Product Details

• Actors: Steve Whitmire, Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Joey Mazzarino, John Kennedy
• Directors: David Gumpel
• Writers: Joey Mazzarino, Jim Lewis
• Producers: Boris Malden, Jim Lewis, Michael Polis, Ritamarie Peruggi
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Live, NTSC
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: September 3, 2002
• Run Time: 82 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00006AULB
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,258 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kermit the Frog at 12 years-old., September 11, 2002

By 

tvtv3 "tvtv3" (Sorento, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Kermit's Swamp Years (DVD)

I am a huge fan of the Muppets and have been since I was growing up watching THE MUPPET SHOW. I've seen every Muppet movie and mourned on the day Jim Henson died. However, I wasn't sure what to expect with KERMIT'S SWAMP YEARS. I knew it was the Muppets, but it was a direct-to-video release and I haven't seen very many good direct-to-video movies.

Well, I had nothing to worry about because KERMIT'S SWAMP YEARS is a great family movie full of the wit and humor that's so characteristic of The Muppets. The story is a bit cheesy, but much better than most other direct-to-video movies. The editing is great and the soundtrack isn't too bad. The film introduces several new Muppets who are friends from Kermit's youth, including Blotch the bully Bull Frog, Croaker the Frog, Goggles the Toad, Horace the Horsefly, and Pilgrim the Dog.

Kermit returns to the swamp he grew up in and tells the story of the first time he left the swamp when he was 12 years old. Blotch and Goggles get in a fight and are amphibian-knapped by a pet store owner. Kermit and Croaker set out to free their two friends and along the way meet Pilgrim, are chased by a pig, and are almost captured by a mean biology teacher.

The extras on the DVD are a real treat. They include an on set interview with Kermit, a behind the scene featurette, trailers, and a blooper reel. The blooper reel is particluarly hilarious and the behind the scene featurette is hosted by Joe the Armadillo and is really entertaining. Youngsters may not enjoy these extras as much, but older viewers will find them to be a real treat.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Family Entertainment, December 17, 2003

By 

Carrie A. Averill (Berwick, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kermit's Swamp Years [VHS] (VHS Tape)

My husband purchased this video for my 3 year old son on a whim (we both grew up watching the Muppets and thought he might enjoy it) and he absolutely LOVES it. The storyline is easy for younger children to follow, but not so simple that it bores older ones or even parents. The laughs are plentiful for children and adults alike (Jim Henson Productions is great at reaching all generations.)

It has now become one of my son's favorite movies and is pretty much watched on a daily basis. I would highly recommend adding it to your family's collection of movies.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Henson Company Trying So Hard, October 27, 2002

By 

Kyle - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kermit's Swamp Years (DVD)

After 10 years of being shuffled back and forth between corporate gurus, the Jim Henson company is trying it's best to remain what it once was....a genuine entertainment company. This is getting harder and harder to do, since many of the Muppet trademarks have been sold off, piece by piece. I believe that this is a last-ditch effort to keep the Muppets alive in some form.

As far as actual Muppets, the only one familiar is Kermit (with the exception of a VERY short appearance by "younger" versions of Statler and Waldorf). Most likely the reason for this is lack of original Muppet performers. Jerry Nelson, and Dave Goelz, once principal players, are reduced to 10 seconds with the old hecklers, and Frank Oz, Henson's one-time partner, has nothing to do with this film. Again, this seems like a sign that the Henson name is slowly slipping.

As for the film itself, I very much enjoyed it. As for the people who did not approve of it's violence, they apparently never watched the original Muppet show (where Gonzo was routinely fired out of cannons and there was even a performer who literally beat little musical fur-balls senseless, all in the name of entertainment). This is what the Muppets are known for. And the creativity, although not quite as sharp as Jim Henson's, is still there (including a VERY clever reference to Henson is worth the price of the DVD alone!).

In my opinion, while this is not quite what it could have been, it is still a great movie. It's the Muppets. How can you NOT like it?!