MUPPETS Creator Jim Henson to Receive Disney+ Documentary
By Movieguide® Contributor
Disney is honoring the legendary puppeteer Jim Henson through a documentary showcasing his professional career alongside his personal life.
“JIM HENSON IDEA MAN takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of SESAME STREET, THE MUPPET SHOW, and beyond,” a description of the documentary reads. “Featuring unprecedented access to Jim’s personal archives, [Ron] Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world.”
While Henson’s life is inextricably linked with the beloved puppets and shows he created, the documentary looks to tell the largely unknown story of Henson’s real life and career.
“The whole purpose of the movie is that audiences will get to know Jim Henson as a person,” said Lisa Henson, Jim’s daughter and the CEO of the Jim Henson Company, adding, “My parents’ personal relationship has never before been depicted in such an intimate and honest way.”
Though he had met Henson in the ’70s and ’80s, director Ron Howard only knew the basic facts about Henson’s story before he dove into his life for this project.
“[Henson’s] restless creativity…It was sort of anarchy on the outside, but underneath it, there was always a smart idea—a witty point to make, and observation about the world,” Howard told Vanity Fair. “To see that evolve through the medium of puppetry and television, and then on into movies, was so interesting to me. I felt like you could actually observe a lot about entertainment, what entertains us and why, through his journey.”
“If there was going to be a definitive documentary about Jim Henson, we had hoped it would be in the hands of an accomplished filmmaker. Ron Howard is both a creative and personality match for my father, unlike anyone else we could have contemplated,” Lisa added.
The key to the documentary, however, was collaborating with Frank Oz, Henson’s longtime creative partner.
“Frank could help us understand the risks [Henson] took, what it felt like to win, and what it felt like to lose,” Howard said. “It just was a great overarching perspective beyond what family could offer, from a peer, from a contemporary who ultimately was kind of like a brother.”
The documentary is set to release to Disney+ on May 31.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Filmmakers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are teaming up to produce what is described as the “definitive portrait” of Muppet creator Jim Henson, who died of pneumonia in 1990.
The venture has the cooperation of the Henson family, who relayed their endorsement in a statement saying, “It will be thrilling to see the story that emerges from these materials in the hands of a truly great filmmaker like Ron Howard, who has the perfect spirit and personality to tell Jim Henson’s story.”
According to Deadline, Howard will direct and produce the Disney Original Documentary with Grazer and his company Imagine Documentaries producing as well.
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