February 18, 2004

• While there's an element of truth to this, I don't think it has to be that way. And while Jim was reportedly pursuing this in his final days, Disney was different then. That was before 101 Dalmatians 2, Atlantis 2 (most would say Nadia 3), Jungle Book 2, Cinderella 2, Lion King 2 and 1.5... you get the picture. Disney chooses to milk the life right out any franchise these days. I'm thrilled that pixar and disney are parting ways, but with disney having rights to produce sequels to existing pixar properties, I am terrified of the inevitable train wreck of a pixar-free Monsters, Inc. 2 (probably subtitled "Boo's Incredible Adventure" or similar dreck). My concerns for the muppets are similar, although recent muppet films already stink... but my biggest worry is the elimination or dumbing down of the outstanding and fan-oriented Best of the Muppet Show DVD series from Time-Life. I wonder what their license is, and if Disney will allow them to keep it. Also, with Disney's clearly delusional, denial-laden belief that their recent productions have been flops simply because they aren't CG, I fear that boardroom blunders something like 'Muppet Babies Extreme Dino Adventures' await.
• i haven't been a fan of much disney has done since walt died. the early stuff is amazing, but lately they've been living off of their own fat. unfortunately this means that they have just a little more fat ot live off of before they start to feel the pinch and begin being creative again, rather than just releasing yet another unnecessary straight-to-video "classic" sequel to an otherwise mediocre animated movie. but maybe that's just me being cynical...
• As long as the educational Henson stuff, like Seasame Street and the Fraggles and whatnot survive, that's the main thing. The thought of the Street being polluted by the flithy tentacles of Disney would be too much to bear.
• Loosing the frog to the mouse ... my felt-heart is breaking. When I was a kid, I liked the old disney movies, but even then I thought they weren't as good as Jim Henson. The crazyness, the imagination - most of all - the refusal to dumb down for children. It's all lost. Not that things have been great since Jim Henson's death. Muppet's Christmas Carol was sad, in a bad bad way. I couldn't bear to go see Muppets Treasure Island because of it. Muppets from Space did make up, because they went back to their roots: crazyness. But my absolute favorite - (and the complete series is out on DVD!) is The Storyteller. I watched it over a decade ago, and I still get goosebumps, just thinking about it.
• I mourned Henson's death the same way I did Geisel and Fred Rogers. They were all surrogate fathers for my generation. That said, Henson studios and Dr. Seuss's creations have lost all soul since their founder's death. I gave up when I watched the post Henson Sesame Street. That show is no longer watchable. Sigh.
• The saddest picture in the world
• Indeed.
• It's just so... unnatural. *goes into Kermit hysterics, arms flailing about*
• Crap.
• Here's a very good article from the Times about why Disney taking over Is a Bad Thing. The problem is, do [Muppet Fans] want the Muppets back so badly that they’re willing for Disney to be in charge of them? Let’s face it — on most analyses of the company’s business practices or its artistic oeuvre, modern Disney sucks. And while there are many things that it sucks at — theme parks, fending off hostile takeover bids from Comcast, keeping any parent in its children’s films alive past the first reel — what it surely sucks at the most is being funny. The entire Disney corporation couldn’t tell a joke if Mickey Mouse’s life depended on it. Or, rather, it could — but it would first have to pass it through three focus groups, all its senior management, Disney’s representatives in China, the National Rifle Association, the League of Decency and, probably, Condoleezza Rice, just to check that it wouldn’t offend anyone, and subsequently lose the company a single $5 ticket at the box office.