Tomorrow marks the 18th anniversary of the sudden, tragic death of the great Jim Henson, a name I trust needs no introduction. Ever since I was young, Henson was something of a hero of mine, and of all the pieces I’ve written for Screengrab to date, the one I’m most still proud of is a Henson tribute I penned on the occasion of last spring’s Jim Henson Legacy touring retrospective. Here’s a small portion of what I wrote at the time:
”Henson wasn’t simply a popular children’s entertainer, but a major artist as well, one whose innovations are still being used by effects artists to this day. It’s exceedingly rare for someone to be both brilliant and beloved — but Henson pulled it off magnificently.”
I toyed with the idea of posting a classic Muppets clip, but since I figure many of you know them more or less by heart, I’ve decided instead to spotlight one of Henson’s most famous non-Muppets projects, his Oscar-nominated 1965 short Time Piece. I think it stands as a testament to the breadth of Henson’s gifts, and an example of how much more there was to him than the Muppets. Enjoy!