Is it true...
I read online somewhere that the director commentary features an MST3k-style silhouette on the bottom of the screen and has Gonzo, Rizzo and the director riffing on the film. Is this true?
shareIt's true. It's a charming feature, but there's one thing about it that truly makes it special. Kermit's with the group for the first couple of minutes. Then he inexplicably excuses himself and doesn't return until the end credits ("I went next door to watch Phantom Menace" he says).
I couldn't figure this out until I realized that it would have essentially meant just listening to Whitmire's Kermit without seeing him for close to an hour and a half. I thought it was a classy nod to the connection Kermit had with Jim Henson. If you can sit through Space Jam, they do the same thing (no visual, though) with Bugs, who stays for the whole commentary, reminding viewers every second that Mel Blanc is no longer with us.
"My brain rebelled, and insisted on applying logic where it was not welcome."share
I couldn't figure this out until I realized that it would have essentially meant just listening to Whitmire's Kermit without seeing him for close to an hour and a half. I thought it was a classy nod to the connection Kermit had with Jim Henson.
What do you mean? share
I mean that Kermit is composed of two elements: appearance and voice. Appearance didn't change when Henson died, but the voice did. That's passable when we're seeing Kermit on-screen, but if Kermit is vocal alone, it's a painful reminder that Whitmire is not Henson. It's why I don't think much of any of the audio they've done with Kermit since Henson died, even though I love the song "One More Sleep 'Til Christmas."
"My brain rebelled, and insisted on applying logic where it was not welcome."share
Oh ok. Now I understand.
And I agree.
I see. Funny story about Whitmire taking over Kermit on Muppet's Christmas Carol: He was all nervous about taking over the part. The night before filming started, he dreamed that he met Jim Henson in a hotel lobby. Henson told Whitmire that he'd do just fine on the part and Whitmire felt better about it.
shareThat may well have had something to do with it, but there's a logistical reason too. Steve Whitmire performs Rizzo as well as Kermit, so they couldn't both be present for the commentary at the same time. Kermit's exit allows Whitmire to grab the Rizzo puppet and return to the commentary... and Gonzo and Rizzo have had great chemistry since Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992, which makes for a snappier, funnier commentary than a Gonzo/Kermit would have.
share