Jim Henson Idea Man <\/strong>features a wealth of Henson\u2019s early local TV work from the Henson family\u2019s archive, some of which has never been seen commercially since their original airing. Clearly, he was honing his craft. In fact, it is easy to see footage of one of Rowlf the Dog\u2019s regular appearances on The Jimmy Dean Show<\/strong> as a preview of what would come on The Muppet Show<\/strong>.
Appropriately, Henson\u2019s four grown children, Lisa, Heather, Brian, and Cheryl, provide the film\u2019s dominant voices. They frankly discuss life with their workaholic father and the slow crumbling of his marriage with their mother. However, Howard\u2019s documentary is never scandalous or disillusioning, but rather understanding\u2014and eventually elegiac.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Jim](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Jim-Henson-Idea-Man2.png\")
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\u00a9Courtesy of Disney+<\/p>\r\n
<\/ins>\u00a0 <\/ins>\u00a0 \u00a9Courtesy of Disney+<\/p>\r\n Grade: B+<\/p>\r\n If you like the review, share your thoughts below!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
In fact, Howard and his interview subjects (notably including Frank Oz, the longtime voice and puppeteer of Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and other classic Muppet characters) constantly emphasize the playfulness of Henson\u2019s personality and his body of work, even including his early so-called \u201cexperimental\u201d shorts, like \u201cTime.\u201d As you would hope, there are generous clips of Henson\u2019s enduring films and shows.
Frankly, a lot of Muppet super-fans might have forgotten Henson\u2019s The Land of Gorch segments, which never caught on during their run on the first season of SNL<\/strong>, partly because Henson\u2019s team were not allowed to write gags, due to Union rules. Yet, in retrospect, it represents a fascinating stepping stone to the runaway success of The Muppet Show<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n
Without question, nostalgia is the whole point of a documentary like Jim Henson Idea Man<\/strong>. Most viewers will immediately feel like they are revisiting their youth when they see vintage clips from Sesame Street<\/strong>, The Muppet Show<\/strong>, the Muppet<\/strong> movies, as well as Henson\u2019s darker fantasies, The Dark Crystal<\/strong> and Labyrinth<\/strong>.
Fittingly, Jennifer Connelly, whom Howard directed in A Beautiful Mind<\/strong>, discusses the production of Henson\u2019s 1990 cult classic, in considerable detail. However, the time and attention granted to the five-season Fraggle Rock is arguably a little light. Among Gen X-er\u2019s, it is probably still the sentimental favorite HBO show of many, surpassing the likes of The Sopranos<\/strong> and Game of Thrones<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n![\"Jim](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Jim-Henson-Idea-Man1.png\")
\u00a9Courtesy of Disney+
Weirdly, Howard uses an austere backdrop for his talking head sequences that appears deliberately reminiscent of Henson\u2019s uncharacteristically fatalistic Cube. However, he earns style points for licensing Charles Mingus\u2019s II B.S. for the opening titles. Remember, the Muppets were musically hip, having hosted jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Cleo Laine, as guest stars on The Muppet Show<\/strong>, so it is not out of place.
Regardless, there are a lot of endearing stories in Jim Henson Idea Man<\/strong>, including the bittersweet origins of Henson\u2019s beloved alter-ego, Kermit the Frog. Seriously, is there anyone who would not enjoy taking a trip down memory lane with Kermit, Fozzie, Big Bird, and Bert & Ernie? When watching Jim Henson Idea Man<\/strong>, casual Muppets fans should get a full sense of just how much Henson continues to influence pop culture history, even though he died way back in 1990, at the tragically young age of 53.<\/p>\r\n
More than anything, Jim Henson Idea Man will put viewers in the mood to re-watch classic TV moments, like Alice Cooper guest-starring on The Muppet Show<\/strong>. It should also motivate viewers to re-discover under-appreciated gems like The Dark Crystal<\/strong>. Honestly, everyone has a good deal of affection for Henson, because we all love the Muppets. Fortunately, Howard does his subject justice. Recommended for its gentle nostalgia and as a definitive history of an American cultural phenomenon, Jim Henson Idea Man<\/strong> premieres Friday (5\/31) on Disney+. It also screens online Friday, June 7th (at 12:00pm EST) through Saturday, June 8th (at 11:59pm EST), as a selection of DOC NYC\u2019s Spring Showcase.<\/p>\r\n![\"Jim](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Jim-Henson-Idea-Man3.png\")
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