Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D

 In exactly two months from this writing, Muppet*Vision 3D closes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. I first saw it in 1991, about six months after it opened. During the almost eight total years I worked at Disney World, I certainly saw it dozens of times. But I recently dashed back to see it one — okay, four — last times before it closes.

In the video pre-show you watch before entering the theater to see the 3D movie, Fozzie asks Scooter “Where’s Kermit?”, and Scooter answers “Oh, he’s inside getting ready”. But there’s a much sadder answer to that question; Jim Henson died after filming the 3D movie, but before the pre-show was shot. Muppet*Vision 3D is the last and one of the best things Henson ever did, which automatically makes it one of the very best things Disney has ever offered.

The attraction constantly thwarts your expectations, establishing a “reality” and then shattering it. The Muppets are aware they’re in a 3D movie, and Kermit says there won’t be any “cheap 3D tricks”, but of course there immediately are. Animatronic figures of Statler and Waldorf heckle the movie from a balcony box in the theater throughout, and interact with the characters in the film. There’s an orchestra of animatronic penguins below the screen who play and react as well. Sweetums leaves the film to make a live, in-person appearance. The film culminates with Sam the Eagle’s finale, “a salute to all nations, but mostly America”, which ends (spoiler alert) with the Muppets totally demolishing the theater you’re sitting in.

It’s hilarious and magnificent and spectacular, and I’m so sad Disney is closing it. This is a permanent end to an enduring piece of Jim Henson’s legacy that, unlike the many movies and TV shows he left us, can never be experienced again.

After the movie ends, the animatronic Statler and Waldorf have this final exchange:

“Statler: Well, what do you think?
Waldorf: Do we have time to go to the bathroom before the next show?
Statler: We can’t, you old fool. We’re bolted to the seats!”

Not for long, Statler. Not for long. Muppet*Vision 3D closes June 7th. Go see it if you possibly can.

Where Would We Do Without Me?

 Now that Stephen Sondheim is no longer with us, I can write this blog post without possibly incurring his wrath. In my opinion, Sondheim's furious reaction to Austin Tichenor's article in The Sondheim Review — which highlighted similarities between The Fantasticks and two Sondheim musicals (Sunday in the Park With George and Into the Woods) — was hugely overblown. I'm not 100% onboard with all of Tichenor's thinking, but the similarities between the Act I ending/Act II beginning of Sunday and Fantasticks really can't be denied. In both shows, Act I ends with the characters triumphantly striking a pose. Act II begins with the characters still in position, struggling to hold that pose, and complaining about how hot it is. This similarity struck me way back in 1984 when I saw Sunday on Broadway. Sondheim might at least have acknowledged this much to Tichenor. I mean, it's not as if Tichenor brought up the fact that "No One Is Alone" has the same first six notes as "The Candy Man"!

And while we're on the subject of Sondheim and Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley songs, here's what I actually came here to say: I've wondered for a while now about the similarities between Company's What Would We Do Without You? (1970), and The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd's Where Would You Be Without Me? (1965). Is the Company song supposed to be an actual parody of the Roar song? "What Would We Do" erupts from the relatively placid "Side By Side By Side" with a self-consciously "show biz" flair, as if the married couples have to resort to pastiche in order to fully express their affection for Robert. The two songs' very similar, internally-rhymed question-titles are sung in identical rhythms. And just today it struck me that there's an instrumental break that's almost identical in both songs, even down to being in the same key:

Granted, this musical break may be derived from a traditional vaudeville or circus fanfare, and thus not really be written by any of these gentlemen. But even though these songs are about "owing a debt", I've never read any acknowledgement of the similarity, from Sondheim or anybody else.