Scenes cut from The Muppets Take Manhattan before release.
The storybook adaptation includes an image of the Muppets appearing directly from behind their Manhattan Melodies skyline stage set at Danhurst College, suggesting an extended or alternate scene may have been filmed but left out of the final product. | |
There was a deleted scene filmed in which two little people stayed in lockers by the Muppets.[1] A human head can be seen sleeping in a bottom locker at the end of the "You Can't Take No for an Answer" montage. | |
A cameo for Dustin Hoffman as a producer was written, but Hoffman decided not to do it at the last minute.[2] | |
Jim Henson filmed a cameo as the Central Park carriage driver, but it was ultimately cut from the film. However, in the wide shots of the carriage, the stand-in who was legally able to drive the carriage and made to dress like Henson can still be seen.[3] | |
The storybook adaptation also includes a scene (with photos) of Bunsen and Beaker meeting the Electric Mayhem in the polka-crazy town of Monongahela, PA and helping the exhausted band with Muppet Labs' gas-powered drumometer. The book (as well as the comic adaption) also references Beauregard taking the band back to New York. While none of these were in the finished film, all three characters can be seen at the polka club when Dr. Teeth announces they are going to New York. | |
The storybook and comic book adaptations both include a scene where Kermit's doctor tries to restore his memory with hypnotism. It's unclear whether such a scene was ever actually scripted or intended for the film, however. | |
The film's storybook and comic book adaptations include a scene where Statler and Waldorf attempt to cure Kermit's amnesia backstage before the opening of Manhattan Melodies. The storybook includes photos. | |
The storybook adaptation includes a photo of Rizzo and Yolanda waiting in the wings alongside Jenny, Ronnie, Pete and Bernard Crawford, ahead of their appearance on the Manhattan Melodies Broadway adaptation, suggesting another scene may have been shot but left out of the film. The comic book adaptation also provides additional dialog for Rizzo as the two rats hurry towards the stage. | |
The film's storybook adaptation includes a moment during the wedding finale where Kermit leans over to Gonzo, who was playing his best man, and asks Gonzo why he didn't play the minister and who the new actor is. Gonzo tells him that it's not an actor, but a real minister. A photo of Kermit and Gonzo talking by the altar appears in the book. It's unclear whether this was actually shot for the film, however. | |
Lyrics were cut from "He'll Make Me Happy," a line sung by singing food that doesn't appear in the final version of the song includes "lettuce wish them joy and hope, it's a shame they cantaloupe." The lost lyrics appear in the comic book adaptation of the movie, and were shown being rehearsed by the performers in The Making of The Muppets Take Manhattan. The scene is known to have been filmed.[4] | |
The film was originally intended to end with Kermit and Piggy riding off into the sunset in a flying convertible, courtesy of a little help from surprise wedding guest Yoda. Filming was to take place in Los Angeles, but it was ultimately cut due to budgetary reasons.[4] A storyboard sequence was developed to conceptualize how the scene might have played out. |
Sources[]
- ↑ “A Conversation with Frank Oz” at the Museum of Moving Images
- ↑ Misch, David Tough Pigs interview with David Misch
- ↑ Heather Henson at "Sing-a-Long Stroll-a-Long for Jim Henson's Birthday in NYC!" September 24, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tim DeHaas on "Movin’ Right Along" podcast episode 339: Coincidental Water Glasses July 13, 2021