Share your One
Tweet
Movie Review
by John Holliday
by George Taylor
by Christian Fannin
COMING SOON!
[Keep up with the "Special Feature" column and Christian Fannin will sit you on his lap and talk to you about whatever movie-related topic he feels like.]
When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fire was kept for… The Storyteller. Possibly one of the best titles available on Netflix for Instant Play is this short lived Jim Henson anthology TV series. The first season was based on European folklore while the four episode second season had a Greek mythology theme. The Storyteller only lasted for thirteen episodes but the great thing about the show's format is that it could be revived any time. That's not likely, even with the success of 'The Muppets', but it's nice to have the option open.
Every episode is fantastic with often surprising realism to the puppets that have as much character as their live action counterparts. It's one of the darker Jim Henson universes, maybe even more sinister than 'Labyrinth' and 'The Dark Crystal' on certain episodes. It's unfortunate that the legacy hasn't permanently sealed the deal for puppetry and old fashioned special effects to be taken seriously in adult-oriented storytelling. We may never know if CGI and motion capture continue to flood the market. I'm just thankful that we have these episodes preserved to forever fill that void.
Don't hesitate to tell Christian what you think of his column and suggest a topic by e-mailing him at: christian@cineweekly.com
