It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie



It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie first aired in the US on Nov. 29, 2002, on NBC.

MPAA Rating: PG (when released by MGM on DVD)

The plot of the movie revolves around the old Muppet Theater going through financial hardship, and the entire Muppet cast looking towards Kermit the Frog for guidance. Kermit eventually gets fed up, and an angel is sent to help him out. The movie then follows the formula of It's a Wonderful Life, as Kermit is shown what would have happened to his friends if he had not existed. In the opposite world, evil developer Rachel Bitterman has changed the park near the Muppet Theater into a shopping center. Gonzo is now homeless and Rizzo the Rat has been shoved onto an episode of Fear Factor where a woman has to eat him alive. Dr. Teeth and his band have become country dancers. The biggest change is the Muppet Theater, which has become a dreadful night club. Dr. Honeydew became a rapper, Beaker became a bodyguard, and Fozzie is now a pickpocket. Miss Piggy is a phone psychic who lives in an apartment with a series of cats.

The film stars the usual assortment of Muppets characters, as well as three primary human roles: David Arquette played Daniel, the angel sent to help Kermit; Joan Cusack played Rachel Bitterman; and Whoopi Goldberg portrayed "God". As is customary in Muppet movies, a wide assortment of cameos were also made in the film, including Matthew Lillard, William H. Macy, Carson Daly, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rogan, Molly Shannon, Zach Braff, Mel Brooks, and Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.

Trivia

 * This movie makes at least two references to the first Muppet feature film, The Muppet Movie: Kermit passes by a statue erected in his honor, the caption of which reads "For the lovers, the dreamers, and you"; Kermit finds out that without him, Doc Hopper's French Fried Frog Legs would have become a very successful enterprise.
 * This movie contains the first spoken lines by Rowlf since the death of Jim Henson. After Henson's death, Rowlf was placed in semi-retirement to honor him (Henson's other signature character&mdash;Kermit&mdash;was obviously too popular to shelve).
 * In Denmark the "Money/Honey" joke was replaced with Danish Money and Maccaroons!

Quotes
Kermit: ...and that's how I came to have this funny collar.

Pepe: I have been invited by Ricky Martin to come and shake my bon bons in Florida. Hokay?

Kermit: Cue the intro!

Scooter: Boss, you are the intro!

Pepe: Gardening tools!

Miss Piggy: Will you all stop singing different songs! I keep forgetting whih one I am supposed to sing!

Scooter: Santa Baby from doobie doobie doo

Miss Piggy: Oh. Ah, doobie, doo, Santa Baby...

Robin: Hi, I'm the green fairy

Kermit: Well, what are you doing in my drink?

Fozzie: The backstroke! Aaaaaah!

Frog 1: I dare ya!

Frog 2: I double dare ya!

Frog 3: I tripple frog dare ya!

Howard the Pig: Nice toshy

Penguin: Quack!

Fozzie: I need to deposit this money.

Japaneze Clerk: Well, I suppose if I was a bear, I would deposit my honey in an oak tree somwhere.

Fozzie: Not honey! Money! Miss Bitterman's money.

Japaneze Clerk: Oh! Miss Bitterman's laundrey?

Miss Bitterman: (speaking in a silly voice) Ooh, what a lovely nigthclub. (telephone rings, and she answers in silly voice) Yes? I mean, Yes??? What? Then stop him! No, not stockings, stop him!

Fozzie: Then I bumped into Santa and his army.

Dani-el: How can you get coffee from a bush?

The Boss: It's a shrub.

Pepe: Read it and weep, h'okey. And if you would start weeping I would like to see this, h'okey.

The Boss: I work in mysterious ways.

Kermit: Beauregard!