It always felt like a slightly cosmic joke, didn't it? Gonzo the Great, the Muppet troupe's resident performance artist extraordinaire, the lover of chickens, the... whatever he was. For years, that question hung in the air, a delightful piece of Muppet ambiguity. Then, in 1999, right at the tail end of a decade obsessed with the extraterrestrial ( Mulder and Scully were still searching, after all), came Muppets from Space, a film brave enough, or perhaps weird enough, to finally try and give us an answer. Pulling this one off the rental shelf felt different; it wasn't adapting a classic story, it was diving headfirst into Muppet lore itself.
Gonzo's Existential Crisis (and Ours?)
At its heart, Muppets from Space is Gonzo's movie. Sure, Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, and the whole felt-and-fur gang are along for the ride, delivering their trademark chaos and charm, but the emotional core rests squarely on the long-nosed, purple... whatever's shoulders. Voiced with that perfect blend of manic energy and surprising vulnerability by the legendary Dave Goelz, Gonzo starts experiencing strange cosmic signals – talking sandwiches, prophetic alphabet cereal – all pointing towards an undeniable truth: he's not alone. He’s an alien, and his family is out there, somewhere among the stars.
This central premise, penned by long-time Muppet scribe Jerry Juhl (who sadly passed away shortly after the film's release, making this his final Muppet feature script, co-written with Joseph Mazzarino and Ken Kaufman), gives the film a unique flavour. It taps into that universal feeling of wanting to belong, of searching for your roots. Seeing Gonzo, usually the confident weirdo, grapple with loneliness and identity felt surprisingly poignant amidst the typical Muppet mayhem. It was a bold move for director Tim Hill (making his feature directorial debut before going on to things like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Hop), steering the Muppets into slightly more character-focused territory than their previous big-screen outings.
Men in Black Suits and Funky Grooves
Of course, this wouldn't be a proper late-90s adventure without some shady government types getting involved. Enter Jeffrey Tambor as K. Edgar Singer, the perpetually stressed head of C.O.V.N.E.T., a secret agency dedicated to proving alien existence (and maybe dissecting one). Tambor leans perfectly into the absurdity, providing a great human foil for the Muppets' antics, especially alongside his slightly dim-witted subordinate, Agent Rentro (Rob Schneider in a brief cameo). It’s standard conspiracy fare, perhaps, but filtered through the Muppet lens, it becomes another opportunity for delightful silliness and some genuinely funny moments, particularly involving Rizzo and the lab rats.
And can we talk about that soundtrack? Eschewing the traditional show tunes often found in Muppet films, Muppets from Space boasts an incredibly funky, soul-infused score heavily featuring Parliament-Funkadelic, The Commodores ("Brick House" gets a memorable Muppet rendition), and Earth, Wind & Fire. It gives the whole film this unexpectedly cool, driving energy that feels perfectly suited to Gonzo's interstellar quest and the ensuing road trip chaos. I remember being genuinely surprised by how much the music grooved back then; it felt fresh and different for a family film.
Retro Fun Facts & Felt Follies
Muppets from Space holds a few unique spots in Muppet history. It was the first theatrical Muppet movie primarily driven by an original screenplay, rather than adapting literary classics like Treasure Island or A Christmas Carol. It was also the first Muppet film released theatrically after Jim Henson's death that wasn't directed by his son, Brian Henson. On the performance side, veterans like Steve Whitmire (Kermit, Rizzo) and Bill Barretta (Pepe the King Prawn, who arguably steals quite a few scenes here) deliver the goods as always, carrying the torch beautifully.
Despite the charm and the killer soundtrack, the film didn't quite connect with audiences or critics in the same way previous Muppet ventures had. Made on a budget of around $24 million, it only pulled in about $22.3 million worldwide. Perhaps the shift in focus away from the core Kermit/Piggy dynamic, or the less musical-heavy approach, didn't land universally. It definitely feels a bit like an outlier in the Muppet filmography, but that uniqueness is part of its charm for many fans today.
Look closely and you’ll spot a galaxy of human cameos, a Muppet staple! Keep an eye out for Andie MacDowell as a TV reporter, Ray Liotta as a security guard, David Arquette as a slightly mad scientist, Kathy Griffin, Hulk Hogan (yes, really!), and even Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson fresh off Dawson's Creek. Tracking down all the familiar faces was always part of the fun when popping in a Muppet VHS.
Finding Your Weirdos
While the plot involving C.O.V.N.E.T. might feel a touch formulaic, and maybe the finale doesn't quite reach the emotional heights it aims for, the core message resonates. Gonzo’s journey isn't just about finding his alien family; it's about realizing the family he already has – his wonderfully weird, unconditionally supportive Muppet family. That moment when Kermit reassures Gonzo that his strangeness is exactly why they love him? Pure Muppet gold. It’s that blend of wacky humour and genuine heart that defines the Muppets at their best.
The practical puppetry remains fantastic, a testament to the Henson Creature Shop's enduring magic. Even the slightly dated late-90s CGI used for the spaceship effects has a certain retro charm now, viewed through the lens of VHS fuzz. It feels like a product of its specific time, capturing that slightly goofy, optimistic sci-fi vibe that permeated pop culture back then.
***
VHS Heaven Rating: 7/10
Muppets from Space might not be the absolute pinnacle of Muppet filmmaking like The Muppet Movie (1979) or The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992), but it earns its 7/10 rating through sheer heart, Gonzo's wonderful central performance (thanks, Dave Goelz!), a surprisingly groovy soundtrack, and that undeniable Muppet charm. It took a risk by focusing on a secondary character's existential journey and mostly pulled it off, delivering plenty of laughs and warm fuzzies along the way. It might have underperformed initially, but like Gonzo himself, it found its own peculiar place in the cosmos – and certainly in the VCRs of many devoted fans.
It’s a lovely reminder that wherever you come from, finding your fellow weirdos is what truly makes you feel at home. Now, excuse me while I go see if my breakfast cereal has any cosmic messages...