The Muppet Movie

First of the big-screen spin-offs, this unwisely ignores the successful formula of the TV shows. The Muppets travel to Hollywood and stardom; aimless aerial and American location footage replace the tight studio format; and Kermit is no longer a stand-up comic but a star in the making. Numerous guest stars make brief appearances instead of contributing to whole sketches built around their willingness to be lampooned by a bunch of puppets. Slapstick chases and weak movie references look tired, while the attitude towards Miss Piggy and Camilla the Chicken is, well, less than progressive. Somewhere the film loses sight of its origins and its audience (mainly children, one presumes); Mel Brooks' sinister, crazed Jewish Nazi surgeon looks particularly out of place. Even adults will have difficulty following the murky soundtrack.