Muppet Treasure Island
Encyclopedia
Muppet Treasure Island is a 1996 American musical film based on Robert Louis Stevenson
's Treasure Island
. It is the fifth feature film
to star The Muppets
and was directed by Jim Henson
's son Brian Henson
.
Similarly to the earlier Muppet Christmas Carol
, the key roles were played by live-action actors, with the Muppets in supporting roles. The live-action actors consisted of Tim Curry
as Long John Silver, Billy Connolly
as Billy Bones, Jennifer Saunders
, and Kevin Bishop
in his feature film debut as Jim Hawkins. Kermit the Frog
appeared as Captain Abraham Smollett, Fozzie Bear
as Squire Trelawney, Sam the Eagle
as Mr. Samuel Arrow, and Miss Piggy
as the gender-flipped castaway "Benjamina" Gunn. Following their success as the narrators of The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Great Gonzo
and Rizzo the Rat
appeared in specially created roles as Jim's best friends.
'—a traditional pirate death sentence. Bones prepares to leave, realizing that Blind Pew and his other former crew mates will come to kill him, but suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving a treasure map from his sea chest to Jim. The map is the same one that leads to Captain Flint's treasure. Blind Pew and the pirates suddenly raid the inn, leading to much confusion that ultimately results in the inn burning down when Gonzo and Rizzo have an accident with a lit candle and some gunpowder.
Jim and his friends travel to Bristol to obtain a ship to find the treasure and meet with Squire Trelawney, who agrees to finance the voyage (he is clearly eccentric and believes a character called 'Mr. Bimbo' lives in his finger). On the ship Hispaniola, Jim and the others meet the crew for the voyage, including uptight First Mate Samuel Arrow and ship's cook Long John Silver. Gonzo is suspicious of one-legged Silver, as Billy Bones frequently warned of a 'one-legged man', but Jim doesn't agree. The voyage begins after no-nonsense Captain Abraham Smollett arrives, and they set sail in high spirits ("Sailing for Adventure").
It becomes evident, though, during the roll call, that the crew all seem to be scoundrels. Trelawney admits that 'Mr. Bimbo' has recruited them, as it was on the advice from Silver. Captain Smollett's doubts about them are given credence when Polly (Silver's pet lobster), Clueless Morgan, and Mad Monty kidnap and torture Gonzo and Rizzo to learn about the location of the rumored treasure map. They are caught in the act by Mr. Arrow who then locks them up in the brig on Smollett's orders. Following this incident, Smollett has Mr. Arrow lock the map in his cabin. During their voyage, the wind dies, and they are left at a standstill in the ocean, causing them to temporarily become insane with cabin fever ("Cabin Fever"). While discussing this with his new friend Silver, Jim accidentally mentions that there is a map and its location. Playing on Mr. Arrow's doubts about the safety of the ship, Silver tricks him into rowing away from the Hispaniola to test a lifeboat. Arrow leaves Silver with his keys, having reasoned that it would be disastrous if the keys were to fall overboard. Silver and the crew convince everyone else that Mr. Arrow drowned.
While snacking on some apples in a barrel, Jim, Gonzo, and Rizzo overhear Silver warning the escaped Polly, Clueless Morgan, and Monty to not mutiny until he says so and reveals his involvement in Mr. Arrow's disappearance. Jim finally realizes that Silver is a villain. Captain Smollett, alerted to Silver's treachery by Jim, convinces Silver to take the crew ashore as they approach Treasure Island planning to abandon them there. However, Silver is wise to the captain's plan and kidnaps Jim. Silver tries to convince Jim that he should join the pirates ("A Professional Pirate") as Captain Smollett, Gonzo, and Rizzo row ashore to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, this leaves the ship open to be taken over by a few pirates who stayed behind and easily overpower the Squire, Dr. Livesey (Bunsen Honeydew) and Beaker. Jim is forced to help the pirates find the treasure using his father's compass, but there is no treasure, and the pirates turn against Silver for having them mutiny against the captain for nothing. Silver holds the pirates off after forcing Jim to escape, stating that his fondness for Jim is the one thing Silver didn't lie about.
Meanwhile, Captain Smollett, Gonzo, and Rizzo are captured by the wild boar tribe native to the island and brought before their queen ("Boom Shakalaka"), who turns out to be Benjamina Gunn, a former fiancée of the captain. While she berates Smollett for having jilted her years ago, Jim rescues Gonzo and Rizzo. They return to the ship with the aid of Mr. Arrow, who has suddenly turned up in his lifeboat alive, and scare the pirates away by having Mr. Arrow pose as his own ghost. The other pirates decide to kill Silver and give him the Black Spot (that Monty draws on a page torn from a Bible), but Silver plays on their superstitions and tricks them into reinstating him as their leader. Meeting up with the captain and Benjamina (who had previous flings with Silver and Captain Flint, who marooned her), Silver threatens to drop Smollett off a cliff unless Benjamina tells him where she hid the treasure (which she took for herself). Once she tells him, though, the pirates leave them both facing a plunging doom. Smollett assures 'Mina that at least they are together again ("Love Led Us Here").
Captain Smollett and 'Mina are rescued by Jim and the others aboard the Hispaniola, and they battle the pirates, ultimately winning the help of the local tribes and Sweetums (who was actually on Smollett's side all along). They load up the treasure and prepare to return to England with the pirates in the brig, but Silver escapes (since he still had Mr. Arrow's keys with him) and flees in a lifeboat with some of the treasure. Jim catches him escaping, and Silver attempts to shoot Jim, but ultimately realizes he can't kill the boy. Touched by this, Jim advises Silver to just leave, and he does. Smollett, having witnessed this, assures Jim that he did the right thing, and that his father would be proud. However, Mr. Arrow reveals to Jim and the captain that the lifeboat Silver took has a leak. The boat sinks, and Silver is left marooned on the treasure island as Jim and the others (now joined by Benjamina's tribe) set sail again, this time to "wherever the wind may take us".
During the credits, an Island Head tells a marooned Long John Silver a joke: "Why does the ocean roar? Give up? You would too if you had crabs on your bottom and oysters in your bed."
, The Muppets Take Manhattan
and The Great Muppet Caper
.
. The film has been made available on home video formats. It was released on VHS September 11, 1996, and twice on DVD in Region 1
. The first DVD release on June 4, 2002, was in a fullscreen-only format. The film was re-released on DVD November 29, 2005, in conjunction with Kermit the Frog's 50th anniversary celebration; this time the DVD contained both fullscreen and widescreen presentations.
, sued the film production company for using the name "Spa'am" for one of the film's warthog
characters. Their suit was defeated on September 22, 1995. The judge dismissed it after a trial for failure to prove damages, noting, "one might think Hormel would welcome the association with a genuine source of pork."
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
's Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
. It is the fifth feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
to star The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
and was directed by Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
's son Brian Henson
Brian Henson
Brian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....
.
Similarly to the earlier Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 musical comedy film adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, directed by Brian Henson, produced by The Jim Henson Company, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
, the key roles were played by live-action actors, with the Muppets in supporting roles. The live-action actors consisted of Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
as Long John Silver, Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
as Billy Bones, Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.She first came into...
, and Kevin Bishop
Kevin Bishop
Kevin Bishop is an English actor and comedian, best known for his own programme, The Kevin Bishop Show, which he co-writes with Lee Hupfield, and the role of Jim Hawkins in Muppet Treasure Island.-Life and career:...
in his feature film debut as Jim Hawkins. Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
appeared as Captain Abraham Smollett, Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
as Squire Trelawney, Sam the Eagle
Sam the Eagle
Sam the Eagle is a character from the syndicated television show The Muppet Show, performed by Frank Oz. The name "Sam" is possibly derived from Uncle Sam. The Bald Eagle is the official symbol of the United States, and Sam's patriotic spirit differentiates him from the rest of the Muppet cast, as...
as Mr. Samuel Arrow, and Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
as the gender-flipped castaway "Benjamina" Gunn. Following their success as the narrators of The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Great Gonzo
Gonzo the Great
Gonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
and Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet, performed by Steve Whitmire. Rizzo first appeared in episode 418 of The Muppet Show, as one of a group of rats following Christopher Reeve around backstage. He can be seen mugging and reacting to practically every line of dialogue. He remained a scene-stealing background...
appeared in specially created roles as Jim's best friends.
Plot
While featuring the Muppets' usual good-natured slapstick humor, several musical numbers, and the occasional twist, the film stays fairly true to the familiar Stevenson storyline. Jim Hawkins, the son of a first mate, works with his friends Gonzo and Rizzo at an inn which caters to sailors, including Billy Bones, who frequently tells a tall-tale of pirate Captain Bernie Flint and how he buried his treasure on an island ("Shiver My Timbers"). Jim finds his life boring and dreams of adventure on the high seas ("Something Better"). One night, 'visually challenged' pirate Blind Pew arrives at the inn and confronts Bones (who actually sailed with Captain Flint and is a former shipmate of Blind Pew), leaving him with a piece of paper bearing the dreaded 'Black SpotBlack Spot (Treasure Island)
The Black Spot is a literary device invented by Robert Louis Stevenson for his novel Treasure Island. In the book, pirates are presented with a "black spot" to officially pronounce a verdict of guilt or judgment. It consists of a circular piece of paper or card, with one side blackened while the...
'—a traditional pirate death sentence. Bones prepares to leave, realizing that Blind Pew and his other former crew mates will come to kill him, but suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving a treasure map from his sea chest to Jim. The map is the same one that leads to Captain Flint's treasure. Blind Pew and the pirates suddenly raid the inn, leading to much confusion that ultimately results in the inn burning down when Gonzo and Rizzo have an accident with a lit candle and some gunpowder.
Jim and his friends travel to Bristol to obtain a ship to find the treasure and meet with Squire Trelawney, who agrees to finance the voyage (he is clearly eccentric and believes a character called 'Mr. Bimbo' lives in his finger). On the ship Hispaniola, Jim and the others meet the crew for the voyage, including uptight First Mate Samuel Arrow and ship's cook Long John Silver. Gonzo is suspicious of one-legged Silver, as Billy Bones frequently warned of a 'one-legged man', but Jim doesn't agree. The voyage begins after no-nonsense Captain Abraham Smollett arrives, and they set sail in high spirits ("Sailing for Adventure").
It becomes evident, though, during the roll call, that the crew all seem to be scoundrels. Trelawney admits that 'Mr. Bimbo' has recruited them, as it was on the advice from Silver. Captain Smollett's doubts about them are given credence when Polly (Silver's pet lobster), Clueless Morgan, and Mad Monty kidnap and torture Gonzo and Rizzo to learn about the location of the rumored treasure map. They are caught in the act by Mr. Arrow who then locks them up in the brig on Smollett's orders. Following this incident, Smollett has Mr. Arrow lock the map in his cabin. During their voyage, the wind dies, and they are left at a standstill in the ocean, causing them to temporarily become insane with cabin fever ("Cabin Fever"). While discussing this with his new friend Silver, Jim accidentally mentions that there is a map and its location. Playing on Mr. Arrow's doubts about the safety of the ship, Silver tricks him into rowing away from the Hispaniola to test a lifeboat. Arrow leaves Silver with his keys, having reasoned that it would be disastrous if the keys were to fall overboard. Silver and the crew convince everyone else that Mr. Arrow drowned.
While snacking on some apples in a barrel, Jim, Gonzo, and Rizzo overhear Silver warning the escaped Polly, Clueless Morgan, and Monty to not mutiny until he says so and reveals his involvement in Mr. Arrow's disappearance. Jim finally realizes that Silver is a villain. Captain Smollett, alerted to Silver's treachery by Jim, convinces Silver to take the crew ashore as they approach Treasure Island planning to abandon them there. However, Silver is wise to the captain's plan and kidnaps Jim. Silver tries to convince Jim that he should join the pirates ("A Professional Pirate") as Captain Smollett, Gonzo, and Rizzo row ashore to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, this leaves the ship open to be taken over by a few pirates who stayed behind and easily overpower the Squire, Dr. Livesey (Bunsen Honeydew) and Beaker. Jim is forced to help the pirates find the treasure using his father's compass, but there is no treasure, and the pirates turn against Silver for having them mutiny against the captain for nothing. Silver holds the pirates off after forcing Jim to escape, stating that his fondness for Jim is the one thing Silver didn't lie about.
Meanwhile, Captain Smollett, Gonzo, and Rizzo are captured by the wild boar tribe native to the island and brought before their queen ("Boom Shakalaka"), who turns out to be Benjamina Gunn, a former fiancée of the captain. While she berates Smollett for having jilted her years ago, Jim rescues Gonzo and Rizzo. They return to the ship with the aid of Mr. Arrow, who has suddenly turned up in his lifeboat alive, and scare the pirates away by having Mr. Arrow pose as his own ghost. The other pirates decide to kill Silver and give him the Black Spot (that Monty draws on a page torn from a Bible), but Silver plays on their superstitions and tricks them into reinstating him as their leader. Meeting up with the captain and Benjamina (who had previous flings with Silver and Captain Flint, who marooned her), Silver threatens to drop Smollett off a cliff unless Benjamina tells him where she hid the treasure (which she took for herself). Once she tells him, though, the pirates leave them both facing a plunging doom. Smollett assures 'Mina that at least they are together again ("Love Led Us Here").
Captain Smollett and 'Mina are rescued by Jim and the others aboard the Hispaniola, and they battle the pirates, ultimately winning the help of the local tribes and Sweetums (who was actually on Smollett's side all along). They load up the treasure and prepare to return to England with the pirates in the brig, but Silver escapes (since he still had Mr. Arrow's keys with him) and flees in a lifeboat with some of the treasure. Jim catches him escaping, and Silver attempts to shoot Jim, but ultimately realizes he can't kill the boy. Touched by this, Jim advises Silver to just leave, and he does. Smollett, having witnessed this, assures Jim that he did the right thing, and that his father would be proud. However, Mr. Arrow reveals to Jim and the captain that the lifeboat Silver took has a leak. The boat sinks, and Silver is left marooned on the treasure island as Jim and the others (now joined by Benjamina's tribe) set sail again, this time to "wherever the wind may take us".
During the credits, an Island Head tells a marooned Long John Silver a joke: "Why does the ocean roar? Give up? You would too if you had crabs on your bottom and oysters in your bed."
Live-action actors
- Kevin BishopKevin BishopKevin Bishop is an English actor and comedian, best known for his own programme, The Kevin Bishop Show, which he co-writes with Lee Hupfield, and the role of Jim Hawkins in Muppet Treasure Island.-Life and career:...
as Jim HawkinsJim Hawkins (character)James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
: A good-natured orphan boy who for most of his life has worked at Mrs. Bluberidge's inn but has always dreamed of nautical adventures. He is an incredibly trusting boy, which proves to be somewhat of a downfall for him. - Tim CurryTim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
as Long John SilverLong John SilverLong John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
: A deceptively charming pirate who befriends Jim Hawkins at first, until he is overheard by Gonzo, Rizzo, and Jim as he reveals his dastardly plans to his fellow pirates aboard the Hispanola. During Silver's siege on Treasure Island it is suggested that Long John Silver and Benjamina Gunn share a romantic history. At the end of the film, Long John makes off with whatever treasure he can in what is later revealed to be a leaky lifeboat - but not before saying a rather touching goodbye to Jim Hawkins, where he declares he could "never hurt" Jim, because he is "honest and brave and true". - Jennifer SaundersJennifer SaundersJennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.She first came into...
as Mrs. Bluberidge: A plump, loud lady who owns the Admiral Benbow Inn where Jim and his friends work. She has an uncanny ability to know when people are not doing what they should be doing, which leads to various characters exclaiming, "How does she do that?!" Though rough with the "boys," she does show a genuine concern for Jim, helping him escape the pirates before seeing them off herself. - Billy ConnollyBilly ConnollyWilliam "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
as Billy BonesBilly BonesBilly Bones or Captain William Bones is a fictional character, a pirate in the first section of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island....
: An ex-pirate, previously a member of Captain Flint's crew who witnessed the burial of gold on Treasure Island and tells Jim he still has the map to the treasure before he suffers a fatal heart attack. (During a live performance in Dublin in 2002, Connolly jokingly claimed to be the only man to ever die in a Muppet movie. In fact, in the movie, Rizzo points this out: "He died? And this is supposed to be a kids' movie!") - David Nicholls as Captain Flint: A pirate who buried the treasure at his own island years ago, and abandoned his crew.
Muppet performers
- Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
as:- Kermit the FrogKermit the FrogKermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
as Captain Abraham Smollett: A responsible, professional captain who rarely loses his temper, contrary to alarming warnings Samuel Arrow gives to Jim Hawkins. - Rizzo the RatRizzo the RatRizzo the Rat is a Muppet, performed by Steve Whitmire. Rizzo first appeared in episode 418 of The Muppet Show, as one of a group of rats following Christopher Reeve around backstage. He can be seen mugging and reacting to practically every line of dialogue. He remained a scene-stealing background...
as Himself - BeakerBeaker (Muppet)Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
as Himself - Bean BunnyBean BunnyBean Bunny is one of the Muppets. His first appearance was in the HBO special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He is performed by Steve Whitmire...
as Himself
- Kermit the Frog
- Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
as:- Miss PiggyMiss PiggyMiss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
as Benjamina Gunn: Captain Smollett's ex-fiancee, who lives on Treasure Island and is worshiped as "Boom Shakalaka" by a tribe of primitive boars. She makes a notably inept entrance which does nothing to cement her reputation as a sex symbolSex symbolA sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
. - Fozzie BearFozzie BearFozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
as Squire Trelawney: A half-wit son of the real Squire Trelawney who has trouble grasping the concept of what the ocean is. He also says he has an imaginary man in his finger named Mr. Bimbo, who tells him everything. Kevin Clash performed Squire Trelawney; Oz provided his voice. - Sam the EagleSam the EagleSam the Eagle is a character from the syndicated television show The Muppet Show, performed by Frank Oz. The name "Sam" is possibly derived from Uncle Sam. The Bald Eagle is the official symbol of the United States, and Sam's patriotic spirit differentiates him from the rest of the Muppet cast, as...
as Mr. Samuel Arrow: The overly formal and rather melodramatic First Mate on the Hispanola. - AnimalAnimal (Muppet)Animal is the primitive man and crazed drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the fictional band from The Muppet Show. He is one of the Muppets originally created by Michael K...
as Himself.
- Miss Piggy
- Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
as:- The Great GonzoGonzo the GreatGonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
as Himself - Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as Dr. David Livesey: An eccentric doctor who is fond of experimental treatments and often tests these on Beaker.
- Waldorf as Ship Head.
- Zoot as Himself.
- The Great Gonzo
- Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
as:- Statler as Ship Head.
- Lew ZealandLew ZealandLew Zealand is a Muppet character who's name is a play on the Oceanian country of New Zealand. Performed by Jerry Nelson, he has an obsession for throwing fish. His thrown fish are unique in that they return to him once thrown. In the 1984 movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, he appears at Scooter's...
as Himself: He appears as one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side. - Blind Pew: A blind pirate that comes looking for Billy Bones. He later takes part in the attack on the Admiral Benbow Inn.
- Floyd Pepper as Himself
- Island Heads: A bunch of MoaiMoaiMoai , or mo‘ai, are monolithic human figures carved from rock on the Chilean Polynesian island of Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the...
-like sculptures that are seen on Treasure Island. - Mad Monty: One of the pirates that is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Polly Lobster and Clueless Morgan.
- Robin the Frog as Himself.
- Monkey: A monkey seen in the opening number who would become Sal Minella on Muppets TonightMuppets TonightMuppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater.-Format:The...
.
- Kevin ClashKevin ClashKevin Jeffrey Clash is an American puppeteer and voice actor whose characters include Elmo, Baby Sinclair, Clifford, Splinter and Hoots the Owl...
as:- Polly Lobster: A lobster who serves as Long John Silver's "parrot" and is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Clueless Morgan and Mad Monty.
- Spa'am: The chief of the native pigs on Treasure Island.
- Real Old Tom: A mummified person who is one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side.
- Bill BarrettaBill BarrettaBill Barretta has been performing with the Muppets since 1991, when he performed the body of family father Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs...
as:- Clueless Morgan: A goatGoatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
who is one of Long John Silver's henchmen alongside Polly Lobster and Mad Monty. - Dr. Teeth as Himself
- Flaubert: Benjamina Gunn's pet anteaterAnteaterAnteaters, also known as antbear, are the four mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating ants and termites. Together with the sloths, they compose the order Pilosa...
. - Mudwell the Mudbunny: A character from Fraggle RockFraggle RockFraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
who makes a cameo as one of the pirates on Long John Silver's side. - Rowlf the DogRowlf the DogRowlf the Dog is a Muppet character, a scruffy brown dog of indeterminate breed with a rounded black nose and long floppy ears. He was created by Jim Henson....
as Himself. - The Swedish Chef: Dressed as a pig chef for the native pigs. A talking vegetable quips, "How else were we going to get him into this movie?"
- Clueless Morgan: A goat
- John Henson as:
- SweetumsSweetumsSweetums is a very large, imposing and hairy Muppet of about eight feet. Despite appearing menacing, he is often depicted as friendly and harmless.-Description:...
as Himself: One of the pirates on Long John Silver's side who defects to Abraham's side.
- Sweetums
Track listing
- "Treasure Island"
- "Shiver My Timbers" (Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
, Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
, Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
, Brian HensonBrian HensonBrian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....
, Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
, Kevin ClashKevin ClashKevin Jeffrey Clash is an American puppeteer and voice actor whose characters include Elmo, Baby Sinclair, Clifford, Splinter and Hoots the Owl...
, Bill BarrettaBill BarrettaBill Barretta has been performing with the Muppets since 1991, when he performed the body of family father Earl Sinclair on Dinosaurs...
, and John Henson) - "Something Better" (Kevin BishopKevin BishopKevin Bishop is an English actor and comedian, best known for his own programme, The Kevin Bishop Show, which he co-writes with Lee Hupfield, and the role of Jim Hawkins in Muppet Treasure Island.-Life and career:...
, Goelz, and Whitmire) - "Sailing for Adventure" (Curry, Bishop, Nelson, Goelz, Whitmire, Brian Henson, Oz, Clash, Barretta, and John Henson)
- "Cabin Fever" (Nelson, Goelz, Whitmire, Brian Henson, Oz, Clash, Barretta, and John Henson)
- "Professional Pirate" (Curry, Nelson, Goelz, Whitmire, Brian Henson, Oz, Clash, Barretta, and John Henson)
- "Boom Shakalaka" (Nelson, Goelz, Whitmire, Brian Henson, Oz, Clash, Barretta, and John Henson)
- "Love Led Us Here" (Oz, Whitmire)
- "Map"
- "Captain Smollett"
- "Land Ho"
- "Compass"
- "Long John"
- "Rescue"
- "Honest Brave and True"
- "Love Power [As Used in the Film Muppet Treasure Island]" (Ziggy MarleyZiggy MarleyDavid "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
, Melody MakersZiggy Marley and the Melody MakersZiggy Marley and the Melody Makers was a reggae group composed of Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Sharon Marley and Cedella Marley, all children of Bob Marley.-Albums:*Play the Game Right *Children Playing...
) - "Love Led Us Here" (John Berry, Helen DarlingHelen Darling (singer)Helen Darling is an American country music artist. Darling has released one studio album on Decca Nashville...
)
Scores not on the soundtrack album
- Isn’t That a Story Worth the Hearin’
- Lighting the Lamp (Segues into "Something Better")
- Blind Pew
- The Hispaniola
- Many a Dark-Hearted Scoundrel/One-Legged Man
- This Voyage Has Begun (Seuges into "Sailing For Adventure")
- Moonlit Dance (Played by Electric Mayhem Band)
- Waiting to Pounce
- Give Me the Map/No Wind
- Mutiny
- Never Get Involved in Politics (Electric Mayhem BandDr. Teeth and The Electric MayhemDr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem is the name of a Muppet rock band of The Muppet Show. Following The Muppet Show, they appeared in various Muppet movies and television specials, and have also recorded album tracks. Dr. Teeth and Animal were designed by Jim Henson, while the rest of the original...
) - "A Professional Pirate" (Full version, with instrumental interlude)
- Benjamina Gunn
- Treasure Hunting
- You Dare to Give ME the Black Spot?
- Return of Mr. Arrow
- The Pirates Attack/Sneaking Aboard/Where’s the Bloody Treasure?!
- Long John Escapes
- Sailing for Adventure (Finale)
Reception
Muppet Treasure Island received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 71% of critics gave the film positive reviews. The film was also a commercial success, grossing $34,327,391 during its theaterical run and surpassing the grosses of The Muppet Christmas CarolThe Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 musical comedy film adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, directed by Brian Henson, produced by The Jim Henson Company, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
, The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan is the third of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets, and also the final film before Henson's death. This film was produced by Henson Associates and TriStar Pictures, and was filmed on location in New York City during the summer of...
and The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper
The Great Muppet Caper is a 1981 mystery comedy film directed by Jim Henson. It is the second of a series of live-action musical feature films, starring Jim Henson's Muppets. This film was produced by Henson Associates, ITC Entertainment and Universal Pictures, and premiered on 26 July 1981. The...
.
Distribution
This is the second Muppet film co-produced and released by Walt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
. The film has been made available on home video formats. It was released on VHS September 11, 1996, and twice on DVD in Region 1
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
. The first DVD release on June 4, 2002, was in a fullscreen-only format. The film was re-released on DVD November 29, 2005, in conjunction with Kermit the Frog's 50th anniversary celebration; this time the DVD contained both fullscreen and widescreen presentations.
Lawsuit
The Hormel Foods Corporation, who are the creators of SpamSpam (food)
Spam is a canned precooked meat product made by the Hormel Foods Corporation, first introduced in 1937. The labeled ingredients in the classic variety of Spam are chopped pork shoulder meat, with ham meat added, salt, water, modified potato starch as a binder, and sodium nitrite as a preservative...
, sued the film production company for using the name "Spa'am" for one of the film's warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
characters. Their suit was defeated on September 22, 1995. The judge dismissed it after a trial for failure to prove damages, noting, "one might think Hormel would welcome the association with a genuine source of pork."