History Film / TheMuppetMovie

'''Kermit''': Well then... I guess I was wrong when I said I never promised anyone. I promised me.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Fozzie punctuates all of his jokes with "wocka wocka" during his comedy routine. This was actually created for the movie, since they'd never really needed to write an extended Fozzie standup scene on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', and Creator/FrankOz thought Fozzie would be using some corny {{Vaudeville}} shtick in his act like a silly repeated phrase. While it only appeared once on the show, later productions solidified "wocka wocka" as one of his signature traits.

* WhatsAHenway: "Gonzo! What are you doing?" "About seven knots!"

* {{Callback}}: The scene where Kermit over-enunciates "Al-li-ga-tors" to Dom [=DeLuise=] is a callback to a scene in ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', said by Piggy.
** Miss Piggy ''still'' hates jokes made at the expense of her species. ''Especially'' if a non-pig makes such jokes.

** Creator/ElliottGould is a beauty contest emcee.

** Creator/ClorisLeachman is secretary to Creator/OrsonWelles as the Hollywood mogul who gives the Muppets the "Standard Rich & Famous Contract".
** Creator/EdgarBergen and Charlie [=McCarthy=] appear [[AsHimself as themselves]] judging a county fair beauty pageant. Ta-da![[note]] Martin, Berle, [=DeLuise=], Kahn, Coburn, Hope, Leachman, Bergen and [=McCarthy=], and Williams also made guest appearances on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', although Coburn's appearance came after the film. (Pryor was slated to appear in the 1980-81 season, but had to bow out after setting himself on fire in June 1980; he was replaced by series writer Chris Langham.) This was inverted with Welles; Jim Henson, Frank Oz and the Muppets were guest stars on ''his'' show instead.[[/note]]

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: When Kermit and Fozzie encounter [[Series/SesameStreet Big Bird]], he tells them that he's on his way to New York City to try and break into public television. Kermit and Fozzie exchange weary looks, and the latter wishes Big Bird good luck.

* BetweenMyLegs: Seen during the showdown.

** Creator/MadelineKahn is a patron at The El Sleezo Cafe with Creator/TellySavalas as her boyfriend, and Creator/JamesCoburn is the owner.

** Creator/EdgarBergen and Charlie [=McCarthy=] appear [[AsHimself as themselves]] judging a county fair beauty pageant. Ta-da![[note]] Martin, Berle, [=DeLuise=], Kahn, Coburn, Hope, Leachman, Bergen and [=McCarthy=], and El Sleezo pianist Paul Williams also made guest appearances on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', although Coburn's appearance came after the film. (Pryor was slated to appear in the 1980-81 season, but had to bow out after setting himself on fire in June 1980; he was replaced by series writer Chris Langham.) This was inverted with Welles; Jim Henson, Frank Oz and the Muppets were guest stars on ''his'' show instead.[[/note]]
** Creator/PaulWilliams is the pianist at the El Sleezo Cafe.
* ChekhovsGun: Who knew The Electric Mayhem would have ''kept'' that copy of the screenplay?

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Max. He works for Doc Hopper, but immediately takes a moral stand against him the moment Kermit mentions frogs on tiny crutches. While he then continues to work for him when offered a hefty raise, when Doc hires the frog killer he goes out of his way to warn the Muppets. When Doc and his men are scared away, he can't get the grin off his face.

* PaperThinDisguise: After Fozzie is thrown behind the counter at the El Sleazo Cafe and inadvertently takes out the bartender, he pops back up wearing a fake beard, declaring "Drinks on the house!" as a diversion. This works despite all of the patrons seeing Fozzie on stage a minute earlier.

* UnstoppableRage:
** "THAT DOES IT!!"

* BerserkButton: Prof. Krassman pushes two of Miss Piggy's at the same time - threatening Kermit, and pig/pork jokes. It doesn't go well for him.
-->'''Prof. Krassman:''' Say goodbye to the frog, pig!
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' Why should I?
-->'''Prof. Krassman:''' Because in ten seconds, he won't know you from kosher bacon!
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' '''THAT DOES IT!''' [[IKnowKarate HIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAH!]]

* SuddenlyShouting: After remaining largely calm throughout the whole film, Kermit finally reaches his breaking point when he faces down Doc Hopper in the ghost town: "HOPPER, WHAT'S THE ''MATTER'' WITH YOU?"

* UnstoppableRage: "THAT DOES IT!!"
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Within the film itself; see the page quote.

** Also Doc's line, spoken quietly and calmly: "All right, boys... kill him." Doc has no redeeming qualities.

** In a series-wide example, the movie repeatedly hints at Gonzo's alien origins, which would not be revealed explicitly until 20 years later in ''Film/MuppetsInSpace''.

* ShackleSeatTrap: The restraints on Dr. Krassman's brain-scrambling device close automatically around Kermit's wrists and ankles.

* MightyRoar: Having grown to [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant size]], Animal lets out one of these that frightens off Hopper and his goons fleeing for good.

* DudeNotFunny:
** Fozzie has rotten luck with his audience:

** There ''are'' wineries in Idaho, and they didn't see the humor in Steve Martin's "sparkling Muscatel" bit. Then again, Muscatel is ''not'' produced in Idaho, which specializes in seasonals like Riesling and Chardonnay.
*** Also, keep in mind that in 1979, wine made in places other than France or Italy or whatever (for example, California wine) was seen as a joke or mediocre; during Main/TheGreatDepression, inferior muscat grapes were mixed with sugar and cheap brandy to make ripple, whose quality was as low as its price and was readily available for lower-class drinkers. Nowadays, it's different. The wine being from Idaho, the "famous potatoes" state, put it down a few notches further. Additionally, the wine bottle had a ''bottle cap'', and Kermit mentions that he spent 95 cents for it after the waiter tastes it and makes a sour face.

* TheCameo: Dozens of them, mostly human, though at one point Kermit and Fozzie run into Big Bird, who tells them, "I'm on my way to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, [[HeroOfAnotherStory to try and break into]] [[Series/SesameStreet public television]]."

** On the non-human side, the final shot features many of the puppets used in Henson's previous projects.
* {{Callback}}: The scene where Kermit over-enunciates "Al-li-ga-tors" to Dom [=DeLuise=] is a callback to a scene in ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', said by Piggy.
** Miss Piggy ''still'' hates jokes made at the expense of her species. ''Especially'' if a non-pig makes such jokes.
* CasualCarGiveaway: The Studebaker gets traded in with relative ease.
* {{Catchphrase}}: Fozzie punctuates all of his jokes with "wocka wocka" during his comedy routine. This was actually created for the movie, since they'd never really needed to write an extended Fozzie standup scene on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', and Creator/FrankOz thought Fozzie would be using some corny {{Vaudeville}} shtick in his act like a silly repeated phrase. While it only appeared once on the show, later productions solidified "wocka wocka" as one of his signature traits.

In the summer of 1979, Creator/JimHenson brought his beloved cast of characters from ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' to the big screen to tell their (supposed) [[OriginsEpisode origin story]], or at least [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory a close enough approximation of it]]. After a very meta ColdOpening where we see the Muppets attending a private screening of their own film, we see how Kermit was inspired to leave his home in the swamps of the southeastern U.S. and headed to Hollywood -- to answer a casting call in hopes of being able to make a career out of "singing and dancing and making people happy".

* VillainInAWhiteSuit: Doc Hopper, who's most commonly clad in an old-fashioned, white pinstriped suit. He's a greedy corporate executive/restaurant owner who's out to force Kermit to be his spokesman by any means necessary, but relies on his minons, especially his BeleagueredAssistant Max, do do everything for him, including drive him around.

* AuthorAvatar: Kermit's journey from Mississippi to show biz is an allegory for Henson's career. Doesn't hurt Henson plays Kermit, too.
* BadassInDistress: [[DoubleSubversion Double Subverted]] with Miss Piggy, who seems to choose to be a DamselInDistress for RuleOfDrama, waiting for Kermit to save her. If he can't, well, she'll just save herself and ''him''.

* BaitAndSwitch: Kermit runs into a patron who's just been tossed from the El Sleazo Cafe, played by famed tough guy James Coburn. When Coburn complains about the El Sleazo being the "meanest, filthiest pest hole on the face of the Earth," the frog suggests he complain to the owner...and Coburn remarks "[[ActuallyIAmHim I AM the owner]]."

* TheAllegedCar: While it looks like the car that Kermit and the others traded the Studebaker for at Mad Man Mooney's dealership works fine, it shows its true colors as a lemon when it conks out in the middle of the desert, leading Fozzie to wish [[AlwaysNeedWhatYouGaveUp he still had the Studebaker]].

* AffectionateParody: The El Sleezo and its clientele are a mashup of various movie bars, from a classic Western-style saloon[[note]]e.g. the swinging double doors, complete with a cowboy being tossed out of them[[/note]] to Rick's Cafe from ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''.[[note]]many of the the patrons appear French or Arabic[[/note]]

Followed by ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper''. Not to be confused with its 2011 sequel/reboot ''Film/TheMuppets''.

-->'''Kermit:''' I don't think you're a bad man, Doc, and I think if you look in your heart, you'll find you really want to let me and my friends go - to follow our dream. But... if that's not the kinda man you are, and if what I'm saying doesn't make any sense to you... well then... [[FaceDeathWithDignity go ahead and kill me]].

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: When Kermit and Fozzie encounter [[Series/SesameStreet Big Bird]], he tells them that he's on his way to New York City to try and break into public television. Kermit and Fozzie exchange weary looks, and the later wishes Fozzie good luck.