Meet the Feebles on DVD?

[GWGumby]

"Feebles" doesn't reference the Muppets specifically, but the basis of the film is very much deeply related to the Muppets.

It's about a variety show called "Meet The Feebles" where a bunch of Muppet-like characters do song numbers and sketches. There's the Diva, a large high-voiced Hippo that is pretty much a take-of on Miss Piggy. There's an opening number that's reminiscent of the opening of the Muppet show. Most of the story takes place in the theater and back-stage as they are rehearsing for the big show.

So it starts off in very familiar territory, but then veers off from there. There are no direct references to the Muppets but a lot of parallels.

It's rated 'R' for pretty much everything that you could get an 'R' rating for.

 

[Luke]

Yup, there's also a character that looks a lot like Gonzo. At the time of release, the Muppets were very much associated with this film. They were mentioned in a lot of the press as it was seen as a parody of it and how much of a contrast it is.

 

[frogboy4]

I think some characters are very much represented. There's an overweight diva, the show's host, a weird elephant with a thing for chickens, the theater owner, a gossip columnist, a large-scale rhino-like monster, backstage coordinator a piano player, band members, a sword thrower, and a lot of insane vaudeville-type acts.

So, Piggy, Kermit, Gonzo, Camilla, J.P. Grosse, Fleet Scribbler, Sweetums, Scooter, Rowlf, the Electric Mayhem and acts like Lew Zeeland and Marvin Suggs are kind of represented. The Muppets were definitely used as a roadmap, but only Gonzo and Piggy are the clear facsimiles. None of the puppets look anything like the Muppets and the really went a different rout altogether.

So to answer the question - yes and no. They definitely used Muppet character concepts, but went so far from the origin that most are distinctly different and original.

 

[Zack the Dog]

What about the rat? i haven't seen the film yet but in the photo i saw in the mag about the dvd review it had a very ugly rat in one photo and a yellow dinosaur like puppet with a gun to his head in another photo. was the rat kinda like a rizzo rip off?


Zack,

 

[frogboy4]

Forgot about the rat. He was more or a music coordinaor if I remember correctly.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by Luke
Yup, there's also a character that looks a lot like Gonzo. At the time of release, the Muppets were very much associated with this film. They were mentioned in a lot of the press as it was seen as a parody of it and how much of a contrast it is.

What press? I wasnt sure anyone outside of obscure cult video stores even knew what the heck 'Meet the Feebles' was.
Tho like I said...it is astonishing Peter Jackson went from horrific low budget schlock horror and puppet porn in the 80's to 300 million+ epic fantasy films in the 2000's.

 

[Luke]

There was quite a bit of press for it in some places - obviously it isn't Jurassic Park though. I think the film distributors were probably hoping Henson's would try to take them to court over the similarities, so they could milk a bit more publicity out of it.

 

[radionate]

This was in the Daily Mississippian (our college student newspaper) this past Tuesday. Thought I would share the link since it seems relevant to the thread:

Meet the Feebles Article

We have a great video store in town that specializes in renting out little known movies. They actually have quite a few puppetry movies there. One of these days I'll get in there with a pen and paper and write down all the titles and rent them, so I may share with you all. Most of the movies they have are French I believe (the puppetry films).

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by radionate
This was in the Daily Mississippian (our college student newspaper) this past Tuesday. Thought I would share the link since it seems relevant to the thread:

Meet the Feebles Article

We have a great video store in town that specializes in renting out little known movies. They actually have quite a few puppetry movies there. One of these days I'll get in there with a pen and paper and write down all the titles and rent them, so I may share with you all. Most of the movies they have are French I believe (the puppetry films).

Sweet. Yeah I myself have seen a bunch of super cryptic underground indie, cult, experimental and foreign films involving puppetry and stop motion. Definately not for everyone, but a fun little break from Bruckheimer extreme Bizkit soundtrack world.

 

[Kye]

I thought "Meet the Feebles " had been banned from certain states. I remember living in New Hampshire and a video store clerk telling me it that the Jim Henson Company had sued P.J. and the producers of the movie. I would love to find out if this quentin tarrentino wannabe video clerk from my past was telling the truth.