Yes... that is what today's post consists of. C'mon, it's Friday... gimme a break, will ya? How about we all agree to just blame The British Correspondent, deal? Sweet. See you tomorrow, Muppet fans!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Somebody's Getting (Got) Married
The British Correspondent emailed me early this morning (supposedly not as early wherever he's holed up at) and informed me that there was a wedding going on somewhere across the pond. Turns out that Prince William (do you think he has Prince Albert in a can?) and Kate Middleton (daughter of Wilbur Upperton and Francis Lowerton) tied the knot this morning over in merry old England in front of millions of people. So, that makes her a princess now, right? Well, bully for them! Me? I'll always be partial to another interspecies wedding, myself (interspecies in the sense of Willy and Kate meaning royal/not so much)...
Yes... that is what today's post consists of. C'mon, it's Friday... gimme a break, will ya? How about we all agree to just blame The British Correspondent, deal? Sweet. See you tomorrow, Muppet fans!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Yes... that is what today's post consists of. C'mon, it's Friday... gimme a break, will ya? How about we all agree to just blame The British Correspondent, deal? Sweet. See you tomorrow, Muppet fans!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
the gifts of GIFs
Another neat discovery via my husband. Watch these photos carefully and you'll see just the slightest thing happen: a man turning the pages of his newspaper, a taxi driving by as reflected in a cafe window (click on the images if they aren't "moving" for you). This is what it looks like when animated GIFs are done by artists. To see more work by Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg, check out their Tumblr: From Me to You.
Muppet Fan's Muppet Collection Chronicle: Dave Hulteen
Muppet Fan's Muppet Collection Chronicle: DAVE HULTEEN
Greetings, Muppet fans! I am so, so excited for today's post--it's an incredible treat for you. Our friend Dave Hulteen (of crazy awesome Muppet fan-art fame) (and of http://davehulteendesign.com) has produced, exclusively for The Muppet Mindset, an amazing video of his wonderful Muppet collection! The video features appearances by Dave's family and a special appearance by yours truly (no, I never got paid for this) as we marvel at Dave's Muppet fandom. I can't describe enough how much I love this video... and you should absolutely unequivocally check it out--conveniently located right here and now!
HUGE special thanks to our good friend and my pal Dave Hulteen for this terrifically awesome video! Dave really is the best and his talents never cease to amaze me!
If you would like to submit an article (or a video, if you're feeling ambitious) of your Muppet collection email Ryan Dosier at ryguy102390@gmail.com and we will be thrilled to showcase it here on The Muppet Mindset!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
deviantART
I found this image on deviantART and bookmarked it. It has been ages since I took the few Art History classes I have under my belt, so I can't speak to the composition, tones, or technique- I've become unfamiliar with the jargon. I will say I find it striking and interesting and since I bookmarked it, I have revisited the photograph a dozen times.
deviantART is like an immense arts festival at your fingertips. It is a collection of millions of works, in all sorts of mediums, from artists around the globe. Every now and then I browse, and on occasion I bookmark an image I want to spend time figuring out. There is no shortage of talented artists out there and this is a place to see the work of many of them.
Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Marvin Suggs
Performed by...Frank Oz
First appearance...
The Muppet Show Episode 105: Rita Moreno (1976)
Most recent appearance...
The Muppets (2011)
Best known role...
Muppaphone player, manager, operator, slave-driver; PETA's Most Wanted.
WHO IS MARVIN SUGGS?
Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphone were one of the first recurring acts on The Muppet Show. Marvin is the world's only known player of the famed Muppaphone instrument, which consists of a group of furry pink and orange creatures who make the most beautiful yelping sound when struck just the right way with a mallet. Marvin is well-known for his performances on the Muppaphone of such timeless classics including "Lady of Spain" and "Witch Doctor." 
Although most often seen with the Muppaphone, Marvin Suggs is a multi-talented individual as can be seen in the Steve Martin episode of The Muppet Show when he performed "Yes, We Have No Bananas" with his All-Food Glee Club. However, Marvin's true passion seems to rest with his beloved Muppaphone, considering his leafy-green show choir never appeared again. (Or perhaps they broke up when Marvin threatened to turn them into a salad... the world may never know.)Oddly unseen since the days of The Muppet Show, Marvin's most recent appearance was a very brief cameo in Muppets From Space. He is presumably on tour (or off the grid) with his Muppaphone, entertaining the masses with his inhumane exploits.
Although Marvin has been largely absent, an action figure was made of Marvin in 2004 as part of Series 8 of Palisades Toys line of action figures. Marvin came packaged with two mallets, a musical wall, and six Muppaphones. Series 8 also included a variant figure of Marvin, dressed in black and silver attire.MARVIN SUGGS AND FRANK OZ
Although Marvin Suggs is a very obscure character, Frank Oz still talked about and developed a backstory for Marvin, which was expanded upon in the liner notes for the 2002 CD "Muppets: Music, Mayhem and More." When asked about Marvin, Frank said,
"I don't recall where Marvin Suggs came from... probably from one of the writer's meetings. But the accent came from my French friend Phillippe Gentry -- I just exaggerated it and made it really annoying. I've always felt Marvin lived in a scuzzy trailer park with his put-upon wife, and he kept the Muppaphones in a cage and would beat them regularly."WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED MARVIN SUGGS?
Quite frankly, they might not need him, really. After all, the Muppets already have multiple counts of animal abuse (read: karate chopping pigs, sexually harassing king prawns, bears with tomatoes hurled at them), so tossing Marvin Suggs back in the mix will surely do nothing to get PETA off of their furry backs.However, Marvin was always very funny and his over-exaggerated performance by Frank Oz was a hoot. That voice is still something I try to imitate (it ain't easy) and I find myself quoting Mr. Suggs often, saying, "I am not a CRUEL man!" So... the Muppets might not need Marvin, but wouldn't it be fun to see him smacking those whiny balls of fur again?
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
"A Mother’s Prayer for Its Child"
A blogger shared the following awesome "prayer" from Tina Fey's Bossypants. It makes me want to read the book even more now...
"A Mother's Prayer for Its Child" by Tina Fe
First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.”
from "Bossypants" (via Melody Godfred)
Got a Question? Ask Cookie Monster!
The world we live in is full of questions... Where will we go when we die? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who do we ask these questions? Well, hopefully, you won't want to ask Cookie Monster said questions. (Because, let's face it, he probably doesn't know either.) But, you might want to ask him some other sort of question! If that is the case (how could it not be?) then you should be very interested in Huffington Post's Social Interviews series because they will be interviewing our friend Cookie Monster very soon!How does one go about asking the great Cookie Monster a question? Well, it's simple really... as Huffington Post explains:
Do you have a question? If so, please leave your name, city and question in the comments below; tweet your question to @huffingtonpost with hashtag #socialinterviews; or email one to submissions@huffingtonpost.com with the subject line "Social Interviews."
So, what are you waiting for?! I know you have a question for Cookie Monster... and now's your chance to ask! Oh, me so excited...
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Paper Theater
"He found the rarest of thistles by his rock in the wood."
"When she held her child she could walk through the forest, eyes high above the tree-tops."
"Her parents had named her Spring, yet her heart belonged to autumn..."
"The Rose Thief"
"Dreams for Weary Sailors"
"Advice from a Robin..."Artist Elly MacKay photographs her scenes of drawn, cut, layered paper to create these curious and theatrical images. It is a fascinating process that encompasses her wide array of artistic talents. Each print is an intricate, multifaceted piece of art.
How Soap Opera Cancellations May Affect The Muppets
In The Muppet Mindset's effort to provide daily content we have agreed to showcase a somewhat-different article from D.W. McKim today about soap operas and what could become a ripple effect to the Muppets. D.W.'s comments do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Muppet Mindset as a whole, nor are the ideas of how it might effect the Muppets founded in anything other than speculation--but it is good speculation to perhaps consider.
D.W. McKim - Today's article is a bit different since it concerns a subject one wouldn't normally expect to see on The Muppet Mindset. However, as a devoted fan of both Muppets and One Life to Live, I have a unique perspective on how the two franchise's fates intertwine and why Muppet fans should be concerned with recent developments surrounding the other.
When Disney acquired the Muppets in 2004, it took them down a long road to win over the acceptance, confidence, trust, and even love of Muppet fans. Though it's been a slow process, the general feeling among the fan community is that the sale may very well have been the best thing that ever happened to the Muppets, especially with Disney's full support and marketing muscle with the upcoming The Muppets movie. Lots of ill will, skepticism, and fears have been pacified.
However when the Muppets were acquired by Disney, they became part of a vast corporate "ecosystem". And like all ecosystems in nature, when one part is endangered, it eventually affects everything else. I'm talking about ABC's recent cancellation announcement of not one, but TWO of its iconic daytime dramas, All My Children and One Life to Live. On the surface, this would seem to be something that has nothing to do with the Muppets, but there are many reasons why Muppet fans should keep an eye on this situation.
Now of course, everyone reading this wants to know about the Muppets. As I've been gathering and disseminating info from and to several places, it's been a very sobering reminder of how many divisions of and executives within Disney are not as competent, understanding, or responsive to their fan-base as The Muppets Studio branch has been.
Since I had been spending a good month or so answering the exact same questions and typing up the same advice in different places, once the news came, I immediately set up a Save One Life to Live website so all the various forums and fan groups could get essential info in one place and be on the same page. My site of course was just one of several resources that quickly sprung up.
This has put me in a very odd and unique position as of late. Most everyone in the Muppet fandom community knows that I am a Muppet Freak of the highest order. But one of my major non-Henson fandoms has been One Life to Live. I started watching in 1992 to see the homophobia story they were doing and without expecting it, quickly became hooked for life. For the last several years, I found it amusing how two of my biggest loves were Disney properties.
This is a large movement that is determined to make a difference and not accept the destruction of these American Institutions. Much has already happened in under two weeks and things are only going to grow exponentially until something positive occurs. Unfortunately, several very reliable insiders soon reported that while ABC is feeling lots of heat, Disney has been largely unmoved and fans need to strike more at the heart to have any effect.
My own personal loyalty lies with the Muppets, as I've been a devoted fan practically since birth long before they became a Disney property. But it is still difficult when two fandoms collide like this.
I'd like to invite all Muppet fans to support these programs and the movement to rescue them. A good way to start would be to tune in to watch One Life to Live on Wednesday April 27 as they air a special episode paying tribute to six-time Emmy winner Erika Slezak's 40th anniversary in the role of Victoria Lord Banks. But I caution you, watch at your own risk--you may end up getting captivated enough to become as addicted as I did back in 1992!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
D.W. McKim - Today's article is a bit different since it concerns a subject one wouldn't normally expect to see on The Muppet Mindset. However, as a devoted fan of both Muppets and One Life to Live, I have a unique perspective on how the two franchise's fates intertwine and why Muppet fans should be concerned with recent developments surrounding the other.When Disney acquired the Muppets in 2004, it took them down a long road to win over the acceptance, confidence, trust, and even love of Muppet fans. Though it's been a slow process, the general feeling among the fan community is that the sale may very well have been the best thing that ever happened to the Muppets, especially with Disney's full support and marketing muscle with the upcoming The Muppets movie. Lots of ill will, skepticism, and fears have been pacified.
However when the Muppets were acquired by Disney, they became part of a vast corporate "ecosystem". And like all ecosystems in nature, when one part is endangered, it eventually affects everything else. I'm talking about ABC's recent cancellation announcement of not one, but TWO of its iconic daytime dramas, All My Children and One Life to Live. On the surface, this would seem to be something that has nothing to do with the Muppets, but there are many reasons why Muppet fans should keep an eye on this situation.Now of course, everyone reading this wants to know about the Muppets. As I've been gathering and disseminating info from and to several places, it's been a very sobering reminder of how many divisions of and executives within Disney are not as competent, understanding, or responsive to their fan-base as The Muppets Studio branch has been.
Since I had been spending a good month or so answering the exact same questions and typing up the same advice in different places, once the news came, I immediately set up a Save One Life to Live website so all the various forums and fan groups could get essential info in one place and be on the same page. My site of course was just one of several resources that quickly sprung up.
This has put me in a very odd and unique position as of late. Most everyone in the Muppet fandom community knows that I am a Muppet Freak of the highest order. But one of my major non-Henson fandoms has been One Life to Live. I started watching in 1992 to see the homophobia story they were doing and without expecting it, quickly became hooked for life. For the last several years, I found it amusing how two of my biggest loves were Disney properties.This is a large movement that is determined to make a difference and not accept the destruction of these American Institutions. Much has already happened in under two weeks and things are only going to grow exponentially until something positive occurs. Unfortunately, several very reliable insiders soon reported that while ABC is feeling lots of heat, Disney has been largely unmoved and fans need to strike more at the heart to have any effect. My own personal loyalty lies with the Muppets, as I've been a devoted fan practically since birth long before they became a Disney property. But it is still difficult when two fandoms collide like this. I'd like to invite all Muppet fans to support these programs and the movement to rescue them. A good way to start would be to tune in to watch One Life to Live on Wednesday April 27 as they air a special episode paying tribute to six-time Emmy winner Erika Slezak's 40th anniversary in the role of Victoria Lord Banks. But I caution you, watch at your own risk--you may end up getting captivated enough to become as addicted as I did back in 1992!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Poem in Your Pocket
Though officially celebrated on April 14th, I say celebrate national Poem in Your Pocket Day everyday! The idea is pretty self-explanatory - carry a poem you love with you or share one with those around you. The Academy of American Poets has some handy-dandy poetry books printed on tear-away sheets for just this purpose, but also poem PDFs to print and share.
see full list of poem PDFs here
Right now I wouldn't mind carrying around the poem found under "Moth" in my pocket for a few days. It's one of my favorites.
by Robert Frost
I found a dimpled spider, fat and white,
On a white heal-all, holding up a moth
Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth--
Assorted characters of death and blight
Mixed ready to begin the morning right,
Like the ingredients of a witches' broth--
A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth,
And dead wings carried like a paper kite.
What had that flower to do with being white,
The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?
What but design of darkness to appall?--
If design govern in a thing so small.
(Kind of) Weekly Muppet Quotes - Easter Edition
Casey Daron - Hello everyone! It's Casey on this wonderful Easter Sunday! This week I have compiled some memorable quotes from The Tale of a Bunny Picnic, in celebration of Easter! Bean Bunny is so cute, don't you think? Anyways, here are the quotes!
“I’m not Bean, I’m a nasty old owl who’s going to get you!” -Bean Bunny, A Tale of the Bunny Picnic
“I’m not really Bean, I’m not really Bean, I’m not really Bean! I’m a giant tree and that dog can’t get me!” –Bean Bunny, A Tale of the Bunny Picnic “Hello sunshine! Hello birds on the wing! Hello springtime, we’ve been living for spring!” –Bunnies, A Tale of the Bunny Picnic
“He says he’s a fire breathing dragon, and you ask me if he’s telling the truth!?” –Lugsy Bunny, A Tale of the Bunny Picnic
Thanks everybody, and Happy Easter!!!!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Something About England: A California Girl in London... Part Four
Goodness fucking gracious, my life is incredible. As my last bout of updates briefly dove into, its occasionally overwhelming being here. So much I want to accomplish and a limited amount of time to get it all done. But I've been over the moon as of late, taking care to be extra appreciative of my current predicament. I've gotten everything I hoped for, and then some! I suppose in some ways I've become so used to the way my life is, that I forget how far I've actually come. Something clicked in me yesterday. I was walking up a flight of stairs, swiftly turned, caught something out of the corner of my eye, and wham! I realised every little aspect of my life is something I didn't have before, and that I wanted so very deeply. Now here it all is... And I am beyond indebted to a few that have made it utterly possible. As I said, my life is incredible, and I'm steadily having phenomenal experiences and fostering magnificent acquaintances. I'm getting to see life from such an interesting and unique perspective. I'm surrounded by people who are far from my peers, which takes on an otherworldly quality. I'm certainly not having typical experiences. I wish I could say it seemed odd or unusual, or that I struggle to behave properly, but I really feel remarkably... comfortable. Secure, not always, but comfortable, yes. I'm just... happy. And so very content. Also knowing that every step further that I take is because of my own hard work and my own merit feels inexplicably WONDERFUL. I have one foot in the door and I am clawing my way to the other side. As I said before, sometimes I wonder how I'll do it all, but so frequently I'm overcome with this resounding sense that everything will work out. And I believe it, and I'm instantly put at ease. It will all work out because it has to and I'll relentlessly keep going until it does. And yet, in some many ways, it already has. This is what I need to remember in times of distress. I just need to remember that the harder a goal is to obtain, the greater the reward. Its a matter of not being put off by the struggles and defiantly truck through them. And I damn well will. I've already gotten so much that I aspired toward. In a way, I've gotten everything I wanted. I just want it all to last and continue forever. That's the fire beneath me at the moment.
A vital part of all of this is coming into the fold at Mojo magazine. Within days of arriving in the office, I was sent out to interview the charmingly well-trained Sir Cliff Richard, the erratic yet professional David Gest and the very soft-spoken Lamont Dozier. The unlikely trio were promoting Cliff's as yet unrecorded soul album, executive produced by David, including songs written by Lamont. I watched as the media frenzy unfolded, including David Gest placing his hand firmly upon a television host's head, and proclaiming that he was going to 'save' him, in proper religious grandeur. He then launched into a rant, with the word 'circumcision' thrown in for good measure. If nothing else, you can say that David Gest knows how to play the game. As I waited for the gang to be assembled for our interview, I sat next to the genuinely dazzling Freda Payne. (Pushing seventy and is an utter babe.) As David Gest approached, he took Freda's phone from her, as she spoke to her boyfriend. They laughingly caught up, as David made jokes regarding Freda's breasts (again, utter babe) and passed him on to Lamont, "one of the few men in this business Freda hasn't slept with." Soon after, I was sandwiched into a booth, with Cliff to my left and David's lavish fur-lined coat brushing against my right. Cliff oozed professionalism, speaking calmly and attentively answering every question. When I asked if he ever thought himself to be a rebel, he replied humbly, "I just love to sing." I said to him, "But you were too sexy for television!" He swiftly reminded me, "I still am!" As David commented on Cliff's soulfulness, Cliff quietly began singing. So yes, add 'Being serenaded by Cliff Richard' as another experience I've had. Lamont Dozier was immensely quiet, and I took care to tell him so! I must admit, of all of them, I was most in awe of Mr. Dozier. He has penned endless classics, which hold a great deal of resonance to me. I enjoyed such a generally bizarre encounter, and can assure you that whatever they whip up will be... interesting, at the very least.
Mojo 210 with the Ramones on the cover. New issue out this week. Kate Bush on the cover in the UK, Black Keys in the US. My slave work is deeply engrained in both issues and I encourage you to go pick them up!
Life at Mojo continued including me learning everything you could ever possibly want to know about the Black Keys, being exposed to new music by the minute, discovering shopping-while-on-lunch-break (a dangerous feat when you work in Covent Garden!), spontaneously buying cupcakes for the entire office (possibly prompted by free champagne on my lunch break...), and becoming endowed with New Order knowledge on a similar Black Keys level. I've swindled my way into the very fortunate position of seeing a magazine take shape each month and witnessing every tiny detail that goes into it. I've become involved in the process and there is honestly no better spot for me. In an office, littered with salt and pepper hair, teeming with knowledge, and oh I just want to soak it all up. The most sensational people have entered my life in the last four months and I just never want to leave.
Most recently, I had the great pleasure of covering an informal gathering of the FAC, that being the "Featured Artist Coalition". I was introduced to the very friendly and attentive Dave Rowntree of Blur, with whom I chatted for quite a while. Propped on a spacious balcony off Tottenham Court Rd, He eagerly answered every inquiry and we had quite the laugh, giggling about a mutual friend. Dave introduced me to Nick Mason, of Pink Floyd, of course. I must say, I was quite jazzed at the prospect of meeting Mr. Mason. He did a proper job of appeasing me, then fled off into the night! Next up was Sandie Shaw, towering in her magnificent high heels, legs bared. A bit shaky at first, even apologising to me, as she nursed a plastic cup of wine. Following the conclusion of our interview, Sandie petted my fur coat. She purred, "Is this real mink? You're so cute. I was cute once. I'm not now, but you are. Have you met Ed? You must met Ed! He's absolutely gorgeous!" Ed, of course, being Ed O'Brien of Radiohead. Sandie quickly grabbed me by the hand and we swanned inside to meet 'gorgeous' Ed. Ed was polite, chatty and utterly charming. He apologised for being 'talked out' and still fulfilled my every request. A lovely gent and a lovely night.
Also, my glorious friend Brian Wheat, the manliest looking one in the above photo, has a new song out and an album to follow! Known predominately as the bass player in Tesla, Brian also slinks around on bass with his other group, Soulmotor. Below is the video for their number, Down in Mexico. The Coasters, they are not, but sensuous no less!
The Muppets Head to Scotland
Coverage of Muppets, Music & Magic in Edinburgh, Scotland
Martin Harvey - It’s only retrospectively that I realize that Edinburgh is the backdrop to some of my greatest Muppet memories. It was where I excitedly bought a copy of The Muppets Take Manhattan and took it with me to Malta where I spent two weeks reading the back of the box and looking forward to getting home to watch it. Then, at the Edinburgh Fringe I was lucky enough to attend a performance of Puppet Up! and even luckier to get to meet Brian Henson afterward, shake his hand, and collect his autograph.
So, for me at least, it’s appropriate that Muppets, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy should come to Edinburgh and it was certainly worth the train journey from my home on the West Coast of Scotland to spend the day there. I’m a big enough kid to want to see Muppet movies in a cinema but sadly a bit too much of a grown-up with work commitments to have made it over the weekend of 23-24 April where Martin Baker will introduce some real archive gems in Muppet History 101 and Muppet History 201: More Rarities from the Henson Vault so this is a report on what might be considered an “average day” within the season.
The interior of Screen 1 of the Filmhouse, with its red seats and curtains, is oddly reminiscent of the Muppet Theatre. Sadly there are no boxes nor were there two curmudgeonly old men heckling from the audience, but then you can’t have everything. Muppet music was playing as the audience made their way into the auditorium and waited for the film to start.
The first feature, The Art of Puppetry and Storytelling, was attended by about 20 people. I don’t know whether that is good or bad for this sort of event but it was early afternoon on a weekday and the numbers did increase over the course of the day (although I didn’t notice anyone else attending all three screenings.)
The Art of Puppetry and Storytelling began with the Harry Belafonte episode of The Muppet Show, the episode with perhaps the strongest story telling theme and a great example of how Jim Henson was able to combine both the important and the downright silly. In this episode, Fozzie acts as the script writer for the show (“Curtains open; Lew Zealand and Rowlf do something funny; curtains close”) and tries to improve Belafonte’s rendition of "The Banana Boat Song" with a choir of pigs and actual bananas, although Beauregard has difficulty in remembering which particular fruit or vegetable they happen to be. The show of course ends with Belafonte’s "Turn the World Around"--inspired by a meeting with a storyteller in Guinea.
There followed about twenty minutes' worth of clips of various lengths. Some of these were more appropriate to the storytelling theme than others, but they certainly represented a fairly wide spectrum of Henson’s work. They included the Sam and Friends skit “Visual Thinking”; three Wilkins Coffee advertisements (which got the biggest laughs of this screening) and Henson (assisted by puppet builder Don Sahlin) on a chat show demonstrating how simply changing the facial features can completely change the character of the puppet. The longest clip was taken from a Henson narrated backstage Muppet Show documentary showing amongst other things the making of the “In The Navy” number. One quite startling fact that cannot at all be appreciated from the final cut of “Another Opening Another Show” was the sheer distance covered by the Muppeteers during the recording of that number which reminds us that a huge amount of stage, televisual and puppetry tricks were used by Jim Henson and his team.
This feature ended with The Storyteller episode "The Heartless Giant," which was perhaps intended to demonstrate how puppetry can be used as one element within storytelling. This included The Jim Henson Hour introduction and closing where Jim Henson himself notes that the idea behind the series was to combine folk tales with fast paced and up-tempo pop music videos.
Sesame Street at 40: Milestones on the Street was the second film to be shown. This screening had a slightly higher attendance with around 20 adults but also 10 little kids. It opened with some clips from the first episode with Gordon introducing a little girl called Sally to the inhabitants of Sesame Street with the rather odd looking early versions of Big Bird and the orange Oscar the Grouch.
There were too many clips featured for me to list them all but they included Gordon and Snuffleupagus running the marathon; various trips away from Sesame Street to New Mexico, Santa Fe, Hawaii (with Mr. Snuffleupagus being airlifted in) and Puerto Rico; Big Bird’s nest being damaged in a storm; Maria and Luis’s wedding and, of course, the grown-ups helping Big Bird to understand that Mr Hooper died.
Best for Sesame Street Muppets were: Ernie counting cupcakes while Cookie Monster reduced the number; Waiter Grover serving Fat Blue alphabet soup; Prairie Dawn’s Four Seasons pageant; Bert teaching a pigeon to play checkers and the hilarious Ernie and Bert disguise kit sketch. Kermit doing the alphabet with the little girl who thinks Cookie Monster is a letter received audible “awws” and Herry and John-John counting and getting louder (and in John-John’s case much older) also got laughs.
There were plenty of cartoons (including Ladybug’s Picnic and The King of 8) but not so many songs (Sing: The Music of Sesame Street is a separate feature later in the season) although the arguing art critics with living works of art and the tongue-twisting “An elevator operator is a person in your neighbourhood” were among the few included. There was one block of Kermit’s Sesame Street News Flash made up of many short clips and Elmo’s World was dealt with similarly.
A recurring feature was “Family Album: Before They Moved To Sesame Street” showing actors Will Lee, Roscoe Orman, Bob McGrath in pre-Street roles, in Bob’s case on the panel game I’ve Got a Secret singing Irish songs in Japanese. This was later turned on its head when a clip of Big Bird and Elmo on The West Wing was shown allowing us to see Lily Tomlin and Stockard Channing on Sesame Street before they moved to the West Wing. More celebrity appearances included The Fonz, R2D2 and C3PO, Fred Rogers, Patrick Stewart (“B or not a B?”), Liam Neeson; Ben Stiller as a cheese; Robert DeNiro as a Muppet Cabbage; and Michelle Obama helping Elmo and some kids plant a garden.
Of most archive value might be the brief appearance by Rowlf in the Song of Nine but of equal interest to me were some more recent clips I had never seen before (Sesame Street is no longer shown in the UK) which were parodies of recent hit shows (Meal or No Meal, 30 Rocks, and Mad Men). I’ve heard the criticism that Sesame Street is now geared towards younger children but these clips were certainly appreciated by the adults in the audience. There were a couple of vocal interventions from the children though and it was genuinely heart warming to here a small child excitedly shout “Cookie Monster” when our cake scoffing furry friend popped up to eat Ernie’s cupcake while (perhaps more predictably but no less cute) another small voice announced “There’s Elmo” the moment the small red monster first appeared in the corner of the screen in a non speaking role.
The final film of the day, attracting about 50 cinema goers, was The Great Muppet Caper. Before the screening began a member of Filmhouse staff apologized that the print was of variable quality and in places faded and too pink (“A little too much Miss Piggy and not enough Kermit” as he put it.) Seeing The Great Muppet Caper at a screening is something I would highly recommend to everyone, Muppet fans especially. I’ve always thought of it as being the funniest of the Muppet films and almost every line got a big laugh – not least the scene with John Cleese and Fawlty Towers guest star Joan Sanderson as the upper crust couple plagued by pigs climbing up the outside of their house and lizards in the cupboards. I won’t go through the movie but suffice to say it was enjoyed by all and, in spite of the brief Gonzo scene at the end of the film being cut, there was spontaneous applause at the finish.
As I said earlier, the more obscure clips will be part of two Muppet History films to be shown at this weekend (full details at http://www.filmhousecinema.com)but other less commercially available gems feature in Commercials and Experiments–which includes "Time Piece" and "The Cube." There are two other Sesame Street compilations and one of musical numbers on The Muppet Show. Five of the first six Muppet Movies (The Muppet Christmas Carol was shown separately last year), The Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Elmo in Grouchland, and Muppet Fairytales round out the program. Some more recent productions, by that I mean those made since Jim Henson’s death, would have helped to show his ongoing legacy and a more location specific film showing how British involvement was important to the success of The Muppet Show would also have been appropriate.
Having said that, Muppets, Music &; Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy is a fitting celebration of both the obscure archive piece and a rare and welcome chance to see some of our favourite films as they were intended to be shown on the big screen. I very much hope that this collection of features will be added to and that it will go on to tour around the UK and further afield.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
Martin Harvey - It’s only retrospectively that I realize that Edinburgh is the backdrop to some of my greatest Muppet memories. It was where I excitedly bought a copy of The Muppets Take Manhattan and took it with me to Malta where I spent two weeks reading the back of the box and looking forward to getting home to watch it. Then, at the Edinburgh Fringe I was lucky enough to attend a performance of Puppet Up! and even luckier to get to meet Brian Henson afterward, shake his hand, and collect his autograph.So, for me at least, it’s appropriate that Muppets, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy should come to Edinburgh and it was certainly worth the train journey from my home on the West Coast of Scotland to spend the day there. I’m a big enough kid to want to see Muppet movies in a cinema but sadly a bit too much of a grown-up with work commitments to have made it over the weekend of 23-24 April where Martin Baker will introduce some real archive gems in Muppet History 101 and Muppet History 201: More Rarities from the Henson Vault so this is a report on what might be considered an “average day” within the season.
The interior of Screen 1 of the Filmhouse, with its red seats and curtains, is oddly reminiscent of the Muppet Theatre. Sadly there are no boxes nor were there two curmudgeonly old men heckling from the audience, but then you can’t have everything. Muppet music was playing as the audience made their way into the auditorium and waited for the film to start. The first feature, The Art of Puppetry and Storytelling, was attended by about 20 people. I don’t know whether that is good or bad for this sort of event but it was early afternoon on a weekday and the numbers did increase over the course of the day (although I didn’t notice anyone else attending all three screenings.)
The Art of Puppetry and Storytelling began with the Harry Belafonte episode of The Muppet Show, the episode with perhaps the strongest story telling theme and a great example of how Jim Henson was able to combine both the important and the downright silly. In this episode, Fozzie acts as the script writer for the show (“Curtains open; Lew Zealand and Rowlf do something funny; curtains close”) and tries to improve Belafonte’s rendition of "The Banana Boat Song" with a choir of pigs and actual bananas, although Beauregard has difficulty in remembering which particular fruit or vegetable they happen to be. The show of course ends with Belafonte’s "Turn the World Around"--inspired by a meeting with a storyteller in Guinea.There followed about twenty minutes' worth of clips of various lengths. Some of these were more appropriate to the storytelling theme than others, but they certainly represented a fairly wide spectrum of Henson’s work. They included the Sam and Friends skit “Visual Thinking”; three Wilkins Coffee advertisements (which got the biggest laughs of this screening) and Henson (assisted by puppet builder Don Sahlin) on a chat show demonstrating how simply changing the facial features can completely change the character of the puppet. The longest clip was taken from a Henson narrated backstage Muppet Show documentary showing amongst other things the making of the “In The Navy” number. One quite startling fact that cannot at all be appreciated from the final cut of “Another Opening Another Show” was the sheer distance covered by the Muppeteers during the recording of that number which reminds us that a huge amount of stage, televisual and puppetry tricks were used by Jim Henson and his team.
This feature ended with The Storyteller episode "The Heartless Giant," which was perhaps intended to demonstrate how puppetry can be used as one element within storytelling. This included The Jim Henson Hour introduction and closing where Jim Henson himself notes that the idea behind the series was to combine folk tales with fast paced and up-tempo pop music videos.
Sesame Street at 40: Milestones on the Street was the second film to be shown. This screening had a slightly higher attendance with around 20 adults but also 10 little kids. It opened with some clips from the first episode with Gordon introducing a little girl called Sally to the inhabitants of Sesame Street with the rather odd looking early versions of Big Bird and the orange Oscar the Grouch. There were too many clips featured for me to list them all but they included Gordon and Snuffleupagus running the marathon; various trips away from Sesame Street to New Mexico, Santa Fe, Hawaii (with Mr. Snuffleupagus being airlifted in) and Puerto Rico; Big Bird’s nest being damaged in a storm; Maria and Luis’s wedding and, of course, the grown-ups helping Big Bird to understand that Mr Hooper died.
Best for Sesame Street Muppets were: Ernie counting cupcakes while Cookie Monster reduced the number; Waiter Grover serving Fat Blue alphabet soup; Prairie Dawn’s Four Seasons pageant; Bert teaching a pigeon to play checkers and the hilarious Ernie and Bert disguise kit sketch. Kermit doing the alphabet with the little girl who thinks Cookie Monster is a letter received audible “awws” and Herry and John-John counting and getting louder (and in John-John’s case much older) also got laughs. There were plenty of cartoons (including Ladybug’s Picnic and The King of 8) but not so many songs (Sing: The Music of Sesame Street is a separate feature later in the season) although the arguing art critics with living works of art and the tongue-twisting “An elevator operator is a person in your neighbourhood” were among the few included. There was one block of Kermit’s Sesame Street News Flash made up of many short clips and Elmo’s World was dealt with similarly.
A recurring feature was “Family Album: Before They Moved To Sesame Street” showing actors Will Lee, Roscoe Orman, Bob McGrath in pre-Street roles, in Bob’s case on the panel game I’ve Got a Secret singing Irish songs in Japanese. This was later turned on its head when a clip of Big Bird and Elmo on The West Wing was shown allowing us to see Lily Tomlin and Stockard Channing on Sesame Street before they moved to the West Wing. More celebrity appearances included The Fonz, R2D2 and C3PO, Fred Rogers, Patrick Stewart (“B or not a B?”), Liam Neeson; Ben Stiller as a cheese; Robert DeNiro as a Muppet Cabbage; and Michelle Obama helping Elmo and some kids plant a garden.Of most archive value might be the brief appearance by Rowlf in the Song of Nine but of equal interest to me were some more recent clips I had never seen before (Sesame Street is no longer shown in the UK) which were parodies of recent hit shows (Meal or No Meal, 30 Rocks, and Mad Men). I’ve heard the criticism that Sesame Street is now geared towards younger children but these clips were certainly appreciated by the adults in the audience. There were a couple of vocal interventions from the children though and it was genuinely heart warming to here a small child excitedly shout “Cookie Monster” when our cake scoffing furry friend popped up to eat Ernie’s cupcake while (perhaps more predictably but no less cute) another small voice announced “There’s Elmo” the moment the small red monster first appeared in the corner of the screen in a non speaking role.
The final film of the day, attracting about 50 cinema goers, was The Great Muppet Caper. Before the screening began a member of Filmhouse staff apologized that the print was of variable quality and in places faded and too pink (“A little too much Miss Piggy and not enough Kermit” as he put it.) Seeing The Great Muppet Caper at a screening is something I would highly recommend to everyone, Muppet fans especially. I’ve always thought of it as being the funniest of the Muppet films and almost every line got a big laugh – not least the scene with John Cleese and Fawlty Towers guest star Joan Sanderson as the upper crust couple plagued by pigs climbing up the outside of their house and lizards in the cupboards. I won’t go through the movie but suffice to say it was enjoyed by all and, in spite of the brief Gonzo scene at the end of the film being cut, there was spontaneous applause at the finish. 
As I said earlier, the more obscure clips will be part of two Muppet History films to be shown at this weekend (full details at http://www.filmhousecinema.com)but other less commercially available gems feature in Commercials and Experiments–which includes "Time Piece" and "The Cube." There are two other Sesame Street compilations and one of musical numbers on The Muppet Show. Five of the first six Muppet Movies (The Muppet Christmas Carol was shown separately last year), The Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Elmo in Grouchland, and Muppet Fairytales round out the program. Some more recent productions, by that I mean those made since Jim Henson’s death, would have helped to show his ongoing legacy and a more location specific film showing how British involvement was important to the success of The Muppet Show would also have been appropriate.Having said that, Muppets, Music &; Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy is a fitting celebration of both the obscure archive piece and a rare and welcome chance to see some of our favourite films as they were intended to be shown on the big screen. I very much hope that this collection of features will be added to and that it will go on to tour around the UK and further afield.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
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