🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Genre: Comedy, Musical, Fantasy, Horror, Black Comedy, Cult
- Release year: 1989
- Runtime (length): 1h 37min
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10 (23K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 69%
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
A hippo deals with infidelity by going full Rambo on a puppet show, making Sesame Street look like a playground brawl.
🍿 Meet the Feebles: Detailed Plot Synopsis
Introduction to the Feebles Variety Hour
The film introduces the ‘Meet the Feebles’ troupe as they rehearse for their variety show, aiming for syndicated television success. The characters are puppets and costumed animals, each with their own unique quirks and vices. Heidi the Hippo is the star, but tensions are high as personal dramas unfold behind the scenes.

Infidelity and Backstage Drama
Heidi discovers that her lover, Bletch the Walrus (the show’s boss), is having an affair with Samantha the Cat. Meanwhile, Robert the Hedgehog, a newcomer, falls for Lucille the Poodle, adding romantic entanglements to the mix. The backstage environment is filled with jealousy, betrayal, and ambition.

Drugs, Pornography, and Disease
The film delves into darker themes as Harry the Hare fears he has a sexually transmitted disease, and Wynyard the Frog struggles with drug addiction, seeking fixes from the sleazy Trevor the Rat, who also runs a pornography business. These elements create a chaotic and depraved atmosphere within the Feebles’ world.

Lucille’s Exploitation Attempt
Trevor attempts to drug and exploit Lucille for his pornographic films, but Robert intervenes, misinterpreting the situation and causing a rift between him and Lucille. This storyline highlights the predatory nature of some characters and the fragility of relationships within the troupe.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Heidi the Hippo (Danny Mulheron / Mark Hadlow (voice)): The emotionally unstable star of the ‘Meet the Feebles’ show who unravels due to infidelity and ultimately resorts to violence.
- Bletch (Peter Vere-Jones (voice)): The sleazy walrus producer of ‘Meet the Feebles’ who is involved in drug dealing and cheats on Heidi with Samantha.
- Robert the Hedgehog (Mark Hadlow): A naive newcomer to the Feebles who falls in love with Lucille and gets caught up in the backstage drama.
- Lucille (N/A): A young poodle singer and Robert’s love interest who becomes a target for Trevor’s pornographic ambitions.
- Trevor the Rat (Brian Sergent): The devious rat who works as a porn director and drug dealer within the Feebles organization.
- Wynyard the Frog (Brian Sergent (voice)): A drug-addicted knife thrower and Vietnam war veteran struggling with his addiction and past traumas.
- Harry the Hare (Ross Jolly (voice)): An oversexed rabbit in the Feebles cast who fears he has contracted a deadly sexually transmitted disease.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Trevor: “All right, you fat slag! Move your ass!” – Trevor shouts this insult at Heidi during a rehearsal, highlighting his abrasive and demeaning personality.
- Heidi: “How dare you speak to me like that! You horrible, spiteful little rat!” – Heidi’s response to Trevor’s insult showcases her diva-like behavior and sensitivity to criticism.
- Trevor: “I’ve heard better singing from a mongoose with throat cancer!” – Another of Trevor’s cutting insults aimed at Heidi, emphasizing the film’s crude humor.
💰Box Office
- Budget: $750,000
- Domestic Gross: N/A
- Worldwide Gross: N/A
💥 Meet the Feebles Reviews
Personal Review
Okay, I’ll be honest, I walked into this movie expecting something weird, but ‘Meet the Feebles’ redefined my definition of strange. It’s like someone took the Muppets, gave them all substance abuse problems, and then filmed their lives falling apart. It’s shocking, hilarious, and deeply disturbing. The scene with the hippo and the machine gun? I both laughed and felt deeply uncomfortable! If you have a dark sense of humor, you might just love it. I did, in a messed-up kind of way.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of dark comedy”
- “Viewers who appreciate cult films”
- “Those interested in Peter Jackson’s early work”
- “Adults with a strong stomach and twisted sense of humor”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Graphic violence”
- “Sexual content”
- “Drug use”
- “Disturbing themes”
- “Animal cruelty (simulated)”
Professional Reviews
- Rotten Tomatoes: “A darkly humorous and unapologetically offensive film, ‘Meet the Feebles’ showcases Peter Jackson’s early, more outrageous style. It’s not for everyone, but fans of cult classics will find it a wickedly entertaining experience.
- Film Authority: “Meet The Feebles is a bizarre and unforgettable experience from a pre-Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson. Crude humor and puppet violence makes for an acquired taste that is either loved or loathed with no in between.
Audience Reactions
The shock value and dark humor are off the charts, pushing the boundaries of taste in a way that’s both appalling and hilarious.: Viewers are either completely repulsed or find the film an absolute comedic masterpiece, with little middle ground.
Overall Consensus: A highly divisive cult classic that showcases Peter Jackson’s early, outrageous style. It’s definitely not for everyone, but those with a strong stomach and a taste for dark humor may find it wickedly entertaining.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The film was made on an extremely low budget, which led to the production running over budget and schedule.”
- “Peter Jackson has said that ‘Meet the Feebles’ was ‘wisely overlooked’ by the Academy Awards.”
- “Many of the characters were designed to be parodies of Muppets characters, with Heidi the Hippo being a direct parody of Miss Piggy.”
🖥️ How to Watch Meet the Feebles?
As a cult classic, ‘Meet the Feebles’ isn’t widely available on mainstream streaming platforms. Check services like Shudder or Tubi, which often feature independent and cult films. Digital purchase options may be available on platforms like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV, so search for ‘Meet the Feebles’ to check availability and purchase options.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed Meet the Feebles, you might like these similar films:
- The Happytime Murders (2018): Features puppets in a dark, adult-oriented crime comedy.
- Team America: World Police (2004): Uses puppets for satirical and often crude humor with a political edge.
- Avenue Q (2003): Musical satire with puppets dealing with adult themes and issues.
🛒 Meet the Feebles Related Products
- Meet the Feebles – Uncut Special Edition [Blu-ray]: Own the film that the Academy ‘wisely overlooked’ in glorious HD. Includes rare behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew on Peter Jackson’s twisted creation.
- Meet the Feebles T-Shirt: Show off your love for this outrageous cult classic with a ‘Meet the Feebles’ t-shirt, featuring iconic imagery from the film.
- Peter Jackson: From Gore to ‘Lord of the Rings’: Explore Peter Jackson’s filmography with insight into this early gross-out film and how it compares to The Lord of the Rings
- Puppet Master Action Figure Set: Get articulated puppets and recreate scenes from this film to further expand on this universe. Customize your puppet for your own show and design a new ending to the story.
🎧 Soundtrack
Meet the Feebles features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “Meet the Feebles” – performed by Peter Dasent and Fane Flaws
- “Garden of Love” – performed by Heidi the Hippo (Danny Mulheron)
- “Sodomy” – performed by Stuart Devenie
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
‘Meet the Feebles’ is a dark comedy that parodies children’s variety shows like The Muppets, portraying the cast as degenerate puppets and animals dealing with sex, drugs, violence, and betrayal behind the scenes.
Absolutely not. ‘Meet the Feebles’ contains graphic content including sex, drug use, violence, and disturbing themes, making it unsuitable for children. It is intended for mature audiences who appreciate dark and satirical humor.
‘Meet the Feebles’ was directed by Peter Jackson, known for his early splatter films like ‘Bad Taste’ and ‘Braindead’ before his success with ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
Check streaming services like Shudder or Tubi for availability. Digital purchase options may be available on platforms like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.
🔥 Bonus Content
The Complete History of Meet the Feebles
Ever wonder where the heck ‘Meet the Feebles’ even came from? This video dives deep into the film’s bizarre origins and creation, and honestly, it’s a wild ride you won’t regret taking!
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