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| − | [[Image:Jerrjuhl-writer2.jpg|thumb|300px]] |
+ | [[Image:Jerrjuhl-writer2.jpg|thumb|300px|Jerry Juhl]] |
| + | [[Image:Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made.jpg|thumb|300px|Title image for "Walt Disney Pictures Presents: The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made!" shown at the D23 Expo in September 2009.]] |
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| − | '''''The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made''''' is an idea for a film that [[Jim Henson]], [[Jerry Juhl]] and [[Frank Oz]] developed in 1985 |
+ | '''''The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made!''''' is an idea for a film that [[Jim Henson]], [[Jerry Juhl]] and [[Frank Oz]] first developed in 1985. |
| + | Juhl, the Muppets' head writer from the late 1970s through the the 90s, discussed the film's concept in a 1998 interview with [[Muppet Central (website)|Muppet Central]]: |
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| − | ==Original idea== |
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| − | In a 1998 interview,<ref>[http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/juhl3.shtml Muppet Central] by D.W. McKim. July 24, 1998</ref> Jerry Juhl, head writer of the Muppets, discussed the concept of this film on [[Muppet Central (website)|Muppet Central]]: |
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| + | {{quote|There was a project for a Muppet movie that we kept returning to. Jim and I worked on it and just loved it. It grew out of the fact that Jim was talking about finances and if we did another Muppet movie at the time, it would need to be done inexpensively, since we were using bigger and bigger budgets for all our other projects...So we conceived of a movie slated as "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made." That was the original working title and that later became the subtitle with the title along the lines of, "Into the Teeth of the Demons of Death."<br><br>The idea being that this was a film that [[Gonzo]] directed. [[Kermit]] was too busy so when Gonzo asked, Kermit said, "Sure, go ahead. I can't take on the responsibilities behind the scenes at this time, but I'll perform in it." So Gonzo wrote this cheesy, terrible plot that made absolutely no sense whatsoever about something being stolen that led to a chase around the world. Unfortunately Gonzo blows half the movie's budget on the opening titles! So as the film progresses, it gets cheaper and cheaper where they're using a shot of the same street corner for every city in the world! We were still talking about this project in the last meeting I ended up having with Jim.<br><br>Every now and then, we still bring up the movie. Six months ago, Frank had said to me, "You know, there's still something in that movie, it would be a lot of fun to do." One thing that kept it from happening though was that for "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made," it still turned out to be expensive to shoot. Things like a tranquil island blowing up with a volcano and such.<ref>McKim, D.W. "[http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/juhl3.shtml Written in Foam: An Interview with Muppet Writer Jerry Juhl]", [[Muppet Central (website)|Muppet Central]]. July 24, 1998.</ref>}} |
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| − | {{quote|There was a project for a Muppet movie that we kept returning to. Jim and I worked on it and just loved it. It grew out of the fact that Jim was talking about finances and if we did another Muppet movie at the time, it would need to be done inexpensively, since we were using bigger and bigger budgets for all our other projects.''" |
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| + | Additional plot details were recounted in ''[[Jim Henson: The Biography]]'': Gonzo's film, ''Into the Jaws of the Demons of Death'', would eventually get cheaper and cheaper in looks, turning into "black-and-white Super 8 film," then to a slideshow and storyboards. Eventually, Gonzo would gain some corporate sponsorship, ending the movie in hi-def widescreen.<ref>''Jim Henson: The Biography'', page 408.</ref> |
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| − | According to Juhl, the idea at the time "''being that this was a film that [[Gonzo]] directed. [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] was too busy so when Gonzo asked, Kermit said, 'Sure, go ahead. I can't take on the responsibilities behind the scenes at this time, but I'll perform in it.' So Gonzo wrote this cheesy, terrible plot that made absolutely no sense whatsoever about something being stolen that led to a chase around the world.'' |
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| − | ''Unfortunately Gonzo blows half the movie's budget on the opening titles! So as the film progresses, it gets cheaper and cheaper where they're using a shot of the same street corner for every city in the world! We were still talking about this project in the last meeting I ended up having with Jim.}} |
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| − | ==New life== |
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| + | The script was again mentioned as a next movie for the Muppets in September 2009 as discussed at the [[D23 Expo]]. It was later set aside yet again in favor of ''[[The Muppets (2011)|The Muppets]]''.<ref>[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/05/03/the-muppets-are-coming-american-woman-goes-viral-on-memorial-day-lost-this-wednesday/ MTV - "The Muppets Are Coming! 'American Woman' Goes Viral On Memorial Day, 'Lost' This Wednesday!" by Adam Rosenberg, May 3, 2010]</ref> |
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| − | At [[the Walt Disney Company]]'s [[D23 Expo]] on September 11, 2009, the Muppets appeared to announce that ''The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made'' with a similar plot would be their next film. <ref>[http://www.accesshollywood.com/new-disney-pirates-muppet-beatles-movies-announced-at-d23-expo_article_22823 Access Hollywood] Sept 11, 2009</ref> Jason Segel, previously announced as writer of ''[[The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time!!!]]'', was reported as writing the script.<ref>[http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/09/11/disney-announces-the-cheapest-muppet-movie-ever-made/ Slashfilm] by Peter Sciretta. Spet 11, 2009</ref> Whether the 2009-announced ''Cheapest'' script is based on Juhl's 1985 treatment, or an update of Segel's ''Greatest'' script, is not known. |
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==Sources== |
==Sources== |
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<references /> |
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| − | + | {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made}} |
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| + | [[Category:Unfinished Movies]] |
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Revision as of 16:52, 12 December 2014
Jerry Juhl
Title image for "Walt Disney Pictures Presents: The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made!" shown at the D23 Expo in September 2009.
The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made! is an idea for a film that Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl and Frank Oz first developed in 1985.
Juhl, the Muppets' head writer from the late 1970s through the the 90s, discussed the film's concept in a 1998 interview with Muppet Central:
Additional plot details were recounted in Jim Henson: The Biography: Gonzo's film, Into the Jaws of the Demons of Death, would eventually get cheaper and cheaper in looks, turning into "black-and-white Super 8 film," then to a slideshow and storyboards. Eventually, Gonzo would gain some corporate sponsorship, ending the movie in hi-def widescreen.[2]
Frank Oz discussed resurrecting the 15-year old script in a 2000 interview.[3]
The script was again mentioned as a next movie for the Muppets in September 2009 as discussed at the D23 Expo. It was later set aside yet again in favor of The Muppets.[4]
Sources
- ↑ McKim, D.W. "Written in Foam: An Interview with Muppet Writer Jerry Juhl", Muppet Central. July 24, 1998.
- ↑ Jim Henson: The Biography, page 408.
- ↑ Plume, Ken. "Interview with Frank Oz", IGN.com. February 10, 2000.
- ↑ MTV - "The Muppets Are Coming! 'American Woman' Goes Viral On Memorial Day, 'Lost' This Wednesday!" by Adam Rosenberg, May 3, 2010