Help me plan a cinema-history-grounded Muppet movie marathon
May 14, 2023 8:18 PM Subscribe
I am contemplating a multi-session viewing of every Muppet cinematic release with friends. I would like to (primarily) match one period appropriate contemporaneous film and (secondarily) match some snack or meal with each film. Please give me your recommendations for some or all of these!
To accompany The Muppet Movie, it'd depend if I wanted a comedy (Murder by Death, Blazing Saddles, The [First] Great Train Robbery) or something in a different key (Harry & Tonto, or some grim 70s road movie like Badlands or Damnation Alley).
In any event, I'd serve mock frog legs* and rainbow Skittles.
*If you're looking for different preparations, Doc Hopper has you covered.
posted by miles per flower at 10:41 PM on May 14, 2023
In any event, I'd serve mock frog legs* and rainbow Skittles.
*If you're looking for different preparations, Doc Hopper has you covered.
posted by miles per flower at 10:41 PM on May 14, 2023
I'd pre-funk with a few Swedish Chef youtubes before playing the movie & serve Dee Poppetty Corns! and Shrimpeeez!
posted by iiniisfree at 1:09 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by iiniisfree at 1:09 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
An experience in the mid-90s making camp palatable to the mainstream: Muppet Treasure Island and The Birdcage. Food could be inspired by the very “Guatemalan” seafood chowder from the dinner scene, or maybe just shrimp cocktail and rum mixed drinks.
posted by Mizu at 3:03 AM on May 15, 2023
posted by Mizu at 3:03 AM on May 15, 2023
If you're looking for movies that came out the same year, you probably can't do much better than Thief for pairing with The Great Muppet Caper. It's about a jewel thief, though I don't think he ever scored the fabulous baseball diamond.
Not sure how close you want the releases to be, but if you'd rather have a comedy that plays up the newspaperman aspect of Kermit/Fozzie/Gonzo's story, The Front Page might be a good one to (1974 release for TFP and 1981 for TGMC).
If you want more Diana Rigg and jewelry theft, there's always Evil Under The Sun from 1982.
For food, I'd go fish n chips for the London angle or hot dogs/cracker jacks/fabulous baseball diamond concessions.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:57 AM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
Not sure how close you want the releases to be, but if you'd rather have a comedy that plays up the newspaperman aspect of Kermit/Fozzie/Gonzo's story, The Front Page might be a good one to (1974 release for TFP and 1981 for TGMC).
If you want more Diana Rigg and jewelry theft, there's always Evil Under The Sun from 1982.
For food, I'd go fish n chips for the London angle or hot dogs/cracker jacks/fabulous baseball diamond concessions.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:57 AM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
Muppets Take Manhattan would pair well with Fame, A Chorus Line, or if you want to go a little darker, All That Jazz.
posted by cakelite at 5:30 AM on May 15, 2023
posted by cakelite at 5:30 AM on May 15, 2023
For a Muppet Christmas Carol, lots of possibilities for Dickensian Victorian foods, but also consider Lump of coal rice krispie treats.
posted by Melismata at 6:43 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Melismata at 6:43 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
Muppets Take Manhattan, Pete's Luncheonette scenes: "Two zeroes on a trampoline with a side of Joan of Arc." (Two fried eggs on toast with steak fries.)
Also pancakes.
This Is Spinal Tap also came out in 1984, and might be an interesting match in addition to films like Fame and A Chorus Line.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 7:55 AM on May 15, 2023
Also pancakes.
This Is Spinal Tap also came out in 1984, and might be an interesting match in addition to films like Fame and A Chorus Line.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 7:55 AM on May 15, 2023
The pilot for The Muppet Show is a goofy 7 Deadly Sins that I quite love. One of the few DVDs I own.
posted by theora55 at 9:10 AM on May 15, 2023
posted by theora55 at 9:10 AM on May 15, 2023
I'm going to look right past Galaxy Quest and recommend pairing Muppets from Space with another 1999 science fiction movie: Deep Blue Sea.
posted by box at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2023
posted by box at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2023
Does "period appropriate contemporaneous" mean it has to have been shot the same year?
If not I would suggest pairing Muppets from Space with Spaceballs. And serve deli sandwiches.
posted by Mchelly at 1:31 PM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
If not I would suggest pairing Muppets from Space with Spaceballs. And serve deli sandwiches.
posted by Mchelly at 1:31 PM on May 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Definitely not worried about perfectly lining up the release year, yeah; plus-or-minus like three years feels reasonable, a strong thematic or aesthetic or otherwise interesting connection between the two films from the same general pop culture moment is the most attractive thing.
posted by cortex at 2:47 PM on May 15, 2023
posted by cortex at 2:47 PM on May 15, 2023
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1. Guacamole, from the scene with Mel Brooks (referring to the electronic cerebrectomy machine) “What does it do? What does it do? It turns the brains into guacamole!”
2. Honey ice cream, and something approximating dragonfly ripple ice cream for your friend the frog.
3. Sparkling Muscatel, one of the finest wines of Idaho. (Ask your guests if they want to smell the bottle cap.)
4. To be paired with ABBA: The Movie (1979)
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:56 PM on May 14, 2023 [4 favorites]