arm rods -- a distraction?

[TopperFraggle]

They don't bother me. It's analyzing how performers deal with the limitations of their medium that makes it so fascinating. When I was growing up, sure I noticed the arm rods, or how the Count or Ernie's sleeves would continue going past his elbow beneath the stage, but who cares? All that did was get me more interested in the puppetry itself. And I'm sure most people didn't even notice. Didn't Jim Henson say that he wasn't all that concerned with keeping that sort of thing hidden? I remember when he did the Arsenio Hall Show with Kermit, he just pulled Kermit out, put him on and started talking, lips moving and everything.

 

[wes]

If you are a Good puppeteer people will not notice you or the Arm-rods.

Ooo...That sounded very poetic in a Fortune cookie type way, i'll have to right that down

 

[wes]

ahahh hhhhaaa hhahah hhahha

O my goodness that is great, but ture!!!

Hey we're a Couple of Confuious's over here!!

 

[wes]

It does!!

Cheers to use!!

 

[Show and Tell]

all be it true that arm rods on a puppet performed by a great puppeteer are insignificant, with all the technology of today, i'd like to think it not just possible but probable that we can make these creatures come to life in new and most interesting ways. Sure, every point is true that good puppeteering majes rods and strings seem to disappear but the illusion would be that much more powerful in most peoples eyes if say they almost got a bit distracted wondering "how did they do that" when they arent there. Take Pinochio for example. The big deal was that he had no strings. Now with as old a story as this is, the idea of a stringless puppet was revolutionary! But what about today? Could we not still attempt to push the envelope of what is real vs what is fantasy? Nistalgia is great but what id really like to see and be apart of is a new Henson (genious) not afraid to bring us closer to a fantastic world than we have ever been before. Step out of the box! Just my opinion.