I ADORE this movie. I'm a 49 year old male, and Rainbow Connection still nearly drives me to tears. It's not just a part of my childhood, it's a fundamental part. Thank you for watching it. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Same, (Well, except 52 years old) Some songs are just SO moving, and feel SO deeply profound, you can't even property articulate WHAT they make you feel & the deep thoughts they make you think. (Without feeling like some grunting primitive caveman.) Because your 'unworthy' words will ALWAYS fall far, far short. THIS is one such song.
Seeing the Muppets walking, driving, riding a bicycle, basically doing anything showing them from the waist down, blew us kids away almost as much as the Terminator 2 cgi.😂
I totally concur with this comment, we were blown away. Just as she was blown away! It was a cool few years, 77-79, aside from all of the simply great movies of the period (All That Jazz or Deer Hunter, or Annie Hall or whatever), us kids had Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman and The Muppet Movie all in a row. (and other movies, but those definitely are "biggie" memories). Before that, you had the Disney movies that came out every year, and once in a while something like Willy Wonka, but 77 - 79 kicked off that new style of blockbuster. Unfortunately they started beating it to death in the 80s - present day, and everything is kid stuff and effects driven. But in '77-79, it definitely felt like a groundbreaking time. (Of course the entire 60s and 70s was that way, in music and film, this was just the next great groundbreaking phenomenon)
@@TTM9691 I was reviewing movies for the high school and college newspapers during this period and it was a grand and golden age. Kids' films, serious drama, blockbusters, foreign films, indies, a great variety of movie styles. Plus I was watching the classics at all the arthouse retrospective theaters that still existed. Everything on 35 millimeter prints with audiences, as it should be. And yes, I saw The Muppet Movie when it opened, at a theater that no longer exists. In the late 70s, Siskel and Ebert had just premiered on PBS. Cinematic Eye and Cinema Showcase were also on PBS bringing intelligent commentary and serious films. Home video barely existed yet. There'll never be a time like it again.
The genuine smile when Shanelle realized that it was "The Rainbow Connection" was so heartwarming. Just the child-like innocence that The Muppets can bring to people no matter what age they are!
I was born in 87 so I'm a 90s kid. The muppets were everything to me and i have the most respect for Jim Henson. He and Mr. Rogers taught me so many difficult subjects and how to deal with them
As a massive Muppet/Jim Henson fan, I always love seeing people discover how amazing Henson's work truly was... To answer your question, Jim always intended that The Muppets were meant for both adults and children (with Sesame Street being more for kids). That said, if your mind was blown watching Kermit ride the bike, check out The Great Muppet Caper- there's a scene in which ALL of the Muppets are riding on bikes. Also nothing wrong with tearing up at Rainbow Connection. I do so all the time (both this version and the one in 2011's The Muppets) Oh, and Gonzo is a "Whatever" (meaning no one knows for sure). In Muppets From Space they reveal he's an alien, but in The Muppet Show comics, when asked what he is, he simply answers "I'm an artist." So you can take your pick (though as a kid watching Muppet Babies I thought he was either an aardvark or a turkey lol) "Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending..." Words to live by.
@@nsasupporter7557 As someone born in 1966, for as sad as I was when various celebs died in the 1990s, the two that really hit me hard were Jim Henson and John Denver. Hearing the two of them duet on their Christmas special soundtrack every December always has me tearing up.
Jim was truly a hero to many people to be creative and to make the world a lot better by coming together. Here’s a. Fun fact, the opening song to rainbow connection, jim is actually underwater performing Kermit in a canister tank, monitor, microphone and oxygen throughout the whole morning performing this song.
Hey Shanelle, this was one of the first times us GenXers saw the Muppets "below the waist" . It was an Awesome movie chocked full of comedy celebrities back in the 70's. RIP Jim Henson...we all cried the day you passed away long before your time... Thanks for watching and reacting to this classic!!!
I still haven’t been able to watch the memorial in it’s entirety. I can’t get through a single performance or speech without bawling. Even the part where they’re singing like chickens makes me cry terribly because I think about how much they were mourning and still trying to make everyone else smile.
I love this movie so much. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve rewatched it. The story, characters and songs are all so iconic. Jim Henson really was such a genius.
I was a child of the 70s and grew up with Sesame Street and the muppet show. I watched this in the theater and bought the LP. I remember every word of every song to this day.
I'm about to turn 52. My dad took me to see this in theaters when I was about 8. I loved it so much, my parents bought me the record, which I listened to over and over. I loved the show too! Almost every speaking live action part, as you recapped, is a cameo. Of course, I didn't recognize famous people as a child, but grew to enjoy all the appearances through numerous rewatches as I got older. "Chronically over it" is quite an apt description of Steve Martin's shtick, and really resonates with much of us generation Xers! I love your reactions, and am so glad you enjoyed this one!
Paul Williams, who wrote Rainbow Connection is a genius who is responsible for just about everything awesome about the 70s. He wrote tons of hits. He's also done work in front of the camera, appearing most famously as Little Enos in Smokey and the Bandit and as Swan in the cult classic Phantom of the Paradise. He was also the piano player in the nightclub Kermit meets Fozzy at. The older man is Charles Durning who you'll recognize from such Coen Bros films as O' Brother, Where Art Thou and The Hudsucker Proxy. Durning stormed the beach at Normandy and is in fact buried in Arlington National Cemetary. Gonzo is a Weirdo and let's just leave it at that. The question about what Gonzo is is how the Falklands War got started. Sesame Street's place in the Muppetverse is.....complicated. There's the Muppets team and the Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street) team. The two more or less remain separate but they DID cross over (along with Fraggle Rock) in the Muppets Christmas special. This was a HUGE deal because you never saw Sesame Street and Muppet Show characters sharing the same screen.
Phantom of the Paradise is a great send-up of the music industry and blending of Phantom of the Opera and the legend of Faust. The songs for it (written by Williams) are top shelf. I'd love to see Shanelle - and other reaction channels - react to that cult classic.
@@tophers3756 Yup, it's superb. And it still stands up reasonably well (I watched it recently just to check). Definitely needs a reaction from the Shan.
Kermit origins. First iteration was a green sock with ping pong balls. Mainstream Kermit was a major player in Sesame Street. The Muppet Show was a TV variety show with big name gust stars that lasted 5 seasons. Muppet franchise then went to the big screen with The Muppet Movie. Yes, this was my generations Shrek. Also, look up Kermit and Debbie Harry sing Rainbow Connection. Debbie Harry was the singer for Blondie. She was a guest on The Muppet Show.
What I really have taken away from this reaction is that Shan really needs to watch more classic movies. I can forgive not knowing a lot of these cameos, but the two that hurt the most were Orson Welles and Mel Brooks haha.
I don't think my jaw has ever dropped as hard as it did when she didn't know Orson Welles. That's. . . how can you do film critiques if you don't know Orson Welles when you see him?
My initial reaction seeing Orson Welles was shocked delight, then a moment of doubt ("that can't POSSIBLY be him!") But I quickly counted the years and realized it was possible, plus, there's no mistaking that face!
“It’s time to play the music It's time to light the lights It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight “ Thanks so much for this reaction!
“So now let's get it started Why don't we get it started It's time to get things started On the most sensational inspirational celebrational Muppetational This is what we call the Muppet Show”
Shanelle, I think you'd really like The Muppet Show, it was very meta and for adults every bit as much as for kids. It was set in a theater and was all about them producing a weekly variety show - you got to see the actual performances, but also all the backstage chaos. Poor Kermit was always at his wits' end managing it all, and there were perpetual problems like lack of budget, Miss Piggy, Gonzo's misfiring acts (I always assumed he's a rooster, by the way, and that's why he's always with a bunch of hens), Miss Piggy, accommodating guest stars, Miss Piggy...you get the idea. 😄It had some really great guests (Alice Cooper singing with "nightmare" Muppets! Miss Piggy's jealous rage over Linda Ronstadt!) and some hilarious recurring skits, like "Pigs in Space."
Linda Ronstadt singing “Blue Bayou” in a swamp with a chorus of ribbiting frogs, and Electric Mayhem as her backing band is one of my favourite renditions of that song.
The Paul Williams episode (the start of his long collaboration with the Muppets) was nominated for an Emmy. He sang a couple of his songs I love, like "Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song."
This is one hundred percent my generation. And it was a level above “Shrek”. The movies and tv program were actually geared more towards teens and adults, although accessible to small kids (who would only get a fraction of the humor and guest appearances) The original run of The Muppets was pure magic. I’m surprised you didn’t recognize Charles Durning as Jessica Lange’s dad in “Tootsie” right away. The new “Electric Mayhem” show on Disney+ brings back a lot of these feelings.
I was a bit surprised Shanelle didn't recognize Charles Durning (Doc Hopper) from his role as the governor seeking reelection (Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel) in "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Sure, Durning is like 20 years older in the latter but, as he aged, he maintained a fairly consistent, unique appearance. Plus his voice. I was likewise surprised she didn't recognize Mel Brooks from the combo of his appearance and voice. "Blazing Saddles" was only 5 years before this movie.
The magic of the Muppet Show was that any moment it could break out into total chaos, with hilarious consequences, and the guests where fully part of it and loved it.
I'd take it a step further and suggest that cameo appearances by classic actors and other stars in programs like this is what introduced them to us, then as we grew older and saw them in more serious stuff we already had that built-in love for them. Kids today can easily look up IMDB to know everything an actor has been in, but they don't get that same nostalgia from having been exposed to the stars in something else.
"I always get this messed up - where's the cross over between Muppets and Sesame Street?" Sesame Street debuted in 1969, and show creator Joan Ganz Cooney hired Jim Henson and his crew to develop characters for it. Henson had already made a name for himself as a master of puppetry, mostly through commercials and talk show appearances, but Sesame Street was his first really successful regular series gig. A few years later, he sought to branch out and see if there was an audience for a puppet show aimed at adults. After two failed pilots, The Muppet Show finally premiered in 1976, and that's where the modern Muppet cast as we know it came into existence - Kermit and Rowlf had already been around for years, but Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Sam, Bunsen, Beaker, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, they all debuted there. The rest is history 😁
The Orson Welles cameo is simultaneously (and paradoxically) both the most ironic (Orson as studio head?!!) AND iconic (go to Hollywood? Instant success!). Just another brilliant moment in the movie's avalanche of brilliance...
As a kid of the 70's, a little to grown for Seasame Street. The muppet show was a prime time TV must watch. This movie was a family movie go to when it came out. The next evolution of muppets came in with Fraggle Rock which aired on HBO in the early 80's. Great reaction, Shanelle. I loved seeing the magic of being a kid in your eyes.
The amazing thing about the song with Kermit and Rowlf (the piano playing dog) where you mentioned the harmonies is that basically Jim Henson is harmonising with himself in that song, seeing as at this point her voiced both characters.
In that movie it was confimed that Gonzo was an alien, but becourse everyone on that planet looked exactly the same like him, he choosed to stay on earth where he could be unique and loved for being special.
Will always love these muppet movies. Speaking of OG muppets, Dave Goelz who plays Gonzo in the movie is Still one of the original muppet performers still playing Gonzo to this very day.
Oh yes!!! The Muppets are a huge part of my childhood, I grew up watching the Muppets Show, this movie, the Muppets take Manhattan, the Muppet Babies... Well you get the idea.
Thanks, Shan! It's not often I hear the ladies say, "I love Kermit," and it gets me. Leland, Ms. used to have a cute museum for Jim and the Muppets. Jim changed my life. Because of Mr. the Frog, I have fewer have problems with my name. Yes, there were several piggies people tried to hook me up with. My wife's best friend married my favorite Muppet, Grover. I find that both endearing and a little weird. I remember how sad I was when I heard he died from a short battle with pneumonia. I still miss him. As the frog said, it's not easy BEIN' GREEN. Luv ya, babe.
Paul Williams wrote all of the soundtrack for the movie. He was the piano player early on in the movie. He He was a very small man sizewise, very popular guest on late night talk shows and all of the comedy variety shows of the '70s and '80s.
I'm a child of the 70s so I remember this movie well. The music is fantastic. As fun as it is and silly to see the muppets singing and dancing, you really need to listen to the lyrics. Really deep messages. "Rainbow Connection", "Can you picture that?", and "I'm going to go back there some day", are my favorites. "Life's like a movie. Write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending..." ❤
This is the first Muppet movie. The Muppets had been around for over 20 years at this point, having television series, TV specials, commercials and guest appearances.
Life's a movie, write your own ending Keep believing, keep pretending We've done just what we've set out to do Thanks to the lovers The dreamers And you! This movie was a love letter to you, me, and everyone else who loved the Muppets and allowed Jim Henson and his friends to achieve their own dreams. More than anything else, that's why this movie brings me to tears every single time.
When I was a kid in the early 80s this was one of the three movies I watched repeatedly on video disc, along with Star Wars and Airplane! No Airplane was not appropriate for a six year old to watch but I turned out fine for the most part. 😉
I’m 53. I first discovered The Muppet Movie when it aired on HBO back in 1980. I had grown up on seeing the Muppets on Sesame Street and on The Muppet Show. This was definitely one of those films that appealed to both kids who loved the Muppets and adults who could appreciate the humor and the fun of the movie.
I love this movie Jim Henson is the one voicing Kermit and he is also the one singing Rainbow Connection This song is so emotional They played it at Jim Hensons memorial service when he passed and Frank Oz, who was Jim Hensons best friend, broke down into tears I cried like a baby
I was 8 years old when I first was this IN THEATERS! lol I loved it because I also love Sesame Street, and had a puppet that I wouldplay with as I watch the show! I loved the full body puppets and seeing it now it's still an amazing film!
The Muppets show and movies were a family favorite then and today!! I saw this one and loved it. My sister and I had stuffed animals of Fozzie Bear that had a zipper to put your pjs in. Great memories! This is my favorite of the old school movies. Muppets Christmas Carol is my all time favorite and my family watches it every year for over 25 years. My next favorite is Muppet Treasure Island, so much fun with the great Tim Curry!!
This is such an amazing film and was a HUGE deal when it came out. That we actually saw Kermit's legs riding the bike was mind-boggling for people since we hadn't seen him full body before this. And the Rainbow Connection song is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Rainbow Connection always brings me back not to my childhood (but it was absolutely a part of it) but to singing it to my son as a baby and toddler to comfort him with "the rainbow song"
One thing that gets overlooked is how big of a deal and complicated it was having Kermit and Rowlf in the same scene. I just noticed that at the start of the scene it teases that it’s simply going to be split screen, but then by the end they’re harmonizing and right next to each other.
I really enjoy this movie. The very first Muppet Movie will always be mine and everyone's favorite Muppet film ever. From the story telling, beautiful music score, wonderful celebrity cameo and everything else in between. I watch this movie on a videocassette tape back in 90's when I was born with autism. Plus, this movie made a huge impact in my entire life for sure. Anyways, I'm happy that you got to enjoy watching the beloved classic film of "The Muppet Movie". Also your reaction to this film was terrific and awesome! Keep up the great work! :)
I first saw Kermit on Sesame Street when I was a preschooler. He was usually a TV news reporter out on the street wearing a trench coat and hat. Then, a few years later, the Muppet Show started in the mid-70s as a spoof to all the variety shows on TV at the time Seeing them in a real-world setting in this movie was so mind-blowing, even though I was too young to recognize all the comic geniuses doing cameos.
Rip Darrell Calker 1905-1964 Edgar Bergen 1903-1978 Orson Wells 1915-1985 Jim Henson 1936-1990 Richard Hunt 1951-1992 Telly Savalas 1922-1994 Madeline Kahn 1942-1999 Milton Berle 1908-2002 James Coburn 1928-2002 Bob Hope 1903-2003 Hard Boiled Haggerty 1925-2004 Jerry Juhl 1938-2005 Richard Pryor 1940-2005 Christopher Greenbury 1951-2007 Don DeLuise 1933-2009 Jerry Nelson 1934-2012 Charles Durning 1923-2012 James Frawley 1936-2019 Caroll Spinney 1933-2019 Jack Burns 1933-2020 Bruce Kirby 1925-2021 Cloris Leachman 1926-2021 Isidore Mankofsky 1931-2021 and Melinda Dillon 1939-2023
In the theater, when I was 16 years old. Fan of The Muppet Show ... it was pure magic at the time. Always had a fondness for Muppets ... they taught me how to read when I was 3, when they came out on Sesame Street back in '69. Even though Kermit was the only original Muppet from Sesame Street in the Muppet Show (except for occasional cameos), most of the Muppet Show muppets appeared in The Muppet Movie. So the importance of the Muppets spread from the gift of reading to the joy of comedy to the wonder of musicals. This was the first soundtrack I ever bought, and I learned every word of every song, many of which I still sing today. I am so glad that Shan had the chance to enjoy this magical film, and it was a treasure to get to watch parts of it again.
Around the time this film was released, Kermit got to sub-host the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. A few of his Muppet friends appeared at a couple of points in the show. The clip they showed from the film was the one where Steve Martin appeared.
The Muppet Movie came out the year I was born. It is amongst my earliest movie memories. As a life long fan of the Muppets, I've enjoyed the movie countless times over the years, and I always find more to enjoy. As I became a movie buff in my teens, I gained a deeper appreciation of the movie, as I finally started to decode the numerous cameos and homages to classic films. It's just such a gem of a movie.
I saw this in a theater as a kid, and had a rather unique experience. The week before, I had gone to a movie in the same theater called "The North Avenue Irregulars", a Disney live action movie. Part way through the movie, the film jammed in the projector, and melted. It took them 10 to 15 minutes to fix the film, and we missed a few minutes of the movie. Then, just as the climax of the movie was starting, the film jammed again, melted, and then caught fire! We could see the flames projected on the screen. We sat there for half an hour waiting for them to fix the film, and when it came back, there was a crane shot of the cast cheering, and then the credits rolled. We missed the end of the movie! I was mad, but too young to know to demand my money back. So, the next week, me and some friends went to "The Muppet Movie", and during the scene where they pretend that the film is jammed and melting, I said rather loudly, "YOU GOTTA BE F***ING KIDDING ME", which caused the rest of the theater to laugh. I was very embarrassed when it was revealed to be part of the movie, but also very relieved I wasn't gonna miss part of the movie. The movie was well liked, but I don't think it's fair to compare it to "Shrek", as it predates the popularity of home video by a few years, so it wasn't possible to obsess about it, or watch it over and over again. I can recall catching it a couple of times when it played on television, though. Seems to me there was a video tape edition of the movie where they replaced the "film jamming and melting" gag with a "video tape jamming in the VCR" gag, so it must have been a bit of an event when they released it on home video years later, at least enough for them to make a different edit of the film.
I remember seeing this in the theater as a kid. I was amazed to see full-bodied Muppets for the first time. I loved the soundtrack so much that I had it on LP. Seeing it as adult is a different experience. I still love it, but I realize that a lot of the jokes went over my head as a kid.
Yesssss, there’s not nearly enough reactions to this movie, I’m so glad you reacted to this. :D God, I forgot just how many awesome cameos are in this. Watching this movie just makes my heart happy ❤ Honestly though, Rainbow Connection’s the most famous song to come out of this movie, and it’s a fantastic song, but my favorite song from this movie has to be Gonzo’s “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday”. There’s just something so beautiful and understated and wistful about it, I love it. 😊
Shanelle, the bearded guy behind the desk at the movie studio is none other than the great Orson Welles himself, director of Citizen Kane and the narrator of the infamous War of the Worlds incident. He died not long after this movie came out. Just prior to this movie he had been the spokesman for a wine company. His famous words spoken with that stern voice of his were, "We will make no wine before it's time."
Oh yeah, the Muppets and all the cameos! This movie has one of my favorite lines of all time, "A bear in his natural habitat..... a Studebaker." For some reason that on tickles me every time! Thanks Shan!
My younger brother and I had the record from the movie. We used to play it on our little record player and reenact the “Moving Right Along” sequence. I can’t hear someone say “fork in the road” without instantly thinking of this movie. Loved your reaction! PS - if you love studying the film making process, check out the works of Stanley Kubrick (The Shining, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, etc.). One of my favorite movies of all time is Dr Strangelove, a dark satire about nuclear war. Cheers!
If it hasn't been stated it should be said that when Kermit meets Fozzy at the saloon/bar, the man playing the piano is Paul Williams, a prolific songwriter of the 70's. He wrote/co-wrote songs including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country", and the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays". He notably wrote the song Rainbow Connection.
Back in '79 I was in the Air Force, stationed in England and living in military barracks. The 'day room' which housed the community TV was a gathering place for off-duty leisure. The TV broadcasts were made up of mostly British productions but did show a few imported American shows. These of course drew the largest gatherings since the residents were mostly American airmen. The two biggest draws by far were The Muppet Show and Mork & Mindy. Good humor and relevant guest appearances made The Muppet Show a favorite for the crowd of men in their late teens and early twenties. The Muppet Show was a small piece of America coming to visit us every week, which was warmly welcomed.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. I have a book on Special Effects that SHOWS how they did a number of the effects in this film, including Jim Henson actually in the barrel in the water to perform Kermit. This was such an endearing movie in its day. It was a much more innocent time, and the movie reflected that.
Thanks so much for reacting to this, Shanelle! The way you lit up, and then teared up, during the opening chord of "The Rainbow Connection" was everything and more. I hope you'll consider watching more of the Muppet movies on your channel. "The Great Muppet Caper" is a wild ride!
I was 8 when this movie came out. And when I saw you get emotional at Rainbow connection.... instantly made a lot of memories and emotions just start flowing. People just do not get how big the Muppets are. Look at the cast! I am so glad you watched this. Hopefully more people recognize! Great job as usual.
I remember seeing this in the theater, and not knowing who any of the real-life stars were, but I knew something was up based on my parent's and the other grown-ups reactions. I watched The Muppet Show on TV, to establish my young age... One of the best presents I got was the soundtrack on 8-track.
Well, now you have to watch The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan and, since we had a little Big Bird in this movie, Follow That Bird. Be prepared for many more celebrity cameos and a few scenes that might make you a bit weepy. 👍
This, this! Muppets Take Manhattan was my very favorite, i would watch it over and over and over as a kid. Miss Piggy roller skating through the park* was so thrilling to me! ;)
Absolutely the Muppets were as wide an appeal as Shrek. My parents would watch the shows with me as a kid and I watched them again as an adult with my kids. I saw this in the theater twice (once with my mom and once with my dad). I loved the TV show.
Paul Williams wrote ALL of the musical numbers in the film (the score was composed by Kenny Ascher), and was previously a guest star on the first season of "The Muppet Show". Williams also played the villain in the movie "Phantom of the Paradise", which is similar to "The Phantom of the Opera" in terms of overall story (a disfigured composer haunting a big venue).
Glad you liked it. And I think I speak for all of us how much we enjoyed watching you when you heard the banjo start. Saw it in the theater as a kid. I enjoyed The Muppet Show, but the movie was a marvel. The bicycle shots truly embodied movie magic, but giant Animal was my personal favorite.
I saw this in the theater as a little kid. My sense of humor takes from this. Looking back at this, I so love it and realize some of my silliest humor comes from my Muppets experiences.❤ I knew all the cameos beck was a fan of the show and I loved Steve Martin and Mel Brooks already at that age.
Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film The Muppet Movie, with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher.[1] The song was performed by Jim Henson - as Kermit the Frog
One of the great things about Jim Henson and the Muppets is that, whether in movies or on TV, they never talked down to children. They always treated children like they were intelligent people; plus they knew that when children were watching the Muppets, parents would probably be watching with them so they tried to make their shows and movies entertaining for grown-ups as well. Thus true family entertainment at the highest level. The crossover between the Muppets and Sesame Street is that Jim Henson (and Kermit) started Sesame Street. All of the puppets on Sesame Street are Jim Henson Muppets. Ernie and Bert were respectively played by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Grover was voiced by Frank Oz. In fact, every puppeteer on Sesame Street was trained by and worked for Jim Henson's workshop and studio. And, yes, I grew up watching the Muppets. From Sesame Street, to the Muppet Show, to the Muppet movies - they were my childhood. I'm a huge Jim Henson fan. PS - and I know how they took all those shots - but I won't tell. I don't want to spoil the illusion. PSS - you do know that the Little Rascals were really the Our Gang comedy film shorts from the 1930s right? They got renamed Little Rascals in the 1950s when they were put on TV - which they played the old shorts on TV until the mid-1980s. In the 1990s they made some really lame reboot full-length movies called the Little Rascals, but they're not nearly as good as the original shorts. The problem with the original shorts is that, while for the time period of the 1930s they would have been considered racially liberal, they didn't age well as time progressed and there is some stuff that is very racist by today's standards. But having said that, as a film buff, you should familiarize yourself with the original Our Gang shorts - which go back to the silent era and featured some of the first talkee films before transitioning to full blown sound. But, put altogether from their starting date in the silent movie era running to TV syndication in the '50s up until the '80s - the original Little Rascals (Our Gang shorts) are the longest running, multigenerational series in history which show cased some very talented young actors.
I was seven years old, when this came out. My Dad took me to see it in the theater. I'm 51 now, and hearing Kermit do "Rainbow Connection" still gets to me and puts a lump in my throat.
I was close to 10 when this came out and part of me knew "The Rainbow Connection" from somewhere. Then Jr high and High School came and I unfortunately grew out of The Muppets. It wasn't until A Muppet Christmas Carol came around that I fell in love with them again. Fast forward to the age of the internet and thank you mostly, TH-cam. I came across Twisted Toonz. Jess Harnell who voiced Wacko from The Animaniacs, does a decent (to me) Kermit voice. When he does a role speaking with Kermit he "warms up" with The Rainbow Connection and the audience eats it up and sings with him!
Hi Shanelle, My dad was an electronics engineer all his life so he was always up on the current tech and had to have the newest gadgets. In 1980, he bought an early VHS recorder (it was huge in size, heavy and costed $1000) and two cassettes - 'Alien' and 'Muppet Movie'. As kids we must have seen those two films 100 times...the cassette purchases from there on came slow though (they were $90 each in 1980!). One of the films my folks bought was, and still is my fav of all time - "Harold and Maude". You should consider reviewing that one. It's a dark comedy on the surface but has many layers and is an undisputed cult classic. With the name Riccio, I'm assuming you are a fellow Italian descent. Salute!
A lot of the guest stars had already appeared on The Muppet Show. My mother took her much younger cousins and friends to see this and said Orson Welles staring down at the Muppets from that Hollywood office chair quieted and intimidated an entire theater of antsy children!
"Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending, we've done just what we've set out to dooooooo, thanks to the dreamerssssss, the loversssss and youuuuuuuuu" Absolutely iconic. I also highly recommend "The Muppet visit Walt Disney World" (can be found on TH-cam) It was the last thing Jim Henson filmed before he died
I remember seeing this in the theatre and of course I had been watching the Muppets Show before then. I'm not sure if I knew the cameos at the time, but by the time I watched it on video as a teenager I knew who all the cameos were. Also despite what that factoid you read said, not all the celebrity cameos had appeared on the Muppet Show. Most of them did, but Telly Savalas, Carol Kane, Elliott Gould, Mel Brooks, and Orson Welles did not. Richard Pryor was supposed to appear on the Muppet Show but he had to cancel because he was hospitalized after his hair caught on fire.
The crossover with Sesame Street is that technically they are Muppets too. They are Muppets, they quite often appear in specials and some of the films, because it is the same company that created and owned them originally, that being Jim Henson and his team. Even his other children's show Fraggle Rock makes a cameo in one pf the Christmas specials. The Muppet Show was the original show, which was aimed at older kids and adults, it being purely entertainment and set in a Variety Theatre. While Sesame Street was made by the same company aimed solely at children and being more educationally based. So really I suppose the best way to explain the crossover is same "Universe", different shows/films, with some actual, literal crossovers occuring.
Watching this with you gave me so many big feelings. I’ve LOVED the Muppets since I was a child. The amount of cameos in this movie is staggering. Please watch The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets Take Manhattan soon. There is an episode of Great Performances about Jim Henson’s career and it is magical. The world is a sadder place for having lost him.
When I saw this movie for the first time (sometime in the 80's) I was too little to have learned to ride a bike yet so when I saw Kermit riding one, he was the most impressive frog in the world to me! Still is!
The Muppet Show made two pilot episodes in the US, but no network would pick it up. So Sir Lew Grade brought Jim Henson to the UK, and the rest is history. It was as prime time Sunday evening show in the UK. Major stars lined up to be guests on the show.
When the show finally made its debut in the US, episodes were aired out of order, so the Rita Moreno episode was aired first on US televisions. Also, a lot of favors had to be called in for the first season's guest stars until two spots were secured by Juliette Prowse and Connie Stevens for the pilot episodes. Even then, it still wasn't easy, as the previous guests would have to spread the word about it. When the second season started production, it became a bit easier to find celebrity guests, like John Cleese, Peter Sellers, Sir Elton John, Steve Martin, and Dame Julie Andrews.
That cameo from Orson Welles, Steve Martin, Elliot Gould, Bob Hope and all the others. That went over my head as a kid. They are a generation before the Muppets. Well worth checking out some of their work. Grinning too. :)
This movie hits me right in the heart! You should finish off the puppet masterclass with The Dark Crystal. Not talked about as much but it’s phenomenal work.
If just a half dozen muppets walking into Orson Wells' office had her going "Where are the puppeteers?" that one scene from Dark Crystal is absolutely going to break her brain (you know the one). Especially when you take in to account that you need SIX puppeteers per Skeksis.
I'm 48 and watched the Muppet Movie ton's as kid and was taped off of tv with the commercials....not sure where the VHS tape is now. I probably watch it annually as an adult and my kids grew up with around the house. Rainbow connection is one of my favorite songs of all time. I also grew up with Sesame street and the Muppet show. The only celebrity dying that hit me emotionally was Jim Henson as he has had such an impact on my life and you can say continues to do so. He put heart in all he did and I try to do the same.
Fantastic reaction as always. The duet between Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the dog playing piano we’re both voiced by Jim Henson, so in those days having two voices by same person on same screen was an amazing trait. Please do all the muppets movies and of course Follow That Bird movie and TV show The Storyteller all by Jim Henson studios.
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I ADORE this movie. I'm a 49 year old male, and Rainbow Connection still nearly drives me to tears. It's not just a part of my childhood, it's a fundamental part. Thank you for watching it. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I am also 49 and when Kermit sang Rainbow Connection with Debbie Harry on the muppet show, I fell in love for the first time....
DUDE. I can't even listen to it in front of people. haha. I miss Jim Henson.
Same age, same reaction. I was five or six when I watched this in the theater, and it's been a favourite ever since.
Somewhere we’ll find it, the lovers, the dreamers and me.
Same, (Well, except 52 years old)
Some songs are just SO moving, and feel SO deeply profound, you can't even property articulate WHAT they make you feel & the deep thoughts they make you think. (Without feeling like some grunting primitive caveman.) Because your 'unworthy' words will ALWAYS fall far, far short.
THIS is one such song.
the amount of cameos of people who were considered absolutely HUGE when this came out is staggering
Cal Worthington, the car salesman…she should really go find some of his old commercials on TH-cam. “Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal!”😂
Seeing the Muppets walking, driving, riding a bicycle, basically doing anything showing them from the waist down, blew us kids away almost as much as the Terminator 2 cgi.😂
I totally concur with this comment, we were blown away. Just as she was blown away! It was a cool few years, 77-79, aside from all of the simply great movies of the period (All That Jazz or Deer Hunter, or Annie Hall or whatever), us kids had Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman and The Muppet Movie all in a row. (and other movies, but those definitely are "biggie" memories). Before that, you had the Disney movies that came out every year, and once in a while something like Willy Wonka, but 77 - 79 kicked off that new style of blockbuster. Unfortunately they started beating it to death in the 80s - present day, and everything is kid stuff and effects driven. But in '77-79, it definitely felt like a groundbreaking time. (Of course the entire 60s and 70s was that way, in music and film, this was just the next great groundbreaking phenomenon)
Yeah this was big time effects for us!!
@@TTM9691 I was reviewing movies for the high school and college newspapers during this period and it was a grand and golden age. Kids' films, serious drama, blockbusters, foreign films, indies, a great variety of movie styles. Plus I was watching the classics at all the arthouse retrospective theaters that still existed. Everything on 35 millimeter prints with audiences, as it should be. And yes, I saw The Muppet Movie when it opened, at a theater that no longer exists. In the late 70s, Siskel and Ebert had just premiered on PBS. Cinematic Eye and Cinema Showcase were also on PBS bringing intelligent commentary and serious films. Home video barely existed yet. There'll never be a time like it again.
This is legitimately one of the greatest films every made. It is an absolute masterpiece.
The genuine smile when Shanelle realized that it was "The Rainbow Connection" was so heartwarming. Just the child-like innocence that The Muppets can bring to people no matter what age they are!
I was born in 87 so I'm a 90s kid. The muppets were everything to me and i have the most respect for Jim Henson. He and Mr. Rogers taught me so many difficult subjects and how to deal with them
As a massive Muppet/Jim Henson fan, I always love seeing people discover how amazing Henson's work truly was... To answer your question, Jim always intended that The Muppets were meant for both adults and children (with Sesame Street being more for kids). That said, if your mind was blown watching Kermit ride the bike, check out The Great Muppet Caper- there's a scene in which ALL of the Muppets are riding on bikes.
Also nothing wrong with tearing up at Rainbow Connection. I do so all the time (both this version and the one in 2011's The Muppets)
Oh, and Gonzo is a "Whatever" (meaning no one knows for sure). In Muppets From Space they reveal he's an alien, but in The Muppet Show comics, when asked what he is, he simply answers "I'm an artist." So you can take your pick (though as a kid watching Muppet Babies I thought he was either an aardvark or a turkey lol)
"Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending..." Words to live by.
RIP Jim Henson, he said that he wanted to make a difference in the world and he did. Can’t believe he’s been gone 33 years now
@@nsasupporter7557 As someone born in 1966, for as sad as I was when various celebs died in the 1990s, the two that really hit me hard were Jim Henson and John Denver. Hearing the two of them duet on their Christmas special soundtrack every December always has me tearing up.
Jim was truly a hero to many people to be creative and to make the world a lot better by coming together. Here’s a. Fun fact, the opening song to rainbow connection, jim is actually underwater performing Kermit in a canister tank, monitor, microphone and oxygen throughout the whole morning performing this song.
I always thought Gonzo was a weirdo.
@@ogrejehosephatt37 well that’s what they called him in Muppet Babies… Or that’s what he called himself in that show
Hey Shanelle, this was one of the first times us GenXers saw the Muppets "below the waist" . It was an Awesome movie chocked full of comedy celebrities back in the 70's. RIP Jim Henson...we all cried the day you passed away long before your time... Thanks for watching and reacting to this classic!!!
I still haven’t been able to watch the memorial in it’s entirety. I can’t get through a single performance or speech without bawling. Even the part where they’re singing like chickens makes me cry terribly because I think about how much they were mourning and still trying to make everyone else smile.
@katpiercemusic I was bawling a bit at Shanelle's reaction. It really tugged on my heart strings.
I love this movie so much. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve rewatched it. The story, characters and songs are all so iconic. Jim Henson really was such a genius.
Paul Williams music is so brilliant
I was a child of the 70s and grew up with Sesame Street and the muppet show. I watched this in the theater and bought the LP. I remember every word of every song to this day.
I'm about to turn 52. My dad took me to see this in theaters when I was about 8. I loved it so much, my parents bought me the record, which I listened to over and over. I loved the show too! Almost every speaking live action part, as you recapped, is a cameo. Of course, I didn't recognize famous people as a child, but grew to enjoy all the appearances through numerous rewatches as I got older. "Chronically over it" is quite an apt description of Steve Martin's shtick, and really resonates with much of us generation Xers! I love your reactions, and am so glad you enjoyed this one!
Yes! I had the record and played it non-stop.
I had that record too! Ha!
Same! That record got played into oblivion.
Most of the celebs in this movie were guest stars on The Muppet Show.
Paul Williams, who wrote Rainbow Connection is a genius who is responsible for just about everything awesome about the 70s. He wrote tons of hits. He's also done work in front of the camera, appearing most famously as Little Enos in Smokey and the Bandit and as Swan in the cult classic Phantom of the Paradise. He was also the piano player in the nightclub Kermit meets Fozzy at.
The older man is Charles Durning who you'll recognize from such Coen Bros films as O' Brother, Where Art Thou and The Hudsucker Proxy. Durning stormed the beach at Normandy and is in fact buried in Arlington National Cemetary.
Gonzo is a Weirdo and let's just leave it at that. The question about what Gonzo is is how the Falklands War got started.
Sesame Street's place in the Muppetverse is.....complicated. There's the Muppets team and the Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street) team. The two more or less remain separate but they DID cross over (along with Fraggle Rock) in the Muppets Christmas special. This was a HUGE deal because you never saw Sesame Street and Muppet Show characters sharing the same screen.
old fashioned love song is my favorite three dog night song
Phantom of the Paradise is a great send-up of the music industry and blending of Phantom of the Opera and the legend of Faust. The songs for it (written by Williams) are top shelf.
I'd love to see Shanelle - and other reaction channels - react to that cult classic.
@@tophers3756 Yup, it's superb. And it still stands up reasonably well (I watched it recently just to check). Definitely needs a reaction from the Shan.
Don't forget Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Kermit was the star of both franchises. I know what you mean though.
Kermit origins. First iteration was a green sock with ping pong balls. Mainstream Kermit was a major player in Sesame Street. The Muppet Show was a TV variety show with big name gust stars that lasted 5 seasons. Muppet franchise then went to the big screen with The Muppet Movie. Yes, this was my generations Shrek. Also, look up Kermit and Debbie Harry sing Rainbow Connection. Debbie Harry was the singer for Blondie. She was a guest on The Muppet Show.
What I really have taken away from this reaction is that Shan really needs to watch more classic movies. I can forgive not knowing a lot of these cameos, but the two that hurt the most were Orson Welles and Mel Brooks haha.
I don't think my jaw has ever dropped as hard as it did when she didn't know Orson Welles. That's. . . how can you do film critiques if you don't know Orson Welles when you see him?
She didn't react to Milton Berle and Bob Hope either.
My initial reaction seeing Orson Welles was shocked delight, then a moment of doubt ("that can't POSSIBLY be him!") But I quickly counted the years and realized it was possible, plus, there's no mistaking that face!
“It’s time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight “
Thanks so much for this reaction!
“Life’s like a movie
Write your own ending”
It's time to put on make-up
It's time to dress up right
It's time to get things started on the Muppet Show tonight!
Waldorf: Why do we always come here?
Statler: I guess we’ll never know.
Waldorf: It’s like a kind of torture…
Together: To have to watch the show!
@@0okamino yes! someone besides me actually knows the names of those 2. but, did you know that waldorf was married? and his wife is named "astoria".
“So now let's get it started
Why don't we get it started
It's time to get things started
On the most sensational
inspirational
celebrational
Muppetational
This is what we call the Muppet Show”
The piano player is Paul Williams, Little Enos in Smokey and the Bandit, who wrote all the songs.
Shanelle, I think you'd really like The Muppet Show, it was very meta and for adults every bit as much as for kids. It was set in a theater and was all about them producing a weekly variety show - you got to see the actual performances, but also all the backstage chaos. Poor Kermit was always at his wits' end managing it all, and there were perpetual problems like lack of budget, Miss Piggy, Gonzo's misfiring acts (I always assumed he's a rooster, by the way, and that's why he's always with a bunch of hens), Miss Piggy, accommodating guest stars, Miss Piggy...you get the idea. 😄It had some really great guests (Alice Cooper singing with "nightmare" Muppets! Miss Piggy's jealous rage over Linda Ronstadt!) and some hilarious recurring skits, like "Pigs in Space."
"Fever" with Rita Moreno and Animal is a Hall of Fame skit.
Statler, Waldorf, and Riccio
Linda Ronstadt singing “Blue Bayou” in a swamp with a chorus of ribbiting frogs, and Electric Mayhem as her backing band is one of my favourite renditions of that song.
Fantastic guest stars and musical acts. I loved that they had their own stage band too (Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem)
The Paul Williams episode (the start of his long collaboration with the Muppets) was nominated for an Emmy. He sang a couple of his songs I love, like "Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song."
I've loved this movie ever since I was a child. I still know all of the songs by heart, and can't help but sing along ever time I watch.
This is one hundred percent my generation. And it was a level above “Shrek”. The movies and tv program were actually geared more towards teens and adults, although accessible to small kids (who would only get a fraction of the humor and guest appearances) The original run of The Muppets was pure magic. I’m surprised you didn’t recognize Charles Durning as Jessica Lange’s dad in “Tootsie” right away. The new “Electric Mayhem” show on Disney+ brings back a lot of these feelings.
Man, when the band performed "Can You Picture That?" in the new show, I was like, "YES!!!"
I was a bit surprised Shanelle didn't recognize Charles Durning (Doc Hopper) from his role as the governor seeking reelection (Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel) in "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Sure, Durning is like 20 years older in the latter but, as he aged, he maintained a fairly consistent, unique appearance. Plus his voice. I was likewise surprised she didn't recognize Mel Brooks from the combo of his appearance and voice. "Blazing Saddles" was only 5 years before this movie.
The magic of the Muppet Show was that any moment it could break out into total chaos, with hilarious consequences, and the guests where fully part of it and loved it.
I'd take it a step further and suggest that cameo appearances by classic actors and other stars in programs like this is what introduced them to us, then as we grew older and saw them in more serious stuff we already had that built-in love for them. Kids today can easily look up IMDB to know everything an actor has been in, but they don't get that same nostalgia from having been exposed to the stars in something else.
The fact that Sesame Street was geared solely to children is how we got The Muppets.. .
"I always get this messed up - where's the cross over between Muppets and Sesame Street?"
Sesame Street debuted in 1969, and show creator Joan Ganz Cooney hired Jim Henson and his crew to develop characters for it. Henson had already made a name for himself as a master of puppetry, mostly through commercials and talk show appearances, but Sesame Street was his first really successful regular series gig.
A few years later, he sought to branch out and see if there was an audience for a puppet show aimed at adults. After two failed pilots, The Muppet Show finally premiered in 1976, and that's where the modern Muppet cast as we know it came into existence - Kermit and Rowlf had already been around for years, but Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Sam, Bunsen, Beaker, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, they all debuted there. The rest is history 😁
The smile on my face when Shanelle says "Does this have Rainbow Connection?"
It makes me tear up too, just like in the comeback movie.
The Orson Welles cameo is simultaneously (and paradoxically) both the most ironic (Orson as studio head?!!) AND iconic (go to Hollywood? Instant success!). Just another brilliant moment in the movie's avalanche of brilliance...
As a kid of the 70's, a little to grown for Seasame Street. The muppet show was a prime time TV must watch. This movie was a family movie go to when it came out. The next evolution of muppets came in with Fraggle Rock which aired on HBO in the early 80's. Great reaction, Shanelle. I loved seeing the magic of being a kid in your eyes.
The amazing thing about the song with Kermit and Rowlf (the piano playing dog) where you mentioned the harmonies is that basically Jim Henson is harmonising with himself in that song, seeing as at this point her voiced both characters.
Bear left! Right frog! Also, Gonzo has always been classified as a "whatever" until the Muppet Space movie came out.
Wakka wakka!
In that movie it was confimed that Gonzo was an alien, but becourse everyone on that planet looked exactly the same like him, he choosed to stay on earth where he could be unique and loved for being special.
I saw it in the theater when it came out. I was 7 years old and I loved it. I still love it at 50. I'm a huge fan of The Muppets.
The OG muppet movie, I’m so living out my childhood right now!
Will always love these muppet movies. Speaking of OG muppets, Dave Goelz who plays Gonzo in the movie is Still one of the original muppet performers still playing Gonzo to this very day.
Oh yes!!! The Muppets are a huge part of my childhood, I grew up watching the Muppets Show, this movie, the Muppets take Manhattan, the Muppet Babies... Well you get the idea.
"You don't go to Bombay to be a movie star!"
Maybe not in 1979... The Mumbai film industry has since become bigger than Hollywood...
9:16: When I see that actor, I cannot help but call him "Pass the Biscuits" Pappy O'Daniel, from O Brother Where Art Thou
Thanks, Shan! It's not often I hear the ladies say, "I love Kermit," and it gets me. Leland, Ms. used to have a cute museum for Jim and the Muppets. Jim changed my life. Because of Mr. the Frog, I have fewer have problems with my name. Yes, there were several piggies people tried to hook me up with. My wife's best friend married my favorite Muppet, Grover. I find that both endearing and a little weird. I remember how sad I was when I heard he died from a short battle with pneumonia. I still miss him. As the frog said, it's not easy BEIN' GREEN. Luv ya, babe.
Paul Williams wrote all of the soundtrack for the movie. He was the piano player early on in the movie. He He was a very small man sizewise, very popular guest on late night talk shows and all of the comedy variety shows of the '70s and '80s.
I'm a child of the 70s so I remember this movie well. The music is fantastic. As fun as it is and silly to see the muppets singing and dancing, you really need to listen to the lyrics. Really deep messages. "Rainbow Connection", "Can you picture that?", and "I'm going to go back there some day", are my favorites. "Life's like a movie. Write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending..." ❤
This is the first Muppet movie. The Muppets had been around for over 20 years at this point, having television series, TV specials, commercials and guest appearances.
Life's a movie, write your own ending
Keep believing, keep pretending
We've done just what we've set out to do
Thanks to the lovers
The dreamers
And you!
This movie was a love letter to you, me, and everyone else who loved the Muppets and allowed Jim Henson and his friends to achieve their own dreams. More than anything else, that's why this movie brings me to tears every single time.
When I was a kid in the early 80s this was one of the three movies I watched repeatedly on video disc, along with Star Wars and Airplane! No Airplane was not appropriate for a six year old to watch but I turned out fine for the most part. 😉
you watched airplane at 6? surely you cant be serious
@@oaf-77 I am serious and don’t call me Shirley.
I’m 53. I first discovered The Muppet Movie when it aired on HBO back in 1980. I had grown up on seeing the Muppets on Sesame Street and on The Muppet Show. This was definitely one of those films that appealed to both kids who loved the Muppets and adults who could appreciate the humor and the fun of the movie.
7:21 Telly Savalas
8:20 Composer Paul Williams
14:15 Milton Berle
14:37 Elliot Gould
16:00 Bob Hope
27:53 The late great Orson Welles.
You forgot Bob Hope
@@mikeroman5208 No i didn't. Click on read more.
Dom DeLouise right in the beginning.
@@kimwatchesstuff I was restricting my response to people she didn't recognize
@@tremorsfan oopsie! my bad!
Watching Kermit canoodle with Rolf is a mindblender (both are personas/characters of Jim Henson).
I love this movie
Jim Henson is the one voicing Kermit and he is also the one singing Rainbow Connection
This song is so emotional
They played it at Jim Hensons memorial service when he passed and Frank Oz, who was Jim Hensons best friend, broke down into tears
I cried like a baby
I know the feeling. It breaks me down when I watch that. 😢
That memorial service had me bawling, but I came away feeling better, inspired.
I was 8 years old when I first was this IN THEATERS! lol I loved it because I also love Sesame Street, and had a puppet that I wouldplay with as I watch the show! I loved the full body puppets and seeing it now it's still an amazing film!
I was ten years old when I saw this movie in theaters for the first time. I STILL get chills when Kermit sings “The Rainbow Connection”. 🌈🐸🥰
The Muppets show and movies were a family favorite then and today!! I saw this one and loved it. My sister and I had stuffed animals of Fozzie Bear that had a zipper to put your pjs in. Great memories! This is my favorite of the old school movies. Muppets Christmas Carol is my all time favorite and my family watches it every year for over 25 years. My next favorite is Muppet Treasure Island, so much fun with the great Tim Curry!!
This is such an amazing film and was a HUGE deal when it came out. That we actually saw Kermit's legs riding the bike was mind-boggling for people since we hadn't seen him full body before this. And the Rainbow Connection song is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Rainbow Connection always brings me back not to my childhood (but it was absolutely a part of it) but to singing it to my son as a baby and toddler to comfort him with "the rainbow song"
Kermit the frog riding the bicycle in full frame was considered amazing for many years cause how they did it
YES. - YEEES.
*TIPS OVER TABLE*
ORIGINAL MUPPETS MOVIE, LET'S GO!!
One thing that gets overlooked is how big of a deal and complicated it was having Kermit and Rowlf in the same scene. I just noticed that at the start of the scene it teases that it’s simply going to be split screen, but then by the end they’re harmonizing and right next to each other.
I really enjoy this movie. The very first Muppet Movie will always be mine and everyone's favorite Muppet film ever. From the story telling, beautiful music score, wonderful celebrity cameo and everything else in between. I watch this movie on a videocassette tape back in 90's when I was born with autism. Plus, this movie made a huge impact in my entire life for sure. Anyways, I'm happy that you got to enjoy watching the beloved classic film of "The Muppet Movie". Also your reaction to this film was terrific and awesome! Keep up the great work! :)
I first saw Kermit on Sesame Street when I was a preschooler. He was usually a TV news reporter out on the street wearing a trench coat and hat. Then, a few years later, the Muppet Show started in the mid-70s as a spoof to all the variety shows on TV at the time Seeing them in a real-world setting in this movie was so mind-blowing, even though I was too young to recognize all the comic geniuses doing cameos.
Even though I only knew some of them from my parent's old movies I thought they were all brilliant.
Doc Hopper is played by the great actor Charles Durning. He also played the governor in Best little whorehouse in Texas.
Rip
Darrell Calker 1905-1964
Edgar Bergen 1903-1978
Orson Wells 1915-1985
Jim Henson 1936-1990
Richard Hunt 1951-1992
Telly Savalas 1922-1994
Madeline Kahn 1942-1999
Milton Berle 1908-2002
James Coburn 1928-2002
Bob Hope 1903-2003
Hard Boiled Haggerty 1925-2004
Jerry Juhl 1938-2005
Richard Pryor 1940-2005
Christopher Greenbury 1951-2007
Don DeLuise 1933-2009
Jerry Nelson 1934-2012
Charles Durning 1923-2012
James Frawley 1936-2019
Caroll Spinney 1933-2019
Jack Burns 1933-2020
Bruce Kirby 1925-2021
Cloris Leachman 1926-2021
Isidore Mankofsky 1931-2021
and Melinda Dillon 1939-2023
Melinda Dillon is in this?
@@dustywaynemusic6297 yep, she was uncredited in this movie
In the theater, when I was 16 years old. Fan of The Muppet Show ... it was pure magic at the time. Always had a fondness for Muppets ... they taught me how to read when I was 3, when they came out on Sesame Street back in '69. Even though Kermit was the only original Muppet from Sesame Street in the Muppet Show (except for occasional cameos), most of the Muppet Show muppets appeared in The Muppet Movie. So the importance of the Muppets spread from the gift of reading to the joy of comedy to the wonder of musicals. This was the first soundtrack I ever bought, and I learned every word of every song, many of which I still sing today. I am so glad that Shan had the chance to enjoy this magical film, and it was a treasure to get to watch parts of it again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
If you can, try to get to the Muppets from 2011, starring Jason Seigel. It's a true classic like this is!
Around the time this film was released, Kermit got to sub-host the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. A few of his Muppet friends appeared at a couple of points in the show. The clip they showed from the film was the one where Steve Martin appeared.
The Muppet Movie came out the year I was born. It is amongst my earliest movie memories. As a life long fan of the Muppets, I've enjoyed the movie countless times over the years, and I always find more to enjoy. As I became a movie buff in my teens, I gained a deeper appreciation of the movie, as I finally started to decode the numerous cameos and homages to classic films. It's just such a gem of a movie.
You know what's also a gem? The TV show off which your avatar is based.
I saw this in a theater as a kid, and had a rather unique experience. The week before, I had gone to a movie in the same theater called "The North Avenue Irregulars", a Disney live action movie. Part way through the movie, the film jammed in the projector, and melted. It took them 10 to 15 minutes to fix the film, and we missed a few minutes of the movie. Then, just as the climax of the movie was starting, the film jammed again, melted, and then caught fire! We could see the flames projected on the screen. We sat there for half an hour waiting for them to fix the film, and when it came back, there was a crane shot of the cast cheering, and then the credits rolled. We missed the end of the movie! I was mad, but too young to know to demand my money back.
So, the next week, me and some friends went to "The Muppet Movie", and during the scene where they pretend that the film is jammed and melting, I said rather loudly, "YOU GOTTA BE F***ING KIDDING ME", which caused the rest of the theater to laugh. I was very embarrassed when it was revealed to be part of the movie, but also very relieved I wasn't gonna miss part of the movie.
The movie was well liked, but I don't think it's fair to compare it to "Shrek", as it predates the popularity of home video by a few years, so it wasn't possible to obsess about it, or watch it over and over again. I can recall catching it a couple of times when it played on television, though. Seems to me there was a video tape edition of the movie where they replaced the "film jamming and melting" gag with a "video tape jamming in the VCR" gag, so it must have been a bit of an event when they released it on home video years later, at least enough for them to make a different edit of the film.
ITS a MYTH …. Myth !!! (YESSSS?)
I remember seeing this in the theater as a kid. I was amazed to see full-bodied Muppets for the first time. I loved the soundtrack so much that I had it on LP. Seeing it as adult is a different experience. I still love it, but I realize that a lot of the jokes went over my head as a kid.
Yesssss, there’s not nearly enough reactions to this movie, I’m so glad you reacted to this. :D God, I forgot just how many awesome cameos are in this. Watching this movie just makes my heart happy ❤
Honestly though, Rainbow Connection’s the most famous song to come out of this movie, and it’s a fantastic song, but my favorite song from this movie has to be Gonzo’s “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday”. There’s just something so beautiful and understated and wistful about it, I love it. 😊
This movie makes my heart happy. Thank you. Always love when you react to my fave things.
Also this is indeed the first Muppet Movie
Shanelle, the bearded guy behind the desk at the movie studio is none other than the great Orson Welles himself, director of Citizen Kane and the narrator of the infamous War of the Worlds incident. He died not long after this movie came out. Just prior to this movie he had been the spokesman for a wine company. His famous words spoken with that stern voice of his were, "We will make no wine before it's time."
Orson Welles was also the voice of the Villain UNICRON in The Transformers the Movie (1986) a cartoon film.
The frozen peas recording is a classic
Also since i was eight and saw this in theaters Animal has been my spirit animal, soooo...life's been interesting
“He’s chronically over it, but puts on a happy face” - Shanelle Riccio summing up Steve Martin perfectly and succinctly
Did I get it??!😂
Oh yeah, the Muppets and all the cameos! This movie has one of my favorite lines of all time, "A bear in his natural habitat..... a Studebaker." For some reason that on tickles me every time! Thanks Shan!
My younger brother and I had the record from the movie. We used to play it on our little record player and reenact the “Moving Right Along” sequence. I can’t hear someone say “fork in the road” without instantly thinking of this movie. Loved your reaction!
PS - if you love studying the film making process, check out the works of Stanley Kubrick (The Shining, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, etc.). One of my favorite movies of all time is Dr Strangelove, a dark satire about nuclear war. Cheers!
If it hasn't been stated it should be said that when Kermit meets Fozzy at the saloon/bar, the man playing the piano is Paul Williams, a prolific songwriter of the 70's. He wrote/co-wrote songs including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country", and the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays". He notably wrote the song Rainbow Connection.
Back in '79 I was in the Air Force, stationed in England and living in military barracks. The 'day room' which housed the community TV was a gathering place for off-duty leisure. The TV broadcasts were made up of mostly British productions but did show a few imported American shows. These of course drew the largest gatherings since the residents were mostly American airmen. The two biggest draws by far were The Muppet Show and Mork & Mindy. Good humor and relevant guest appearances made The Muppet Show a favorite for the crowd of men in their late teens and early twenties. The Muppet Show was a small piece of America coming to visit us every week, which was warmly welcomed.
I saw this in the theater when it came out. I have a book on Special Effects that SHOWS how they did a number of the effects in this film, including Jim Henson actually in the barrel in the water to perform Kermit. This was such an endearing movie in its day. It was a much more innocent time, and the movie reflected that.
Thanks so much for reacting to this, Shanelle! The way you lit up, and then teared up, during the opening chord of "The Rainbow Connection" was everything and more.
I hope you'll consider watching more of the Muppet movies on your channel. "The Great Muppet Caper" is a wild ride!
@8:19 piano player is Paul Williams.. the guy who wrote Rainbow Connection.
I was 8 when this movie came out.
And when I saw you get emotional at Rainbow connection.... instantly made a lot of memories and emotions just start flowing.
People just do not get how big the Muppets are. Look at the cast!
I am so glad you watched this. Hopefully more people recognize!
Great job as usual.
I remember seeing this in the theater, and not knowing who any of the real-life stars were, but I knew something was up based on my parent's and the other grown-ups reactions. I watched The Muppet Show on TV, to establish my young age... One of the best presents I got was the soundtrack on 8-track.
Well, now you have to watch The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan and, since we had a little Big Bird in this movie, Follow That Bird. Be prepared for many more celebrity cameos and a few scenes that might make you a bit weepy. 👍
This, this! Muppets Take Manhattan was my very favorite, i would watch it over and over and over as a kid. Miss Piggy roller skating through the park* was so thrilling to me! ;)
Yes! To *ALL* of them! 😃
Absolutely the Muppets were as wide an appeal as Shrek. My parents would watch the shows with me as a kid and I watched them again as an adult with my kids. I saw this in the theater twice (once with my mom and once with my dad). I loved the TV show.
Piano player in the bar was paul williams who wrote rainbow connection
He was also the voice of The Penguin in Batman: The Animated Series.
Paul Williams wrote ALL of the musical numbers in the film (the score was composed by Kenny Ascher), and was previously a guest star on the first season of "The Muppet Show". Williams also played the villain in the movie "Phantom of the Paradise", which is similar to "The Phantom of the Opera" in terms of overall story (a disfigured composer haunting a big venue).
Paul Williams has written or co-written lots of great songs, including all of the ones for this movie.
I was 11 when this movie came out. I loved it then and I love it now. Lifelong muppet fan.
This was our childhood for gen x. Got the adult jokes as we got olde. And that’s what the muppets do is bring smiles and happy tears.
Glad you liked it. And I think I speak for all of us how much we enjoyed watching you when you heard the banjo start.
Saw it in the theater as a kid. I enjoyed The Muppet Show, but the movie was a marvel. The bicycle shots truly embodied movie magic, but giant Animal was my personal favorite.
I saw this in the theater as a little kid. My sense of humor takes from this. Looking back at this, I so love it and realize some of my silliest humor comes from my Muppets experiences.❤ I knew all the cameos beck was a fan of the show and I loved Steve Martin and Mel Brooks already at that age.
Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film The Muppet Movie, with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher.[1] The song was performed by Jim Henson - as Kermit the Frog
One of the great things about Jim Henson and the Muppets is that, whether in movies or on TV, they never talked down to children. They always treated children like they were intelligent people; plus they knew that when children were watching the Muppets, parents would probably be watching with them so they tried to make their shows and movies entertaining for grown-ups as well. Thus true family entertainment at the highest level.
The crossover between the Muppets and Sesame Street is that Jim Henson (and Kermit) started Sesame Street. All of the puppets on Sesame Street are Jim Henson Muppets. Ernie and Bert were respectively played by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Grover was voiced by Frank Oz. In fact, every puppeteer on Sesame Street was trained by and worked for Jim Henson's workshop and studio.
And, yes, I grew up watching the Muppets. From Sesame Street, to the Muppet Show, to the Muppet movies - they were my childhood. I'm a huge Jim Henson fan.
PS - and I know how they took all those shots - but I won't tell. I don't want to spoil the illusion.
PSS - you do know that the Little Rascals were really the Our Gang comedy film shorts from the 1930s right? They got renamed Little Rascals in the 1950s when they were put on TV - which they played the old shorts on TV until the mid-1980s. In the 1990s they made some really lame reboot full-length movies called the Little Rascals, but they're not nearly as good as the original shorts. The problem with the original shorts is that, while for the time period of the 1930s they would have been considered racially liberal, they didn't age well as time progressed and there is some stuff that is very racist by today's standards. But having said that, as a film buff, you should familiarize yourself with the original Our Gang shorts - which go back to the silent era and featured some of the first talkee films before transitioning to full blown sound. But, put altogether from their starting date in the silent movie era running to TV syndication in the '50s up until the '80s - the original Little Rascals (Our Gang shorts) are the longest running, multigenerational series in history which show cased some very talented young actors.
The cassette tape of this soundtrack was in rotation in my home as a child. Thanks for reacting to this!😊
I was seven years old, when this came out. My Dad took me to see it in the theater. I'm 51 now, and hearing Kermit do "Rainbow Connection" still gets to me and puts a lump in my throat.
52 yo here and ditto
I was close to 10 when this came out and part of me knew "The Rainbow Connection" from somewhere. Then Jr high and High School came and I unfortunately grew out of The Muppets. It wasn't until A Muppet Christmas Carol came around that I fell in love with them again.
Fast forward to the age of the internet and thank you mostly, TH-cam. I came across Twisted Toonz. Jess Harnell who voiced Wacko from The Animaniacs, does a decent (to me) Kermit voice. When he does a role speaking with Kermit he "warms up" with The Rainbow Connection and the audience eats it up and sings with him!
Hi Shanelle, My dad was an electronics engineer all his life so he was always up on the current tech and had to have the newest gadgets. In 1980, he bought an early VHS recorder (it was huge in size, heavy and costed $1000) and two cassettes - 'Alien' and 'Muppet Movie'. As kids we must have seen those two films 100 times...the cassette purchases from there on came slow though (they were $90 each in 1980!). One of the films my folks bought was, and still is my fav of all time - "Harold and Maude". You should consider reviewing that one. It's a dark comedy on the surface but has many layers and is an undisputed cult classic. With the name Riccio, I'm assuming you are a fellow Italian descent. Salute!
Muppet Movie was one of the first movies we owned on VHS back then, and movies in video back then were expensive
A lot of the guest stars had already appeared on The Muppet Show. My mother took her much younger cousins and friends to see this and said Orson Welles staring down at the Muppets from that Hollywood office chair quieted and intimidated an entire theater of antsy children!
"Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending, we've done just what we've set out to dooooooo, thanks to the dreamerssssss, the loversssss and youuuuuuuuu" Absolutely iconic.
I also highly recommend "The Muppet visit Walt Disney World" (can be found on TH-cam) It was the last thing Jim Henson filmed before he died
I remember seeing this in the theatre and of course I had been watching the Muppets Show before then. I'm not sure if I knew the cameos at the time, but by the time I watched it on video as a teenager I knew who all the cameos were. Also despite what that factoid you read said, not all the celebrity cameos had appeared on the Muppet Show. Most of them did, but Telly Savalas, Carol Kane, Elliott Gould, Mel Brooks, and Orson Welles did not. Richard Pryor was supposed to appear on the Muppet Show but he had to cancel because he was hospitalized after his hair caught on fire.
Tim Burton is also part of this movie, uncredited as a Muppet performer.
John Landis is also one of the performers
The crossover with Sesame Street is that technically they are Muppets too. They are Muppets, they quite often appear in specials and some of the films, because it is the same company that created and owned them originally, that being Jim Henson and his team. Even his other children's show Fraggle Rock makes a cameo in one pf the Christmas specials.
The Muppet Show was the original show, which was aimed at older kids and adults, it being purely entertainment and set in a Variety Theatre. While Sesame Street was made by the same company aimed solely at children and being more educationally based. So really I suppose the best way to explain the crossover is same "Universe", different shows/films, with some actual, literal crossovers occuring.
Watching this with you gave me so many big feelings. I’ve LOVED the Muppets since I was a child. The amount of cameos in this movie is staggering.
Please watch The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets Take Manhattan soon.
There is an episode of Great Performances about Jim Henson’s career and it is magical. The world is a sadder place for having lost him.
When I saw this movie for the first time (sometime in the 80's) I was too little to have learned to ride a bike yet so when I saw Kermit riding one, he was the most impressive frog in the world to me! Still is!
The Muppet Show made two pilot episodes in the US, but no network would pick it up. So Sir Lew Grade brought Jim Henson to the UK, and the rest is history. It was as prime time Sunday evening show in the UK. Major stars lined up to be guests on the show.
The older Orson Wells was very familiar from his sherry TV adverts in the 1970s.
When the show finally made its debut in the US, episodes were aired out of order, so the Rita Moreno episode was aired first on US televisions. Also, a lot of favors had to be called in for the first season's guest stars until two spots were secured by Juliette Prowse and Connie Stevens for the pilot episodes. Even then, it still wasn't easy, as the previous guests would have to spread the word about it. When the second season started production, it became a bit easier to find celebrity guests, like John Cleese, Peter Sellers, Sir Elton John, Steve Martin, and Dame Julie Andrews.
@@EntertainmentFan11 the floodgates really opened when ballet star Rudolf Nureyev appeared on the show, iirc
Lew Lord (Welles) is based on Lew Grade, whose handshake really was as good as a contract.
I was 10 when this came out and did see it in a theater. Loved it then, love it now. I'm glad you got so much joy out of it.
That cameo from Orson Welles, Steve Martin, Elliot Gould, Bob Hope and all the others. That went over my head as a kid. They are a generation before the Muppets. Well worth checking out some of their work. Grinning too. :)
My siblings and I always pull the "It's a myth, myth... Yes?"
This movie hits me right in the heart! You should finish off the puppet masterclass with The Dark Crystal. Not talked about as much but it’s phenomenal work.
If just a half dozen muppets walking into Orson Wells' office had her going "Where are the puppeteers?" that one scene from Dark Crystal is absolutely going to break her brain (you know the one). Especially when you take in to account that you need SIX puppeteers per Skeksis.
Yes! lol I love that ik exactly what scene your talking about
@@procrastinator547Don’t you mean Labyrinth?
@@TwilightLink77 nope
I'm 48 and watched the Muppet Movie ton's as kid and was taped off of tv with the commercials....not sure where the VHS tape is now. I probably watch it annually as an adult and my kids grew up with around the house. Rainbow connection is one of my favorite songs of all time. I also grew up with Sesame street and the Muppet show. The only celebrity dying that hit me emotionally was Jim Henson as he has had such an impact on my life and you can say continues to do so. He put heart in all he did and I try to do the same.
Fantastic reaction as always.
The duet between Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the dog playing piano we’re both voiced by Jim Henson, so in those days having two voices by same person on same screen was an amazing trait.
Please do all the muppets movies and of course Follow That Bird movie and TV show The Storyteller all by Jim Henson studios.
rowlf was the fist big muppet superstar, featuring on the Jimmy Dean Show. Henson would make jimmy break in almost every episode