News for
Jim Henson (I) More at IMDbPro »

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

1-20 of 116 articles from 2009   « Prev | Next »

---

A Christmas Carol: 3D motion-capture has arrived in time for Christmas

5 November 2009 2:09 AM, PST | t5m.com | See recent t5m.com news »

Dir: Robert Zemeckis Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins Last night saw the breaking of a few festive world records in a decidedly Dickensian Leicester Square. Firstly, opera singer Andrea Bocelli lead the largest Christmas Carol ‘sing-along’ from the Square, as revellers across London joined in after the official ‘turning on’ of the Christmas lights. Then Disney, in collaboration with Sky Movies HD, hosted the largest ever ‘3D premiere’ for their new film ‘A Christmas Carol’. Anyone who worries that Christmas has sold its soul should have headed to central London last night: Disney have bought the entire centre’s Christmas lights, so Jim Carey’s performance-captured face will be staring down at us from all over the shopping district until the dawn of 2010. But in Disney’s defence – and not wanting to cry ‘humbug’ too loud on this joyous occasion – the premiere was a success and »

- Nicholas Deigman

Permalink | Report a problem

---

'Sesame Street' Celebrates 40 Years: Wake-Up Video

4 November 2009 5:00 AM, PST | MTV Newsroom | See recent MTV Newsroom news »

40 years ago, a show premiered on PBS that essentially gave birth to the concept of television for children. "Sesame Street" sought to cram a handful of lessons about numbers, words, sharing and tolerance by depicting a slightly fantasized life for a group of kids living in an inner-city setting. Using humor, animation and music, "Sesame Street" proved that television could be used as an educational tool and still hold the attention of hyperactive kids. (It could easily be argued that no show has ever done it better.)

"Sesame Street" also provided the leg up that Jim Henson needed that turned the Muppets into household names. Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and a cast of dozens more not only became well-known to children but also entered into the greater pop culture lexicon. The remarkable thing about the Muppets remains their total integration into the normal human world (like Cookie Monster appearing »

- Kyle Anderson

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Re-Imaginings That Get It: New 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer

28 October 2009 9:15 AM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news »

Ah, that dreaded black cloud known as the remake/re-imagining. It hovers, eliciting a neverending sense of ire in the moviegoing public. Yes, some of the backlash comes from nothing more than passionate fandom. But it also comes from how these projects come to be. Studios grab them willy nilly with nothing but dollar signs flashing in the eyes. Projects hit that could never even dream of being even half as good as the original. And many just don't seem to get it -- preferring to keep the name and ravage both the story and the spirit of the original, rather than just using it as a jumping point for inspiration.

And while it may be a bit premature, the trailers for Alice Wonderland have a definite sense of getting it. A new trailer aired during the Scream Awards (check it out after the jump), and while it's really Mad »

- Monika Bartyzel

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Fraggle Rock Is Back -- On DVD

28 October 2009 9:12 AM, PDT | TVStar | See recent TVStar news »

Time for some full disclosure. While I like to consider myself a reasonably well-read, serious guy, I enjoy all sorts of entertainment. I'm a Trekker. Growing up, I loved Sesame Street, the Muppets, Zoom, and The Electric Company. And though I was probably way too old at the time -- I was in college -- and shouldn't admit this, I was a huge fan of Fraggle Rock. The show, created by Muppet master Jim Henson, was actually one of HBO's earliest original series, and it was just brilliant. From the opening lyrics of the theme song -- "Dance your cares away/Worries for another day/Let the music play/Down at Fraggle Rock" -- to the creatures, and from the vibrant visuals to the charming/serious lessons taught each episode, Fraggle Rock was a treat. Stories centered on the Fraggles, a group of cave-dwelling, free-spirited humanoid creatures, and the other »

- ianspelling@corp.popstar.com (Ian Spelling)

Permalink | Report a problem

---

50 Influential Scream Queens: Part 1

27 October 2009 5:54 AM, PDT | Fangoria | See recent Fangoria news »

Given man's unwavering fascination with woman, it's no surprise that the female star acts as the anchor to a dominant portion of horror pictures. I mean really, who wants to see a bare chested man tearin ass through the woods screaming at the top of his lungs while a bladed assailant nips at his heels? I don't - I know that much, although I'm certain there are plenty of men who would disagree (and that's okay with me, to each his own!). The simple fact remains however, women bring a unique appeal and certain sensual atmosphere to film that no man ever could. And it's not all about gratuitous T&A.

There's a comforting quality in the hands of the heroine; a fascinating maternal strength that, as a man I cannot genuinely relate to. I can however admire, and in many cases it's nearly impossible to not admire the lone »

- no-reply@fangoria.com (Matt Molgaard)

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Can You Tell Spike Jonze and Wes Anderson Apart?

22 October 2009 12:46 PM, PDT | Vanity Fair | See recent Vanity Fair news »

Imagine a police lineup of thirty-something white Hollywood auteurs. The crime? Conspiracy to dazzle you visually while making you want to buy a pair of converse then listen to 60s French pop at a vintage vinyl store. Would you be able to confidently tell Wes Anderson and Spike Jonze apart? Take our handy quiz to find out. spike_or_wes? Related links: • "Where the Wild Things are Built: Jim Henson's Creature Workshop," by Julian Sancton • "Spike Jonze Discusses Where the Wild Things Are," by Krista Smith »

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Where the Wild Things Are - “Scene Selection” Review

20 October 2009 11:24 AM, PDT | MovieSet.com | See recent MovieSet.com news »

Children are so hard to incorporate into film and theater. The actors always are pesky, uncooperative, and rarely any good. However Max Records of “Where The Wild Things Are” stands out among today’s young actors with composure, emotion, and charm.

Records plays Max, an innocent boy who throws tantrums in a bratty, boisterous manor. He acts exactly as a child should though, beginning the film playing in the snow, throwing snowballs, and building an igloo. He ends up getting hurt and crying like a child should, but in return we see the wrath of Max and the love of his mother. Later Max plays out the scene from the book step for step by throwing a tantrum at the kitchen table and gets sent to bed. Flash forward and we see Max traveling to his own world toward the wild things. Max interacts and has an uneven time with the creatures. »

- Alex Kartman

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Buzz Break: Where the Unfinished Things Are

19 October 2009 2:30 PM, PDT | Movieline | See recent Movieline news »

· If you were one of those millions swept heart-first into the big-money cuddle pile that was Where the Wild Things Are's opening weekend, then this behind-the-scenes visit to the Jim Henson factory where the beasts themselves were built might interest you. Or, alternatively, their torsoless, hairless condition may spoil everything. You be the judge.

· How do America's middle-class actors manage to avoid awkward arousal while shooting love scenes? "Ethics," apparently.

· True Blood's Stephen Moyer may beg to differ, meanwhile, having complained over the weekend that his recent knee injury was the product of playing with his kids and not attributable to some "thrusting, sexy" mishap.

· Compared to the same period last year, Hasbro is crediting Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with the company's 8.8 percent rise in profits in the three months after its release.

· The latest Paranormal Activity gimmick involves private parties for the first 10 midnight screenings to sell out this Friday. »

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Review: Where the Wild Things Are

17 October 2009 10:53 PM, PDT | SoundOnSight | See recent SoundOnSight news »

Where the Wild Things Are Directed by Spike Jonze Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's classic Where the Wild Things Are contains exactly 10 sentences, 338 words of text and 18 pictures. The book, which the author refers to as a ¨personal exorcism,¨ earned a Caldecott Medal, went on to touch millions of readers worldwide, was eventually ranked by Publishers Weekly as one of the 10 all-time best-selling books for children since the 1970s and served as the basis for an animated short, an opera, a ballet, a museum exhibit and now a major motion picture. Spike Jonze's heartfelt adaptation is as beautiful, heartbreaking, and ingenuous as the original source material. Jonze creates an entire emotional and spiritual visual life which is as valid as the book. Giving it a modern cinematic voice, he manages to never take anything away from the story but rather he enhances and riches its text. Jonze makes the clever »

- Ricky

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Where the Wild Things Are Built: Jim Henson's Creature Workshop

17 October 2009 10:37 AM, PDT | Vanity Fair | See recent Vanity Fair news »

Where The Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze comparing concept art for "Ira" to the clay maquette built by the Jim Henson Creature Workshop. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. However you feel about Spike Jonze’s treatment of Where the Wild Things Are, you can’t be anything but dazzled by the way he and his team brought Maurice Sendak’s beasts to life. Often choosing the path of most resistance—the film took six years to make, after all—Jonze opted not to rely solely on computer graphics to render the Wild Things. However advanced C.G.I. technology has become, it simply wouldn’t have looked substantial enough to recreate those terrible teeth and those terrible claws. Instead, he called up the Jim Henson Creature Workshop, which created elaborate full-body Wild-Things suits of otherworldly, grotesque beauty. Computer imagery was only brought in as a final veneer, to animate the creatures’ faces. »

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

16 October 2009 1:37 AM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news »

The Wild Things and Max (Max Records) in Where the Wild Things Are

Photo: Warner Bros. Only a few minutes into Where the Wild Things Are, a young girl seated behind me whispered to her father, "Dad, when will we see the monsters?" This was about ten minutes into this 94 minute film and it wasn't until about 25 minutes those monsters showed up.

With everything I have read regarding Maurice Sendak's book that inspired this adaptation, I haven't seen anyone admitting what draws kids into the story is Max's wild rumpus with a group of sharp-toothed monsters that eventually come to love him. Instead, it's a bunch of high-brow commentary on how a book meant for kids ranging from 4 to 8-year-olds connects with them on some higher level. Since when were 8-year-olds reading into books with ten sentences and coming away with some life-affirming understanding as opposed to wanting to »

- Brad Brevet

Permalink | Report a problem

---

FX Lab: A Conversation with Andrew Clement

15 October 2009 11:26 PM, PDT | Fangoria | See recent Fangoria news »

From working FX on SNL and Letterman to creating monsters for Dark Shadows, Andrew Clement has some tales to tell. Recently-wrapped on the reboot of A Nightmare On Elm Street (for which he redesigned Freddy Krueger), Jason Anders caught up with Clement for a candid conversation about his world of Creative Character Engineering.

Ja/Fangoria: So let's begin with your work as a make-up artist for NBC's Saturday Night Live; tell me about the work you did for the show, how you became involved, the memories you have being around the cast of actors, and which seasons you were involved in.

AC: I wish I had been involved in the first few seasons of SNL, it was such a fertile time for the show. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I’m not quite that old. As it is, I watched those shows in Jr. High and High School, and now I have the DVD’s. »

- no-reply@fangoria.com (Jason Anders)

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Where The Wild Things Are | Review

15 October 2009 8:06 PM, PDT | SmellsLikeScreenSpirit | See recent SmellsLikeScreenSpirit news »

Director: Spike Jonze Writer(s): Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers (screenplay) Maurice Sendak (book) Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker Our story follows Max (Max Records), an interesting and tender young boy full of imagination and wonderment. Max has become disconnected from his sister who has left childhood for the teenage years, and his mother (Catherine Keener) is dating someone that Max sees as competition for his time and attention. With the absence of Max's father due to divorce, we see him acting out emotionally the only way a young boy can - loudly and inappropriately. After putting on his wolf costume and displaying a "rebel yell" outburst in front of his mom and boyfriend Mark Ruffalo, Max's mom attempts to scold Max and send him to his room...but Max has other plans. He bolts from the house »

- Dave Campbell

Permalink | Report a problem

---

'Gremlins' Get Wet And Eat After Midnight Under The Care Of MTV's Gore Girls

15 October 2009 1:00 PM, PDT | MTV Movies Blog | See recent MTV Movies Blog news »

Welcome to Gore Girls! MTV contributor Terri Schwartz doesn't know crap about the horror genre, and she's volunteered to be our Movies Blog guinea pig. She has a good guide too. Fellow contributor Jenni Miller is a bonafide horror enthusiast, and she's willing to walk Terri through her formative experiences with blood, guts, monsters and maniacs. Together, this dynamic duo are horror's own odd couple, The Gore Girls!!! Good luck Terri... you're definitely going to need it.

This week, the Gore Girls decided to go easy on themselves. Wusses. "Gremlins," directed by Joe Dante, isn't strictly a horror movie. More of a comedy/horror. I'm sure a young child would be suitably terrified, and plenty of the right horror movie beats are hit, but this isn't a traditional scare flick. The story follows a young man who receives a furry little creature as a Christmas gift. The season's greetings fall »

- MTV Movies Team

Permalink | Report a problem

---

The Flickcast – Episode 28: Book of Shadows

14 October 2009 10:00 AM, PDT | The Flickcast | See recent The Flickcast news »

This week on The Flickcast the band, um, team is back together as Christina rejoins Chris and Matt for the show. This time around, the trio talk about even more cool and interesting topics including the recent troubles with Apple’s Snow Leopard and “Guest” account, the T-Mobile Sidekick’s data loss and the marketing strategy, merits, and box office success of Paranormal Activity. Plus, Joss Whedon’s Cabin in the Woods being converted to 3-D, Chuck coming back to TV sooner, Bryan Singer returning to the X-Men franchise, the ending that Zombieland could have had and a whole lot more.

The team also made some great picks, as they always do. This week its Christina’s pick of the FX comedy Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Matt’s pick of Jim Henson’s 1986 film Labyrinth and Chris’ pick of Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which »

- Joe Gillis

Permalink | Report a problem

---

This Week In DVD: October 13th

13 October 2009 11:56 AM, PDT | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news »

Rob Hunter loves movies.  He also loves working as a delivery driver for Planet Express. These two joys come together in the form of cash money payments that he receives every week and immediately uses to buy more DVDs.  So join us each week as he takes a look at new DVD releases and gives his highly unqualified opinion as to which titles are worth BUYing, which are better off as RENTals, and which should be AVOIDed at all costs. Click on any of the titles below to magically head over to Amazon.com and pick up the DVD.  And don't forget to check out Neil Miller's hilariously titled This Week In Blu-ray column for reviews on the latest high definition Blu-ray releases! Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Pitch: Jim Henson does Gift of the Magi... Why Buy? I know it's only October, but this is a Christmas classic up there with the animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas and »

- Rob Hunter

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Glowing Early Review of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’

12 October 2009 10:21 AM, PDT | ScreenRant.com | See recent Screen Rant news »

Our friend Harry Knowles over at Ain’t It Cool News has given the Spike Jonze film adaptation of the eponymous 1963 children’s book Where The Wild Things Are a glowing review.  Check out just one bit of praise they give give the film:

“…it could very well be the best film ever created about what it is like to be a 9 year old…it will conjure up primal childhood emotions of joy, regret, elation, confusion and you may realize that you’ve lost an awful lot, by simply growing up.”

Wow, to call that review “glowing” is an understatement!

 

The full review from AICN suggests the film, unlike almost every other, fulfills every wish that floods the mind when you imagine what Where the Wild Things Are could be.  On the other hand, it sets the bar really, really, high before even stepping into the theater.  Rarely is that a good thing. »

- Scott Miller

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal Blu-ray Reviews

7 October 2009 9:02 PM, PDT | Collider.com | See recent Collider.com news »

For most people, just coming up with a cast of characters as wonderfully lovable as the Muppets - to say nothing of helping spearhead a pair of television classics as durable as The Muppet Show and Sesame Street - would be enough to justify an early and lucrative retirement. For Jim Henson, however, those feats only scratched the surface of his ambition, and by the early ’80s, the man who helped turn puppets from a sideshow trick into an art form was ready to try his hand at slightly more grown-up fare. The results were 1982’s The Dark Crystal and 1986’s Labyrinth, a pair of PG-rated fantasy films that connected the dots between The Muppet Movie and The Lord of the Rings. Neither film made much of an impression at the box office, but they’ve both acquired cult status over the years - and now they’ve both been »

- Jeff Giles

Permalink | Report a problem

---

[DVD Review] Labyrinth

7 October 2009 2:24 PM, PDT | JustPressPlay.net | See recent JustPressPlay news »

Labyrinth may be the most heinous crime committed against the human mind at the hand of muppeteers. It’s not awful, it’s not even bad – it’s just a total mind screw from the first Bowie appearance on out. Who’s the movie really for? I still say it should be shown to children. The images in Labyrinth were and remain some of the most bizarre things a muppet has ever done. Bird-things dancing on their heads, a fox riding saddleback on a dog or a tunnel full of faces made out of hands – suspend your disbelief indefinitely, otherwise there’s no hope for you enjoying this one.

Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wishes her parents would spend more time paying attention to her and not her infant brother Toby. Her fraternal resentment peaks when she’s left to babysit the runt as her parents go out for a night on »

- Lex Walker

Permalink | Report a problem

---

American Apparel And Sesame Street Collaborate For New T-Shirt Line

5 October 2009 5:56 AM, PDT | icelebz.com | See recent iCelebz news »

American Apparel and Sesame Street are teaming up to produce a limited edition run of classic t-shirts. The new line will commemorate the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street for this fall and will feature some of America's favorite characters.

Various characters from Jim Henson's catalogue will be included, featuring bright colors and designs that span the years of the 1960's, 70's, 80's and 90's.

"We sat down and went through eight discs of artwork from the Sesame Street archive and picked the ones we responded to the most. It took almost two months, but the end result is a cast of characters and images that bring a modern feel to Sesame Street and a heritage to American Apparel," said Carolina Crespo, a graphic designer at American Apparel.

The new line will hit stores in October and will be sold in over 25 American Apparel stores worldwide with locations including New York, »

Permalink | Report a problem

---

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

1-20 of 116 articles from 2009   « Prev | Next »

---