Classic NYC Movies: "The Muppets Take Manhattan"
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Last week we floated the theory that the classic black and white thriller "King Kong" might be the ultimate New York flick. This week we're countering that with a film much more recent, and perhaps a bit more near and dear to our hearts. We went to the Empire State Building because of Kong, but we looked for the carriages in Central Park because of 1984's "The Muppets Take Manhattan."
Here's why the childhood classic, about a frog and a dog and a chicken and a, well, whatever Gonzo is, trying to make it in New York, could be the ultimate NYC movie:
Because starry-eyed arrivals are best young, cute and undefeated. If you haven't seen the movie, the Muppets arrive direct from college where they have written a musical called "Manhattan Melodies." That they had never been to New York before writing the show is no deterrent; nor is their eventual moment of dissolution when they all go off to get menial jobs to achieve their dreams. Adorable menial jobs, that is, like working in a movie theater alongside the Swedish Chef. (Your poppin' corn is... 3-D!)
Because Kermit is an Eve Harrington-esque social climber, and we love him for it. Who doesn't want to march into Sardi's (234 West 44th Street, cheek by jowl with the current production of "Xanadu: The Musical") and attempt to create some buzz? (Caution: We have not actually tried this. Yet.)
Because kids would never catch the subtle commentary on greed and its consequences? What's more real, the soulless advertising agency into which an amnesiac Kermit gets sucked, or the diner staffed by cute singing rats? What can top a full-scale Broadway show besides an actual wedding? The real New York isn't Liza Minnelli having a late lunch, it's Gregory Hines panting "Keep... the skates." Kermit and company arrive as tourists but are molded into the New Yorkers of their dreams.
Related Stories:
· Classic NYC Movies Map [Jaunted]
[Photo: videodetective.com]
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