For a man as iconic and brilliant as Jim Henson was there are only a handful of directors out there who could do justice for a documentary capturing his essence and stature. The man who stepped up to the plate to tell the incredible and profound impact that Henson had on the entire world was none other than co-founder of Imagine Entertainment himself, Ron Howard. Within his hands, the masterful script penned by Mark Monroe (The Beach Boys, Lucy and Desi, and so on) Henson’s legacy is shown off beautifully in Jim Henson: Idea Man.
I mean what can one say about Jim Henson’s impact that one hasn’t said before or just known? The documentary shares interviews with Fran Brill, Jennifer Connelly, Frank Oz, Brian Henson, Cheryl Henson, Heather Hansen, Jane Henson, Lisa Henson, Rita Moreno, and so on all speaking on their experiences with Jim Henson, preserving their father’s legacy and the whirlwind of projects Henson himself was responsible for creating and sharing with the world. However, it was not all Fozzy Bear and Ernie and Bert there were a lot of hardships and difficulties along the way. While touching on them briefly, if it wasn’t for a SINGULAR investor who believed in the whimsical nature of Jim Henson we may have never had The Muppets. No one wanted to touch The Muppets Show, which as history would prove would go on to become one of the most globally recognized characters possibly on the planet next to Mickey Mouse and go on to make countless movies.
Moreover though, it also showed the darker of side of Jim Henson. This is not to say that he was a dark minded individual, nothing implied that at all, but he was too hard on himself. The self doubt and underappreciation continuously sank in when things like Dark Crystal and Labyrinth received critical annihilation made Henson think he was doing something wrong, something people didn’t appreciate it but if you were to ask people today both of those movies are in much higher regard and have much more praise than they got back in their release date.
Overall, Jim Henson: Idea Man explains and illuminates why Henson was the man. A man who created so much joy and wonder to everyone’s life and continues to create and place his creations and ideas into everyone’s lives enriching their lives by simply existing. Whether life has you feeling green for Kermit the Frog or Oscar the Grouch, whether you’re a Muppet lover or a resident of Sesame Street one thing is undeniable and that is that Jim Henson was and is a part of your life.
