The Disney Deal, and the Puppet Heap switch

[mupcollector1]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed or not, I don't remember reading much about it but I seriously want to know if it's okay with the forum. Why isn't The Jim Henson Company involved with The Muppets anymore? And why Puppet Heap instead of The Muppet Workshop. All I've heard about this and PLEASE correct this if I'm wrong but I heard a rumor that The Jim Henson Company wanted a little more money in terms of building the characters and Disney refused and went with something more cheaper being Puppet Heap. This isn't opinion, this is what I've heard.

I just find it strange of the separation. Looking back at the original Disney deal that Jim was involved in back in late 1989 / 1990, Disney was going to buy The Whole Jim Henson Company which would be a devision of Disney but the Sesame Muppets were going to be sold to Children's Television Workshop (today known as Sesame Workshop). And of course why the deal wasn't complete was that Jim passed away on the week he was going to sign the final papers. And the Henson family took over the company but still worked with Disney during the 1990s as collaboration.

What I find kind of strange is just looking at Muppet Family Christmas were a lot of Jim's characters reuniting and how today it's technically complicated because Fraggles are still owned by Henson, Sesame Muppets are own my Sesame, and The Muppets are owned by Disney. So would it have made more sense for Disney to buy the whole Jim Henson Company like planned? Then again, Henson Alternative and Stuffed & Unstrung probably won't have existed because Disney doesn't really do anything that's Mature Adult audiences unlike most companies.

I've even read in Bernie Brillstine's book that him and Jim were planning on buying The Disney Company in the 1980s but it never happened. I've noticed that Jim was sort of going on a similar path kind of like Walt Disney but never reaching as much success in terms of theme parks, a movie studio company, a tv channel, etc. There were simular attempts but not as successful. And it's sort of strange how The Jim Henson Company became more smaller because it almost seemed like The Jim Henson Company was almost going to be the next creative empire.

I'm not in anyway trying to get into a political debate on this, just want to know for historical reasons just in case if there was any kind of misunderstandings of why I wanted to bring this up for discussion.

 

[mupcollector1]

Sorry, my last formal sentence didn't come out the way I wanted it too, I wrote it around 2am lol I basically meant the only reason why I wanted to ask was to learn more about this history of all this, and nothing beyond that.

 

[D'Snowth]

What confuses me is although Jim Henson's Creature Shop still builds the characters for SST, for the last few years or so, their overall designs look less and less like traditional Muppets... mostly the AM patterns and designs, that is; whereas, the Classic Muppets, and those included in that spectrum, still have that traditional Muppet-look to them... it's curious.

 

[mupcollector1]

Yeah I've noticed that too. Especially the Pumpkin Anything Muppet, he has more of a wider open mouth now.

I'm not sure why The Jim Henson Company can't be involved anymore, besides they were the ones that created and build The Muppets.

I remember someone on the forum once said that it's sad that barely anyone does in house work anymore. And how Jim Henson and the crew did everything and didn't seek an outside puppet company. Although I noticed that Puppet Heap helped out from time to time with The Muppet Workshop in the 1990s like the pirate puppet for The Secret Life of Toys. I just think it's kind of strange. Plus at the time the Jim Henson Muppet Workshop was using the process of foam molds for a lot of the characters including Miss Piggy, Waldorf and Statler, and I think Gonzo too. Because technically they all looked the same through out the 1990s yet I'm sure tone of puppets were used in terms of the puppets wearing out and it's not only a faster way to re-build but there won't have to be worries of the characters looking slightly off model. But for Puppet Heap, what bother's me is that Miss Piggy's head is shorter and rounder and Gonzo's nose is kind of thick and his eye lids don't ribble all the way back like it used to. I noticed that there's more technics where Gonzo can now lift one eye lid at a time. It's kind of cool I guess but to me it's a bit creepy, still need to get used to it. I don't mean to sound negitive about Puppet Heap, they do a good job but in my opinion, not as well as when The Jim Henson Company built them. Which brings up my original question, WHY THE SWITCH?

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

I'm just resurrecting this topic because I'd really like to know this, too.

 

[muppetlover123]

me too its weird

 

[Oscarfan]

I don't really mind. There are some issues I have with some of their puppets (Gonzo. God, he looks terrible), but they're good for the most part. The new Scooter is fantastic looking.

 

[mupcollector1]

There are some issues I have with some of their puppets (Gonzo. God, he looks terrible)

Same here, agree 100%. The eyelids to go all the way back and have a ribble on them like the Gonzo's before and this Puppet Heap's Gonzo's nose is way to thick.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

I just don't like it on principal. Snatching the Muppet legacy away from JHC entirely, and having the audacity to not even mention the man himself in the credits. And on top of all of that, acting as if the Muppets are real, and completely ignoring the puppeteers. Future generations need to know who Henson and the Muppeteers are.

 

[mupcollector1]

I just don't like it on principal. Snatching the Muppet legacy away from JHC entirely, and having the audacity to not even mention the man himself in the credits. And on top of all of that, acting as if the Muppets are real, and completely ignoring the puppeteers. Future generations need to know who Henson and the Muppeteers are.

Totally, I'm surprised there wasn't much discussion about it. I'm sure it's okay to talk about this on the forum right? I remember just hearing that JHC wanted a little more money which is totally understandable in terms of funding other projects and such but Disney thought it was too much and went with Puppet Heap. Which doesn't make any since to me since Disney is one of the top Entertainment empires who have plenty of money to do it. I have no idea if it was in terms of competition. Though they were originally going to buy The Jim Henson Company or Jim was selling his company to them. I was just thinking just how strange it is on how Jim's creations are split into three different companies now a days, goes to show how hard it would be for another Muppet Family Christmas kind of reunion to happen. It's kind of sad in my opinion. I'm not trying to put down Puppet Heap in anyway but The Muppets were made by The Jim Henson Company since the begaining and seems so unnecessary to not have then involved much in anything. Sure JHC allowed Disney to use The Jim Henson Studio lot in CA (which was once The Charlie Chaplin Studios) and Jim Henson's Creature Shop was credited for....Costumes? Which is the weirdest credit I've ever seen for Creature Shop. Was it costumes for The Muppets or the human stars? Because usually the workshop made the clothes and costumes for The Muppets in house. But in general, in house art in the mainstream is so rare. Again, this is just my opinions on this matter.