Common Universe Theories For Movies. When Miss Piggy is framed for thievery, its up to Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, and their eccentric pals to clear her name in The Great Muppet Caper. Released in 1. 98. Muppet comedy was followed up the next year by Jim Hensons The Dark Crystal. The latter film is often considered Hensons masterpiece, and the extraterrestrial fantasy is deservedly praised for having some of the most innovative puppetry ever caught on film. By comparison, The Great Muppet Caper is seldom recognized as a special effects tour de forceyet, thats exactly what it was. Here are 1. 0 things you might not have known about the Oscar nominated Muppet adventure. MMV2405C125068ECB289E8CB7A3C19EEA2B6&ql=70&sizes=310x465' alt='Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles ' title='Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles ' />Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles For FreeTHE GREAT MUPPET CAPER AND THE DARK CRYSTAL WERE FILMED BACK TO BACK. After The Muppet Movie hit theaters in 1. Jim Henson wanted to shift gears and dive right into his most ambitious project yet. Three years earlier, hed discovered the otherworldly sketches of artist Brian Froud. Check out the list of top Children movies, only on Desimartini. Get full collection of best movies for Children and Kids. Avatar, marketed as James Camerons Avatar, is a 2009 American epic science fiction film directed, written, produced, and coedited by James Cameron, and starring Sam. Together, the two men set out to adapt these into a somber, puppet filled fantasy movie. But the idea was a tough sell. Despite the Muppets knack for edgy humor, audiences generally dismissed puppetry as childrens entertainment. Given its serious tone, this new projectdubbed The Dark Crystalseemed like too much of a gamble for Paramount Pictures, which rejected Hensons sales pitch. Enter Sir Lew Grade. Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles Megashare' title='Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles Megashare' />The head of ITC entertainment, hed been a financier behind both The Muppet Show and the original Muppet Movie. Late in 1. 97. 9, he struck a deal with Henson. Grade promised to pour 1. Biography Movies Watch The Incredibles PutlockerThe Dark Crystal on one condition Henson had to make a sequel to The Muppet Movie first. The puppet master agreed. Their plan was to shoot the films back to back. Fortunately, Henson had two workshops at his disposalone in London and another in New York Cityand was able to divide the puppet building labor between the two. The Dark Crystals production HQ moved from the Big Apple to London. Meanwhile, the New York venuewhere the puppets of Sesame Street were madetended to most of The Great Muppet Capers needs. THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER WAS JIM HENSONS FEATURE DIRECTORIAL DEBUT. Back in 1. 97. 9, James Frawley had sat in the directors chair for The Muppet Movie. But this time, Henson called his own number. After The Great Muppet Caper, Henson went on to directthe cult classic, Labyrinth. He also co directed The Dark Crystal with his longtime collaborator Frank Oz. REJECTED TITLES INCLUDED THE ROCKY MUPPET PICTURE SHOW AND A FROGGY DAY IN LONDON. Although four writers worked on the script, none of them could coin a satisfying title. So Henson opened the matter up to his Muppet staffers by throwing a name the movie contest. One apparent Tim Curry fan suggested The Rocky Muppet Picture Show. Another proposed A Froggy Day in London. Then along came Hensons 1. Lisa, who pitched The Great Muppetcapade. Her dad tweaked this into The Great Muppet Caper and the rest is history. DIANA RIGG SIGNED ON FOR THE MOVIE BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER LOVED MISS PIGGY. Long before she was throwing shade like a boss as Game of Throness Olenna Tyrell, Diana Rigg had made a name for herself on The Avengers, a British espionage drama. In The Great Muppet Caper, she plays Lady Holidayan esteemed fashion designer who also happens to be Miss Piggys employer. Riggs leapt at the chance to work with this particular Muppet. After all, her four year old daughter, Rachel, was passionately in love with the character. Riggs told The A. V. Club that when Rachel visited the set one day, she burst into tears when she saw Miss Piggy. I think she was more frightened than anything, Rigg explained. Because Miss Piggy was huge. They had several Miss Piggys. THE SWIMMING POOL DANCE NUMBER WAS ESPECIALLY TOUGH TO FILM. There were indeed several Miss Piggys. One scene alone called for nearly 4. Piggy heads and seven bodies. We are referring, of course, to that grand, Esther Williams style swimming number. Its safe to say that no one else has ever done a sequence like this in any other film. At least not with a pig, Henson said. In every sense of the word, it was a massive undertaking A custom made heated pool measuring 5. Puppeteer Frank Oz prepped himself with three days of scuba training. I was under water for a week, Oz said. And on top of everything else, the scene called for special, water resistant Piggy puppets. Unfortunately, these tended to rip easily, hence all the extra body parts. THE DRAIN PIPE SCENE PUT HENSONS PUPPETEERS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. Pursued by angry dogs, over a dozen terrified Muppets scale a castle drainpipe near Capers climax. Executing this scene was no easy task for the puppeteers who performed in it. To lift these guys upwards in rapid succession, 1. Since space was tight, each one had a small, wooden platform that was about the size of a dresser drawer. Every Muppet handler involved with the scene had to stand on one of these without bumping into any of his or her colleagues. The tiniest of malfunctions couldve sent several people crashing to the ground, but fortunately the contraptions ran without a hitch. BRIAN HENSON JIMS TEENAGE SON WORKED ON THE CYCLING EFFECTS. Wanting to top Kermits bike ride from the The Muppet Movie, the director decided that just about every non human character in the cast would take up cycling for the sequel. The Hybrid Union Movie In Hd. In a song called Couldnt We Ride, Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy and the rest of the gang happily pedal through Londons Battersea Park. Effects artist Faz Fazakas oversaw this amazing display of movie magic. At his side stood Brian Henson, whose father asked him to help figure out the scenes technical elements. It was a big moment for the younger Henson. A teenager back then, hed never been given such a large behind the scenes project on one of his dads movies before. Guided by a love of physics, Brian met the challenge by devising a complex system of rods and marionette wires. Radio controlled Muppet heads were also used. A FOZZIE PUPPET WAS BADLY BURNED IN THE HOT AIR BALLOON SCENE. Unless youre a hardcore fan, you probably didnt notice this, but the end credits list one Amy van Gilder as a Muppet Doctor. Theres a story here The Great Muppet Caper opens with Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo flying in a hot air balloon. Then, the trio crash lands onto a busy street. For a certain bear, it was a rough experience. Part of the scene was filmed on location in New Mexico where, at one point, the Fozzie puppet was torched by a propane burner. Amy van Gildera veteran puppet makercame to the rescue and fixed him up on site. By the way, she and Jim Henson shared a cameo in the movie. At the fancy restaurant, they play the first couple Gonzo photographs. ONE SONG WAS NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR. Joe Raposo, the songwriter and composer behind such beloved Muppet tunes as Bein Green, composed eight new songs for The Great Muppet Caper. Among these was The First Time It Happens, a love song which earned a nomination for Best Original Song at the 1. Academy Awards. It lost out to Arthurs Theme Best That You Can Do. THE MUPPETS REPURPOSED A JOKE FROM THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER. Although ones a frog and the other is clearly a bear, Kermit and Fozzie introduce themselves as identical twins in The Great Muppet Caper. No explanation is ever offered. Growing up, a young Jason Segel thought the gag was hysterically funnyso much so that he later recycled the joke for 2. The Muppets, which he co wrote. This film sees Segel playing Gary, a human being whose brother, Walter, happens to be a Muppet. Howd that happen The script doesnt say. Anyway, Segel says that this was inspired by Kermit and Fozzies equally weird relationship in The Great Muppet Caper.