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‘Jim Henson Idea Man’ Review: A Heartfelt, If Safe, Tribute to a Singular Figure
'Jim Henson Idea Man,' Ron Howard's documentary about the Muppets creator, isn't as bold as its subject, but it still tugs at the heartstrings.
The usual archival footage and talking-head interviews are complemented by some fittingly clever animations, most of which serve as transitions between scenes or brief illustrations of how iconic Muppets were first created: the jacket and ping-pong balls that became Kermit, the basketball that was cut in half for Rowlf’s head. In some respects, he was a victim of his own success: The bigger “Sesame Street” got, the more he wanted to parlay its popularity into unrelated Broadway shows, ballets and even amusement parks that would allow him to explore his creativity in new ways. That included “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence,” a 30-minute pilot that never received a series order because every network passed on it, not to mention a brief stint on “Saturday Night Live” that appears to have been yet another square-peg-in-a-round-hole situation.
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