I'm going to put in a little plug here for one of my favorite
websites, Muppet Central (www.muppetcentral.com). It's the best
gathering place for Muppet fans on the Internet, and it is because of
this site that I learned Rocky Mountain Holiday would be coming
to DVD. I composed the following in response to Muppet Central's call
for fan reviews, and it occurred to me today that I might as well post it
here as well. So, without further ado, the brilliance that is John
Denver and the Muppets...
Although I am a huge John Denver fan, I purchased Rocky Mountain Holiday
on DVD without ever having seen the program before. In fact, not only
had I never seen this Emmy-nominated program, I had it in my head that
this was a Christmas special like John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together,
so I was surprised to discover that this particular holiday was a
summertime camping trip. Even better. Being a nature girl myself, I love
camping and could appreciate the fun and beauty of this excursion.
Anyone unfamiliar with the frequent participation of John Denver in
Muppet shows and specials would quickly pick up on the affection among
John and his cloth companions. He comes across as a revered friend
inviting his pals to share in the wonder of his beloved Rocky Mountains,
which provide an awe-inspiring backdrop in several scenes. While the
Muppets may be used to the comforts of city life (especially
refrigerators and televisions), for the most part the plaid-wearing
compadres seem right at home amidst the forests and streams of the
Colorado wilderness. Ironically, it is Fozzie, who claims the closest
link with the land because of his “Ursine persuasion,” who seems most
out of his league here; after failing to communicate with a fellow bear,
his ineptitude becomes the special’s biggest running gag.
There are 16 musical sequences here, leaving time for only brief
dialogue between or during songs. But what dialogue is in place is right
on target, and there are plenty of one-line zingers that kept me
chuckling. For instance, Statler and Waldorf wander the forest
throughout the special, separate from the rest of the gang. They
periodically add their curmudgeonly take on the scene or song we have
just witnessed (i.e. “Show me a home where the buffalo roam, and I’ll
show you a dirty house!”). The other Muppets have their moments as well.
I particularly enjoyed two of the exchanges during the second song, Going Camping.
In the first, John notes that the mosquitos are not bad and Kermit
replies that they are delicious. In the second, Janice and Floyd
ruminate on how “groovy” and “far out” this place is.
The
songs are a mix of campfire favorites, Denver songs, and tunes I presume
were written for the special. I suspect the first three songs fall into
this latter category. The first two set the stage for the rest of the
trip, with John and each of the Muppets commenting on how exciting it is
to be on this trip, while the third, a lively ditty by a
mountain-dwelling jug band, serves as a PSA of sorts reminding everyone
to keep nature clean and not pollute it with heavy machinery or trash.
Of the remaining songs, John sings four completely solo. Two of these, Catch Another Butterfly and No One Like You,
cement the tender big brother-little brother relationship between John
and Robin that develops throughout the special. Both are aimed at
convincing the tiny, overzealous Frog Scout that he is someone special
and has something to contribute despite his minuscule size. Robin’s
struggles and John’s encouragement constitute the strongest continuing
plot thread of the special.
Notably absent from the assembly is Miss Piggy, who nonetheless shows up in two flashback numbers: the ensemble She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain, during which various Muppets recall the extravagant entourage escorting Miss Piggy to the mountains over the winter, and Tumbling Tumbleweeds / Happy Trails,
a horseback duet between John and Miss Piggy that makes normally
level-headed Kermit just a wee bit jealous. Floyd gets a chance to shine
in Gone Fishin’, a duet with John Denver accompanied by Zoot's mean saxophone solo, and Kermit takes the lead on the rollicking Grandma’s Feather Bed.
In a flashback, Rowlf is unceremoniously toppled from his innertube in
the river, and in the present day he suffers from hiccups. Gonzo,
meanwhile, keeps up his oddball ways, complaining that John foiled his
plans of breaking the record for Standing on the Bottom of a Lake with a
Dog on your Head and getting all “duded up” to woo the legendary
Man-Eating Chicken that haunts the mountains.
The evening closes with a sing-along, and the Muppets provide lovely harmonies on Home on the Range and Poems, Prayers and Promises. They have a grand old time with the fast-paced, interjection-laced Down By the Old Mill Stream and the reverberating round Oh How Lovely. Then they all sing in unison to produce a full, rich closing number, It’s In Every One of Us, capping off the evening with a reinforcement of their togetherness.
To this day, I can’t help but feel rather melancholy after listening to
John Denver. Add Jim Henson to the equation and it ought to make for a
double-whammy of regret that the world has lost two such brilliant and
compassionate talents. But instead, after watching this special, I am
struck by the legacy that both left the world, a legacy that overlapped
time and time again. Amidst great music and laugh-aloud gags is a
deep-seated message of altruism and respect, making for a trip that I
intend to take many more times in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment