• Post category:Movies
  • Post last modified:11/20/2024

Jim Henson: Idea Man

NEVER STOP CREATING.

An idea to turn the life of beloved puppeteer and filmmaker Jim Henson into a feature film evolved into this documentary.

Conventional but compelling, it traces his life from the creation of his first puppets together with Jane, the love of his life, and the constant bursts of creativity that led to experimental films in the 1960s, the groundbreaking children’s show Sesame Street and continued development of his Muppets that resulted in a global TV hit, movies and more fame than perhaps Henson could handle.

Interviews with his children reveal how a rift erupted between their parents; the key figures who became part of Henson’s Muppet family (including Frank Oz) complete this slick portrait of an exceptionally driven and playful man. 

2024-U.S. 108 min. Color-B/W. Directed by Ron Howard. Screenplay: Mark Mondoe, Michael Mitnick.

Trivia: Co-produced by Howard. Jennifer Connelly and Rita Moreno appear in interviews. First shown at Cannes, later released on Disney+.

Last word: “The interesting thing is that Jim was an introvert, but he became an extrovert when he had a puppet to work through. He became playful and more buoyant, and he could say more outrageous things. For me, being on the set and directing is when I become an extrovert. It’s when I open up and feel freer to express myself.” (Howard, Entertainment Weekly)


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