The RHLC!

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I'm not sure whether I've welcomed you back yet so let me just say "Welcome home heralde. I'm happy to hear you had a great vacation"

Thanks! Yeah it was a wonderful vacation, and I hope I can continue to relax now that it's over.

I've started reading C. S. Lewis's classic Chronicles of Narnia to my mother.

That's cool! I haven't read the book yet :shame:, but they're great obviously. Have you ever tried reading The Lord of the Rings? It also has a lot of Christian symbolism. Its author Tolkein was best friends with Narnia's author Lewis and encouraged him to convert to Christianity.

I'm home visiting the family for the 4th, and for general goofing off. And get this...I think my mom might be warming to Fraggle Rock. She's never been crazy about the show, see - when we watched the Down at Fraggle Rock documentary, she thought it was too cute.

It's always great when you're able to convince your friends or family to enjoy your interests! I think a lot of people get the impression Fraggle Rock is "too cute". Like when they talked about it on "I Luv the '80s" on VH1. Someone said it was all, "Yay, Fraggles!" Too cute. Though, someone else called it "Muppets on acid." Lol

I think the truth is somewhere in between!

Funny, a lot of people say they were scared of Junior as a kid, but I never had that reaction personally. The only thing about the Gorgs that scared me was Ma Gorg's eyes opening during the theme song ::shiver:: lol

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Yeah, I've read stories about viewers holding their breath until the Fraggles got safely back to the Fraggle hole or over to the Trash Heap. For me, though, Junior wasn't exactly scary; he always came across as big, cheerful and clumsy.

And once again, I'm thinking of that one photo taken on the set: Junior standing in front of the Gorgs' castle, with Richard on his right and Rob Mills on his left...

 

[MartyMuppets]

That's cool! I haven't read the book yet :shame:, but they're great obviously. Have you ever tried reading The Lord of the Rings? It also has a lot of Christian symbolism. Its author Tolkein was best friends with Narnia's author Lewis and encouraged him to convert to Christianity.

I've never read Lord of the Rings but I've seen the movies heralde, which I understand are basically very faithful to the books.
Interestingly I've heard that apparently Tolkien never claimed that his books were intended to be an allegorical presentation of the Christian Gospel. He insisted that all he ever personally meant was to simply tell a wonderful, exciting fantasy. But I can see how so many people say they identify a Christian message in the way they interpret the events of the story after seeing the films.

Lewis on the other hand specifically made it his goal to tell a Gospel allegory with his series of Narnia books, and he did it so well. Mum and I are now up to Chapter 11 of the first story.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well it's weird, Tolkein did say his story wasn't an allegory of anything too specific like WWII, which it was compared to a lot. But he did intend for there to be Christian parallels even in the '50s when the books came out. They're not immediately obvious, it's more you have to analyze it. For instance, Frodo taking on the evil ring (basically the sins of the world) and sacrificing himself to save the rest of the world. Things like that.

Oh yeah the movies are awesome! But nothing compares to the book, it is "the greatest novel of the 20th century." And so far the 21st, hehe.

But it's probably good to finish Narnia first!

Sorry about my lack of posting lately. I've started going to an acting class, and then I have work and I'm so exhausted when I get home, lol. Then as you might have noticed I've been on something of a Marx Brothers kick, lol. But I'll try to put that to bed for a little while and take a look at my 2nd Season Muppet Show DVD, hehe. (Still haven't bought Season 3, I may just wait for Christmas!)

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Yeah, Lewis was really big on depicting Christian allegory in his books. I think he used the right amount in the Narnia books, and the saga of Ransom, but in some of his other books, the treatises on death, heaven, mourning and all that, I think he was a nudge too preachy.

And of course, the allegory is also seen in the Harry Potter saga; I mean, the books are chock-full of symbolism. The lion, the phoenix, the idea of Harry's mother sacrificing herself to save Harry...

 

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I don't know about everyone else, but I just keep thinking about the Fraggle Rock Season 4 DVD (which hopefully will not be postponed or anything cause that would really be annoying!), lol. It's like "Ok, can we just plow through August already? !"

Obviously the bonus features of the Fraggle DVDs have been consistently excellent (much better than the Muppet Show DVDs) and they've also it seems made the effort to include Richard. I'm afraid of hoping too much, hehe, but I hope that tradition continues.

In a way I'm sad about this being the last one, since they have been the ultimate outlet for Muppet Behind the Scenes material.

 

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Ooooo, I've never seen this article before! I really like the title, it fits him perfectly.

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19920109&slug=1469380

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

It does; just as Scooter was Kermit's eager-to-please sidekick and assistant, Richard was one of Jim's right-hand (so to speak!) people. "I was 18 when I started...and I was really energetic, always 'Yeah, sure, anything you want to do, boss.'"

I also liked Brian Henson's remarks: "...and I will miss a best friend and a big brother." I mean, the Muppet performers and crew (and their respective families) all made up one large extended family, and to lose people like Jim and Richard and Jerry Juhl left very painful gaps in that family.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Indeed, as I get older I see how it's all part of being a family; the pleasure of being together, and then the pain of being kept apart. I always like watching that song tribute to Jerry Juhl on the Fraggle Season 2 DVD with the footage of the performers together in the present day. You wish more of them were together at that event. But even death can't end a truly dedicated and close family. Sort of reminds me of a line from that Lilo and Stitch movie:

"This my family. I found it all on my own. It's little...and broken, but still good."

 

[Ilikemuppets]

My mom was asking the other day about could you just imagine what kinds of things the Muppets would be doing today if Jim Were still alive and how he was just so innovative with what he did. By the way, Fraggle Rock is my mom's favorite show from Henson.