towels!"
12. Rosenthal, Attorney at Law
Miss Piggy is framed for the theft of Lady Holiday's diamonds, and taken to jail. Kermit and the gang are determined to exonerate her by catching the real thieves in the act. They must get word to Piggy that they are on the case, but how can they get to her while she in jail? Easy, by posing as her attorney.
The get-up pictured is the disguise Kermit employs to fake his way into a visit with his imprisoned love. When she sees that it's Kermit, Piggy is understandably excited, but Kermit plays it cool, determined to keep his cover. "Please," he corrects the giddy pig, "me name is Rosenthal."
Delivered with what is supposed to be some kind of accent, but is really just his normal voice but slightly lower, the inflection coupled with the fake voice and false mustache make the whole scene hilarious. The fact that Piggy obliges and refers to him only as 'Rosenthal' for the rest of the scene (including a sigh of 'I love you, Rosenthal') makes sure the laughs keep coming.
11. Non-Sequiturial Issues
Miss Piggy has been framed for jewel theft! On top of that, Gonzo overheard the real thieves planning to steal Lady Holiday's largest and most expensive jewel, the Baseball Diamond, from its home in the Mallory Gallery at midnight! Chaos erupts as all the muppets begin talking at once in an indistinguishable buzz at the prospect of this exciting news. Well, all except Janice, guitarist in the Electric Mayhem, who takes the opportunity to air out some mother issues she apparently has. As Kermit shouts regain order amongst the rabble, Janice continues her long-pent up rebellious rant in her Carly Simon-inspired voice, saying, "Look, mother, it's my life ooookaaaay? So if I want to live on the beach and walk around naked...." before trailing off in a classic bit of 'loud music cuts out and shouting person says something funny/embarrassing that no one should have heard.'
One can only laugh at what she had said during the racket, or what she would have said after. In any case, we now know just how much Janice dreams of ocean waves and public nudity.
The show will go on! Check back later for Part two!
