Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

It’s been a shit week, y’all. First Dolly Parton passed away on Tuesday, then we all woke up to the news on Wednesday that Tim Curry had passed, and I dunno about you, but I’m ready to rage quit society and go live on a deserted island somewhere because FFS, THE WRONG 80-YEAR-OLD TWICE IN A ROW. Ahem. Anyhoo.

Turns out, this is a perfect excuse to re-watch the classic Jim Henson production Muppet Treasure Island (1996), starring Tim Curry as Long John Silver in the wacky reimagining of the classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Directed by Brian Henson, the costumes were designed by longtime Muppet costumer Polly Smith and do homage to the Golden Age of Piracy, if not with a tad more whimsy. Concerning the process of designing the costumes for the film, Smith said,

“I knew from the script what each character was playing and from the research I picked out little elements. I have to think about their body types, what they can handle, and also what I need to hide. Usually it is a lot, because they have very peculiar shaped bodies…”

Polly Smith's concept art for Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — But you know who never had any problems pulling off outrageous costumes? This man. Left: Concept rendering by Polly Smith of Long John Silver’s costume. I imagine that Curry hadn’t yet been cast when this was done, hence the blank face. Right: The man, the myth, the legend.

Polly Smith's concept sketch for Capt. Smollett's costume in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — Left: Polly Smith’s costume rendering for Captain Smollett, played by Kermit the Frog. Right: The final costume as it appears in the film. LOOKIT HIS LIL TOES PEEPING OUT UNDER THOSE SPATS!!!

Kermit the Frog as Capt. Smollett in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — Kermie even gets his swash buckled in the film!

Perhaps no other Muppet is as closely linked to Polly Smith as Miss Piggy. Smith designed hundreds, if not thousands, of costumes for Piggy over her lengthy career with the Muppets (the sheer number of costume changes required for Piggy in almost any appearance she made is incalculable).

In Muppet Treasure Island, Piggy plays Benjamina Gunn, the gender-flipped version of Stevenson’s character Ben Gunn who was marooned on a deserted island. That wouldn’t do for Benjamina, of course. She is reimagined as Captain Smollett’s jilted former fiancée who ends up marooned on an island, though in true Piggy fashion, homegirl doesn’t take the situation sitting down. She ultimately becomes queen of a tribe of hogs living on the island and makes her first appearance in a fantastical feather showgirl outfit:

Polly Smith concept art for Miss Piggy in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — Left: Polly Smith’s concept art for Miss Piggy’s island queen costume. Right: The final version of the outfit appearing in the film.

Smith recalls,

“When I was thinking about Miss Piggy’s outfits, I had already designed what the boars would look like. I took a couple of trips to this fabulous feather place in New York and decided Piggy’s skirt should be feathers. I don’t think they are quite ostrich, more like vulture! They just looked really wonderful and I was reminded of a skirt I had seen in the American Indian Museum. Each one of those feathers had to be dyed individually and they are two-tone dipped. Her leopard skin sarong fabric was also painted and her shoes handmade”

Polly Smith's concept rendering for Benjamina Gunn in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — Of course Piggy gets a costume change, and it’s every bit as fabulous as you would hope it would be. EAT YOUR HEART OUT, FROG!

Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney in Muppet Treasure Island (1996) — Sadly, the only version of the costume rendering I can find of Squire Trelawney is terrible quality. But Fozzie Bear rocks the fancy outfit as the benefactor of the voyage. Also, I thought he was flipping the bird in this photo at first glance.

The costumes in Muppet Treasure Island are, much like its predecessor The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), more accurate than not, which is probably why I am forever in love with anything Muppet-related. The care and consideration that goes into every detail is really next level.

In closing, I leave you with this amazing clip of an interview with Tim Curry wherein he discloses the love of his life and the one that got away. The man was a goddamned treasure. He is deeply missed.