The Muppets: The Wocka Wocka Value Pack (2011/Disney Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy/Soundtrack)

 

Picture: A/B     Sound: A/B     Extras: B/C     Film: A-

 

 

It’s time to play the music! It’s time to light the lights! It’s time to review The Muppets on FulvueDrive-in tonight!

 

Jim Henson’s genius has inspired the world for generations now; well beyond just the reaches of film and television.  It is good, however, to take a trip back down memory lane from time to time and try to remember how it all started.  Whereas Jim Henson had many artistic ventures prior to creating The Muppets we know and love today, it was The Muppets that put him on the map.  And now, even after he’s gone, Jim Henson’s Muppets live on for generation after generation to love, laugh and revisit.

 

It had been over 10 years since The Muppets had made a theatrical film appearance; last appearing in Muppets from Space (1999), which was a complete disaster.  Disney had acquired The Muppets in 2004 after many previous unsuccessful attempts.  Outside of one mildly entertaining television special and appearances at theme parks, Disney had not done much with the franchise.  Though it should be noted Disney was the producer of the very successful A Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island.  The Muppets were after all a very special commodity, a cherished group that shouldn’t be abused or taken lightly; like that of many other Disney stars.  So when Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller pitched the idea of a new Muppet movie in 2008, to say people were skeptical is putting it lightly.

 

The pitch, however, must have impressed the execs at Disney as Vice President of Production, Kristin Burr, green lighted the project.  Segel and Stoller quickly got to work with rumors swirling the whole time.  After multiple titles, drafts, leaks and everything in between the final script was ready for filming with high expectations and speculated cameos abound.

 

The final story boiled down to a classic Muppet concept, save the studio.  An evil oil tycoon discovered there was oil underneath the old Muppets’ Studio and was going to destroy it for his own gain.  Making matters worse was that The Muppets had disbanded years earlier and were scattered across the globe; some doing much better than others.  It was up to one diehard fan named Walter (Peter Linz) and his reluctant but happy to help brother Gary (Jason Segel) to save The Muppets.  The boys made no hesitation in going for the big man himself first and found Kermit the Frog; after some heavy persuasion Kermit agreed, but it wouldn’t be a show unless everyone was there so they set out to get the gang back together.  It would take a miracle, elbow grease and a ton of money to get the studio up and running again; so the crew decided to put on the best show ever to save the studio.

 

The film is, to put it simply, fantastic.  Though I hold a special place in my heart for all The Muppet films, this has to be one of the best.  It is charming, masterfully executed, and reminds us why we love The Muppets in the first place.  There are a ton of inside jokes and 1970s/80s references that only older audiences will get; but the pure magic and joy of The Muppets remains pulling in the younger generation.  We get guest appearances from Alan Arkin, Emily Blunt, James Carville, Bill Cobbs, Zach Galifianakis, Whoopi Goldberg, Donald Glover, Selena Gomez, Dave Grohl (hilarious as the ‘Animal’), Neil Patrick Harris, Judd Hirsch, Ken Jeong, Sarah Silverman, Mickey Rooney, and MANY more.  The Muppets aren’t afraid to be self depurating as they make plenty references that they have been forgotten about and are they themselves out of touch with reality and 2011.  Kermit is going through a rolodex of who’s who…of 1980; which is quite funny.  The film is fantastic beginning to end and received critical acclaim for good reason.  A sequel is already planned (though Segel is sadly not involved) and if it is anything like this film, it will surely be a success.

 

The technical features on this Disney produced Muppet film are wonderful.  The picture is in a 1080p AVC-encoded, 1.78 X 1 aspect ratio enhanced for 16 X 9 televisions that is full of life and color.  The picture is spot on perfect in this reviewer’s opinion; the crispness, clarity, and depth are all there.   You can see every hair, fiber, and fuzz; if I didn’t know better I would think it is in 3D the way the picture explodes off the screen.  Nothing about the picture disappoints.  The sound is equally astonishing.  The film embodies music and movement, so it is a good thing the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio showcases that so well.  The soundstage is alive as the music lights up the speakers, there is noise and voices coming from every corner.  The well balanced feature makes almost feel like The Muppets are in the room with you as they zip across the soundscape.

 

The DVD (as with all Disney DVDs) is nice, but we have now grown past that.  The DVD is a clear downgrade in terms of picture, sound, and extras.  Blu-ray is the way to go and the way this film was intended to be viewed.

 

The extras are also well put together.  Extras include:

 

• Scratching the Surface: A Hasty Examination of the Making of The Muppets
• All to short featurette that again pokes fun at The Muppets
• Deleted Scenes
• A Little Screen Test on the way to the Read-Through
• Explaining Evil: The Full Tex Richman Song (3 minutes)
• Extended (more fitting) cut of this rap song
• Unreleased Theatrical Spoof Trailers
• Essentially The Muppets poking fun…hilarious
• Audio Commentary with Jason Segel, James Bobin, and Nicholas Stoller
• Very interesting, funny, and well done.  We get a big taste of the passion behind this project.
• Disney Intermission (for fun pause the movie)
• The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (in Muppet History…We Think)
• The Soundtrack (available for FREE with this edition)

 

I highly recommend this film, it will stand the test of time and be cherished for years to come.

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II