Quentin Tarantino's Muppets Movie Is Wholesome (and Weird)

In the 1990s, the Muppets started a trend that was sadly discontinued. In 1992, the puppet troupe starred in the movie “The Muppet Christmas Carol”, in which the Muppet players played characters in Charles Dickens's immortal Christmas story. The Muppets followed it up with the excellent “Muppet Treasure Island” in 1996, which took a similar tack; The Muppets were just actors staging their own modern production of a literary classic. It was a clever use of the Muppets, and there was reason to believe they would continue with high-end literary adaptations.

Unfortunately, this trend ended in 1999 with the release of a weak “Muppets from Space” is the last feature film of the troupe in 12 years.

However, in between there was another visit to the world of literature. In 2005, ABC aired a TV movie, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, in which Ashanti played Dorothy Gale. Kermit the Frog played the Scarecrow, Gonzo played Tin Timber (er, the tin thing), and Miss Piggy played all four of the Witches. There was also a short scene at the beginning where Dorothy met the “real” Muppets, as they were also a traveling stage troupe in this world.

“The Muppets' Wizard of Oz” is also fun and a little surreal. Near the end of the film, just before Dorothy is about to throw water on the Wicked Witch of the West, melting her into oblivion, the film cuts to a Hollywood boardroom where Kermit works as a studio executive. Across his desk is Quentin Tarantino, playing himself, judging how Dorothy could more violently kill the witch. Tarantino, the famously violent filmmaker, was an odd choice for a celebrity cameo in a Muppet movie.

Tarantino came to the fore in 1992 with the release his well-written and notoriously violent heist film Reservoir Dogs. His 1994 follow-up, the sprawling crime thriller Pulp Fiction, was a huge hit and still often tops the charts as one of the best movies ever made. He then adapted Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch into his most mature film, Jackie Brown, in 1997. Interestingly, most of Tarantino's films since 2001 have been genre exercises that use extreme film violence to correct a grave social injustice. . After appearing in “The Muppets' Wizard of Oz” in 2005, his most recent film was “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” the sequel to the martial arts-influenced revenge film starring Uma Thurman. That movie had gallons of blood and lots of swords.

So when Tarantino pitched the idea to Kermit the Frog, he suggested that Dorothy whip out a samurai sword, possibly melted down by Hattori Hanzo, and send the Wicked Witch of the West with it. “I'm talking kung-fu! I'm talking walking on walls! I'm talking explosions everywhere!” Kemit points out that it would be too violent for a family film, so Tarantino says that, yes, the violence can be dialed back a bit. Instead, he suggests using CGI to transform the Wicked Witch into a variety of other characters, including a slutty vampire vixen. (“All done in classic anime style, you know, for kids.”)

Kermit says that would be too expensive, so Tarantino suggests that Dorothy kick the wicked witch. In the face. “Now that,” says Kermit, “we can afford.” And here it is in the final film.

It's a good thing the makers of The Muppets' Wizard of Oz cast Tarantino in their movie, because as we all know, young children love Quentin Tarantino movies. From what I understand, eight-year-olds especially adore The Hateful Eight.

in May 2005 Tarantino appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the chatterbox director had a lot to say about working with the Muppets. Like many human actors, he expressed his amazement at the skill of the puppeteers who direct the Muppet characters and revealed that he was having conversations with real-life Muppets instead of a puppet operator. Tarantino also admitted to having a special affinity for Rowlf the dog, the pianist on “The Muppet Show” and original co-star with Kermit Ward (both originally played by Jim Henson, though Bill Barrett has since played Rowlf). 1996). Tarantino said he loved Rowlf in the early days, and Rowlf responded by lamenting that his role in the Muppets had been reduced since the 1970s. “It's like I'm having a legitimate conversation with a bitter old movie star!” Tarantino noted.

Tarantino also spoke with Janis (played by Tyler Bunch in 2005), a member of the band Electric Mayhem, and he admitted that he had a crush on him. Without warning, he flicked her Muppety mouth, only then truly admitting that he kissed Bunch's hand. O'Brien, and certainly anyone else who has met the Muppets, admitted to being similarly surprised when they saw Kermit the Frog.

Since 2005, the Muppets have starred in two additional feature films: “The Muppets” in 2011 and “Muppets Most Wanted” in 2014. They also appeared in an unsuccessful 2015 television series called “The Muppets” as well as in the 2020s. Muppets Now” and 2023's The Muppets Mayhem. They've also appeared on a holiday variety show with Lady Gaga and the Disney+ special “Muppets Haunted Mansion.” Quentin Tarantino didn't direct any of them.