“the reason Michael Caine and Tim Curry are so good in their respective Muppet movies is that Michael Caine treats the Muppets as fellow actors, and Tim Curry treats himself as a fellow Muppet”
It's only a shame that his version of Long John Silver wasn't in any of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Him interacting with Johnny Depp and/or Geoffrey Rush would've been more golden than the treasure that pirates typically hunt for.
Funt Fact! Pirates actually did have performances on their ships; sang songs, acted out plays, and had free form "rap battles". There are still songs you hear along the coasts that originated or are thought to have originated from pirates/sailors (Drunken Sailor from earlier in the film is a good example) so, maybe one of them did write and preform something like this!
He wouldn't even have to have sung to get me to join... but I wouldn't stop him from indulging in his only number in the movie. Plus his crew had been practicing. *lol*
You just know that Long John legitimately liked and cared about Jim. He was an evil person who would do whatever he HAD to, but would genuinely prefer to go about it in a friendly, nonviolent way. A criminal to the core, but in every other way, a good guy. Utterly sincere.
Is really a bad guy?. I mean this was a time when the British were trading slaves and invading countries, so leading some pirates actually seems more noble than what their bosses were doing.
if you worked the live action Rocky Horror Picture Show on a regular basis, Tim Curry held a special place in... ... ...um, no, that's not your heart. Never mind.
LynchMobFilms actually the first lawyer joke Disney ever made was in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. When Mr. Toad is accused of stealing a motorcar, his horse Cyril comes to court to testify. When Cyril says Toad got the motorcar the honest way, the prosecutor asks “what is the honest way?” To which Cyril replies “I thought you wouldn’t know that, guv’nor”
I was expecting "I could've been a lawyer but I didn't have the heart" because that would be a twist on the cliche. As a lawyer joke it wouldn't pass the bar. Lawyer jokes are like lawyers, they're not clever.
I love that line and the “ I couldve been in politics because ive always been a big spender” line. Both are lines you miss/gloss over as a child but notice when older. Makes the movie even more enjoyable 😂.
plus he looks perfect for the part and is over the top without being too over the top and has the perfect voice and a masterful, multi talented performer
I know this comment is 13 years old but i just have to say Yeah if tim curry was the captain i'd become a pirate in a heartbeat. I know i'd probably end up swinging from a noose but i know damn well the journey to the gallows will be a Fun one.
His diction, the perfect pauses, the belly laugh, perfection. I love him as Hook, the concierge in Home Alone, Clue, Toxic, my favorite is Cardinale Richlieu in The Three Musketeers. A wonderful actor. A private man. A class act.
“You’ll be honest, brave, and free. The soul of decency. You’ll be loyal, and fair, and on the square, and MOST importantly..” that does it for me. Because what more could you ask for?
Charlton Heston and Jack Palance did a good job as well but Tim Curry was the first Long John Sliver for me and helped me love the story of treasure island from movies to the book.
Funt Fact! Pirates actually did have performances on their ships; sang songs, acted out plays, and had free form "rap battles". There are still songs you hear along the coasts that originated or are thought to have originated from pirates/sailors (Drunken Sailor from earlier in the film is a good example) so, maybe one of them did write and preform something like this!
"Cuz when you're a professional piiiiraaate...." "You don't have to wear a suit" XD LOL Muppet Treaure Island will forever be one of my favorite movies.
I've always loved Muppet Treasure Island ever since I was really little, and I still enjoy it, even nowadays. This movie is so memorable (at least in my opinion) that it will NEVER get old for me, even despite my current age.
So Have I. At first, I thought it was just a pirate film but now it turns out to be the muppet's version of Treasure Island, the famous pirate novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was interesting how gonzo & rizzo were added as Jim Hawkins' best friends & how Beaker also stepped in as Dr Livesey's assistant.
indeed he is one multi talented performer ! and his performance as Cardinal Richelieu in the three musketeers is my favorite performance and portrayal of the cardinal ever!
still it's extremely sad he had a stroke awhile back and is now in a wheelchair plus he's no longer as extremely young as he used to be like here in Muppet treasure Island
This movie came out when I was a toddler, and it is by FAR still to this day my favorite Muppet movie. I know that Jim Henson had passed away beforehand, but man, this movie is just so magical, I just love it!
I'm surprised how skillfully understated Tim Curry is in this movie; he usually was an eye-rolling over-doing scene stealer. He may have realized he couldn't out-mug the Muppets and honorably played it straight. Very effective, fun stuff (and, sadly, as he says, his "only number").
It's his only lead singing song but he does have a part in Sailing for Adventure. Still, a fantastic actor playing the role perfectly, it's straight but still in the exaggerated manner that fits with the Muppets.
"Hey ho ho, it's one for all for one, And we'll share and share alike with you and love you like a son" If I had Jim's life, I would have signed up after those words.
This is literally my favorite song. Close second is the song from the start of the movie. Not my fave from the movie, oh no, my fave of all time of any song ever
Treasure island is a classic story that has been done many times. Long John Silver is one of the great characters of literature and the best film portrayal of that character was done by an actor in a movie with puppets. There's something beautiful about that.
This was the first film with tim curry that i ever watched and im so glad it was tim curry by far is one of the best actors in film history in my opinion
I loved this movie when I was a kid, and watching it now it surprises me how many adult jokes sneak through kids' movies. ("I coulda been a contenda..." from Down on the Waterfront). Tim Curry is so fantastic here, too. One of my favorite actors.
My husband and I are listening to the excellent Classic Tales podcast by BJ Harrison doing TREASURE ISLAND in seven episodes and it is fabulous! The only equal to BJ's (voice) Captain Hook is Tim Curry. Now we must see the Muppets' movie again. We haven't seen it since we were kids. Can't wait.
The great thing about this song is that Tim Curry practically is a Muppet - he's plainly having fun with this role, and that makes this song all the more enjoyable =)
Brilliant classic song and performance by Tim Curry :D. LYRICS: Copy/pasted: When I was just a lad, looking for my true vocation. My father said, "Now son, this choice deserves deliberation Though you could be a doctor, or perhaps a financier My boy, why not consider, a more challenging career Hey ho ho You'll cruise to foreign shores And you'll keep your mind and body sound By working out of doors True friendship and adventure are what we can't live without And when you're a professional pirate That's what the job's about Upstage, lads, this is my ONLY number! Now take Sir Francis Drake, the Spanish all despise him But to the British he's a hero and they idolize him It's how you look at buccaneers that makes them bad or good And I see us as members of a noble brotherhood Hey ho ho We're honorable men And before we lose our tempers we will always count to ten On occasion there may be someone you have to execute But when your a professional pirate You don't have to wear a suit, what? I could have been a surgeon, I like taking things apart I could have been a lawyer. But I just had too much heart I could have been in politics 'Cause I've always been a big spender And me I could have been, a contender Some say that pirates steal and should be feared and hated I say we're victims of bad press it's all exaggerated We'd never stab you in the back, we'd never lie or cheat We're just about the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet Interlude Hey ho ho It's one for all for one And we'll share and share alike with you and love you like a son We're gentlemen of fortune and that's what we're proud to be And when your a professional pirate You'll be honest brave and free The soul of decency You'll be loyal and fair and on the square And most importantly When you're a professional pirate You're always in the best of company
It's also a reference to the 1954 film starring Marlon Brando: "On the Waterfront". The full(ish) quote is: "I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody. Instead of a bum. Which is what I am".
Okay, fun fact I’m suddenly realizing- this part of the movie might actually be slightly DARKER than the original book. For one thing in the book Jim goes ashore willingly, whereas in the Muppet film he’s outright kidnapped and taken prisoner. In this version Long John outright threatens to kill Jim (though he it might be more to look strong in front of his crew than any sincere intention to harm him), and tries to force him into joining the pirate crew. In the book Jim is never actually faced with this decision and in fact leaves the pirates very quickly, allowing him to find Ben Gunn.
That's fascinating; I've never read thr book. This is the only version of the story I know, and of course I realize as a Muppet version, I shouldn't expect 100% accuracy. (I do love this movie so much, regardless)
I dunno. When Jim is, in fact, captured, by pirates (after hiding Hispaniola), they do threaten to kill him. Silver protects him because he can be used as a hostage.
