This might be an odd review for a film (or video)but I have only heard the recording of this particular Muppet feature. My brother who was blind really enjoyed this one because the voice acting was so funny and fit the animals personality and the insturments they wound up playing. Even the less than savory humans (they were theifs) had good voices for bad people. The critters in question are Leroy (the mule) T.R. (the Rooster) Rover Joe (the Hound dog) and Catgut (the lady cat). Each one is old and mistreated by their owners. A chance theft of musical insturments by Leroys owner, starts the story out. He (Leroy's owner) is mad that Leroy is too old and slow to steal anything worth having and throws a tuba at the mule that lands around his neck (an interesting picture to be sure). Leroy, having had enough of the farmer runs off with the tuba around his neck and still attached to the cart (which is important to the story later on). As he is walking down the trail feeling sorry for himself he trys out the tuba and finds, after a few false starts that he plays it pretty good (for a mule). He soon meets T.R. the rooster who is also running away from a farmer who wants to convert the rooster into gravy and gnaw on his knee bone (from the song he sings moments later) He aquires a banjo from Leroy, and after a narrow escape from the farm (for T.R) they both set out down the road and find Rover Joe whose owner (also a thief) has thrown him out for not scaring off the ghosts that he is convinced are out to get him. Rover Joe also joins the others and picks up trombone and finds he is quite good at it. The last critter that joins is Catgut. She is seen by the others before she speaks and they remark "It's a lady cat and she's dead" to which Catgut remarks "No, I ani't" Which is followed by one of the funniest lines I have ever heared and still use for ridiculous situations. Rover Joe comments "You ain't?! You sure look like a lady cat" (What could be more understated than that?) Well, naturally Catgut joins the trio and transforms it into a quartet. I don't recall exactly what Catgut winds up with its either a harmonica or violin but either way she plays it well. The critters wind up later in a dark and spooky swamp and are a bit depressed about not having any food place to sleep. They eventually come across a house which they are convinced is the home of a loving family but is in reality the hideout for all their previous owners who meet there to split up the loot they have acquired by nafarious means. As the animals spin a fanciful tale of a loving father, mother, daugther and son amongst themselves, the theifs are arguing about Leroy's owners story about his donkey stealing the loot from the previous days work. To the animals the shadows on the windows represent everything they could hope for and decide to surprise the "family" with a song. To the previous owners sounds that they hear represent SAWMP DEMONS and they run off into the swamp and are never seen again. The critters decide to stay and take care of the house until their family returns.
Like I said, this is from the record of this show. It's still very good, and funny. But my perspective is a bit different than most.
If I could find this on DVD I would be very happy
Like I said, this is from the record of this show. It's still very good, and funny. But my perspective is a bit different than most.
If I could find this on DVD I would be very happy