Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Time to make the music, time to light the lights...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown November 23, 2023

Come back with me... past 2023's surprisingly funny mockumentary The Muppets Mayhem and 2020's surprisingly unfunny Muppets Now. Past 2015's ABC revival The Muppets (a hit or miss spin on The Office), 2014's solid feature Muppets Most Wanted and, perhaps the only true spiritual successor to the original Muppet films, 2011's excellent film The Muppets (still a personal favorite). Now go even farther back. Past space adventures, treasure hunts and Christmas Carol adaptations. (The Muppets Christmas Carol being a perfect film. Don't argue. It's objective fact. And I will fight you.) That's right, let's journey all the way back to the Big Three: The Muppet Movie (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and, the classic you've been waiting for this to lead to, The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), a genuinely sharp and sharply amusing comedy that rounds out a trio of the Peak Muppets Era. "God bless us every one." Erm... I mean, "Just because the whole thing is crazy doesn't mean it won't make it on Broadway!"

From Martin Liebman's 2011 review of the film:

The entire Muppets gang is graduating from college, and they take down the house when they perform a song-and-dance routine they've dubbed "Manhattan Melodies" for a senior variety show. They're so good, in fact, that the crowd suggests they take their show to Broadway. It's a big step, and Kermit doesn't think that the production is polished to the point that it's ready for the big time. The others disagree; besides, the added cash will finally allow Kermit to marry Miss Piggy. It's off the Big Apple they go in search of fame and fortune, but all they find are con artists, a high cost of living, and little chance that their show will ever be performed in front of a New York audience. Their luck seems to change when they stumble into a diner run by the kindly Pete (Louis Zorich) and his daughter Jenny (Juliana Donald). Unfortunately, a free lunch and an encouraging word isn't enough to keep the gang together; the Muppets all go their separate ways looking for work, but a determined Kermit stays behind in search of his dream. With new gal pal Jenny at his side, Kermit does all he can to spread the world about "Manhattan Melodies" and make it to the top. However, a jealous Miss Piggy has stayed behind to spy on her man, and she's not liking what she sees as a developing relationship between the frog and the twenty-something Jenny. Can Kermit beat the odds, convince Miss Piggy that there's no harm in his relationship with Jenny, catch a wave of good luck, and bring the entire gang back for an unforgettable performance that could only happen in New York?

The Muppets Take Manhattan thrives on its simplicity. There's no overt attempt to cram individual secondary and tertiary character development into the film. Viewers come to know both the background Muppets and humans alike because the script gives them all something to do, an important role to fill, even if it is simply voicing an opinion, observation, or concern as they relate to the primary plot, or having them simply chime in for a good laugh. The voice acting is exemplary; the Jim Henson-Frank Oz primary duo truly brings life to the puppets that simply reading over a script in a soundstage couldn't provide. Their firsthand understanding of the character performances -- particularly the subtle movements that provide a real, tangible sense of happiness, regret and all the emotions in between -- certainly helps so that the interaction between the Muppets and their human counterparts is as flawless as can be. Likewise, that the human actors have the opportunity to work with something -- and someone just out of sight of the screen -- allows them to more fully appreciate the character subtleties and nuances as they can read the body language the puppeteers provide and better understand at the moment how to play the scene rather than take their best guess and hope for the best as their performances are edited together with a soulless digital character after the fact.

Better still, The Muppets Take Manhattan is incredibly sweet and easygoing. The film never labors, never slows down, never takes a wrong step down an aimless path. It's smartly written in terms of plot structure and dialogue both, meaning that every scene is precision-crafted in terms of furthering the story. The characters are the same as always, with the same mannerisms, wants, needs, feelings, attitudes, and relationships. It's all done with an eye for both entertaining its audience while also instilling several good core values like the importance of friendship, honesty, trust, sticking together, charity in a time of need, and understanding that it's personal and interpersonal goodness, not just raw success, that truly makes people -- and Muppets -- happy. The characters only find success on Broadway when they find success in their lives. It's not just blind ambition but something more that will shape their Manhattan experience and ultimately bear the fruit they seek. These sorts of messages are subtly inserted into the film; The Muppets Take Manhattan knows its audience and doesn't beat it over the head as do some of today's more pointed children's fare. Instead, the lessons are in the actions, reactions, successes, and failures the characters experience. It's in the way they are treated by the good people and the bad, the way they fall apart and come back together as a group. This is just good old fashioned wholesome entertainment fit for the whole family; it's colorful enough to pass as simple entertainment, but there's more to it for those who wish to take the time and see it from a slightly different perspective.

The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It's possible I'm about to be a touch glowing, maybe even a half-point too generous. But I was thoroughly -- scratch that -- joyously pleased with Sony's 2160p 4K remaster and video presentation. Grain is present and noticeably more consistent than in its 2011 standard Blu-ray predecessor, and while certain refining/noise altering techniques have most definitely been implemented, the image rarely, if ever, appears artificial. Instead the picture is colorful, refined and downright vibrant. Primaries pop, black levels are deep and contrast is strong without betraying the bouncy, bright but always filmic nature of the original photography. Likewise, detail is exciting, with plenty of fine textures and crisp edges to report. The fur of Muppet felt and the smallest hints of personality found in the muppetry clothing and props is intact and looks better than ever, and it all represents a relatively minimal yet obvious boost in quality compared to the encode featured on the previously released Blu-ray. There is some softness to some scenes (tied to the original photography), and a handful of unsightly instances of red crush, so-so delineation and other blips also pop up here and there. Thankfully, these are infrequent and very easy to miss and, as far as my eyes can tell, they're always things that trace back to the original cinematography; never a weaknesses in Sony's remastering efforts or 4K encode. Muppets fans will not be disappointed.

The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Overkill? Probably. But who am I to complain about the inclusion of a Dolby Atmos track? I'm not sure an early '80s theatrical Muppets release is what the audiophiles in the crowd were clamoring for, but Sony has delivered anyway; remastering the original sound design and elements and producing a well-rounded, fairly immersive Atmos mix that can't conceivably capture the zaniness of the movie any more, well, immersively zany. Voices are clean and clear throughout thanks to smart prioritization and notable dynamics. A few glaring ADR anomalies stand out (products of the era rather than real issues) but it hardly amounts to a concern. The surrounds are decently engaging, though a touch of age and tinniness can still be detected, and chaotic scenes, bustling crowds of Muppets, busy New York streets and noisy board rooms sound convincing and inhabitable. Moreover, low-end output lends welcome weight to the proceedings, without trying to transform the experience into a chest-thumping powerhouse (which would certainly be overkill). Is it a standout track that lives up the four stars at the top of this review? Eh, debatable. Some folks would probably go 3.5. But for a film produced in 1984, it's remarkable enough to warrant high marks from me. Vintage Muppets films have rarely sounded so good.

The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• New Director's Audio Commentary (4K Disc Only) - You read that, correctly. This brand new commentary from director Frank Oz is a real treat; part retrospective, part production chronicle. Of particular delight is the anecdotes about the joys and challenges of creating a film full of so many Muppets, not to mention Oz's deep affection for Henson's "kids", which is as vivid as you could hope. A must listen for fans.

• Muppetisms (SD, 2 minutes) - Brief shorts featuring Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and Pepe, ported over from the previously released Blu-ray release.

• Interview with Jim Hensen (SD, 14 minutes) - Henson covers "Directing vs. Acting", "Kermit & Jim", "Magic", "Expanding the Character's Role", "Kermit Comes Alive", "Experimenting", "Filming in New York City", "The Art of Puppetry", "The Kitchen Scene", "Director Frank Oz", "Singing in Character", "Kermit's Voice", "A Team Effort" and "Cameo Roles". Also ported over from the 2011 Blu-ray release.

The Muppets Take Manhattan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If the 4K Blu-ray release of The Muppets Take Manhattan is any indication of what can be accomplished when properly bringing the Muppets films into the future, complete with 2160p video and Dolby Atmos audio, then this super fan of Henson's creations is one happy puppy. Manhattan looks great, sounds great and even offers a new Frank Oz audio commentary. A few additional behind-the-scenes materials or newly produced retrospectives would've been nice, sure. But snatch this one up in time for Christmas. You -- or the Muppet nut in your house -- won't be sorry you did.