'Jim Henson: Idea Man' Review
Academy Award winning director Ron Howard (“A Beautiful Mind”) follows-up his powerhouse, underrated 2022 drama “Thirteen Lives” with one of the best films of 2024 so far. “Jim Henson: Idea Man” is a dynamic documentary on the life and career of the Muppets master, available on Disney+.
This is a kaleidoscope of a presentation… vivacious and really the whole package. We are inside Henson’s mind through the archival clips and through a lot of people he worked with (primarily Frank Oz), colleagues and members of his family. Henson was so skilled as a creator, a producer and a fearless performer. Through this film, we see his true dedication to creativity and to content that people have loved for decades and will continue to adore for generations.
His life was fun and kind of mind-blowing. The origins of “The Muppet Show” are insane. Henson fought and fought and fought to get it on the air. (I find it very relatable when it comes to TV production.) He was a go-getter and a workaholic, which ultimately ruined his marriage and family life. Howard puts a decent amount of focus on the struggles Henson faced personally from childhood to his way too early death.
There are a number of cool moments in “Idea Man”. What I may remember most of all: seeing footage of a Pilot for an Orson Welles talk show, featuring Henson and Oz as guests. Wild.
