Kermit's Swamp Years (2002) (V)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

David Gumpel

Writers (WGA):

Jim Lewis (teleplay) and
Joey Mazzarino (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

3 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

His true story, warts and all.

Plot:

At 12 years old, Kermit the Frog and best friends Goggles and Croaker travel outside their homes in the swamps of the Deep South to do something extraordinary with their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Pet Shop | Origin Story | The Muppets | Dissection

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win

Cast

Steve Whitmire	...	Kermit the Frog / Jack Rabbit / Chico (voice)
Bill Barretta	...	Croaker / Horace D' Fly / Roy the Frog / Turtle #2 (voice)
Dave Goelz	...	Waldorf (voice)
Joey Mazzarino	...	Goggles / Turtle #1 (voice) (as Joseph Mazzarino)
John Kennedy	...	Blotch / Arnie the Alligator / Monkey (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	Statler (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jarrod W. Amos	...	Student #3
Ryan H. Amos	...	Student #4
William Bookston	...	Wilson
Alice Dinnean
Hampton Dixon	...	Young Hugo Krassman
Carolyn Green	...	Women
Drew Haggard	...	Joey
John Hostetter	...	Dr. Krassman
Christian Kebbel	...	Young Jim Henson
Lauren Leech	...	Student #1
Casey Leslie	...	Student #2
Kelly Collins Lintz	...	Mary
J.W. Moore	...	Student
Humberto Recio	...	Janitor
Cree Summer	...	Pilgrim the Dog
Melissa Whitmire	...	Misc.

Also Known As:

Rainbow Connections (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Japan:82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Germany:o.Al. | UK:U | USA:G

Company:

Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment

Quotes:

Goggles, Turtle #1: Oh... I get it! Dissection must be some kind of full body massage.

Movie Connections:

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I didn't see this movie,

although I couldn't put my finger on why. I could have picked it up at Wal-Mart for five bucks, and yet I didn't. There was something about the packaging and the ads I'd seen that made me think "This isn't a Muppet film. This is a kids' movie by people who think they know what kids like" and I didn't know what made me think that way.

Until a few minutes ago, when the answer struck me like a lead brick: Color.

In most, if not all, Muppet productions to date, it has been much easier to ignore the fact that the characters are fairly brightly colored, felt objects, because of the surrounding color. The Muppet Show took place in a dimly lit theater, with dark burgundy curtains serving as Kermit's introductory backdrop. Sesame Street is, for the most part, dark grey. Fairly subdued, real-type places. The Muppet Movie ranges the gamut, but it always takes place in real locations, with no bright colors added for the sake of bright colors. And that's what was missing from (at least the promotional portions of) this movie. It seemed like they were aiming for kids because nothing seemed real. Including the grass. Including the swamp. None of it seemed like it was even *attempting* to be real, and so it was difficult for me to take it seriously enough to even desire to watch it.

It might be a good movie. I don't know. Maybe I'll learn different sometime.

But for this Muppet fan, it was just asking for one unbelief-suspension too many.