20 Awesome 90s Movies The World Forgot

8. Muppet Treasure Island

Tim Curry Treasure Island
Walt Disney Studios/Jim Henson Productions

Everyone rightly gushes over The Muppet Christmas Carol, but that wasn't actually the only 90s Muppets flick to tackle a beloved novel. There was also Muppet Treasure Island, which is just as great as the Christmas Carol but, frustratingly, never gets enough love. 

Much like Christmas Carol, it's a surprisingly faithful adaptation of the book that realizes both its thrills and more dramatic elements, with the complicated bond between main antagonist Long John Silver (Tim Curry) and child lead Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop) being movingly portrayed. Speaking of which, Curry is absolutely sublime as Long John and frequently steals the show from the Muppets themselves, which is no mean feat. 

So yes, it's a strong adaptation, but with extra additions, of course. Namely... all those obscenely catchy musical numbers, gut-bursting gags, dynamite action sequences and, of course, the Muppets being their heart-warming, awesome selves. It goes ridiculously hard and makes for one of the most purely enjoyable family films of its decade - not to mention one of the most criminally, absurdly underappreciated. 

Watching this gem back, it's a reminder that it's damn-well time for Disney to invest in another Muppet movie and if they followed the formula used by this and the Christmas Carol - namely, respectfully and faithfully adapting a classic story while also throwing in the usual Muppet charm - then they'd have a solid gold winner on their hands. 

 
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Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.