Artist The Muppet Movie

Though at first glance 1979’s The Muppet Movie may seem like a purely kid-centric affair, it predates the current crop of adult-friendly family films by decades. Deftly combining puns that were old when vaudeville was in style with meta-cinematic tricks (like having the cast consult the script in order to locate each other), Jim Henson and James Frawley’s joyous road musical follows Kermit The Frog and company on their journey to Hollywood with a Pixar-like verve. Inspired cameos by Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, and (especially) Orson Welles are a treat, but ironically, Henson’s felt-and-wire creations really bring life to the film. And though Paul Williams’ score occasionally flirts with sappiness, a song like “Rainbow Connection” perfectly captures the feeling of wistful anticipation common to parents and children.

Updated 09/07/2009