I’ve been excited about Muppets Haunted Mansion since I heard about it. It’s perfect Disney synergy. Who better to explore one of their most beloved park attractions than their beloved Muppet comedy troupe? Right from the beginning, they were killing me with the puns. At times winking, or even explaining them to the audience, didn’t kill them. Perhaps it was because even then, it was done with an air of “you’re in on the joke.” My favourite was Pepe, thinking they’re going to a big celebrity party despite Gonzo repeatedly correcting him that it’s a challenge, refers to “parting gifts,” and Gonzo’s quick to correct “you mean departing gifts.”
The Muppets in Muppets Haunted Mansion, like a lot of family entertainment, has always walked the tightrope between content geared towards kids and stuff to keep the grown folks entertained. Co-viewing at its finest. There are plenty of jokes in here that are just for the adults in the Haunted Mansion, but they happen quickly and don’t divert from the kid-friendly Muppet antics for long. One of the big jokes for the adults watching is that Gonzo came to the Haunted Mansion because it was the Great MacGuffin’s anniversary, a reference to the MacGuffin plot device. Additionally, when Will Arnett’s character tells Gonzo about the room so scary no one has ever dared to enter setting Gonzo up to deliver a classic rule of three reply: “What’s that? The shark room? The lava pit? The Critics’ Circle?” with the punchline being one clearly not for kids who are unlikely to know what critics are and how they relate to Gonzo as something scary.”
This special is based on the titular ride, so naturally, there are nods to it. There’s, of course, a nod to the start of the ride with the doorless room, and Miss Piggy takes over the role of Madame Leota with Kim Irvine, Disney Imagineer and daughter of fellow Imagineer and original face of Madame Leota, Leota Tombs, serving as her maid. However, the most obvious reference is Statler and Waldorf riding around in a doom buggy. One that inconveniently (or conveniently) stops mid-song, and the familiar disembodied words “Restless spirits have halted our progress. Please remain seated in your doom buggy, and we will continue our tour momentarily,” are heard over the silence. It was a perfect reference to the ride and use of Staler and Waldorf. The doom buggy gave off the approximation of their traditional box seats, the breakdown provided a real-world shout, and the stop in the song allowed for Statler and Waldorf to get in a few more of their signature jabs.
Some musicals have songs that have instantly memorable lyrics, that get stuck in your head from that first listen, if we are sticking to Muppet movies, the song “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets comes to mind (and is now playing in my head). I did not find that to be a case with the original songs here. The original songs were similar to the ride song “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” paying homage. In fact, “Rest in Peace” concluded with a bit of the chorus of “Grim Grinning Ghosts.” While earworms they may not be, they are still jams, and, as someone that has worked with a lot of kids, I can easily picture the pre-school-aged ones bouncing around to “Life Hereafter,” which is a humorous image given that the lyrics deal with “pushing up daisies” and less veiled references to death.
Currently, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland get a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay that blends characters from Nightmare with the Haunted Mansion mainstays from Fall through Christmas. One has to wonder if this becomes successful, will there be a Muppets overlay in its future? The future is unclear at the time. Both theme parks relied heavily on repeat business, local visitors (aka annual pass holders). It’s why they had the overlay, and Magic Kingdom, which is more tourist-driven, did not. With annual passes currently off the market at both Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, their current business model would not suggest a new overlay, but the future is ever-changing.
My biggest complaint about Muppets Haunted Mansion is that I wanted more. But at just under an hour, it was probably the right length for its target audience, the family crowd, whereas I fall into the fringe audience of ex-annual pass Haunted Mansion ride with a soft spot for all things Henson. I wish Disney+ had launched a few years ago, because maybe then there could’ve been a chance of a Muppets Tower of Terror next, but with that ride revamped to Guardians of The Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!, that shall remain the stuff of dreams.
Stray Shout:
Alice Dinnean, who voiced the Caretaker’s Dog, did a fabulous job. When she howled, so too did mine.
© 2021. UniversalCinema Mag.