The Muppets Take Manhattan / Muppet Treasure Island
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Tonight was the third annual event dedicated to the world created by the late Jim Henson.
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Tonight was the third annual event dedicated to the world created by the late Jim Henson.
The lot chickens were still roaming around throughout the night. I was half expecting someone in a Gonzo costume to try to take a selfie with them.
There was a costume contest and puppet talent show on the stage prior to the start of the films. I didn't take pictures this year, so these have come courtesy of Ben. Kate entered the talent show with her puppet.
There was also an on-screen introduction to tonight's films from Tim Curry, Kevin Bishop, Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, and Kevin Clash.
Tonight's double feature began with The Muppets third appearance on the big screen; the 1984 film The Muppets Take Manhattan, and it ended with their 1996 Robert Lewis Stevenson adaptation, Muppet Treasure Island. I think I might have seen clips from the first film at some point in my life because it looked vaguely familiar to me, but this was my first time seeing both of them all the way through.
Truth be told, I've never really been able to get into The Muppets. When I was a kid, I gravitated towards cartoons and didn't have too much interest in puppets. I didn't dislike them, but they've always kind of fell into the same category as clowns, or cowboys, or the circus, or fire trucks. They're all things that I knew that adults expected me to enjoy when I was a kid, but I felt pretty indifferent towards them, and not much has changed. My wife and many of our friends love The Muppets, so I've tried to hop on the bandwagon or at least try to see it through their eyes and share in their joy, but I usually just end up frustrating myself because it makes me feel like something is wrong with me that I can't get into it on the level that everyone else does.
There have been a few Muppet-related things that my wife has introduced me to that have really appealed to me, such as Fraggle Rock, Emmet Otter, The Christmas Toy, and Muppets Mayhem. I also tend to like the darker films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, so I was hopeful that one or both of tonight's films would add to that list. There were a few moments here and there that made me chuckle, but I didn't really love or hate either of them. They were ok. I'm glad I got to see them on 35mm on the big screen, but I don't have an overwhelming desire to see them again.
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| Show banner designed by Andrew Kern |
And that's a wrap on The Muppets Take Mahoning 3. It's always a very well attended event, and this year was no exception, so I'm sure it'll be back in 2026.
