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In order to make The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson and company first had to make the financiers a sequel to their successful Muppet Movie. And so The Great Muppet Caper was born. It’s not as epic or inspirational as the first film, and the songs are nowhere near as magical either, but the sequel isn’t too shabby in its own right. Kermit, Fozzy, and Gonzo play news reporters trying to figure out who stole diamonds belonging to a famous British fashionista, Lady Holiday (played by Diana Rigg of TV’s The Avengers and Game of Thrones). They travel to London, the scene of the crime (and the bulk of the movie) and stay at the Happiness Hotel, where all the rest of the muppet cast are ready to join the cause. Kermit meets Miss Piggy working for Lady Holiday and we naturally get the frog/pig romantic subplot going. Charles Grodin co-stars as the leader of the jewel thieves, and there are cameos by John Cleese, Peter Falk and Peter Ustinov.

The best thing about The Great Muppet Caper is that the tone is very faithful to the original Muppet Show, with many self-aware moments that break the fourth wall. Right from the beginning, Kermit and friends are commenting on the opening credits, and throughout the film characters often forget they are in a movie — whether it’s to complain about doing their own stunts or comment on the convenience of a certain plot device. The biggest problem with The Great Muppet Caper is what gets in the way of that character-driven free-wheeling: the songs. Not one musical number advances the plot or sticks in your memory.

Oscar Nomination: Best Song (“The First Time It Happens”)