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From the '60s to Today: How the Muppets Have Evolved

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:52:13 PST

For over 40 years, the Muppets have been loved as international pop culture legends. And if you grew up with Kermit and the rest of the gang, you're sure to have a favorite Muppet that holds a special place in your heart. Not only do these crazy puppets touch both children and adults, the Muppets have managed to stay relevant and in the know even as the times continue to change.

After starting off as a mostly male crew, additional strong female characters made the Muppets more inclusive. And this year, people petitioned for Bert and Ernie to get married, making them a symbol for gay rights. In order to celebrate the release of the new movie The Muppets next week, check out how these guys have managed to keep it fresh. "It's time to get things started!"

Moment of Geek: The Real Computer Monster

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:00:44 PDT

Every couple of days we run across items so geeky we can't even begin to explain them. We politely refer to them as "Moments of Geek," as in a short fact, tidbit, video or picture that's not worthy of a whole feature story, but is worthy of a moment of your time.

Today's example comes to you courtesy of Muppet creator Jim Henson, who created the "computer monster" sketch in the early 1960s. The skit was allegedly developed for IBM and was such a hit that Henson redid it later. Word is the computer-eating-monster is a predecessor of the infamous Cookie Monster, who you might remember is more blue than green.

Tuesday Trippiness

GiggleSugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:54:38 PDT

What do you get when you combine the talents of Jim Henson (creator of "The Muppets"), experimental musicians, and a truckload of hallucinogens? This thing...

Pulp Muppets

GiggleSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 12:00:00 PDT

Pulp Fiction just begs to be spoofed. Here's a pretty absurd one. "You won't know the facts until you see it done with Puppets."

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:05:00 PDT

In addition to the following releases, The Sitter and Carnage are also now available on DVD.

The Muppets

Jason Segel co-wrote and stars in this sequel worthy of Jim Henson's epic franchise. He and Amy Adams play Gary and Mary, a couple who travel to LA only to find that a beloved theater that was once home to the Muppets is being torn down. The two, along with Gary's brother (who happens to be a Muppet), embark on a quest to track down the old Muppet gang in a film that appeals to both adults who grew up with the characters and a new generation of fans. DVD and Blu-ray features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, spoof trailers, and blooper reels.

96%

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

David Fincher directed the first American adaptation of Stieg Larsson's hugely popular Millennium Trilogy. Starring Rooney Mara in the Oscar-nominated title role of Lisbeth Salander, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is an enthralling (if slightly disturbing) film that introduces audiences to punk hacker Lisbeth and disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist, (Daniel Craig) as they team up to solve a murder in the twisted Vanger family. DVD and Blu-ray come packed with four hours of features including commentary by Fincher and behind-the-scenes footage.

87%

One more new release when you

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Gary Oldman superbly leads an all-star cast that includes Colin Firth and Tom Hardy in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, an adaptation of the British novel. The film takes place in the height of the Cold War and centers around George Smiley, an MI6 agent forced to come out of retirement tasked with uncovering a mole within the agency. Oldman plays Smiley with expert skill and makes this cerebral spy thriller thoroughly engrossing. DVD and Blu-ray extras include commentary track with the director and Oldman, interviews with the cast and crew, a featurette, and some deleted scenes.

83%

Bret McKenzie Says He Can't Wait to Play His "Oscar Card" to Flight of the Conchords Buddy Jemaine

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:26:43 PST

We've loved Bret McKenzie ever since his Flight of the Conchords days, and we were so excited to see him take home an Oscar tonight for his original song from The Muppets. McKenzie shared his giddiness with us back in the press room, where he talked about the inspiration behind his song "Man or Muppet," and how he can't wait to rub his Oscar in Jemaine Clement's face.

On being an artist from New Zealand: Well, it's a great place to grow up. You can do whatever you want there. Where in America everyone is obsessed with their careers, in New Zealand you get to live your dreams.

On how the Oscar will affect his work with Flight of the Conchords: I'm looking forward to writing with Jemaine [Clement] in the future again. Because I'll be able to pull out the Oscar card and say "Mmm, I think we should use this chord . . ." and "I won an Oscar!"

On why the song deserved to win: I think it was one of those musical numbers where everyone did a great job. James Bobin, the director, did such a great job with the video. Jason Segel went very deep both with the recording and on screen. It was one of those things that fell into place very easily.

On what he wants to do next: I want to see if I can collaborate with Chris Cooper to do a full-length rap album.

On whether or not he felt pressure to write a song for The Muppets: I absolutely do. A friend of mine said, when I got the job of working on the film, "You'll never write another 'Rainbow Connection.'" And I said, "You're right." And I didn't. "Rainbow Connection" didn't win an Oscar, but there's no doubt that their song is an absolutely timeless classic, and this song is nothing in comparison.

On how he was influenced by Jim Henson: In the '80s, when I was at home a lot watching TV, my dad one day brought home a video recorder. No one else had one, so it was pretty exciting. But he only had two video cassettes, and one was The Dark Crystal. So my brother and I watched that movie at least twice a week for about five years. Definitely, Jim Henson influenced me. He's a huge inspiration and the other thing I love about the guy is he made children's films that I think he found funny. He was making them for adults. He didn't patronize the minds of children.

On whether he prefers "Man or Muppet" or "Life's a Happy Song": I think this one is more successful in the world of the movie, because it's when the characters deal with that age-old crisis: "Am I a man or a muppet?" But that other one, that's annoyingly catchy.

It's Time to Light the Lights: A Brief History of the Muppets and Jim Henson's Projects

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:30:00 PST

If you can't tell by this point, it's safe to say that we're "Muppetheads" over here. The new film and overload of Muppet madness all over the entertainment world have got us remembering our deep love of the Muppets and Jim Henson's other projects. They may have been put on the back burner in the last few years, but Muppet fever is no new phenomenon. Since the 1950s, Jim Henson and his creations have been shaping the landscape of entertainment for young and old. From all the way back to Henson's first project Sam and Friends, all the way up the new film The Muppets, we've got you covered with a history of Henson and the much-adored Muppets.

Blast From the Past: 5 Muppets Movies to Watch Before the Big Release

Nicole Abbott — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:52:54 PST

Make room for more Jim Henson's Muppets! As the hype for the big Thanksgiving release of the new The Muppets movie continues to build, maybe it's time for mama to introduce the beloved Muppets characters to the kiddos before heading to the theaters. Travel back in time and rent any - or all! - of these five Muppets movies and get ready for a song-filled, hilarious time with your tots.

Link Time - Watch a Preview For Game of Thrones Season Two

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:46:38 PST

Get a peek at Game of Thrones season two - Zap2It
Find out who's replacing James Franco in The Iceman - Moviefone
Learn about the Jim Henson puppet show NBC just ordered - The Hollywood Reporter
Get a sneak peek of Pixar's latest animated film Brave - Rotten Tomatoes
Arrested Development's next season is coming to Netflix; here's when it will start - Aol TV
Check out more of Tom Hardy's Bane in The Dark Knight Rises - NextMovie
Find out how Sam will be re-introduced on Glee - BuddyTV
5 Muppets movies to watch before the new film's release - LilSugar

The Muppets: Most Sensational, Inspirational, and Celebrational

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:00:32 PST

It would have been easy to make a new version of The Muppets that relied solely on nostalgia. Just having Kermit and the gang show up to sing some songs would have been fun, but cowriters Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller have done so much more than that. With a story that appeals to a new generation while still summoning up the magic of the classic characters, they've revived the franchise and created a funny, emotionally rich movie. The film follows Segel as Gary, a sweet everyman taking his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and brother Walter (who happens to be a Muppet) on vacation to Los Angeles. Walter and Gary are huge Muppets fans, so they visit the old theater in LA, but they discover that it's a decrepit structure that's about to get torn down by nefarious oil magnate Tex Richman (Chris Cooper).

Walter and Gary want to warn the Muppets about Richman, but there's one big problem: the gang has split up, which means Gary and Walter have to track them down. Things get really fun as we're re-introduced to the Muppets in their new lives; some have important careers, some are down and out, some are in therapy. It's a clever way of bringing the characters up to date while also acknowledging that the Muppets aren't as popular as they once were. That kind of self-awareness is pervasive and very funny, and with so much humor and a ton of celebrity cameos, The Muppets is a wonderfully sweet comedy that's both loyal to Jim Henson's original intent and updated for modern audiences. To find out why I loved The Muppets, just keep reading.