Lesser known, lightly discussed, Henson films.

[ravagefrackle]

I'm STILL blown away by Audrey II in the film version of Little Shop of Horros (1986)!

Great cast, great film, great killer plant - totally underrated!!!

Just to clarify , the Jim Henson Creature shop did NOT do the plant effects, while many of the crew who worked on it were creature shop allumni, (Lyle Conway comes to mind), and some of the puppeteers worked on the film(Brian Henson for one)and yes Frank Oz Directed it, but the creature shop did not do the film,

does not detract from the greatness of the film, just wanted to point that out since this was a discussion about the work the creature shop did,

some other films with great effects by the shop would include, "Buddy", a great gorilla suit, not such a great film, as well as several made for tv efforts, "Merlin","The Oddessey",The Jack and the Bean Stalk film they did in 2002,the first 2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Films, the Witches,Rats, imsure theire are a few others i just cant think of any at the moment

 

[edible eye]

what about the witches? Jim henson produced it (I think...*looks at box* Executive producer...That should count somewhat!) The dvd version isnt that great. Theres no special features, but I got for 5$ at a clearence sale at toys r us. hehe

Yea! Someone mentioned the Witches. Great movie, and the mice were too **** cute! There's pics of it in one of my Henson books...

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

I love Little Shop of Horrors!!! My all time favorite song was the dentist song."You'll be a dentist!!!!!! People will pay you to give them PAIN!!!!!

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

I believe Jim Henson Creature Shop helped make a Hansel and Gretsal movie one or two years ago.

 

[Imawitchusay]

The DVD of little shop of horrors was re-released, and they only took out the alternate ending, so you would have to find an old copy, probably a rental.

 

[quixotic]

I was looking on the official Henson company site and its amazing their list of credits!

Theres many films I have seen and enjoyed and didnt even think that they would have been involved, theres: The Advetures of Pinocchio, Return to Oz ????, Babe and the television films, Merlin, Gulliver's Travels (just wonderful! Those giant wasps really are convincing!) Jason and the Argonauts and Alice in Wonderland. Farscape just through me, sorry Im not clued up on all of these. And there a few really old ones Im trying to get hold of.

Its great to see their involvement with music videos too, seeing that they did those famous creative ones for our very own english bands blur (Love the milk idea) and the supergrass vid is rather groovy!

Add all of that to the historic cultural landmarks that are the Honey Monster and Flat Eric creations too!

Theres just so much I didnt realize, which shows the greatness the production company delivers to us and hopefully still will continue to. However, the trouble is that when the ideas run dry, the creators jump back into the old ones to try and re-live the magic, which at present they seem to be pressured into doing. What with the Power of the Dark Crystal, and making Mirrormask to satisfy and collect some of the sales Labyrinth provided over the years seems to demonstrate just that, well for me anyway. Its like they know what works well, and cant seem to take them in different directions other than the cgi (*cough* dont get me started!). We all know that these were the best examples, and the projects that the company seemed to have had the most involvement with (huge compliments to them I think!), compared to having smaller involvement in the effects of other productions and therefore less control over story etc. Dark Crystal and Labyrinth are their msterpieces, and I just hope they have a few more original projects up their sleeves to ignite us! Maybe they would consider doing more fantasy features for adults, hopefully having the driving seat behind the whole project, I guess its hard these days. I read that they produced Mirrormask with a tiny budget compared to what Labyrinth would have cost if it was made today, and seeing as they sold their muppets to Disney shows that maybe its hard for them to regain some of that stature, maybe thats what they are attempting to do, in the sequel of DC, I just hope it all works out for them, as Im longing for more fantastical wonders! Even if they be child directed, Im sure they will allow me to jump back into such a mind-frame again.

Whoops! long post well done if you read that! have a cookie.

Actually I would love it if the henson company worked on more projects for adults, finding that they have done Farscape really shows they are capable of it. And I dont think that fantasy for adults has to mean solely sci-fi as this seems to be the only excepted escapist-type genre for adults now. I hope things are changing, as I dont know if anyone here is interested in the upcoming film Pan's Labyrinth?

It uses a fantastical story of a girl who falls in love with a fawn, who, you guessed it comes from a Labyrinth she has to enter. Theres much more to it that that of course but to stress my point the the film is rather a dark tale, but magical and fantastical, and yet at the same time I think would illustrate the childs imagination. I think theres much scope for such tales that take the teritory The Storyteller series was so successsful in entering, Grimm tales have the attraction of telling seemingly simple tales with surreal outcomes and morals too. Speaking to the adult and child within us. Many fans here, and maybe you, if you read this far (hehe) are still in touch with parts of yourself that existed when you were little, and have kept onto them as you became an adult, and thats what Henson fans are like I think, people who have grown up and yet have not at the same time. We realize that it is those parts of use that make us who we are and enalbe us t retain our imaginations! (Maybe that being over sentimenatl)

So wheres your markets for that production companies eh?. What demographic do I fit in? Theres no arguing that Mirrormask was aimed towards children, and as a 20yr old girl watching it, it showed at times. I just wish for something that can hold its own with someone like me, but beautiful, intelectual and fantastical movies made for adults are far and few between. (sigh )

Okay, Im ending my rant......now, sorry for going of topic

Here to hoping anayway.