The Muppets are like popcorn and ice cream: it’s hard to imagine anyone not liking them. We Muppets fans love to see the new stuff The Muppets Studio is releasing online — nobody enjoyed their “Bohemian Rhapsody” more than we did — but what’s a rare treat is seeing old Muppets material that we’ve never seen before.
Here, then, are two amazing videos of camera tests done by The Muppet Movie director Jim Frawley, featuring primarily Jim Henson and Frank Oz — or Kermit and Fozzie/Miss Piggy, depending on your point of view (Sweetums is also featured). It’s a great insight into just how perfectly the two men’s talents fit together, how well they knew each other, and how incredibly creative and funny they could be even when ad-libbing. If these videos do not make you laugh, then I can’t imagine what you would ever find funny. And, if you’re like me, these videos will also make you (once again) sad at the enormous injustice of Henson’s death at age 53 nearly twenty years ago.
After the jump I’ve added a third video, from the filming of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. It’s not quite as funny as the other two, but it has some great moments in it. Enjoy!
Hat tip: MetaFilter.
