Frank Oz: Muppet Sale to Disney "Killed Jim" Henson

[AndyDursin]

Probably nothing here you didn't know but this just reaffirms what happened to the Muppets (and Star Wars as well for that matter) once the Disney corporate goons purchased these properties and, as Oz puts it, gutted "the soul" from them.



https://www.theguardian.com/culture/202 ... nt-want-me

[BobaMike]

I don't understand why Disney doesn't have the right people in charge of their various departments...who is in charge of the muppets? Whoever it is, is awful. From the newer voices to the awful Muppets Now! thing on Disney+, it's all bad.

I do enjoy the muppet talk show called Earth to Ned, as it is actually pretty funny, and doesn't coast on past muppet glory.

As for Oz, I don't know- to me he lost his touch. He hasn't made a good movie in forever, and to complain Disney doesn't want him, well, it's his Yoda all over the parks, tv shows, and movies.

[AndyDursin]

I think he means they don't want -- and haven't wanted -- his involvement in anything new, movie or series etc., Muppets or Star Wars, because he would want a say in how the characters behave and Disney won't let anyone do anything that isn't approved by its board first.

As far as the Muppets go: it's very hard to take something that was the fruit of a creative, artistic person like Jim Henson and turn it into a strictly corporate product without losing much of its charm, appeal, soul, what have you in the process. Without Henson and his sensibility the Muppets have struggled under Disney control. And that's really because the Muppets *were* Jim Henson and minus him, it's never been the same.

But to echo what you were saying, maybe it couldve been different if they landed elsewhere or someone like Brian Henson was directing them all (the Jason Segel Muppets was a little too melancholy but was generally good; really only THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL has that true "Henson" feel since he passed). To me it's a shame Henson sold out to Disney in the same way Disney was the worst landing place for George Lucas' properties. They struck it rich but at a cost to their respective artistic legacies IMO.

I think their biggest respective mistake was believing Disney would be a real caretaker for those properties -- and wouldn't just be thinking about the bottom line. For STAR WARS that's literally the ONLY thing Disney has cared about. For The Muppets, they simply don't drive that kind of revenue and they're being left behind as a result, fading into obscurity.

[Paul MacLean]

I read an excellent book a few years ago called "Make Art, Make Money" which was all about Jim Henson's business model.

It also addresses the sale of the Muppets to Disney, and how their corporate mindset almost immediately started to toxify the brand. Henson always believed that the character was innately connected to the performer, but Disney began to pressure him to assign different muppeteers to the same muppet in rotating shifts, so they could produce a higher volume of material more qucikly. Henson balked at this of course, creating tension with Disney. Violations of "good faith" were also numerous.

The book also explains that the reason Henson made the deal with Disney was due to the fact that he was so bogged-down in the day-to-day chores of running a business. He wanted the business end handled by businessmen, which would leave him free to be creative. Unfortunately, it obviously didn't work out.

Anyway, I highly recommend the book...

[AndyDursin]

Thanks Paul, as we like to say, ORDERED!

[Paul MacLean]

It's a terrific book. It is more of an examination of Henson's approach to his profession than an actual "biography", but its reads really well, and has some telling anecdotes about the issues with Disney.

[Eric W.]

Selling to Disney should kill anyone with a soul.

Nice thread. That book looks good.