Freeze Frame: THE MUPPET MOVIE

I want to live inside of a Muppet movie. Not permanently mind you, real life is far too important to want to escape it forever and surround myself with felt. For for a good little stretch of time. The reason is simple: In a Muppet movie, things always work out.

Take this moment from the end of their first cinematic romp. The gang has been on the road for 90 minutes, gathering together piece-by-piece, learning about themselves and each-other. They’ve been going down a path that might as well be paved with yellow bricks, all in the hopes of getting to Hollywood and becoming rich and famous. But just when it seems like they’re going to reach their goal, disaster strikes and it all seems to (literally) come crashing down around them.

But this is a Muppet movie, remember things work out!

Right when it seems like everything was all for naught, a rainbow bursts through and reminds the gang – and us – that so much is still possible.

The unfortunate reality is that it doesn’t always go this way. Sometimes promises are left unfulfilled, and sometimes that rubble is just piled too high to clear. What’s worse is that sometimes one can travel quite some way down the road to discover that they were following the wrong path.

I know. “Bummer”, right?

The hope is none of that applies to you…but I know that isn’t always the case. That’s why I wish worlds like the one The Muppets inhabit existed. So that for those who find themselves lost or distressed, there would be strangers on the road like Rowlf the Dog or The Great Gonzo. I wish that these friendly faces were out there waiting for every weary traveler – smiling signposts of commiseration and rejuvenation.

To me, that’s what this image represents, what this film represents, and what The Muppets themselves represent. Sarcastic as they can sometimes be, the are ambassadors to us from another plane of existence – one where dreams come true and where the answer can be found at the end of the rainbow. We don’t live in that existence of course, but what if we could go visit…even for a day? Maybe we would come away with an eye on what’s possible instead of what we haven’t done.

Maybe then we could all believe in the words of Paul Williams that accompany this image:

“Life’s like a movie, write your own ending – Keep believing, keep pretending.”

Three more from THE MUPPET MOVIE for the road…

This series of posts is inspired by the “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” series at The Film Experience. Do check out all of the awesome entires in their series so far