Top 5 Puppet Movies

Before the dawn of CGI, puppet films ruled the roost in the categories of fantasy/child orientated fare. Here is my top 5 list of puppet films from the celluloid vaults.

5. Meet the Feebles (1989)

Perhaps a left field opening choice, Meet the Feebles is a surprisingly X-rated adult version of the Muppets. Written and directed by a very pre-middle earth obsessed Peter Jackson, much of the story unfolds around the debauched lives of the Feebles, a struggling theatre group attempting to find success in a dank seedy world of TV syndication. Featuring, inter-species puppet sex, disease riddled/junkie characters, and a climactic musical number worthy of Jerry springer the musical, it’s really not for kids. The humour is at times crass and boorish but has a place in my top 5 simply due to its outlandish narrative, which feels refreshing by today’s standards. Peter Jackson would not make this film today and I’m not sure anybody else would either.

4. The Dark Crystal (1982)

Perhaps one of Jim Henson’s finest and ambitious earlier works, The Dark Crystal straddles the line between fantasy and horror with the beautifully horrific race of Skeksis trying to stop Gelfling Jen from repairing the shards of the Dark Crystal and restoring balance to his world. A particularly harrowing death scene from an elder Skeksi haunted my dreams for weeks after watching this film. The visuals are impressively accomplished, winning BAFTA awards in its year of release, making you remember that in a pre CGI world people actually used to make things like this with their bare hands. It makes my list due to its ability to dually instil awe and terrify my inner child.

3. The Muppet Movie (2011)

The second Henson devised movie on the list proved to be a fine return to form for Kermit and the gang with a street smart, semi-existential storyline. The Muppets are forced to consider their place in a world which has moved on without them. An all star cast support the Muppets in their attempts to break back into the big time with a genuinely funny script that feels fresh, breathing much needed air into a franchise which had self-admittedly gone a bit stale. Brett Mckenzie from Flight of the Conchords fame pens the Oscar nodded songs compounding the humour to create the best Muppet movie to date. It makes my list due to its heart and pure love from its creators, which clearly oozes from every felt pore.

 2. Gremlins (1984)

My number two puppet film choice comes in the form of Gremlins, my all time favourite Christmas movie. In a magic talent triumvirate of Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and Chris Columbus, Gremlins unfolds like a mythical fairytale. An ambitious but talent challenged inventor stumbles into a shop selling ancient trinkets, looking for a present for his son Billy. When he discovers a new species the owner of the shop flatly refuses to sell him the creature, he takes it anyway. The mysterious Mogwai (now named Gizmo by Randall Peltzer) comes with three simple rules that are accidentally broken by his new owner Billy, unleashing an invasion on the snowy town of Kingston falls. Chaos reigns supreme as the pint sized demons torment the residents, cackling throughout their torturous escapades. Upon re-watching this film, I had forgotten how surprisingly stabby the Gremlins actually were.Gremlins gets my vote for its mischevious fun and unbridled chaos brought by the pocket sized mini-demons.

1. Team America: World Police (2004)

My number one: Crafted by the new masters of satire, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, Team America manages to savage a deep parody laceration on the acting, political and war mongering elite in a glorious lampoon on the might of America’s bullishness in foreign policy. Gary Johnston’s unique acting skills lead to his recruitment into TEAM AMERICA an elite counter terrorism squad tasked with bringing down the world’s gnarliest terrorist organisations. Notoriously fiddly to manipulate, Matt and Trey ultimately embrace the Lo-Fi charms of the stylised Marquettes and pull off a masterstroke in the parody of Action film tropes. A downright dirty kick in the nuts of the American establishment follows, leaving Star spangled noses bloodied. Hilariously funny and formidable in its anti-war laden message, Team America’s post invasion movie gets my vote for best combination of comedy and politicised puppetry.