Sunday, 26 May 2013

FILM OF THE WEEK (26/05/2013): The Great Muppet Caper (1981, Dir. Jim Henson, UK/USA) (Cert: U/G) ****




Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, David Goelz
 

 

Kermit The Frog (Henson) and Fozzy Bear (Oz) play the roles of two investigative journalists, joined by photographer Gonzo (Goelz). The trio go to London to cover a case involving a theft of jewels belonging to a wealthy fashion designer (Dame Diana Rigg). Kermit meets and falls in love with the aspirational Miss Piggy (Oz, again) as they try to get to the bottom of the diamond mystery.

 

The Great Muppet Caper is a case where the title perfectly sums up the film. Primarily the film is, as should be obvious, a comedy and of the rather wacky variety. The film’s premise is very novel in that it’s played with the idea of the Muppet characters being actors and the central plot being an “actual” movie (the fourth wall is continuously broken, even a moment where Kermit and Piggy have an argument regarding her acting). This helps as the heist plot isn’t too strong and the romantic subplot really side-tracks the film at times (even if it is almost necessary) but the gags are hilarious and on a technical level, the puppetry is formidable, not to mention the occasional appearances of Dame Diana Rigg, John Cleese and Peter Ustinov.

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