Weinstein rolls with Fraggle Rock movie

[Super Scooter]

Changed my avatar to support the Fraggles.

 

[RedPiggy]

Havey? Look in the mirror... YOU'RE EISNER NOW! just like how Steve Jobs has become Bill Gates, only infinitely worse!

Ian Malcolm (grabs Ludlow): NOW you're John Hammond!

 

[beaker]

I still say the Smurf film is the reason. The Fraggles have enough edge. Convincin' John? Parody of televangelists. Whole show's about how goofy us humans behave, reflected in their odd little stories. They don't need to have one of those bad films with an all white cast with one character talking in 1990's rap slang to pretend to appeal to "ethnics." The script is fine as it is. It's been worked on for years now, and Slimestine has drug their feet long enough.

Really, we need to write letters or something. If we can't convince them otherwise, we can convince the Hensons to move out of this bad relationship. Lionsgate, man... Lionsgate!

Henson wants nothing more than to make this film. Look at all the prehype. Would they bother all this press for the comic if they didn't want to do the movie? They're even working on a CGI Doozers cartoon that's gonna air somewhere (CGI's are unfortunately the only things Henson can do on their own at the moment). Now all this "we need to alienate as many people as possible by making it hip and appeal to no one" sabotage.

Havey? Look in the mirror... YOU'RE EISNER NOW! just like how Steve Jobs has become Bill Gates, only infinitely worse!

Words I cannot type on this forum come to mind when I see that monstrosity of a "Smurf" movie trailer. Then again I thought it was the worst cartoon to ever come out of the 80's. But have these Garfield/Alvin live action/cg films not shown how low the bar has gone?

Anyways, I don't know why people are so upset. It wasn't like anyone here TRULY believed this or the Dark Crystal movie would even be made. I mean come on, a live action movie in the modern era based on a show hardly anyone in America even saw? Nothing in my mind could be cooler than a Fraggle Rock movie, even a new direct to video special or episode. But you had to have known deep down...that this thing just didnt have much of a chance.

Now, the world needs the message, fun and love of Fraggle Rock more than any other time I say. Unless he wrote a really sappy, corny ho hum script...I cant see how much more "edgy" they want it. I say have the Fraggles show up in Los Angeles, New York, etc. Maybe even contrast real world things going on now, to further highlight the importance of them

It speaks volumes that utter horrible garbage like the "Smurfs" get made, but a real franchise of depth and heart and a positive message keeps getting stuck in the mud.

 

[beaker]

For the kids of the '80s, Fraggle Rock was bigger than either The Muppet Show or Sesame Street.

How is this? I carried my Fraggle Rock lunchbox and thermos every day to school in 1986. I had a lot of the books. I was a big Fraggle Rock fan in the 1980's and even *I* rarely if ever got to see the show til I got the Disney Channel reruns in 1994 and later through vhs tape trades.

You had to not only have had cable, but on top of that HBO. And not many people I know had that, especially growing up poor in the ghetto. Had Fraggle Rock been on cbs, pbs, etc it really would have taken off.

Now Sesame Street and The Muppet Show syndication was easily seen almost every day for many years. I remember a day did not go by in the early to late 80's where I was not reminded of the Muppets or Sesame Street.

Now if you mean giddy/geek out nostalgia wise, yeah...I can see how people now can get really excited about Fraggle Rock. I stood in an hour long line at Wondercon to get a Fraggle Rock poster...so even people born way after the series ended can "get into it".

But no way was FR anywhere near as popular as either The Muppets and Sesame Street. I also find it hard to imagine how someone can like the Fraggles but not like the Muppets.

 

[beaker]

At this point, I'd even bring FR back into the Muppetverse and let Disney do it. What the frell is wrong with this company? I mean, "Boober wearing bling" made me laugh ... but FR isn't Shrek, it isn't Dinosaurs, it isn't Hoodwinked ... it's Fraggle Rock. It's a show where bad thing happen on a regular basis, but can still hoodwink people into thinking it's sugary sweet all the time. It's a show that could mock you without you really getting it until 10 years later. Where are the cajones for this company? Why settle for a cookie cutter movie that no one will remember ... well, maybe you could bribe Nostalgia Critic to do so for you, after all ... instead of making something relatively unique and refreshing? Do we really want FR The Movie to end up on Nostalgia Critic's website some day, him blasting it as a movie that should never have been made? This isn't just some "movie". For me, it's a hope we could get more out of this. Even if they didn't have the money for a full tv series or something, maybe something as simple as a parody of Meerkat Manor on youtube, with "hidden cameras" showing us the daily lives of Fraggles or something. Uncle Matt practically equates with youtube vids. It's a match made in heaven. I don't want some summer popcorn movie like Transformers which is fun to watch but definitely not Oscar-worthy. I want a great movie that will jumpstart the Hensons back into awesomeness. Someone apparently believed in Power of the Dark Crystal ... no one wants to give the poor Fraggles some spare change to make them epic?

Yeah it'll be a miracle if Dark Crystal 2 or Fraggle Rock the Movie ever gets made.

You're right...thinking back I DO WISH Fraggle Rock was snatched in the Eisner purchase of Muppets/Bear in the Big Blue House

Fraggle Rock ARE MUPPETS. JHC can play coy and dance around it, but Sesame Workshop proudly calls all their characters Muppets(tm) and there is no denying the Fraggles are Muppets. And right now, if you dont live on 123 Sesame, every Muppet should be under the house of mouse(cant believe I ever would see the day where Im saying that...but they are working miracles with em')

 

[Drtooth]

Words I cannot type on this forum come to mind when I see that monstrosity of a "Smurf" movie trailer. Then again I thought it was the worst cartoon to ever come out of the 80's. But have these Garfield/Alvin live action/cg films not shown how low the bar has gone?

Anyways, I don't know why people are so upset. It wasn't like anyone here TRULY believed this or the Dark Crystal movie would even be made. I mean come on, a live action movie in the modern era based on a show hardly anyone in America even saw? Nothing in my mind could be cooler than a Fraggle Rock movie, even a new direct to video special or episode. But you had to have known deep down...that this thing just didnt have much of a chance.

Yeah, I'm pretty close to if this movie ever gets made, I'll eat my hat... and that hat looks VERY safe. But I can only blame JHC's misdirection and financial problems for so much. Had ANY other studio picked this up, we'd probably see something watered down and pointless (which is what Weinerstine is going for)... but we'd HAVE it by now.

Something tells me those stupid movies mentioned ARE the reason why they're screwing the writer/director and getting someone with no talent who will rush out a script based on the Fat Albert movie (like the Smurfs appears to be) so they can just NOT do the movie anyway.

And I said it again, I hope Weinstine goes so bankrupt it hurts if they're the reason why this film is dead in the water.

edit: Corey Edwards posted This clip... you have to go to the end... this is EXACTLY the problem. They want the movie to be that bad. FR is ALL about edge. They're MAKING fun of some dark parts of the human experience, but in a light hearted, "look at how silly you look" way! no one realizes how "subversive" the character and idea of Convincin' John is. We've literally got networks full of Convincin' Johns!

 

[Super Scooter]

How is this? I carried my Fraggle Rock lunchbox and thermos every day to school in 1986. I had a lot of the books. I was a big Fraggle Rock fan in the 1980's and even *I* rarely if ever got to see the show til I got the Disney Channel reruns in 1994 and later through vhs tape trades.

But no way was FR anywhere near as popular as either The Muppets and Sesame Street. I also find it hard to imagine how someone can like the Fraggles but not like the Muppets.

I don't know how it is, but I know a LOT of people who love Fraggle Rock. I'll talk about the Muppets, and they'll say, "Remember Fraggle Rock? That was my favorite show!" Wasn't there a period during the early '90s where it was shown on Nickelodeon or something? Perhaps it comes from that period. Anyway, all I know is what I hear. I'm always shocked to hear it, but people remember and love the Fraggles.

 

[Foodie]

Personally, I'm kinda glad the movie is on hiatus. I'd rather they try to do a story that didn't go outside of the show's continuity and didn't rely on celebrity cameos. ( I'd keep the celebs out altogether if it were up to me ).

 

[beaker]

Yeah, I'm pretty close to if this movie ever gets made, I'll eat my hat... and that hat looks VERY safe. But I can only blame JHC's misdirection and financial problems for so much. Had ANY other studio picked this up, we'd probably see something watered down and pointless (which is what Weinerstine is going for)... but we'd HAVE it by now.

Something tells me those stupid movies mentioned ARE the reason why they're screwing the writer/director and getting someone with no talent who will rush out a script based on the Fat Albert movie (like the Smurfs appears to be) so they can just NOT do the movie anyway.

And I said it again, I hope Weinstine goes so bankrupt it hurts if they're the reason why this film is dead in the water.

edit: Corey Edwards posted This clip... you have to go to the end... this is EXACTLY the problem. They want the movie to be that bad. FR is ALL about edge. They're MAKING fun of some dark parts of the human experience, but in a light hearted, "look at how silly you look" way! no one realizes how "subversive" the character and idea of Convincin' John is. We've literally got networks full of Convincin' Johns!

Yeah it's a great documentary, but I also recommend "Dream On Little Dreamer".

To me REAL edgy has nothing to do with being mean, in your face subversive or adult. In fact, since the late 90's when everything had to be "exxxxtreme", not being edgy is edgy.

Real edge is when a piece can work on dual layers at the same time. Think of how many Henson or other children's movies and or shows that now looking back in your older years, you go "oh wow...there's a whole other subtext going on there". I picked up on that even in some of what Gordon says in the pilot episode of Sesame Street. Social justice issues, existentialism, etc. The fact you'd have Fraggles as sweet and innocent and nurturing as they are just plopped in the modern real world...to me that stark juxtaposition IS edgy.

I wish the Weinsteins could just buy back MiraMax, and go back to focusing on good art house/indie/dramas like they did in the 1990's. I agree others would be more well suited to host FR.

I saw that Smurf trailer....the use of replacing "smurf" for four letter swear words...ugh. Real classy!

 

[beaker]

I don't know how it is, but I know a LOT of people who love Fraggle Rock. I'll talk about the Muppets, and they'll say, "Remember Fraggle Rock? That was my favorite show!" Wasn't there a period during the early '90s where it was shown on Nickelodeon or something? Perhaps it comes from that period. Anyway, all I know is what I hear. I'm always shocked to hear it, but people remember and love the Fraggles.

Aw yes, youre right...probably people who caught it on Disney Channel reruns in the 90's. Shame it hasnt been shown since. But with the college/hipster/indie/geek crowd there is definitely a big love for FR. I know people's eyes light up when they see me in my Fraggle or various Muppet shirts