Movie Review – Jim Henson: Idea Man
Principal Cast : Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Alex Rockwell, Heather Henson, Dave Goelz, Lisa Henson, Brian Henson, Cheryle Henson, Fran Brill, Bonnie Erickson, Michael K Frith, Rita Moreno, Jennifer Connelly.
Synopsis: This Documentary features interviews of fans of Jim Hensons work, interspersed with footage from Jim Henson’s works, including Wilkins and Wontkins Commercials that were previously lost.
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If you ask any fan of film to list their Mount Rushmore of shock deaths relating the the medium of cinema, I would argue a lot of folks of a certain age might include Muppet and Dark Crystal creator Jim Henson. Following his sudden passing in 1990, Henson’s career as a puppeteer, cementing himself forever as the creator of pop-culture icons Kermit The Frog, the Skeksis in The Dark Crystal, and directing the instant-classic 80’s fantasy frolic Labyrinth, became the stuff of instant myth; from his introduction to the American television public via a series of live-scripted brand commercials with his embryonic “muppets”, through to the development and international success of The Muppet Show, to the creation of children’s television staple Sesame Street, and along to his tragically short feature film career, Ron Howard’s love-letter documentary offers unique perspectives from Henson’s children and colleagues, and although perhaps not delving into the man’s creative genius as deeply as this viewer might have wanted, is solid enough to bring a tear to your eye at what we all lost back in 1990, aged only 53.
Like many, I grew up watching – rewatching, and watching yet again – episodes of The Muppet Show, caught the various early Muppet films – The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and even The Great Muppet Caper (not a particular favourite but still worthy of the canon – and so any time we are given access into the genius behind Jim Henson’s far-too-brief life and work is a day to celebrate. I admit, this Ron Howard-directed effort is certainly slickly produced, boasting the requisite gamut of interviews with Henson’s various offspring and colleagues waxing poetic about his life and drive to create, but does it tap into the nostalgia one feels most keenly whenever the frog, pig, bear or… thing appear on screen? Well, yes and no. The various elements of archival footage presented are indeed welcome viewing, boasting a lot of behind the scenes stuff I’ve certainly not seen before – in a weird quirk, the footage from Henson’s funeral seems strangely low-resolution compared to a lot of the other material – and the sense of joy you can feel from the people talking about Henson’s family and career is palpable. Yet, perhaps because the source of this documentary is no longer with us, the insight into Henson’s childhood and early career seems too superficial for such an important reflective documentary, a curious mix of potted-history and supposition from those who were there, rather than anything first-hand from the mind of Henson himself. Leastways, not that I found to be as engaging as I had hoped.
Still, seeing the genesis of The Muppets, Sesame Street and further off-camera footage from Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal is always wonderful no matter the subject, and watching Henson work the camera alongside his Muppet-puppeteer brethren – Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, et al – is , for this longtime fan at least, like watching Mozart compose a concerto. Watching great artists work is sublimely wonderful regardless of their result, and I think Idea Man sings beautifully when allowing us to do just that. As a homage to one of the great creative minds of the 20th Century, one of the great innovators, this film will scratch an itch you never knew you had. For a little over 90 minutes, you’ll escape your life and enter the mind of Jim Henson…. perhaps the Idea Man.
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