Plastic Meatball has extended their collaboration with the Henson Company for a new line of items celebrating Farscape's 25th Anniversary.
Under a new licensing pact, Plastic Meatball will develop an extensive range of Farscape-inspired products, including toys and collectibles, puzzles, games, housewares, apparel, limited-edition artwork, and more.
The Emmy-nominated series created by Rockne S. O’Bannon, follows astronaut John Crichton’s adventures as he navigates a world of alien cultures aboard a starship.
Over the years the series grew a passionate fanbase known as “Scapers."
While the collection won’t begin to roll out until the end of the year, Plastic Meatball got the celebration started this week by offering a limited “timed” edition 25th Anniversary T-shirt.
The long sleeve shirt features artwork of the main cast, the debut of the new 25th Anniversary logo, and a quote from the series’ hero, John Crichton - "I'm not Kirk, Spock, Luke, Buck, or Arthur Frelling Dent. I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas."
The limited edition shirt will be available until midnight March 25 from Plastic Meatball after which the shirt will be retired.
Last week marked the 25th anniversary of Muppet Treasure Island. On June 27th, 1995, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the UK set at Shepperton Studios by Muppet performer, Steve Whitmire.
A few days earlier, I had graduated high school, and for my graduation gift, my father and I were going to be traveling to London for the first time. It was my first time on a plane, first time overseas, this was a big deal within itself. I had been corresponding with Steve throughout the filming as we were email pals for about 4 years at that point, he knew I was (and still am) obsessed with Tim Curry who was playing Long John Silver, and eventually, the conversation led to “well since you’re going to be in town anyway…” and the invite came. I could not believe it!! I was going to visit not just an actual film set, but a MUPPET film set!!
Fast forward to the actual day of, we had received a fax from Steve sent to our hotel that morning, with a cute little illustration of Kermit in Captain Smollett gear and instructions on what to do once we got to the studio gates. I still have the fax. My father and I had figured out based on some directions Steve had supplied, on how to navigate the British tube and railway system as we were staying in London, and get out to Shepperton, which was a good hour train ride outside of there.
As a side note, random memory: I remember at one point, a good bulk of the crowd on the train got off at one stop for the Wimbledon tennis tournament. We arrived to the set and told security we were there to meet Steve. I think at first, we were just led onto a soundstage where some rehearsing was going on. We saw the huge Hispanola ship, and the elevated sets which in itself was very impressive.
Finally, Steve came to greet us. This was our first time actually meeting in person. From there, we were given a tour of the various soundstages and the onset Muppet workshop where they were building the puppets and props. We got to meet Kevin Clash again who we met a few years earlier on the set of Sesame Street in NY. It was my first time meeting Bill Barretta, who later that afternoon had joined us for lunch in the cafeteria on set. We got to attend a screening of the dailies from that day, which is basically all the raw footage shot earlier that day, so there was some fun outtakes and bloopers we got to see.
Honestly, there’s a lot of details from that day that are hard to remember as it was 25 ½ years ago, I was 17, and am now 43. So I’ll give you my 3 major highlights of the day: One was Steve introducing us to Tim Curry, who I had met once prior in 1993 in NYC, after a play he did that ran for a brief time, which we talked about and Tim joked about. Tim was very warm and receptive, chatted with us for a few minutes, I did the fan girl thing of asking him for an autograph and getting a photo. Tim is such a good guy, he instructed my father to take a second shot “for safety” he said, because back then I was still using a regular 35mm film camera, not digital, and Tim wanted to make sure I got my photo.
The next highlight was getting to meet Kermit the Frog. Steve had found a spare Kermit aka not in his MTI costume to grab for the photo. Steve told me to look at the camera and he would pose Kermit for me. I just remembered out of my peripheral vision seeing Kermit’s long skinny fingers slowly stretching over my shoulder. Steve did a bit of chat with me as Kermit, and I totally get now why guest stars, etc. talk just to the puppet, because I did the same thing, even reaching to shake Kermit’s hand that Steve was not manipulating forgetting oh yeah, he can’t move that on his own! The third highlight, was we got to witness the cast and crew presenting Tim Curry and Kevin Bishop with their own Muppet versions of themselves.
The Tim puppet as fans know, later showed up as part of the extras on one of the DVD releases of the film later on. It was a real treat to see their reactions, and at one point, Tim who went off to have a cigarette break in between filming, walked past us and asked “Did you see the puppet?” as he chuckled in disbelief that he now had his own mini-me version. In regards to those puppets, when I later on became an intern for the NY Muppet workshop as a college senior in 1999, I saw the original puppet patterns for the Tim Curry puppet.
I also later sent some of my on set photos to Kevin Bishop who was truly touched and so happy I captured those moments on film and shared them with him, even though they’re a bit dark as we were allowed to take photos, but were not allowed to use flash. Kevin told me he put them in his home office, which I’m delighted and very moved by that he loved them that much.
At this point we got to watch some of the rehearsal of the sword fight scene between Kermit and Tim Curry. And then sadly, it was time to go shortly after as we wanted to make sure we got our train back to London. Steve signed my little autograph book for me, and presented me with a MTI crew only baseball cap that I also still own, and still wear occasionally. I remember the next day, being so paranoid about getting the pictures developed, that we tracked down a one hour photo place somewhere near Trafalgar Square so I can get my photos developed as I was so worried the film was going to get destroyed going back through the airport to go home a few days later.
But we got some great ones which I’m sharing here for all to enjoy, and I’m so happy to be able to share these freely now, since for many years I kept them kind of hidden away to avoid any issues with Disney, and out of respect for Steve and the Jim Henson Company.
Thank you for reading, and for Chris Stulz and Muppet Stuff for the opportunity to share my story!
For more Muppet fun and frolic, or to just say “Hi” and follow me on social media you can find me under:
Facebook: Melissa Scopelitis
Twitter: @MelissaY1
Instagram: @mscope2008
For my professional portfolio including other media projects and companies I’ve been involved with, as well as my volunteer and photography work, please visit: www.melissascopelitis.net
Shiver My Timbers! It's hard to believe, but Muppet Treasure Island turned 25 today.
It grossed $34 million on a budget of $31 million having the biggest opening weekend gross for a Disney film in February.
Muppet Treasure Island received generally positive reviews from critics:
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 70% based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Though less Muppet-centric than the original trilogy, Muppet Treasure Island is an energetic, cheerful take on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure, with typically solid gags."
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average rating of "A-"
Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised the playfulness of the Muppets as keeping "the story amusingly off-kilter. The mood is perfectly in keeping with the notion of the Muppets as contemporary children dressing up and improvising their own versions of classic tales."
Ken Tucker, reviewing for Entertainment Weekly, gave the film a B+ noting that "the film is notably handsome in a dark, foreboding way. The Muppet action blends seamlessly with the human actors, and adults will be kept giggling with wittily anachronistic jokes about codependence, water-skiing, and Henry Kissinger."[
Roger Ebert, reviewing for the Chicago Tribune, gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four. While he was favorable to Tim Curry's performance, he summarized the film as being "less cleverly written, and for moi it's a near miss." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film two stars out of four writing that the film was a "boring Muppet adventure that doesn't successfully meld the Muppets into a conventional buried-treasure story. I wanted the Muppets to play themselves rather than phony pirate-related characters."
The film has been released on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and most recently on Disney+.
In the UK version, lines which contain the word "bloody" have been redubbed:
Billy Bones' line "How does she bloody do that?" changed to "How does she bloomin' do that?"
Black Dog's line "Billy's dead and he hasn't got the bloody map." is redubbed "Billy's dead and he hasn't got the bloomin' map".
Long John's line "Where's the bloody treasure?!" became "Where's the blasted treasure?!"
To promote the film, Disney produced Muppet Sing Alongs: Muppet Treasure Island a direct to VHS special.
Muppet pirates Clueless Morgan, Mad Monty, and Polly Lobster are prominently featured in the video. Oly two songs from the movie are included, while seven new songs were created just for the release:
Clueless Morgan and Polly Lobster were later featured several spots UK spots on Muppets Tonight where the pair work as bartenders seen through the eyes of the never seen cross-dressing, Mr. Callahan.
The Muppet Treasure Island Soundtrack features an instrumental score by Hans Zimmer with songs written by the husband and wife pop songwriting team Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann known for "On Broadway" Running with the Night" Somewhere Out There" "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and the theme to "Christmas Vacation." among many other hits.
McDonald's released a set of Happy Meal Toys, which we featured in a 2014 "Throwback Thursday."
Activision turned the film into a CD-ROM game for Windows PCs.
You can watch a complete walkthrough of the game below:
As part of their Muppet line, Palisade Toys released a few Muppet Treasure Island action figures including Kermit as Captain Smollett, Cabin Boy Gonzo and Rizzo, Sam Eagle as Samuel Arrow and even an exclusive Ghost Samuel Arrow figure.
There were also many other product tied to the film including plush dolls, View-Master Reels, plates, and bedroom sets!
Like Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island is also considered one of the best adaptations of the "Treasure Island" story.
And, as the AV Club pointed out 25 years, later with many of us stuck inside due the pandemic, "Cabin Fever" has become an anthem of sorts.
Finally, take a look at the Making of Muppet Treasure Island in this rarely seen Disney Channel special.
D23 is holding many Muppetational events this week to celebrate the milestone as well.
Today there's A two-part “Cabin Fever” Watch Party!
At 3PM EST Set sail with a special look behind the “seas” with a panel of some of the swashbuckling crew that brought this high-seas adventure to the big screen! Join Director Brian Henson, Puppeteers Dave Goelz and Bill Barretta, Jim Hawkins actor Kevin Bishop, and host Leigh Slaughter, Vice President of Muppets Studio, as they share stories about bringing Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic pirate tale to the screen in the most Muppetational way!
Then at 7PM EST join the Twtitter "Watch Party" by watching the film while following #D23MuppetMayhem
The Muppet Christmas Carol premiered 25 years ago this week. To celebrate this milestone we scoured the internet, as well as our own our archives, to look at some of the many products and stories related to the movie.
Before the internet, we found out about upcoming movies in these things called newspapers and magazines!
Magazine ad
Cinefantastique
But, much like today, we saw our first real glimpse of the movie in the trailer:
A few weeks before the film was released, Jim Henson Records released the soundtrack,
Which included the songs "Room in Your Heart" and Chairman of the Board" that were scrapped early in the production process. Though they were never filmed, the producers liked the songs enough to include them for the fans.
The Hal Leonard company released the sheet music so you could play the tunes at home.
In addition to the soundtrack a storybook, tape set, and book based on the film of were released as well:
The Muppets appeared on an Ed Sullivan Show Christmas Special to promote the film:
Newspapers ran ads touting critic's praises:
Here's the original review from The Philadelphia Inquirer:
The Disney Channel aired a short behind the scenes special:
Both Taco Bell and Hardee's offered Kids meal toys:
There were TV commercials advertising the film of course:
Golden books released a "big coloring book":
A commemorative magazine was also released:
The following year, The Muppet Christmas Carol was first released for home viewing on VHS and laserdisc.
Where it received even more critical praise and advertisement.
Video stores (remember those) had window clings touting the film's home video release:
Large Window Cling
Small Window Cling
As well as special deals with Pepperidge Farms:
Pepperidge Farm Window Cling
Magazines and Sunday circulares ran ads and reviews for the video:
TV Guide
Philadelphia Inquirer
With all this promotion, The Muppet Christmas Carol VHS was second most bought tape of year, while the laserdisc was the 10th most bought disc.
Entertainment Weekly
Both the VHS and the laserdisc included the song "When Love is Gone" which was omitted from the original theatrical release.
The song was was again omitted from the recent Blu-ray and DVD editions.
The fact that the just the theatrical cut is included is even more mind boggling when you consider that the behind the scenes special included on the disc features a look at the recording of the song!
The face you make when you realize you're watching the theatrical version
Since it's release, film has remained a holiday classic. In 2003, Palisades Toys released figures of the characters from the movie in both Muppet Show red boxes and blue packaging,
and this year's Hallmark Muppet ornament celebrates features Kermit and Robin as from the film:
We'll end our our Muppet Christmas Carol 25thh anniversary celebration with some bloopers and a look at a signed poster for the film:
