The Fairy Tales of Jim Henson

Jim Henson, predominantly known for his colourful, imaginative puppetry creations in The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, has been overlooked as a significant figure in the evolution of screen fairy tales.

This book is the first to reappraise Henson's career by foregrounding his contributions to the screen fairy tale and contesting the predominant narrative that credits Disney as the foremost creative force. Utilising materials from the private Jim Henson Company Archives, it explores Henson's distinctive approach, which engaged viewers' imaginations by combining, and sometimes challenging and reworking, established storytelling technique and fairy tale conventions with inventive design concepts and technologies. It covers Henson high profile film and television projects Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal and The Storyteller, but also lesser-known early productions that include Hey, Cinderella! and The Muppet Musicians of Bremen as well as unaired pilots such as Tales of the Tinkerdee.

The book argues for Henson's recognition as a pivotal figure in screen fairy tale production, highlighting his lasting impact and the artistic innovations he brought to the genre.