It's graduation day and the Muppets are performing a musical show called "Manhattan Melodies" to a delighted audience. The show is so successful everyone agrees the only logical thing to do is bring the show to Broadway. Everyone, that is, except Kermit, who thinks the show is missing something before it can hit Broadway. Rather than argue, Kermit bows to the pressure and the gang is off to New York.
For a while, it looks like the gamble pays off. They meet Martin Price (Dabney Coleman), a producer who wants to produce their show. Just as Kermit is about to sign on the dotted line, Price's secretary (Gates McFadden) enters with the police and arrest Price, who an elderly woman has identified as Murray Plotsky, a con artist. With their hopes shattered, the Muppets abandon their Broadway dreams and seek their fortunes elsewhere.
The Muppets Take Manhattan is an outright success. Again, Muppet fans will undoubtedly see shreds of other Muppet films scattered throughout. To be honest, The Muppets Take Manhattan is eerily similar to The Muppet Movie, which I think is the best in the entire series. Yet, at the same time, this is a more compact, and in some respects smarter, movie. There aren't as many big name celebrities, though the stars that do show up (including Art Carney, Joan Rivers, Gregory Hines, Liza Minnelli, New York Mayor Ed Koch, and Brooke Shields) are smart additions and never come off a cameo for the sake of a cameo. I especially love Liza Minnelli's scene, if only for the "it's funny because it's true" factor.
I also like how The Muppets Take Manhattan allows all of the Muppets to step into the spotlight and shine in their own moments. Not all are central to the plot, but you get the impression that one or two of the puppets are just standing in the background to take up space. Even if they offer just a well-placed joke (some of which went right over my head when I was a kid), everyone has something to do.
The Muppets Take Manhattan is also home to one of the absolute best, and most memorable, in all Muppets' lore, a great "catch up" montage where the characters tell Kermit what they've been up to after their ill-fated trip to New York. Gonzo and his chickens attempt to get a stunt show going, the Electric Mayhem get a series of gigs at a retirement home, Fozzie moves in with real bears and Rowlf manages a doggie motel. It's a fun sequence that ends up playing a huge role in the film's resolution.
The transfer quality is spot-on and beautiful. One of the best things about Muppet movies is the actual craftsmanship in the puppets and the deft work of the puppeteers. The image is strong and enhances the performances. Subtleties are easier to pick out and add a small, yet noticeable, layer to the film.
In addition to a couple of Muppet shorts, The Muppets Take Manhattan features a fifteen minute interview with Jim Henson. This is an awesome addition, especially for fans. Henson covers lots of topics, including puppetry, acting and what it takes to bring a Muppets show together. It is a great, yet incredibly bittersweet extra. Had "The Rainbow Connection" been playing on loop in the background, I would have lost it.
Really, I could gush on about The Muppets Take Manhattan, but in the spirit of simplicity, I'll keep the praise short. The Muppets Take Manhattan is a great, old fashioned family movie. Finding something both kids and parents will enjoy is harder than you would think, and The Muppets Take Manhattan manages to please both audiences.
