Alright, I know this came out a week ago now, but considering today would have been the incomparable Jim Henson’s 75th birthday, it seems appropriate to share this with you.

The Muppets have always had the air of parody around them, so I’ve been loving these parody trailers for The Muppets over the summer. But I don’t think any of them have been quite as direct as “The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo.” You really don’t get more direct that having the filmmakers share their opinions about the trailer they’re parodying by throwing words at the audience in the style of the parodied trailer. Also, cross-over advertising!

Hey, we also got to see a few flashes of cameos, including Sarah Silverman and Neil Patrick Harris! In case you were wondering, here is the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trailer:

While I have you here, I wanted to say a little something about Jim Henson. Growing up in the mid-80s, I’m not sure anyone influenced me on film and TV like Jim Henson and the Jim Henson Company in general. From Sesame Street (including Follow that Bird, my first favorite movie) to the Muppet Show and the always awesome Muppet movies, Jim Henson has pushes me to be more creative and not give up on my creative endeavors. Even now, the classic Muppet movies hold up better than most kids movies today and continue to inspire me with both their technical achievement and their characters. Jim Henson was and is a beacon of inspiration for writers, artists, filmmakers and even just film lovers, and his company continues on with his indomitable spirit.

I can’t wait for The Muppets.