Of all the movies the late Tim Curry has made over his legendary career, his favorite is the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island.
Curry played Long John Silver in the film, and during his visit to the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library before he passed away, he was asked about the 1996 Muppet adventure.
When the interviewer mentioned it was one of his favorite films, Curry immediately replied: “It’s my favorite.”
That’s pretty wild considering Curry’s filmography includes The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, Legend, and IT. His performance as Long John Silver also feels perfectly suited to the Muppet universe.
Curry plays everything completely straight while still embracing the silliness around him, which makes him a great human foil for the Muppets.
Curry had especially fond memories of working with the Muppeteers and their commitment to keeping the characters alive while filming.
“The Muppeteers who were brilliant when they had the Muppet on their hand would only speak to you in the voice of the character. Spooky.”
The library also showed Curry a photo of himself with his leading lady, Miss Piggy. Production material suggested that Long John Silver and Piggy’s Benjamina Gunn had shared a romantic past, which gave Curry an opportunity to contribute a joke of his own.
“There was a suggestion in the script that we had had an affair a long time ago and the only successful improvisation that I ever made in a movie was once you’ve had pork, you never go back.”
It’s such a wonderfully inappropriate Long John Silver joke, and Curry remembered exactly how his co-star took it, syaing: “Miss Piggy was not amused.”
Of course she wasn’t! You don’t make a crack like that about Miss Piggy and expect to walk away without consequences.
Muppet Treasure Island gave Curry a character perfectly matched to his talents. Long John Silver could be charming, theatrical, funny, dangerous, and larger than life.
Knowing Curry considers Muppet Treasure Island his favorite movie makes revisiting his performance even more fun.
