Kirsty Capes discusses the upcoming 'adult Muppets' movie, The Happytime Murders...
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With the success of the most recent Muppet movie dissipating quickly into film history, Jim Henson's son Brian has announced a new Muppet movie, but one with a twist.
The Happytime Murders is a film for adults, using puppets from the creature shop; an R-rated Muppet movie, if you like. The synopsis reads like a David Fincher movie, and with Brian Henson at the helm, I have high expectations for such a controversial take on the old family favourite.
This won't be the first time that puppets have been used for less-than-innocent purposes. The Broadway musical Avenue Q tells the story of several puppets trying to make it by in tough times, and even includes a full-blown puppet sex scene. Jason Segel's character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall wrote a Dracula musical, performed using puppets, and based on a musical that Segel was actually writing at the time. It seems that puppets are acquiring ever more lascivious intentions these days, and in a world where almost nothing is shocking anymore in cinema, well, who can blame them?
Here's the synopsis for The Happytime Murders:![]()
Obviously Henson will be going back into the creature shop and creating an entirely new set of puppets for this venture (imagine your child's confusion of he ever found his favourite Muppet characters murdering the crap out of each other). The concept art looks fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the Muppets in a grimier, darker setting. My only reservations would be for Todd Berger as writer. Berger's greatest achievement so far is the script for a DVD bonus scene for Kung Fu Panda. Not promising. But who knows? Maybe he'll surprise us. I'm hoping for a cross between the traditional Kermit-and -Miss-Piggy setup and Sin City. And apparently Katherine Heigl will star too.
Kirsty Capes![]()
With the success of the most recent Muppet movie dissipating quickly into film history, Jim Henson's son Brian has announced a new Muppet movie, but one with a twist. The Happytime Murders is a film for adults, using puppets from the creature shop; an R-rated Muppet movie, if you like. The synopsis reads like a David Fincher movie, and with Brian Henson at the helm, I have high expectations for such a controversial take on the old family favourite.
This won't be the first time that puppets have been used for less-than-innocent purposes. The Broadway musical Avenue Q tells the story of several puppets trying to make it by in tough times, and even includes a full-blown puppet sex scene. Jason Segel's character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall wrote a Dracula musical, performed using puppets, and based on a musical that Segel was actually writing at the time. It seems that puppets are acquiring ever more lascivious intentions these days, and in a world where almost nothing is shocking anymore in cinema, well, who can blame them?
Here's the synopsis for The Happytime Murders:
In a world where puppets co-exist with humans as second class citizens, puppet private eye and disgraced ex-cop, Phil Phillips, is hot on the trail of the serial killer who murdered his brother and is now targeting the cast members of the famous 80s television show, “The Happytime Gang.” As the killings continue, Phil’s former flame, Jenny, is next on the list. It’s up to Phil and his ex-partner, Detective Edwards, to find the culprit, but as bad blood and old resentments resurface the clues start pointing to the only viable suspect, Phil himself. Now he’s on the run with only his wits and hard headed determination, as he tries to solve, “The Happytime Murders.”
Obviously Henson will be going back into the creature shop and creating an entirely new set of puppets for this venture (imagine your child's confusion of he ever found his favourite Muppet characters murdering the crap out of each other). The concept art looks fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the Muppets in a grimier, darker setting. My only reservations would be for Todd Berger as writer. Berger's greatest achievement so far is the script for a DVD bonus scene for Kung Fu Panda. Not promising. But who knows? Maybe he'll surprise us. I'm hoping for a cross between the traditional Kermit-and -Miss-Piggy setup and Sin City. And apparently Katherine Heigl will star too.
Kirsty Capes
