NEW YORK (January 24, 2018) – For decades, the secrets of one of the most successful and acclaimed creative endeavors the world has ever known have been locked away, but on March 16 the safe will be cracked open as the documentary Muppet Guys Talking: Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched explores how remarkable creativity was allowed to grow in an atmosphere of playfulness and collaboration with the nurturing support of Jim Henson.
Directed by Frank Oz, Muppet Guys Talking will be available to fans around the world at www.MuppetGuysTalking.com, where viewers will be able to purchase the film beginning March 16. Anyone who signs up at MuppetGuysTalking.com in advance of its release will also receive special additional Muppet Guys Talking content, be first to get the link to buy the film, and be first to receive details of limited-time offers when the film is released March 16.
Muppet Guys Talking brings together five of the original Muppet performers who discuss with each other their individual approaches to creating memorable characters and the impact Jim Henson had on their lives and work.
Conceived by Victoria Labalme, and produced by Oz, Labalme, and Leslie Converse, Muppet Guys Talking has been hailed by critics for its unexpected and intimate exploration of the true spirit of The Muppets.
After Muppet Guys Talking premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest festival, The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “Good luck preventing that big, goofy grin from spreading across your face while watching Muppet Guys Talking.”
Muppet Guys Talking is “a must-see,” wrote IndieWire, “not only for Muppet fans and the people who made them, but for anyone seeking insight into the power of creativity.”
Following the film’s acclaim at SXSW, Labalme says different options were considered for how to release the documentary to audiences, including more traditional routes. “We wanted to make the movie available directly to fans in a way that would be true to the spirit of the documentary itself – a bit rebellious, a bit different, a bit scrappy.”
Reaching a global audience has been important from the start, Labalme added. “This is a film we hope will reach beyond Muppet fans and inspire artists, entrepreneurs, creative visionaries and leaders by showing what can happen in an environment that encourages having fun, taking risks and collaborating.”
The performers who appear in Muppet Guys Talking are:
- Jerry Nelson, whose Muppet creations have included Count von Count, Snuffleupagus, Lew Zealand and Gobo Fraggle.
- Fran Brill, whose Muppet creations have included Prairie Dawn, Zoe, Little Bird and Betty Lou.
- Dave Goelz, whose Muppet creations have included The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot and Boober Fraggle.
- Bill Barretta, whose Muppet creations have included Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama, Bobo the Bear and Big Mean Carl.
- Frank Oz, whose Muppet creations have included Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster and Grover.
Already, tens of thousands of fans from dozens of countries around the world have registered at MuppetGuysTalking.com, where Muppet Guys Talking will be available beginning Friday, March 16.
