Muppets From Space – The Forgotten Muppet Movie

Whenever you ask someone what their favourite Muppet movie is their response will probably be The Muppet Movie (1979), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) or The Muppets (2011). I imagine it is very rare that some will say Muppets From Space (1999).

It was the first non-musical Muppet movie. It had a big musical sequence at the beginning with the characters all living in one house dancing to ‘Brick House’ in a fun scene, but contained no original songs made for the film. Muppets From Space follows Gonzo as he discovers what and who he is which takes him on a journey where he discovers he is from an alien race. He is captured by K. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor) at C.O.V.N.E.T, a government facility that investigates alien attacks, and it is up to his Muppet friends to save him.

It was an interesting move for the filmmakers who had previously made two Muppet movies that decade based on famous novels, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island (1996). There’s a feeling that the Muppet franchise was trying to find its identity after the sad passing of its creator Jim Henson in 1990.

The film showcases many of the newer characters who starred in the TV series Muppets Tonight that had started in 1996. This included Clifford who was the host of the show and received a mixed reception from critics. Muppets Tonight was a show that in its two-season run struggled to find an audience. It was an attempt at emulating the magic of The Muppet Show but never really reached those heights. There was a big guest star every week, Sandra Bullock, Pierce Brosnan, and like The Muppet Show they would perform skits. There were also a variety of sketches with the old and new characters.

Muppets From Space received the same mixed reviews from critics and audiences. This led to it being the first Muppet movie to lose money at the box office recouping $22 million from a $24 million. The franchise took a decade-long hiatus, besides made-for-TV fare like Kermit’s Swamp Years (2002) and The Muppets Wizard of Oz (2005), before Nick Stoller and Jason Segel brought them back to the big screen in 2011 with The Muppets.

You won’t find either Muppets From Space or The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) on Disney+ as the brand was acquired by Columbia-Tristar Pictures, that was a member of the Sony company. Disney bought back the rights to the Muppets in 2004 before deciding what to do with them.

Muppets From Space went through many writers as an idea was being established. One early draft had Kermit abducted by aliens because they thought he was their leader. Another was just a spoof of popular science-fiction movies like Men in Black (1997), Contact (1997) and Alien (1979). Muppets From Space still pays homage to many of these movies but it’s not a straight-up spoof. In the end first-time director Tim Hill was brought aboard to give the movie a more realistic storyline.

This all makes for pretty grim reading for Muppets From Space, but I must say it is an entertaining, fun and likeable film that captures a lot of what made the Muppets so great. There is a lot to like and the balance humour and sweetness throughout is evident in some great scenes.

The opening scene sees Gonzo have a nightmare that takes place during the time of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood. He pleads with Noah (F. Murray Abraham) to let him aboard so he will not perish under the floodwaters. Noah denies him entry because Gonzo cannot identify what species he is. Gonzo is given an umbrella and left to wait for the inevitable before waking up screaming. A scene like this is not only darkly funny, but it sets up Gonzo’s longing for identity and how isolated he feels.

The idea that all the Muppets are living together in the house and just going about their business with Kermit left to organize their living arrangements is also a neat idea. I would have really liked a whole series that looks at this dynamic but that never came about.

The plot moves well and the scenes where Gonzo and Rizzo being held by the government agency are amusing. They get separated when Hulk Hogan throws Rizzo down a chute to join the lab rats who are at the mercy of David Arquette chewing up the scenery as an evil scientist. However, there is not really the same kind of guest star to keep Muppets From Space relevant. Ray Liotta, Kathy Griffin, Andie McDowell, Rob Schneider, Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes are fine, but they are not at the same level as guest stars that have been before. Especially when you consider the calibre of celebrity they were getting for the Muppets Tonight Show.

There could also be more energy that the old Henson movies had in abundance. Being the first Muppet movie that was not also a musical, scenes tend to go on longer than they should sometimes, and you do yearn for the old time. Frank Oz himself said that the movie was, “Not the movie that we wanted it to be.”

However, there is a genuine heart to this movie and it’s mostly from the relationship between Gonzo and Rizzo. It’s interesting that they were put together for The Muppet Christmas Carol and just kind of worked as a duo and so are brought back together again. Gonzo does elicit sympathy throughout and even when his friends think he is losing his mind, they still care for him and come to safe him.

The Muppet performers are as good as ever and a lot of the team that know how these characters work are at the top of their game. Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Bill Barretta, and Frank Oz are just at home when the Muppets are having a quiet talking scene or running for their lives. They know what they are doing and the acting ability shines through the felt.

If you haven’t seen Muppets From Space, definitely check it out. It’s not going to become a firm favourite but it’s a lot of fun and has jokes in abundance.

What The Critics Said

“The Muppets were once devilish and sly, but this ploddingly whimsical musical caper, which uses too many '70s soul songs to signify its rainbow-demographic cred, is enough to make you want to see them get slapped around by the Teletubbies!” Owen Gleiberman – Entertainment Weekly

“Smart and winning, this sixth Muppet feature film comes closest to recapturing the pure joy of the 1979 original!” Robin Rauzi - Los Angeles Times

“While it would take a hard-hearted person to dislike a Muppet movie, it's fair to say that this most familiar and comforting of all movie franchises has been a tad lacklustre of late. So it's a relief to discover that Muppets From Space is the best Muppet movie for some time, adding film references a-plenty, dark, edgy comedy and even a touch of post-modernism to the usual all-singing, all-dancing ridiculousness.” Caroline Westbrook – Empire Magazine

Thanks For Reading,

Luke Cordell,

Luke Cordell Film