History YMMV / TheMuppetMovie

* {{Narm}}: The Frog Killer's outfit is serious NightmareRetardant for adults.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The “Have you tried Hare Krishna?” RunningGag was a lot funnier when this movie was first released. Which was when the organization was at the height of notoriety, mainly for their aggressive recruitment tactics, especially harassing people at airports. People these days are more likely familiar with them by the fact that George Harrison was a member, or ironically, from [[ParodyDisplacement jokes like the ones this movie makes.]] If they even know about group at all.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The “Have you tried Hare Krishna?” RunningGag was a lot funnier when this movie was first released. Which was when the organization was at the height of notoriety for their aggressive recruitment tactics, especially harassing people at airports. People these days are more likely familiar with them by the fact that George Harrison was a member or from [[ParodyDisplacement jokes like the ones from this movie.]] If they even know about group at all.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The “Have you tried Hare Krishna?” RunningGag was a lot funnier when group was at the height of notoriety for their aggressive recruitment tactics, especially harassing people at airports. People these days are more likely familiar with them by the fact that George Harrison was a member from jokes like the ones from this movie]] even recognize the name.

** In addition to doing tasks such as puppeting Fozzie when Frank Oz couldn't (e.g. whenever Ms. Piggy and Fozzie are sharing a scene), Steve Whitmire has [[FreezeFrameBonus a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo]] at the Bogen County Fair standing behind Kermit and Fozzie when Piggy's eyes zooms in on Kermit.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Of the Muppeteer sort: one behind-the-scenes photo sees Brian Henson, son of Jim, assisting Frank Oz in performing Fozzie Bear in the Studebaker, and during the "Rainbow Connection Finale", animator Creator/EarlKress and director Creator/TimBurton perform Ernie and Sam Eagle, respectively. On that note, Creator/JohnLandis, an already established director, performed Grover in that same scene.

** The opening scene of Kermit in the swamp, playing the banjo, and singing the song "Rainbow Connection".

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The “Have you tried Hare Krishna?” RunningGag was a lot funnier when the group was at the height of notoriety for their aggressive recruitment tactics, especially harassing people at airports. People these days may not even recognize the name.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: While it's by no means too vulgar or inappropriate for children or families, is otherwise meant to be viewed as any other Hollywood feature which just happens to star puppets (indeed, Jim Henson himself always saw the Muppets as more of a theater troupe than as characters). As such, it was not an easy pitch to sell.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: The behind-the-scenes picture of Steve Whitmire goofing around with a Kermit puppet.

** The Muppet features that followed have their fans and are certainly beloved in their own right, and while ''Film/TheMuppetChristmasCarol'' is often considered a serious contender, the one that started it all is almost universally considered the best.

** A draft of the script had a running gag in which Henry Kissenger keeps showing up wanting to be in the movie, only to be rejected each time. The running gag would not make it to the finished film (and was likely dropped before filming).

* AwardSnub: "Rainbow Connection" lost the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Original Song to the now-virtually-forgotten "It Goes Like It Goes" from ''Film/NormaRae''.[[note]]Which, it must be noted, deserved quite a few awards, but "Best Song" is not on that list.[[/note]] That's an even bigger snub than it appears because the Academy used to choose ten songs [[http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm?articleID=4201 as finalists for Original Song]], before announcing the nominations (1979 was the last year for that). ''The Muppet Movie'' had four of the ten finalists ("Rainbow Connection", "Movin' Right Along", "Never Before, Never Again" and "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along") and still walked away empty-handed.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: [[https://muppetmindset.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/its-not-easy-being-mean-part-1/ This article]] posits that Doc Hopper isn't a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk so much as someone intended to be dark reflection of the Muppets and especially a {{Foil}} to Kermit. It notes that he has several of the same characteristics that the Muppets have and that ultimately he does briefly consider a better way before recognizing his own dream won't allow him close friends like Kermit has.

* FirstInstallmentWins: The Muppet features that followed have their fans and are certainly beloved in their own right, and while ''Film/TheMuppetChristmasCarol'' is often considered a serious contender, the one that started it all is almost universally considered the best.

* OneSceneWonder: Numerous examples (Creator/SteveMartin's [[ServileSnarker waiter]], Creator/MelBrooks' [[MadScientist Krassman]]) but taken UpToEleven with Creator/OrsonWelles' cameo as Lew Lord, who's not only in just one scene but has exactly ''one line'', yet manages to be one of the most memorable characters in the film.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Alas, many of the jokes and wackiness have been copied by countless followers (both ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobSquarepantsMovie'' have done meta gags about their films being watched in theaters, for example), that, to anyone watching the film for the first time, it might seem less remarkable.
** That meta gag had been used, to hilarious effect, in ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', five years prior to this film.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Kermit riding a bike near the beginning. Don't wonder how they did it, just accept it.
** Actually, according to Creator/FrankOz, the effect was relatively easy to do,[[note]]Essentially, the Kermit riding the bike was a marionette, with the bike pulled along by an invisible wire[[/note]] compared to the monstrous effort required to get Gonzo to float along on his balloons. But since the bike was the effect everyone kept gawking over, they included an entire parade of Muppets on bikes in [[Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper the next movie.]] Just because, and the fact that it was a much simpler feat of puppetry: the characters' bicycles are simply sharing axles so they can stand together.
** Plus Kermit in the swamp, which was created by the 6'1" Creator/JimHenson cramming himself into a diving bell for a whole day.

** Gonzo's song, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1reH0NBkvY I'm Gonna Go Back There Someday]] is one of the movie's most beautiful and emotional tracks and it is [[{{Tearjerker}} surely gonna make you shed a tear or two]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGmrId5E9K0 Dave Goelz' performance]] at Jim Henson's Memorial is even more of a {{Tearjerker}}.

** Even Brian Henson, Jim's son, was reported to have been heard saying, "I hate that f**king song" when it was performed by the Muppets at the Hollywood Bowl in 2017 (a sentiment which Brian vehemently denies ever expressing).

* HypeBacklash: Song example. While "Rainbow Connection" is still largely considered to be a great song, as aforementioned, many Muppet fans have become sick of how acclaimed, popular and exposed it is in contrast to the movie's other songs and even Muppet songs in general. Even Brian Henson is reportedly said to outright f*cking hate the song at one point.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Of the Muppeteer sort: one behind-the-scenes photo sees Brian Henson, son of Jim, assisting Frank Oz in performing Fozzie Bear in the Studebaker, and during the "Rainbow Connection Finale", animator Creator/EarlKress, and directors Creator/TimBurton and Creator/JohnLandis perform Ernie, Sam Eagle and Grover, respectively.

** Even Brian Henson, Jim's son, was reported to have been heard saying, "I hate that f**king song" when it was performed by the Muppets at the Hollywood Bowl.

* AwardSnub: "Rainbow Connection" lost the Oscar for Best Original Song to the now-virtually-forgotten "It Goes Like It Goes" from ''Film/NormaRae''.[[note]]Which, it must be noted, deserved quite a few awards, but "Best Song" is not on that list.[[/note]] That's an even bigger snub than it appears because the Academy used to choose ten songs [[http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm?articleID=4201 as finalists for Original Song]], before announcing the nominations (1979 was the last year for that). ''The Muppet Movie'' had four of the ten finalists ("Rainbow Connection", "Movin' Right Along", "Never Before, Never Again" and "I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along") and still walked away empty-handed.

** Gonzo's song, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1reH0NBkvY I'm Gonna Go Back There Someday]] is one of the movie's most beautiful and emotional tracks and it is surely gonna make you shed a tear or two and is Jim's favorite song from the film. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGmrId5E9K0 Dave Goelz' performance]] played at Jim Henson's Memorial is even more of a {{Tearjerker}}.

** Even Brian Henson, Jim's son, was reported to have been heard saying, "[[CreatorBacklash I hate that f**king song]]" when it was performed by the Muppets at the Hollywood Bowl.

** Even Brian Henson, Jim's son, was reported to have been heard saying, "I hate that f**king song" when it was performed by the Muppets at the Hollywood Bowl.

** All the lengths Doc Hopper goes to to try and capture Kermit become this in ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppitChristmasMovie'' where, [[ItsAWonderfulPlot in the world where Kermit was never born]], Doc Hopper's Frog Legs Restaurant has become an extremely popular franchise without Kermit's aid.