Muppet Treasure Island (1996) on Netflix
G19961h 39mActionAdventureComedy
Jim Hawkins, an orphan at an English inn, and his friends Gonzo and Rizzo listen to the ex-pirate Billy Bones tell of Captain Flint's buried treasure. Bones hands Jim a map.
- Netflix3.8/5
- IMDb7.0/1030,448 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes71%
Trailer
Plot summary
Jim Hawkins, an orphan boy in England, lives at an inn with his two best friends, Gonzo and Rizzo. He listens to the ex-pirate Billy Bones tell of Captain Flint, who buried his treasure on a remote island and executed his crew. One night Blind Pew brings Bones the black spot, and before he dies of a heart attack Bones gives Jim the treasure map, begging him to keep it from pirate hands. Bones' former crewmates attack the inn, and Jim, Gonzo and Rizzo escape with the map.
Cast
- Danny Blackneras Short Stack Stevens
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Hormel Foods, the makers of Spam, sued Jim Henson Productions over the name "Spa'am" given to one of the film's tribal pig characters. A judge dismissed the suit on September 22, 1995, saying "one might think Hormel would welcome the association with a genuine source of pork."
- About a hundred actors auditioned for the role of Jim Hawkins, but Kevin Bishop, who did the very first audition, received the part.
- In the first draft, Gonzo and Rizzo were written to portray two characters named Jim and Hawkins; co-writer Thatcher said the studio was nervous they could not hold the emotional heart of the movie, so the human Jim Hawkins was written in and they were cast alongside him.
- Frank Oz was unavailable for most of the shooting because of scheduling conflicts with his directing career, so Kevin Clash puppeteered his characters Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam Eagle and Animal on set, with Oz dubbing their voices in post-production.
- The film's ending includes the reggae number "Love Power" performed by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released as a single and promoted with a music video featuring Marley and some Muppets with dreadlocks.
- Muppet Treasure Island's $7.9 million opening weekend in 2,070 venues ranked third at the US box office and, at the time, held the record for the biggest opening weekend gross for a Disney film in February.
