Jim Hill Article...

[Ken Plume]

I've seen no discussion of it yet, so here you go:

http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=17095

Contains Lisa's letter to the employees as well...

-Ken

 

[Luke]

I've seen no discussion of it yet, so here you go:

Yeah we are familiar with his work here ..... and seems like he is with ours too! I notice a great similarity between the first part of his article and Annika's first editorial. The Broadway Theater show was a Henson thing that was in development, not a Disney thing. It's so Henson that Jim and Bernie Brillstein came up with the idea in the 80's. At least he got the Lisa email though which makes interesting reading.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Why didn't they post THAT letter to the employees at Henson.com? They did it in 2/00 and 5/03.

Interesting article, though.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Lisa sez: We will also be expanding our live action and animated feature film businesses, with new and separate partnerships for each.

A-HA! I don't know WHY it's an "a-ha," but with Disney closing down it's animated feature film department...hmm...

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Y'know, it's not really a Lisa letter. It's from Brian and Lisa, the co-chairs and co-CEOs, and Peter Schube, the Prez and COO. So it's from the top 3 big shots at JHC.

Also:
>>it has remained the dream of the Henson family and our Company ever since<< and >>We are thrilled that, after so many years, and so many heartbreaking near misses...<<

This is what Bill O'Reilly would call "spin." Did you all forget that you guys SOLD the entire business to EM.TV four years ago? Or are you trying to forget (like the rest of us are)? Heartbreaking near misses, my nose.

 

[Luke]

Exactly, again they are trying to make out that Jim wanted Disney to just own "The Muppets" rather than the entire company. The whole "It took us fifteen years, but we finally got it right." thing is sickening. If Disney were that interested they would have bought the company from them before EMTV. Bottom line is that Henson probably knew they would get into financial trouble holding on so they engineered the deal so it gave Disney everything they wanted in exchange for the all the production and development contracts. I agree they have found the Muppets a suitable home for the future but i don't like the way they make out it's ALL about what Jim wanted before and a continuation of that. Spin Spin Spin indeed !

 

[BoyRaisin2]

One thing I don't get from Jim Hill and others is this thing about the burden of legacy, concerning THE Muppets. I can understand this from Brian resigning from JHC in May 2002 to do his own thing, but they are so pressured by the burden of the Muppets, that they had to sell the very cornerstone of the Henson empire, yet KEEP Fraggle Rock and everything else and transform the Jim Henson Company?

Of course I think Disney is an ideal home for the Muppets, but I have to hear a broader explanation of how the Hensons sold off the Muppets, and not just sign a lucrative film and TV deal with Disney. I love the deal, but it's just too odd.

 

[GonzoPimp]

Maybe its just as simple as this...Disney doesn't want the Fraggles. They probably would have to spend more money than it would be worth to them. Or, they plan on buying them cheaper down the road when the JHC needs money again

 

[BoyRaisin2]

Hmm, maybe.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Wouldn't a "Down At Fraggle Rock" ride be cool? Go through Doc's workshop where an animatronic Doc and Sproket talk to and bark at you, then you descend down some steps into the "hole" in the wall, get on the little cars and ride through Fraggle Rock, seeing Gobo and Wembley's place, other sites, the interior of the main hall (where the fraggles all sing the theme song), suddenly hitting the roller-coaster ride part of it all, rushing through the Gorg's Garden before Junior steps on ya, past the Trash Heap, through a tunnel, and outside where you get off outside of Doc's Workshop.

Then again, Disney didn't want 'em. Remember why JHC said no more new Fraggle stuff? Too expensive to rebuild them all again, the ones in existence all dry-rotted out. I think Sprocket still exists, but all the Fraggles are now extinct.