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The Jim Henson Company
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The Jim Henson Company (also known at various times as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., Henson International Television, Kermit Puppetry Imagineering & Entertainment LLC and Jim Henson Productions, Inc.) is an American entertainment company, a leading producer of children's and family entertainment, and best known as the creators of the renowned Muppets characters. Founded in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson and performing partner and wife Jane Henson, the company is independently owned and operated by the children of its founders.
Henson has produced many successful television series, including The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, Dinosaurs, Bear in the Big Blue House, and Farscape, and creates the Muppet characters for the long-running PBS television series, Sesame Street, produced by Sesame Workshop. The company has also produced many films, including The Muppet Movie, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth. Henson also operates Jim Henson's Creature Shop, a puppet, animatronics, and visual effects workshop, which has created characters and effects for Henson productions, as well as outside producers.
In 1989, the company entered merger negotiations with The Walt Disney Company, but the deal fell through following Jim Henson's unexpected death in 1990. Following Henson's death and the end of the Disney merger, the company was taken over by Henson's children, Brian, Lisa, Cheryl, John and Heather, with Brian at the helm. In 2000, Henson was sold to EM.TV & Merchandising AG, a German media company, but by the end of that year, EM.TV's stock collapsed, and the company was sold back to the Henson family in 2003. (EM.TV had previously sold the rights to the Sesame Street Muppets to Sesame Workshop in 2001.)
In 2004, Henson sold the rights to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to The Walt Disney Company, but retains the rights to the rest of its characters, program library, and assets. As of 2014, Brian, Lisa, Cheryl, and Heather Henson run the company (sibling and fellow co-owner John Henson died in February 2014). Brian Henson serves as chairman, while Lisa Henson serves as CEO.
Since 2000, The Jim Henson Company has been headquartered at the historic Charlie Chaplin Studios in Hollywood, California.
^ Gritten, David (1990-08-19). "The Next Muppetmeister?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
^ Jones, Jim Henson: The Biography (2013). p. 75.
^ Eller, Claudia; Philips, Chuck (1995-05-12). "Sony Nears Deal With Jim Henson Productions". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
^ http://www.henson.com/sesamestreet.
Best films
(1982)Filmography of The Jim Henson Company (25 films)
Production
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Roald Dahl's The Witches (2020)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Origin USA
Genres Fantastic, Comedy, Horror comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Witches in film
Actors Octavia Spencer, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Chris Rock, Philippe Spall, Brian Bovell
En Alabama dans les années 1960, un jeune garçon et sa grand-mère sont confrontés à d'horribles sorcières. Il va devoir les vaincre. Mais il rencontre de vraies difficultés pour les démasquer car contrairement aux idées reçues, ces sorcières ne portent pas de balai et de chapeau pointu...
, 1h21Directed by Miguel Arteta
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about education, Films about families, Children's films
Actors Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Coolidge, Bella Thorne, Ed Oxenbould, Megan Mullaly
The film follows the exploits of Alexander Cooper (Ed Oxenbould), an ordinary 11-year-old boy, and his "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." He is left out by his family; his older brother, Anthony (Dylan Minnette), his older sister, Emily (Kerris Dorsey), his mother, Kelly (Jennifer Garner), his father, Ben (Steve Carell), and his baby brother, Trevor (Elise/Zoey Vargas), living in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of California.
, 1h16Genres Comedy, Animation
Themes Children's films
Actors Jon Cryer, Brad Garrett, Steve Zahn, Jesse McCartney, Tom Kenny, Nolan North
The Three Little Pigs become the target of a special-ops team of wolves. The wolves' plan to finally infiltrate the impenetrable house of bricks by leaving a tiny wolf cub on the unassuming pigs' doorstep. The pigs take the baby in and raise him as their own. The newest addition to their family, Lucky, grows up into his teens not knowing his history, his role in the wolves' plan or the difficult choice he will have to make about the family that raised him.
MirrorMask (2005)
, 1h41Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Circus films, Films about magic and magicians
Actors Stephanie Leonidas, Jason Barry, Rob Brydon, Gina McKee, Dora Bryan, Stephen Fry
Helena (Stephanie Leonidas) works with her parents (Gina McKee and Rob Brydon) at their family circus, but desires to run away and join real life. At the next performance, after Helena and her mother have a heated argument, Helena's mother collapses and is taken to the hospital. Ten days later, while Helena is staying with her grandmother, she finds that the doctors determine that Helena's mother requires an operation, and Helena can only blame herself for the situation. That night, she wakes up in a dream-like state and leaves her building to find three performers outside. As they try to perform for Helena, a shadow encroaches on the area and two of the performers are consumed by it. The third performer, Valentine (Jason Barry), a juggler, helps to quickly direct Helena to safety through the use of magical flying books. She learns they are in the City of Light which is slowly being consumed by shadows, causing its widely-varied citizens to flee. Soon Helena is mistaken for the Princess. She and Valentine are taken to the Prime Minister (Brydon). He explains that the Princess from the Land of Shadow stole a charm from the City of Light, leaving their White Queen (McKee) in a state of unnatural sleep and the City vulnerable to the Shadows. Helena notes the resemblance of the Queen and Minister to her mother and father, and offers to help recover the charm along with Valentine. They are unaware their actions are being watched by the Queen of Shadows (also McKee) who has mistaken Helena as the Princess of the Land of Shadows.
Five Children and It (2004)
, 1h29Directed by John Stephenson, John Stephenson
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Children's films
Actors Freddie Highmore, Tara Fitzgerald, Alex Jennings, Jonathan Bailey, Zoë Wanamaker, Kenneth Branagh
The film begins with five children (Robert, Cyril, Jane, Anthea and The Lamb), that let their father go to the fight in World War I. That's in 1914, but the children are asked to stay at their uncle's house with his son, Horace. While exploring the house, Robert finds a locked door in the Greenhouse and brings the other children. They manage to open the door and discover a creature called It, a sand fairy. They wish to make the house tidy without having to do the work. When they come back, they see dozens of copies of themselves doing the chores and wrecking the house in the attempt.
, 1h28Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Christmas films, Musical films, Children's films
Actors David Arquette, Joan Cusack, Matthew Lillard, William H. Macy, Whoopi Goldberg, Mel Brooks
A snowman named Joe Snow (voice by Mel Brooks) recounts how the Muppet Theater was going through financial hardship, and the Muppets seeking Kermit the Frog for guidance. Kermit eventually feels he is not useful to anyone and an angel named Daniel (David Arquette) brings this up with his Boss (Whoopi Goldberg) as they review what has gone on with Kermit in the past hours.
Kermit's Swamp Years (2002)
, 1h19Directed by Jim Lewis
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy
Themes Musical films, Children's films
Actors Cree Summer, Steve Whitmire, Dave Goelz, Joey Mazzarino, Jerry Nelson, Bill Barretta
The movie opens in the swamp lands that Kermit the Frog calls home. After meeting his old friend Horace D'Fly again, he recaps an adventure about his childhood back when he was twelve years old where he enjoyed a serene amphibian's life with his buddies Croaker the Frog and Goggles the Toad, where Kermit wonders what else the world has to offer and what lies beyond the swamp, but is companions do not think the same. When they run into two scientists named Dr. Hugo Krassman (John Hostetter) and Mary (Kelly Collins Lintz), before they are caught by them, Arnie the alligator saves them and warns them about the dangers lurking outside the swamp. The next day while they talk about their dreams, they run into the bully of the swamp named Blotch, a bullfrog, who brutally attacks Goggles after he mistakes him for mooning him, but this causes them to get kidnapped by a pet store owner named Wilson, and Kermit and Croaker have no choice but to venture forth in order to save their friends.
Rat (2001)
, 1h28Directed by Steve Barron
Origin Irlande
Genres Drama, Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'un rongeur, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Imelda Staunton, Pete Postlethwaite, Frank Kelly, Ed Byrne, Geoffrey Palmer, Kerry Condon
After his usual night of drinking at the local pub, Hubert Flynn (Pete Postlethwaite) returns home and transforms into a rat. Hubert's family each have different views on him now that he became a rodent. His wife Conchita (Imelda Staunton) thinks that this change is supposed to be a lesson to Hubert and that the reason he transformed is his own fault. Their son Pius (Andrew Lovern), destined for a religious life, feels that because his father is now an animal, his family should kill him. Their daughter Marietta (Kerry Condon) feels that the rat is still her father and that they should treat him with love and respect.
Muppets from Space (1999)
, 1h25Directed by Tim Hill
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Comic science fiction
Themes Space adventure films, Comedy science fiction films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Musical films, Space opera, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Dave Goelz, Frank Oz, Jeffrey Tambor, F. Murray Abraham, David Arquette, Josh Charles
The Great Gonzo has always been identified as a "whatever". But after he begins having disturbing dreams of abandonment and rejection, he begins to realize just how alone he is in the world. One of his nightmares involves him being denied entry onto Noah's Ark by Noah (F. Murray Abraham). The next morning, Gonzo tells Kermit the Frog that he is getting tired of being called a "whatever." After an alien race appears to be trying to send him a message through bowls of cereal, Gonzo realizes that he may not be so alone after all and climbs to the rooftop to start watching the sky. Using a bolt of lightning, Gonzo communicates with a pair of cosmic fish, revealing to him that he is an alien from outer space.
Paulie (1998)
, 1h31Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Films about birds, Buddy films, Children's films
Actors Tony Shalhoub, Gena Rowlands, Hallie Eisenberg, Cheech Marin, Bruce Davison, Buddy Hackett
The film is a picaresque tale about an intelligent talking blue-crowned conure named Paulie, and his long quest to return to his owner.
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
, 1h36Directed by Brian Henson
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Musical films, Films about disabilities, Children's films, L'Or
Actors Tim Curry, Billy Connolly, Kevin Bishop, Jennifer Saunders, Steve Whitmire, Frank Oz
Jim Hawkins is a young orphan who lives in the Admiral Benbow in England with his friends Gonzo and Rizzo. Jim listens to the tales of Billy Bones, who tells of his former captain, Captain Flint, who buried his treasure trove on a remote island and executed all of his crew so only he would own the island’s map. One night, one of Bones’ fellow crewmates Blind Pew arrives, giving Bones the black spot. Bones dies of a heart attack, but gives Jim the treasure map beforehand. An army of pirates attack the inn, destroying it, but the boys escape with the map.
Muppet Classic Theater (1994)
Directed by David Grossman
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Films about animals, Films about music and musicians, Films about dogs, Films about pigs, Mise en scène d'un ours, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Julianne Buescher, Bill Barretta, Brian Henson, Jerry Nelson
It consists of six stories from the fairy tale tradition, all performed by the Muppet characters and narrated by Rizzo and Gonzo at the Muppet Theater:
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
, 1h25Directed by Brian Henson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Musical theatre, Fantasy, Musical
Themes Films about films, Christmas films, Time travel films, Ghost films, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Michael Caine, Steven Mackintosh, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Meredith Braun, Frank Oz
In this adaptation of the Christmas story narrated by Charles Dickens himself with the occasional commentary of Rizzo the Rat, it is Christmas Eve in 19th century London. The merriment is not shared by Ebenezer Scrooge, a surly money-lender who is more interested in profit than celebration. So cold to the season of giving is he that his bookkeeping staff, including loyal employee Bob Cratchit, have to plead with him just to have a day off work for Christmas by pointing out that Scrooge would have no customers on the holiday and that it would waste coal to sit alone in the office. Scrooge's nephew Fred arrives to invite his uncle to Christmas dinner with him and two gentlemen also come to Scrooge's offices collecting money in the spirit of the season to provide a Christmas dinner for the poor. Scrooge declines and complains that it is not worth looking after the poor, as their deaths will decrease the surplus population. Fred is shocked at his uncle's ruthless nature, but repeats his invitation, makes his own donation, and departs. Bean Bunny shows up asking for a penny to hear his song, but Scrooge throws a wreath at him in response.
The Witches (1990)
, 1h32Directed by Nicolas Roeg
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Witches in film, Children's films
Actors Jasen Fisher, Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Rowan Atkinson, Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn
During a holiday with his grandmother Helga in Norway, nine-year-old American boy Luke Eveshim is told stories about "real" witches, who are demonic females with a genocidal hatred for children due to emitting a foul odor that only they can smell. Helga tells him of a story where her childhood friend was taken and cursed to spend the rest of her life trapped inside a painting. After Luke's parents are killed in a car crash, Helga becomes Luke's legal guardian and they move to England. While building a treehouse, Luke is accosted by a witch, though he sees through her ruse and avoids his potential death. On Luke's birthday, Helga falls ill and is diagnosed with diabetes. Her doctor advises them to spend the weekend by the sea so Helga can recover.
Labyrinth (1986)
, 1h41Directed by Jim Henson
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Children's films
Actors David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Malcolm, Warwick Davis, Brian Henson, Frank Oz
Fifteen-year-old Sarah Williams (Connelly) rehearses a play in the park and becomes distracted by a line she is unable to remember while being watched by a barn owl. Realizing she is late to babysit her infant half-brother Toby, she rushes home and is confronted by her stepmother (Shelley Thompson) before she and her father (Christopher Malcolm) leave for dinner. Sarah realizes that her brother is in possession of her treasured teddy bear Lancelot. Frustrated by this and his constant crying, Sarah inadvertently wishes Toby away by the Goblin King Jareth (Bowie). He refuses to return the baby, but gives Sarah 13 hours to solve his Labyrinth to find him before Toby is turned into a goblin. Sarah meets the dwarvish Hoggle (Brian Henson), who aids her in entering the Labyrinth, but a talking worm (Timothy Bateson) inadvertently sends her the wrong way.