When you think of The Muppets there's always one man that comes to mind: Jim Henson.
Now it is common knowledge that he was the one who created these characters and was the driving force behind everything Muppets-related, along with certain projects that involved his company like the Original Ninja Turtles live action movie.
But who was Jim Henson? Who was the man behind Kermit the Frog?
Well, as this documentary reveals, Jim Henson was a man whose kindness was exceeded by his creative spark. And that spark was something that attracted many other creative types, especially other puppeteers.
Directed by Ron Howard, this documentary takes you on a journey from Henson's early beginnings growing up to making his first puppets, to those infamous commercials he did in the late 1950s, to his breakout hit "The Muppet Show" and the other projects that followed. And you get to hear from some of the people who knew Henson best, from his family to close collaborators like Frank Oz and Dave Goelz. Even Jennifer Connelly who worked with Henson on the movie "Labyrinth" got to share some of her own memories of working with him. One highlight that I really liked was that towards the end of the film there was footage of Jim doing what I can imagine are preliminary tests for what would become the 3-D character Waldo C. Graphic, on original Muppet for the attraction "Muppet Vision 3-D" at Disney Hollywood Studios.
My only notes are that neither the original Muppet Babies cartoon nor the original Ninja Turtles move are mentioned which is kind of a shame. Both projects were integral in shaping many a childhood during those times.
In all this documentary is one every Muppets fan should see at least once. And even if you're not a diehard fan check it out. It gives the audience insight into a man who wasn't just a creative genius, but a kind and gentle soul whose creations helped impact a world in need of joy and laughter-one that we can all do with our own respective talents and hearts if only we allow ourselves to realize it.
"Watch out for each other. Love everyone and forgive everyone. Including yourself. Forgive your anger. forgive your guilt. Your shame. Your sadness. Embrace and open up your love, your joy, your truth, and most especially, your heart." -Jim Henson
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