National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Muppet Treasure Island was released by Walt Disney Pictures in February 1996, directed by Brian Henson. The film marked the Muppets' fourth theatrical feature and their first major adventure adaptation, translating Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel into a musical comedy that balanced broad family appeal with genuine wit. It performed solidly at the box office and has since earned a devoted following as a high point of the mid-1990s Muppet era.

This cell captures Kermit the Frog as Captain Abraham Smollett aboard ship, performed by Steve Whitmire. The frames move from a wider atmospheric shot showing the period nautical costume against a dark background to a closer framing that brings the white costume into clearer focus. It is a quiet, character-defining moment from one of Whitmire's most memorable Kermit performances.