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5[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/031939r1_9.jpg]]
6[-[[caption-width-right:350: ♫ ''Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection. The lovers, the dreamers and me.'' ♫]]-]
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9->'''Robin:''' Uncle Kermit, is this how the Muppets really got started?\
10'''Kermit:''' Well, it's sort of approximately how it happened.
11
12In 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]]. Co-written by Jack Burns and Jerry Juhl and directed by James Frawley, the movie begins with a very meta ColdOpening where the Muppets attend a private screening of their own film, before 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".
13
14Along the way, he picks up a familiar assortment of friends: Fozzie Bear, a struggling ursine comedian; The Great Gonzo, "prince of plumbers" and aspiring movie star; Miss Piggy, a self-proclaimed "actress/model"; Rowlf, the singing and piano-playing dog; the eccentric inventors Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker; and the psychedelic Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and their road manager Scooter. Unfortunately, Kermit also attracts the attention of Doc Hopper (Creator/CharlesDurning), an unscrupulous restaurateur who's dead set on getting Kermit as a spokes-frog for his fried frog-legs stands. Throw in some catchy musical numbers by Music/PaulWilliams and an assortment of celebrity cameos, and you've got the makings of a much-loved family film.
15
16Followed by ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper''. Not to be confused with its 2011 sequel/reboot ''Film/{{The Muppets|2011}}''.
17----
18!!"Tropin' right along...":
19* AccidentalMisnaming: When Kermit and Fozzie arrive at Mad Man Mooney's used car dealership:
20-->'''Mooney''': Jack, get rid of this heap. Come out here!\
21'''Sweetums''': What? What?\
22'''Mooney''': That's my Jack.\
23'''Kermit''': Oh, hi, Jack!\
24'''Sweetums''': Jack not name! Jack job!
25* ActionGirl: Miss Piggy.
26* ActorAllusion: One for Creator/MelBrooks: he has his profession written on the back of his suit, which he's done in many of his films before (''Film/BlazingSaddles'') and since.
27* 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 patrons appear French or Arabic[[/note]]
28* TheAllegedCar: The car that Kermit and the others traded the Studebaker for at Mad Man Mooney's dealership. While it looks like it works fine at first, 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]].
29* AlmostKiss: During their romantic dinner date, Kermit and Piggy lean in and are about to kiss when the waiter interrupts to tell Piggy there's a telephone call for her.
30* AsideComment: A few.
31** After being asked, "Have you tried Hare Krishna?" (again):
32-->'''Kermit:''' ''(to camera)'' Good grief, it's a RunningGag.
33** After being flung into the El Sleezo's ceiling fan, which sends him crashing into the innards of the bar's piano:
34-->'''Kermit:''' ''(to camera)'' I, uh, hope you appreciate that [[NoStuntDouble I'm doing all my own stunts]].
35* AssholeVictim: Krassman after falling victim to his own lobotmizing machine.
36* AstonishinglyAppropriateInterruption: Piggy wants Kermit to whisper sweet nothings in her ear.
37-->'''Kermit:''' Um... motorcycle cop.
38-->'''Piggy:''' "Motorcycle cop" is a sweet nothing?
39-->'''Kermit:''' No, motorcycle cop is chasing us!
40* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: Animal, after he eats Bunsen's growth pills.
41* AuthorAvatar: Kermit's journey from Mississippi to show biz is an allegory for Henson's career. Doesn't hurt that Henson plays Kermit, too.
42* 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.
43* BadGuyBar: The El Sleezo Cafe is too tough a place even for its owner!
44* 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]]."
45* {{Balloonacy}}: Happens to Gonzo at one point: At the fair, he's convinced to buy a bunch of balloons to impress Camilla, which promptly lift him into the air and away. The other Muppets have to pursue him by car, even as he loves the experience of flying. "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday", his solo number during their breakdown in the desert later, is partially him reflecting on it.
46* BerserkButton:
47** 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.
48--->'''Prof. Krassman:''' Say goodbye to the frog, pig!
49--->'''Miss Piggy:''' Why should I?
50--->'''Prof. Krassman:''' Because in ten seconds, he won't know you from kosher bacon!
51--->'''Miss Piggy:''' '''THAT DOES IT!''' [[IKnowKarate HIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAH!]]
52** Dr. Teeth almost pushes it by referring to the incoming motorcycle cop (actually Max in disguise) as a "P... I...", but luckily Miss Piggy manages to cut him off successfully before he can get to the "G" by snarling, "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis DON'T... YOU... DARE.]]"
53--->'''Dr. Teeth:''' Wouldn't think of it.
54* BetweenMyLegs: During the showdown, there's a shot between Kermit's legs of Hopper and his goons.
55* BewareTheNiceOnes: In the final showdown with Hopper, Kermit loses his temper and angrily shouts, "Hopper, ''what's the matter with you?!"'' He's honestly furious at Hopper's stubbornness. He calms down a bit, but still gives Hopper a blunt ReasonYouSuckSpeech that would have turned anyone with any decency. Unfortunately, Hopper is [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk not that kind of person.]]
56* BigDamnHeroes: Related to AttackOfThe50FootWhatever above, thus making this a literal example -- because Animal's gigantic growth happens just as Doc is about to have his goons mow down Kermit and company, it allows him to scare off the villains once and for all.
57* BigFinaleCrowdSong: The film ends with a TriumphantReprise of "The Rainbow Connection", after the Muppets finally make it to Hollywood and achieve their dreams of stardom and are making their movie.
58* BigWordShout: Animal when he helps Bunsen test the sound equipment:
59-->'''Bunsen''': Okay, sound is ready, give me a level.
60-->'''Animal''': '''''TES-TING!!'''''
61-->''(Cue smoke coming out of Bunsen's ears.)''
62* {{Blues}}: Rowlf plays a mean piano, and can see Kermit's pain quite easily.
63-->'''Rowlf''': It's not often you see a guy that green have the blues that bad. Hmmm...
64* BootstrappedTheme: "The Rainbow Connection" has become the unofficially official theme for the Muppets in general.
65* BreakingTheBonds: '''"THAT DOES IT!!"'''
66* BrickJoke:
67** Sweetums ''finally'' catches up to Kermit and the gang at the end... by bursting through the screen of the theater.
68** Dr. Teeth and Electric Mayhem finding the gang by reading the screenplay they gave them.
69** "Myth" the El Sleazo patron re-appearing at a random spot on the road after Kermit says her name again.
70* ButterFace: The El Sleezo dancing girls, according to Fozzie, are even uglier than the crowd:
71-->'''Kermit''': It's too bad the dancing girls are on vacation; this crowd's getting ugly.\
72'''Fozzie''': Huh. If you think this crowd's ugly, you should see the dancing girls.
73* {{Callback}}: The scene where Kermit over-enunciates "Al-lee-gay-tours" to Dom [=DeLuise=] is a callback to a scene in ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', said by Piggy.
74** Miss Piggy ''still'' hates jokes made at the expense of her species. ''Especially'' if a [[FantasticRacism non-pig]] makes such jokes.
75* CasualCarGiveaway: The Studebaker gets traded in with relative ease.
76* CelebrityCameo: Dozens of them:
77** 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]]."
78** Creator/SteveMartin is a cranky waiter serving wine.
79** Creator/ElliottGould is the emcee for a county fair's beauty pageant, and Creator/EdgarBergen and Charlie [=McCarthy=] appear [[AsHimself as themselves]] judging same. Ta-da!
80** Creator/RichardPryor is selling balloons.
81** Creator/MiltonBerle is a used car salesman.
82** Creator/CarolKane keeps showing up when someone says "Myth". ''("Yeth?")''
83** Creator/MelBrooks is a mad scientist.
84** Creator/DomDeLuise is chased by an alligator and sets Kermit off on his journey to Hollywood.
85** Creator/MadelineKahn is a patron at The El Sleezo Cafe with Creator/TellySavalas as her boyfriend, while Creator/PaulWilliams is the pianist and Creator/JamesCoburn is the owner.
86** Creator/BobHope sells ice cream cones.
87** Creator/ClorisLeachman is secretary to Creator/OrsonWelles as the Hollywood mogul who gives the Muppets the "Standard Rich & Famous Contract". [[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]]
88* CharacterCatchphrase: 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.
89* ChekhovsGun:
90** Who knew The Electric Mayhem would have ''kept'' that copy of the screenplay?
91** Also, Bunsen's insta-grow pills.
92** The colorful psychedelic paint job that the Electric Mayhem applies to Fozzie's Studebaker comes in handy a scene later when he pulls in front of a soda billboard that perfectly conceals the Studebaker from Doc Hopper.
93* CoincidentalAccidentalDisguise: Fozzie's newly painted car in front of a billboard.
94* ComicalAngryFace: As noted above, Piggy launches into a wild-eyed UnstoppableRage when the villains make the mistake of simultaneously pushing two of her [[BerserkButton Beserk Buttons]].
95* ComicallyMissingThePoint: After Doc Hopper shows Kermit his "Frogs Legs" commercial (where Hopper is playing the frog):
96-->'''Kermit:''' That is '''terrible'''! That's the most appalling, revolting, disgusting thing I've ever seen!\
97'''Doc Hopper:''' I know, I'm a great businessman and a [[BlatantLies sweet fella]], but I do lack the skills of a performer.
98* ComicallySmallBribe: Doc Hopper initially tries to get Kermit to perform in his ads by telling him he could earn $500 "every year."[[note]]due to inflation, it becomes more comically small over time, but even when the film was made, that was not a lot; roughly the equivalent of $1300 per year in the 2010s.[[/note]] Fozzie is tempted.
99* ContrivedCoincidence: The gang stumbles upon Miss Piggy hitchhiking in the desert.
100--> '''Miss Piggy''': What an unbelievable coincidence!
101** Justified when Dr. Teeth rescues Kermit. After all, he had the screenplay to help him.
102--> '''Dr. Teeth:''' [[ReadingtheStageDirectionsOutLoud Exterior, desert, night.]] [[HandWave We knew right where you were.]]
103* CoolCar: Fozzie's 1951 Studebaker, which is now in the Studebaker National Museum collection.
104-->'''Fozzie''': Ah. A bear in his natural habitat. A Studebaker.
105** Also the 1946 Ford "woodie" station wagon that they buy from Mad Man Mooney.
106** Doc Hopper's 1959 Cadillac.
107** For that matter, the Electric Mayhem's tour bus.
108* CreatorCameo:
109** James Frawley, the director, is the waiter at the El Sleezo Cafe.
110** Paul Williams, who wrote "The Rainbow Connection" and all the other songs, is El Sleezo's piano player.
111** The BadassBiker who tosses Fozzie at the El Sleezo Cafe was played by Fozzie's own puppeteer, Frank Oz.
112** Other Henson performers and employees who make cameos also include Steve Whitmire, standing behind Kermit in the audience during the Bogen County Beauty Pageant, and Lisa Henson, who is one of the contestants.
113* CrossoverCameo: The final shot features many of the puppets used in Henson's previous projects.
114* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Miss Piggy, though [[LoveMakesYouDumb she's really a moron only around Kermit]].
115* DarkestHour: Literally, when Kermit and company are stranded in the desert at night.
116* DarkIsEvil: Snake Walker wears all black.
117* DeadSerious: Snake Walker, the frog killer.
118* DeadpanSnarker: Kermit has his moments.
119--> '''Fozzie:''' I don't know how to thank you guys!
120--> '''Kermit:''' I don't know ''why'' to thank you guys.
121* DeconstructedTrope: Kermit gives Hopper a fairly stinging ReasonYouSuckSpeech, then tries to appeal to Doc's better nature to convince him to give up his pursuit, calling Hopper's bluff. Unfortunately, Hopper is ''not'' bluffing; Kermit misjudged him. There are truly awful human beings in the world, [[TheSociopath who don't give a damn who they hurt to get what they want]], and Hopper is one of them; he demonstrates this by quietly saying, "All right, boys... kill him." If [[BigDamnHero Animal hadn't taken the growth pill and given Doc and his lackeys the scare of their lives]], Doc's men would have killed Kermit in cold blood.
122* DelusionsOfEloquence: Dr. Teeth, when the Electric Mayhem is thinking of a way to help out Kermit and Fozzie:
123-->'''Dr. Teeth:''' ''[reading the script]'' This is a narrative of very heavy duty proportions.\
124'''Floyd:''' Yeah, cosmic, man! We gotta keep his little froggy self away from this Hopper dude.\
125'''Dr. Teeth:''' ''[seeing Kermit and Fozzie asleep]'' Too true. Too true. It is indeed a problem for us to probosculate upon. But it seems to me the frog and the bear are temporarily out of service.
126* {{Determinator}}: Doc Hopper, who travels nearly 3,000 miles to get Kermit to be his "spokesfrog." Nothing will stop him from getting what he wants, to the point where he's ready to gun Kermit down rather than let him walk away.
127* DeusExMachina: Invoked, since the film regularly breaks the FourthWall, and Kermit ''did'' give Dr. Teeth the screenplay.
128* DidntThinkThisThrough:
129** Doc Hopper adamantly refuses to acknowledge the fact that he's essentially trying to force Kermit to endorse the slaughter of his own kind for his fast food brand, calling it "millions of frogs on tiny crutches". While Max begins to sour on the scheme after hearing this, Hopper remains obsessive in his efforts to strongarm Kermit into being his unwilling mascot.
130** The Electric Mayhem's plan to disguise the Studebaker so Doc Hopper wouldn't recognize Kermit and Fozzie seemed clever on paper, unfortunately as later shown, a frog and a bear in a Studebaker of ''any'' color still stick out.
131* DirectionlessDriver: Fozzie's route from Louisiana to California goes through Rhode Island and Saskatchewan.
132* DoubleMeaningTitle: "Movin' Right Along" is a title that invokes both a song about traveling and the line a comedian would say after a joke bombs. The screenplay draft written before the songs were composed even specified that the song should have this title and reflect both meanings.
133* DudeNotFunny: Fozzie has rotten luck with his audience:
134-->'''Fozzie:''' There was [[OrphanedSetUp this sailor who was so fat...]]\
135'''Fat Sailor:''' How fat was he?! ''[[GrievousBottleyHarm (smashes bottle on table}]]'' \
136'''Fozzie:''' Um, he was so fat... [[VerbalBackspace that everybody liked him, and there was nothing funny about him at all]].
137* DumbAndDrummer: Animal is the drummer for the Electric Mayhem, and not too bright. Dr. Teeth has to remind him to ''beat'' his drum set, not ''eat'' it.
138* EasilyForgiven: Zigzagged. While Kermit is ''somewhat'' quick to forgive Piggy (and so is Rowlf, who has heard of her, but hadn't actually met her), Fozzie and Gonzo are still very angry with her for ditching Kermit as soon as her agent called earlier in the film. They do forgive her eventually, though. Kermit is initially dismissive of her ([[Film/GoneWithTheWind "Frankly, Miss Piggy, I don't give a hoot!"]])
139* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Max is first seen supervising the construction of one of his boss's restaurants, but getting distracted and delighted by the sight of Kermit riding a bicycle, and relieved when he manages to escape being run over -- which is a tip-off to his turning out to be a MinionWithAnFInEvil who likes Kermit too much to see him harmed over Hopper's plans.
140* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Sweetums is only known in the film as "Jack". At the very end, Kermit does exclaim "Sweetums, you made it!" when he bursts through the screen.
141-->"Jack not name. [[{{Pun}} Jack job!"]]
142** For those that don't get it, his job is moving cars around at Mad Man Mooney's... which he does by lifting them up by the bumper.
143* EveryManHasHisPrice: Max tries standing up to Hopper after the encounter at the billboard after "Movin' Right Along", but after Doc Hopper offers to double Max's percentage, he drops this. For a while, anyway.
144* EveryoneHasStandards: Max was already a MinionWithAnFInEvil, and is [[HeelRealization visibly shaken]] by the imagine of millions of frogs with tiny crutches. Late in the film, he finally has a HeelFaceTurn.
145* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: "The Rainbow Connection," of course. It even provides the ''page quote.''
146* EvilIsPetty: Hopper initially wants Kermit to be his spokesman. When it becomes clear to him that Kermit has no intention of doing so, Hopper instead decides to find and kill him solely to deny his talent to anyone else. When Kermit tells him off during their final standoff, he is only further angered and tries to kill ''all'' of the Muppets just for helping Kermit evade him.
147* ExactWords:
148** Creator/MiltonBerle's sleazy car salesman Mad Man Mooney promises that "the price on the sticker is the price you pay." Sweetums proceeds to swat a fly near one of the stickers, turning "$1,195" into "$11.95" thanks to the new decimal point. The Muppets hold him to the deal and drive away with ''him'' paying them money (they had a $12.00 trade-in for the Studebaker).
149** When disguised as the El Sleazo bartender, Fozzie declares "Drinks on the house!" to distract the crowd. A LiteralMinded bunch, they all rush to the roof, looking for the drinks that are ''on'' the house.
150* FacePalm: Sam the Eagle's reaction to the film at the end, telling Scooter it was SickAndWrong.
151* FanserviceExtra: A fairly tame one, given that it's a family film, but the county fair where we meet Miss Piggy does feature a number of attractive models in one-piece swimsuits.
152* FascinatingEyebrow: Lew Lord (Creator/OrsonWelles) gives one when Kermit says he and his friends had come to become rich and famous.
153* FatSweatySouthernerInAWhiteSuit: Doc Hopper, since he's sort of an evil CaptainErsatz of Colonel Sanders.
154* FiveSecondForeshadowing: Animal surreptitiously grabbing the entirety of Bunsen's miracle grow pills goes from FunnyBackgroundEvent to TheCavalry.
155* FollowThatCar: In this film, this command's bound to go awry...
156-->'''Doc Hopper:''' Follow that frog!
157-->''[Max drives off]''
158-->'''Doc Hopper:''' MAX!
159-->''[Max backs up]''
160-->'''Doc Hopper:''' Follow that frog ''with me in the car!''
161* {{Foreshadowing}}:
162** During an inadvertent intermission of the film, Kermit assures Animal that his "[[ExactWords big]]" scene was coming up.
163** 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/MuppetsFromSpace''.
164* ForgetfulJones: Zoot briefly forgets his name when the Electric Mayhem are introducing themselves:
165-->'''Zoot''': I'm, uh, uhh...\
166'''Floyd''': Zoot, sax is your axe. Uh-oh, [[TheStoner Zoot skipped a groove again]].
167* ForHappiness: Kermit left the swamp for Hollywood because the agent told him he could make millions of people happy.
168* FramingDevice: The Muppets attending the premiere of the movie, making the main movie a ShowWithinAShow. The film even breaks at one point.
169** "Hüërnder hïndër flïp-flïp-flïp-flïp-flïp!"
170** Fortunately, "dër flïm ïs økïë-døkïë".
171* GenreSavvy: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem certainly fill the bill.
172-->'''Janice''': Oh man, what can we do?\
173'''Floyd''': Well, if this were the movies...\
174'''Dr. Teeth''': [[MediumAwareness Which it is]]!\
175'''Floyd''': ...We'd think of a clever PlotDevice!\
176'''Scooter''': Like [[PaperThinDisguise disguising their car]] so they won't be recognized!\
177'''Dr. Teeth''': Right! [[HardWorkMontage Two, three, four...]]
178* GirlishPigtails: Miss Piggy wears some for part of the movie. [[StealthPun Get it]]?
179* GhostTown: Where they find Bunsen and Beaker, and from there have their final confrontation with Doc Hopper.
180* GoodAngelBadAngel: Downplayed with Kermit, when he sits down at the campfire and has a conversation with his conscience:
181-->'''Kermit''': I didn't promise anybody anything. What do I know about Hollywood, anyway? Just a dream I got from sitting through too many double features.\
182'''Kermit's conscience''': So why did you leave the swamp in the first place?\
183'''Kermit''': 'Cause some agent fella said I had talent. He probably says that to everybody.\
184'''Conscience''': On the other hand, if you hadn't left the swamp, you'd be feeling pretty miserable anyhow.\
185'''Kermit''': Yeah. But then it would just be me feeling miserable. Now I got a lady pig, and a bear, and a chicken, a dog, a thing, whatever Gonzo is. He's a little like a turkey.\
186'''Conscience''': Mmm - yeah. A little like a turkey, but not much.\
187'''Kermit''': No, I guess not. Anyhow, I brought them all out here to the middle of nowhere, and it's all my fault.\
188'''Conscience''': Still, whether you promised them something or not, you gotta remember - they wanted to come.\
189'''Kermit''': But... that's because they believed in me.\
190'''Conscience''': No, they believed in the dream.\
191'''Kermit''': Well, so do I, but...\
192'''Conscience''': You do?\
193'''Kermit''': Yeah! Of course I do.\
194'''Conscience''': Well then?\
195'''Kermit''': Well then... I guess I was wrong when I said I never promised anyone. I promised me.\
196''[[[CueTheShootingStar A shooting star flashes across the sky.]]]''
197* HatedItemMakeover: The Electric Mayhem paint Kermit and Fozzie's Studebaker in wild, psychedellic colors to help them hide from Doc Hopper. Kermit is at first miffed by the change, but it soon proves useful when they elude Hopper by hiding in front of a billboard [[WallpaperCamouflage that happens to match the paint job]].
198-->'''Fozzie:''' I don't know how to thank you guys.
199-->'''Kermit:''' I don't know ''why'' to thank you guys.
200* HeelFaceTurn: Max, Doc Hopper's nerdy right-hand man. When Hopper hires the deadly professional frog killer to take Kermit down, Max realizes just what kind of guy he's been working for, and dresses as a cop in order to pull over the Muppet bus and warn them.
201* HellBentForLeather: The Frog Killer's outfit, though to an adult, he's ''seriously'' HeadTiltinglyKinky, just a gimp mask away from being a BDSM submissive.
202* HeroOfAnotherStory: Big Bird is heading to New York to make it into television. Three guesses which show he ends up on.
203* HerrDoktor: Prof. Krassman. Definitely of the MadScientist variety.
204* HiddenDepths: Gonzo just seems like goofy comic relief until he sings "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday", a very soft and wistful song about looking up at the night sky and feeling a pull to something he doesn't have a name for, wondering if he'll find the place where he belongs.
205* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Krassman gets stuck in the mind-melting machine and starts blurting, "Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit!"
206* HonestJohnsDealership: Mad Man Mooney.
207* {{Hulkspeak}}: "Jack not name. Jack job!"
208* 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 wary looks, and the latter wishes Big Bird good luck.
209* IWantSong: "The Rainbow Connection", also something of an ear worm. Kermit sings about finding "the rainbow connection," which is "someplace that I'm supposed to be"--following his dreams.
210** Also "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday," Gonzo's song about wanting to find the place he belongs.
211* IfICantHaveYou: Doc decides that if he can't have Kermit as a spokesperson, he will have him killed.
212* ItsAllAboutMe: This is what separates Doc Hopper from Kermit and the gang. Whereas the Muppets are going to Hollywood in a quest to make ''others'' happy, Doc's only interested in one person's happiness--his own. Kermit [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out on this]] in the end, and Hopper even realizes that his selfishness will ultimately drive everyone away...but he [[IgnoredEpiphany still orders his cronies to kill the frog]].
213* ItsAllMyFault: Kermit when his group is stranded in the desert.
214* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk:
215-->'''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 [[EvilCannotComprehendGood doesn't make any sense to you]]... well then... [[FaceDeathWithDignity go ahead and kill me]].
216-->'''Doc Hopper:''' ''[takes off hat, ponders in silence, sighs reluctantly]'' All right, boys... Kill 'im.
217* JustAStupidAccent: Seriously, what do you expect in a movie when Creator/MelBrooks shows up? In fact, when Piggy freaks out and starts beating the crap out of the thugs, Krassman briefly drops the accent and speaks in Brooks' normal voice for a couple of lines.
218* KirksRock: Doc Hopper's goons take target practice, and Doc Hopper meets the Frog Killer, in front of the iconic Vazquez Rocks formation.
219* KitschyLocalCommercial: Doc Hopper shows Kermit the current advertisement for his restaurants when he first tries to talk him into becoming a spokesfrog -- it features Hopper in a goofy frog suit performing a song about the varieties of french-fried frog legs available.
220* KnightOfCerebus: Doc Hopper might ''seem'' like a rather ineffectual villain, but he's one of the most vile and despicable characters in the entire franchise. He will stop at nothing to get Kermit as a mascot for his commercials, his methods ranging from manipulation to brainwashing to outright murder. And he almost kills Kermit and his friends in the climax, with only the timely intervention of an Insta-Gro Animal saving the Muppets from death.
221* LamePunReaction:
222-->'''Kermit:''' ''(on the oft-used Hare Krishna gag)'' Good grief, it's a RunningGag.
223** Upon seeing the [[VisualPun fork in the road]]:
224--->'''Kermit:''' ''(leaning out the car window to stare back at the fork)'' I don't believe that!
225* LateToTheParty:
226-->'''Sweetums:''' I just ''knew'' I'd catch up with you guys!
227* LaughWithMe: Inverted. Prof. Krassman laughs maniacally about what his machine will do to Kermit, but when Doc joins in too long, he cuts him short.
228-->'''Prof. Krassman:''' I detest the surfeit of provincial laughter.
229* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: The [[ShowWithinAShow film]] opens on an overhead shot of Kermit's swamp home, and we hear Kermit singing "The Rainbow Connection". As it zooms in on the swamp, we see Kermit and find he's been playing the music in-scene.
230* LetsMeetTheMeat: Doc Hopper's proposal for Kermit to advertise for "Hopper's French-Fried Frog Legs". Kermit is fully aware of the inherent horror of this trope. ("All I can see are millions of frogs with tiny crutches.") However, Hopper doesn't realize (or just doesn't care) how appalling it is for Kermit, and won't take no for an answer.
231* LiteralMetaphor: A RunningGag in this film. Fork in the road, start with a bang, drinks on the house, Gonzo jumping up and down because he's "hopping mad"... the list goes on.
232--> "I hear this movie is dynamite."
233--> '''BOOM'''
234* LoopholeAbuse: Mad Man Mooney tells the Muppets that the prices listed on the stickers of his cars are final and cannot be haggled. When Sweetums swats a fly against one of the stickers, the "splat" ends up as a decimal point, turning a $1195 price tag into one reading $11.95. When Kermit asks for the car, Mad Man Mooney is unable to come up with a counter argument and begrudgingly honors the price.
235* LoveAtFirstSight: When Miss Piggy meets Kermit (and even follows it up with a romantic montage!). Kermit seems quite taken with her as well (at least, at first).
236--> '''Piggy (singing)''': "Never before! And never again!..."
237* LyricalDissonance: Par for the course of any Henson production (though he didn't write the song), "Rainbow Connection" is a surprisingly bitter song about [[IWantSong chasing one's dreams]], and [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools all the better as a result]].
238-->''Who said that every wish would be heard and answered''\
239''When wished on the morning star''\
240''Somebody thought of that and someone believed it''\
241''Look what it's done so far''\
242''What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing''\
243''And what do they think we might see?''\
244''Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection''\
245''The lovers, the dreamers and me''
246* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack:
247** During "The Rainbow Connection", Kermit appears to be singing along with his reflection.
248** When the gang gets stranded in the desert, Kermit's inner self literally appears to help him with a moral crisis.
249* MediumAwareness: When the Electric Mayhem are trying to find a way to help Kermit and Fozzie. See GenreSavvy.
250* MetallicarSyndrome: Fozzie's Studebaker is painted in psychedelic colors by the Electric Mayhem to help Kermit elude Doc Hopper. The paint job doesn't fool Hopper, but it does hide it surprisingly well when they stop in front of a similarly-painted billboard.
251* MightyRoar: Having grown to [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant size]], Animal lets out one of these, frightening off Hopper and his goons for good.
252* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Max 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.
253* MinorMajorCharacter: Creator/OrsonWelles as Lew Lord; after arriving in Hollywood, and finally getting to meet him, he has just one line of dialogue in his brief appearance:
254-->'''Lew Lord''': Miss Tracy... Prepare the standard 'Rich and Famous' contract for Kermit the Frog and Company.
255* MisplacedADecimalPoint: Kermit tries to buy a car at a [[HonestJohnsDealership rather disreputable dealership]], but can't afford any of them, until Sweetums swats a fly, which creates a decimal point in a price tag; the dealer finds himself selling a $1195 car for $11.95, after paying a $12 trade-in on the Muppets' [[TheAllegedCar old lemon]].
256* MotiveDecay: Doc Hopper starts off as a CorruptCorporateExecutive who wants Kermit to help him sell frog legs. However, when that fails, he moves to trying to have Kermit assassinated, seemingly just ForTheEvulz.
257* NearVillainVictory: Doc Hopper almost succeeds in having Kermit killed -- until a giant Animal intervenes at the last second.
258* NeverSayDie: Averted, thankfully.
259* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Lew Lord (Creator/OrsonWelles) is Lew Grade, who gave Henson his big break and shepherded his career (and [[PunnyName actually was a Lord]]).
260* NoFourthWall: Perhaps the best example is Kermit and Fozzie explaining their story to the Electric Mayhem by ''giving them a copy of the script''. The band later saves Kermit and company from the desert, having found them by referring to the script they left behind.
261--> '''Dr. Teeth''': See? "Exterior, desert, night." We knew right where you were!
262* NotActuallyTheUltimateQuestion: "I have lost my sense of direction!" "Have you tried Hare Krishna?"
263* NotHyperbole: "When a German scientist tells you to hold onto your hat, it's not casual conversation. Hold on to your hat! Hat! Hold!"
264* NumberOfTheBeast: Visible on the digital readout on Prof. Krassman's mind-melting machine.
265* OldFashionedRowboatDate: In an ImagineSpot, Piggy pictures herself doing this with Kermit; this is also depicted in one version of the poster and on the cover of the original soundtrack album.
266* OnlyInItForTheMoney: After Max's HeelRealization, he only continues to serve Doc Hopper because Hopper offers to double his percentage (i.e. his share of the company). However, when the Frog Killer is hired, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere not even money will keep him attached to Hopper, and he flags down the Muppets while disguised as a motorcycle cop simply to warn them about Hopper's plans]].
267* OriginsEpisode: The film describes how the Muppets got together, or at least "sort of approximately how it happened."
268* OverlyNarrowSuperlative: "Sparkling Muscatel, one of the finest wines of Idaho."[[note]]Even funnier if you know that there was only one functioning winery in Idaho in 1979: Ste. Chapelle in the Snake River Valley[[/note]]
269* PanFromTheSkyBeginning: "The Rainbow Connection" starts in this manner.
270* PaperThinDisguise:
271** 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.
272** The Electric Mayhem's psychedelic paint job on the Studebaker also qualifies. The car is admittedly unrecognizable, but it's still the same model being driven by the quite-notable Kermit and Fozzie, and the rainbow paint-job just [[EpicFail makes the car stick out even more than it would've.]]
273--->'''Doc Hopper''': Max, find me a frog and a bear in a tan Studebaker!
274--->'''Max''': Gee, Doc, all I can see is a frog and a bear in a ''rainbow''-colored Studebaker.
275--->'''Doc Hopper''': What?!
276* ParentalBonus: Some of the jokes are way obscure, though the outside is usually funny enough.
277-->'''Gonzo:''' I always wanted to go to [[UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}} Bombay, India]], and become a movie star.
278-->'''Fozzie:''' You don't go to Bombay to become a movie star. You go where we're going, Hollywood!
279-->'''Gonzo:''' Sure, if you want to do it the ''easy'' way.
280** For that matter, most of the pop culture references may be too far out-of-date for some viewers to get them today.
281** One for the parents who like classical music is given by Rowlf just before singing "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along" with Kermit. He briefly shows off his amazing skills on the piano and then quips:
282--->'''Rowlf:''' I'm no [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jascha_Heifetz Heifetz]], but I get by.
283*** 6 years later, world famous pianist Vladimir Horowitz would say something similar during the recording of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Romantic The Last Romantic]]. After his fingers slip while he's playing at home, he wryly states: "I am Horowitz, not Heifetz!"
284* PerfectlyCromulentWord: "It is indeed a problem for us to ''probosculate'' upon!"
285* ThePianoPlayer: Paul Williams, his own self. In real life, Williams does ''not'' play the piano (or at least, can only play well enough to come up with melodies), so all piano playing was mimed.
286* PieInTheFace: Variation: Doc Hopper's car gets a giant pie in the windshield! (See ThisBillboardNeedsSomeSalt below.)
287* ThePowerOfFriendship: During the climax, Kermit notes the main difference between him and Hopper. He had a dream of stardom, but he shared it with others who had the same aspirations, and became lifelong friends. The mercenaries Hopper hired? They're not his friends. Even Max shakes his head "no" when Hopper insists he has one in him.
288* ProfessionalKiller: Snake Walker, a professional frog killer Doc hires to get rid of Kermit.
289* PunnyName: Prof. ''Krass''man. Appropriately, a crass comment he makes to Piggy leads to his downfall.
290* ReadingAheadInTheScript: The Electric Mayhem come to rescue Kermit and the others when they get stranded in the desert. How did they knew they were there? [[CallBack They read it in the script Kermit had given them earlier.]]
291* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Kermit ''unloads'' one on Hopper after running from him the whole film, telling him that his obsession and callousness will cost him everything and everyone he loves, and that no fast food restaurant could possibly be worth all he's done. Unfortunately, Hopper ignores it.
292* RedemptionRejection: Hopper appears affected by Kermit's PatrickStewartSpeech, only to then order his men to kill him. Henson actually wanted him to be redeemed at first, but Frank Oz talked him out of it.
293* RetCon: Scooter and the band had different and unconnected origin stories in the first seasons of the series, but are now shown as being a single unit before the show got together. (Handwaved by Kermit to Robin in the opening. "Well, it's sort of ''approximately'' how it happened.")
294* RoadTripPlot: Kermit's journey from the Florida swamps to Hollywood, picking up all the other Muppets and having interesting adventures on the way.
295* ARoundOfDrinksForTheHouse: Fozzie defuses a BarBrawl by impersonating the bartender and shouting "Drinks are on the house!" Of course, this being the Muppets, this causes all of the brawlers to race to the roof of the bar where they [[LiteralMinded look futilely for the drinks]].
296* RuleOfThree: "Lost? Have you tried Hare Krishna?" (See RunningGag below.)
297* RunningGag: "Have you tried Hare Krishna?," lampshaded by Kermit. Also, the "Myth! Myth!" thing.[[note]]"Yeth?"[[/note]]
298** Don't forget Sweetums pursuing the gang... which also turns into something of a BrickJoke.
299** Not to mention Gonzo landing on Kermit's car.
300---> '''Gonzo:''' I'm back!
301---> '''Miss Piggy:''' I don't understand any of this.
302* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Hopper and his goons are scared off for good by a giant Animal roaring at them. Max leaves with them, too, but not before wishing the Muppets good luck.
303* SettingOffSong: "Movin' Right Along". The first few bars get replayed when they drive off anywhere. Just to drill it into your head further.
304--> '''Kermit:''' Move it right along, Fozzie.
305* ServileSnarker: Creator/SteveMartin, in yet another cameo, as an extremely insolent waiter. (Really, that's his credited role: "Insolent Waiter".)
306--> '''Kermit:''' Uh, you may serve us now, please.
307--> '''Insolent Waiter:''' Oh, ''may'' I? ''(backs away, bowing)'' Thank you! ''Thank you!''
308* TheSeventies: The hairstyles and some fashions give it away occasionally (as well as the RunningGag about Hare Krishnas), but otherwise the film does a great job of keeping itself timeless.
309* ShackleSeatTrap: The restraints on Krassman's brain-scrambling device close automatically around Kermit's wrists and ankles.
310* ShoutOut:
311** Kermit to Piggy: "[[Film/GoneWithTheWind Frankly, Miss Piggy, I don't give a hoot.]]"[[note]]Perhaps not coincidentally, "I don't give a hoot" is alleged to have been one of the alternatives to Rhett's climactic "I don't give a damn" that the makers of ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'' considered using to avoid falling afoul of the censors in 1939.[[/note]] Doubles as a reference to Woodsy Owl.[[note]]"Give a hoot, don't pollute"[[/note]]
312** "Why are there so many [[Film/TheWizardOfOz songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?]]"
313** Then, later, "Who said that [[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} every wish would be heard and answered when wished on the morning star?]]" (which makes Disney's purchase of the Muppets in 2004 all the more [[HilariousInHindsight hilarious]])
314* ShowdownAtHighNoon: Kermit's final confrontation with Hopper, in the main street of a small Western town, is heralded by a clock striking noon and Kermit stepping out of the saloon wearing a cowboy outfit.
315* SmallRoleBigImpact: Creator/DomDeLuise only gets a small cameo at the beginning of the film, but his suggestion that Kermit go to Hollywood sets the whole plot in motion.
316* StalkerWithoutACrush: Doc Hopper follows Fozzie and Kermit across several states trying to get Kermit to become his mascot for his frog-based restaurant.
317* TheStinger:
318** Credited with being the first modern example in film.
319--->'''Animal:''' GO HOME! GO HOME! Bye-bye.
320** The official soundtrack album had one too.
321--->'''Swedish Chef:''' Dër flïm ïs økïë-døkïë!
322* StockAnimalDiet: At the County Fair, Fozzie goes to Creator/BobHope to get ice cream. He orders a cone of honey flavor for himself, and a cone of "Dragonfly Ripple" for Kermit.
323-->'''Fozzie:''' [[{{Squick}} Ay-yecch-a.]]
324-->'''Bob Hope:''' Don't get them mixed up.
325* StylisticSuck: Doc's television commercial. Kermit thinks it's horrible, but for different reasons.
326* 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? You’ve gotta be crazy chasing me halfway across the country! Why are you doing this to me?!"
327* TalkingToThemself: Kermit literally talks with another version of himself in the desert scene.
328* TearingThroughTheMovieScreen: Just as the InUniverse film ends, Sweetums tears through the screen, capping the film and cuing the credits.
329* ThereIsAnother: In this case, many others. For the finale, ''two hundred and fifty Muppets'', all preexisting, appear. As mentioned above, a whole bunch of extra people (including Creator/TimBurton and Creator/JohnLandis) had to be called in to operate all of them.
330* ThisBillboardNeedsSomeSalt: One for Aunt Amy's Custard Pies has an actual, giant custard pie on it, and it inadvertently brings both Gonzo's {{Balloonacy}} escapade and Doc Hopper's latest attempt to get Kermit to an end: Fozzie's car hits the billboard, and this sends the pie flying onto Hopper's car. Hopper accidentally fires his shotgun into the air when that happens, which bursts the balloons and causes Gonzo to come back down to Earth. As Hopper rants over his latest defeat, Max enjoys some pie.
331* ThoseWackyNazis: Krassman is strongly implied to be one.
332* TiredOfRunning: Near the end, Kermit decides to confront Hopper cause he doesn't want to "spend the rest of [his] life running from a bully".
333* ToughRoom: Fozzie faces a hostile audience - literally - at the El Sleazo, and Kermit's attempt to help him makes it worse.
334* TrashTheSet: Seemingly at the end of the film... but then the rainbow appears. Leading to our...
335* TriumphantReprise: The reprise of "The Rainbow Connection" at the end of the film after the Muppets have achieved their dreams and are making their movie.
336--> "We've done just what we've set out to do/Thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and '''''you'''''."
337* UnconventionalFoodOrder: At the fair, Fozzie orders a cone of honey ice-cream for him and a cone of dragonfly ripple for Kermit. Amazingly, the ice-cream vendor has both.
338* UnraveledEntanglement: The Swedish Chef has the role of operating the film projector, which goes about as well as you would expect. When the film suddenly stops playing and Kermit inquires what happened, the Chef shows up tangled in film and says, "[[ForeignSoundingGibberish Derversh de flim go flipflipflipflip!]]"
339* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Summed up by a note at the beginning of an early draft of the screenplay.
340-->Although a bear driving a car and a frog trying to order a drink in a bar are not ordinary sights in our world, they are in this film. None of the human beings in ''The Muppet Movie'' are ever the least bit surprised to find themselves talking to frogs and dogs and pigs and chickens.
341* UnstoppableRage: "THAT DOES IT!!"
342* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Within the film itself; see the page quote. Despite apparently taking some liberties in-universe, most subsequent productions (the next two films and ''Muppet Babies'' aside) treat it as the Muppets’ canonical origin story.
343* VileVillainSaccharineShow: Doc Hopper, a greedy restaurateur who wants Kermit to be the new spokesperson for his struggling chain of frog leg restaurants. After Kermit refuses his offers, Hopper relentlessly pursues him for nearly the whole trip, resorting to increasingly vicious means such as holding Piggy for ransom, hiring a MadScientist to have him brainwashed, and finally hiring assassins to hunt him down and kill him. Even as Kermit gives a heartfelt speech to try and reason with him, Hopper is unmoved and still orders him killed.
344* 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, to do everything for him, including drive him around.
345* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend: Okay, who's the idiot who threatened Kermit in front of Miss Piggy?
346* VisualPun: Kermit tells Fozzie to turn left at the fork in the road. Sure enough... a giant fork is stuck in the road like a landmark.
347--> '''Kermit:''' I don't believe that.
348* WallpaperCamouflage: With ''a car''!
349* WhamLine: "Miss Tracy, prepare the standard 'rich and famous' contract for Kermit the Frog and company."
350** Also Doc's line, spoken quietly and calmly: "All right, boys... kill him." Doc has no redeeming qualities, and if he had any before they are long gone.
351* WhatsAHenway: "Gonzo! What are you doing?" "About seven knots!"[[note]]Slightly over 8mph, 12.9km/h.[[/note]]
352* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Creator/CharlesDurning gives Doc Hopper a vaguely Cajun accent that [[OohMeAccentsSlipping varies widely]] throughout the movie.
353* WhoIsDriving: Neither Kermit nor Fozzie, it seems.
354* WhatYouAreInTheDark: [[spoiler:Max comes to warn Kermit and his friends that Hopper has hired a frog assassin to kill Kermit if he refuses to be a mascot, when he didn't have to do such a thing]]. He's horrified when [[spoiler:Kermit agrees to meet Hopper anyway in the hopes of reasoning with the man]].
355* WrongTurnAtAlbuquerque: "Movin' Right Along" is one long RunningGag about how terribly lost Kermit and Fozzie get on their drive to California.
356-->'''Kermit:''' ''(singing)'' Hey LA, where've you gone?\
357'''Fozzie:''' ''(singing)'' Send someone to fetch us, we're in [[UsefulNotes/CanadianProvincesAndTerritories Saskatchewan]]!
358* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Kermit attempts this on Doc Hopper.
359** ShutUpKirk: "Kill him."
360* YouAreWorthHell: When Kermit and Miss Piggy are being held captive by Doc Hopper's minions and the mad scientist who is preparing to give him what amounts to a new form of lobotomy, Miss Piggy plays this straight then Kermit subverts it:
361--> '''Miss Piggy''': Whatever happens next, I wouldn't trade this night for anything. Would you?
362--> '''Kermit''': Make me an offer.
363----
364->Life's like a movie... write your own ending\
365Keep believing, keep pretending\
366We did just what we set out to do\
367Thanks to the lovers...\
368The dreamers...\
369And ''you!''
370----
371->[-''[[ThatsAllFolks GO HOME! GO HOME! Bye-bye.]]''-]

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