THE MUPPET MOVIE (1979)

TRIBUTE SCREENING

Fans still remember their delight at seeing Kermit the Frog ride a bicycle in the film that launched The Muppets’ eight-picture franchise (to date). Over two decades since their introduction in 1955, Jim Henson’s spirited creations finally hit the big screen with — what else? — an origin story. The film traces Kermit’s odyssey from a Florida swamp to Hollywood stardom, picking up other beloved characters along the way. Putting the Muppets on screen was a logistical challenge. Sets had to be built on four-to-six-foot-tall platforms to accommodate puppeteers, and some sequences were so complicated it took a day to capture one minute of screen time. But the film was more than just a hit; it was a generation-defining treasure. Along with characters like Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Rowlf, the picture features an array of cameos from performers like Orson Welles, Carole Kane, Steve Martin and, in his last film, Edgar Bergen. That’s not to mention the classic tune “Rainbow Connection,” which earned an Oscar nomination for songwriter Paul Williams.

d. James Frawley, 95m, DCP

DCP courtesy of Universal Pictures.