Jim Henson's Long Lost Short "Robot" Finally Available For Public Consumption!!!

Who doesn't love Jim Henson? Seriously... not everybody may be crazy over the Muppets, but does anybody really hate them? Henson's characters have provided smiles to the faces of adults and children for over 40 years and there contribution to entertainment is past the part of quantification. Yet everybody has got to start somewhere, right? Well, here is Henson's first foray into live action short films featuring non human characters. It is called "Robot", and was made for Bell Systems to show at a conference back in the late 60s. It is only 3 minutes long and features basic techniques and actions, yet it is hard to deny some of the Henson magic that was present in bringing inanimate objects to life. Enjoy the clip as well as a detailed explanation for it after the jump...






Here is the explanation via the Youtube page:

Jim Henson made this film in 1963 for The Bell System. Specifically, it was made for an elite seminar given for business owners, on the then-brand-new topic — Data Communications. The seminar itself involved a lot of films and multimedia presentations, and took place in Chicago. A lengthy description of the planning of the Bell Data Communications Seminar — sans a mention of the Henson involvement — is on the blog of Inpro co-founder Jack Byrne. It later was renamed the Bell Business Communications Seminar. 

The organizers of the seminar, Inpro, actually set the tone for the film in a three-page memo from one of Inpro’s principals, Ted Mills to Henson. Mills outlined the nascent, but growing relationship between man and machine: a relationship not without tension and resentment: “He [the robot] is sure that All Men Basically Want to Play Golf, and not run businesses — if he can do it better.” (Mills also later designed the ride for the Bell System at the 1964 World’s Fair.) Henson’s execution is not only true to Mills’ vision, but he also puts his own unique, irreverent spin on the material.

The robot narrator used in this film had previously starred in a skit for a food fair in Germany (video is silent), in 1961. It also may be the same robot that appeared on the Mike Douglas Show in 1966. Henson created a different — but similar — robot for the SKF Industries pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair. This film was found in the AT&T Archives. Thanks go to Karen Falk of the Henson Archives for providing help and supporting documentation to prove that it was, indeed, a Henson production.

'I'd Buy That...As a Tee!' Vol 20

Always on the look out for inspiring art... emblazoned across the chest of humanity. Here's some of the t-shirts I have my eye on to do just the trick but, there's only one problem....they aren't for sale yet! Please click the links below to the Threadless.com voting pages for each and give these beauties '5' ratings so I can throw 'em on my charge card one day.

***Please click READ MORE below for more terrific tees from Threadless!***

'Johnny Who?' Depps abound in this minimalistic homage to Burton & Verbinski's muse. Can you name 'em all from left to right.....

Comical and tragic at the same time. 'Cybertron High Drama Club' enlists the help of the iconic drama mask images to school us in the arts.

'Mistaken Identity' has our favorite Star Wars pilots on target with the man in the moon. Yoo-hoo, Death Star's the other way Rebel scum!

'Police Line-Up' make me feel horrible for my favorite Star Wars snow beast, The Wampa, after he gives Luke a hand in the icy caves of Hoth. Looks like the perpetrator's just been fingered.

'Indiana Monster & The Last Cookie' mashes up two of my favorites  the Harrison Ford adventure epic....and Muppets. (Note to artists...anything plus Muppets equals fantastic!)

 Don't blink or you'll miss the art in 'Flash Minimal Design'. Basic yet super!

Threadless started a Polo shirt contest this week for breast emblem designs and, so far, it's gotten off to a snazzy start!

First, 'Enter The Dragon' Is a pretty neat send off to all that is great about Kug Fu-ery!

Then there's this precursor to the LaCoste gator..... 'The Rex'

...but my favorite Polo design was this Han Solo blaster in 'Han's Polo'...pewn pewn! Han shot first!

Back to the tee designs, my absolute favorite of the week has to this E.T./Alf mash up which was done with  perfection entitled 'Willie's Trip To Melmac'. Makes me hungry for a feline four course meal! A.L.F phone home!

...That's all t-shirt wearers! Tee you next time!

The Muppets As The Crew Of Serenity

How could Captain Mal Reynolds get any cooler? Make him Kermit The Frog.

The art is the work of the very talented James Hance, who has had his work featured on our site before, and has even gotten the attention of a few of the Firefly cast members.

I gotta say my favorite has gotta be Sam The Eagle as Shepard. Brilliant.

***Click Read more below to see the some more fuzzy Firefly***

Breakdown of "The Muppets" Teaser Trailer

OkOkOkOkOkOkOk.......Muppets.

It's time to get things started.

By now you've seen the sneaky little teaser for the new Muppet movie. If not...



I tell ya, as much as I love living in the future, one of the real drawbacks is not getting surprised. As much as I love this trailer, I watched it knowing the Muppets were going to show up. I can just imagine myself as a kid, pre-interwebs, sitting in a theater and that thing coming on and totally catching me off guard. Would have blown my monkeylovin mind.

Blah blah blah I'm old and everything is terrible now, ANYWAY. It's a very cute and fun little campaign they have going on (there's a Facebook) and I'm sure a good number of less nerdy people were well surprised.

Can you spot the hidden Kermit?

So I've watched the trailer about 486 times now, combing it for hidden Easter eggs and the like (I have NO IDEA why I'm never surprised anymore) and here's what I came up with...

If I had a teacher like Amy Adams maybe I.......eh...still wouldn't have cared.

Amy Adams is apparently teaching an elementary school class on auto repair. Specifically auto repair of the classic Morris Minor........reasonable. The full sized classic car in her classroom is reminiscent of many vehicles from the classic trilogy, most notably perhaps the one sold by Milton Berle for $11.95.

Jason and Amy look to be having a date at Grauman's Chinese Theater, which appears to be showing one of my favorites, Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea," 'The mightiest motion picture of them all!' Let's hope Lew Zealand is working there and doing his famous 3-D conversion.

Kermit can be seen in the background here. Rightfully adorning the cover of GQ. Kermit's house perhaps?

Let's see some Muppets already eh? We get a good look at a bunch of the old favorites, with a few of the new characters. Thog is the giant blue elephant thing, and the new Muppet I'm the most excited about. He looks great, he's like twice the size of Sweetums! There's also a random pig who looks like she might be black in some of the shots. If rumors are true she is some kind of replacement Miss Piggy in Fozzie's recreation attempt, 'The Moopets.' Looks like they are in some kind of talent agency or something here. Based on the picture on the desk I think that's Rashida Jones sitting there. Too bad it's not Dr. Beverly Crusher.

A big giant musical number in Hollywood shows a banner featuring the original Muppet man, Jim Henson himself.

HELP there's a guys hand in my...

Walter appears to be the main protagonist alongside Segel's character. I'm always a little wary about new additions to large established ensembles, but it's The Muppets so they get the benefit of the doubt. The first few looks we got of the puppet were pretty boring and generic looking, but a few shots in this teaser show it to be a pretty great looking design with a large range of emotion possible. Just look at that face, hilarity incarnate! Note the Kermit t-shirt, he's obviously a fan.

If Kermit pops his head up from under the table I'm going to be very..."upset."

There's been a lot of fuss made about Piggy's Gaga-esque hair here....who cares. She's sporting her trademark ring, and if I had to guess this is her apartment based on the photos of herself in the background. Hard to tell by the window shot where it is exactly, but it certainly appears to be luxurious as is fitting. Donuts!

Looks like The Great Gonzo is ready to treat us to some of his trademark daredevil antics. Camilla seems to be wearing some kind of outfit here. Chickens wearing clothes? Now that's just ridiculous. Gonzo is performed and voiced in this movie by the legendary Dave Goelz, as he has been for the last 40+ years.

Several shots in the teaser give us a clear indication that the set of the original Muppet Show has been painstakingly recreated. Paint chips, curtain colors, wear and tear all look right out of the 70's. There had been talk that part of the plot revolved around them trying to save the 'Muppet Theater,' but it wasn't immediately clear what exactly that was going to be. The fact that it is THE theater from the show is phenomenal. This type of attention and heart is a big reason I'm looking forward to this update.

Gonzo's Royal Flush? Awesome. Fleeing from an impending explosion? Has he been operating a plumbing company in the last 12 years?

How bout some more Muppets! This looks like a big musical number featuring loads of characters. Some of which I had to look up! Droop, Marvin Suggs, Lew Zealand, Bobby Benson, Beaker, Dr. Honeydew, Scooter, Swedish Chef, Fozzie, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Sam Eagle, Beauregard, Link Hogthrob, Beautiful Day Monster, and Dr. Julius Strangepork. Several of these characters have not appeared in anything in over 30 years. I can't wait to see how many classic puppets they're recreated. The stage looks to be right from The Muppet Show along with the famous Dr. Teeth drum kit. Kermit's got his banjo...Rainbow Connection maybe?

The more recent Muppet outings featured The Muppets as actors. They were playing parts in Christmas Carol, Treasure Island etc. I was tired of seeing them paraded out in different costumes. The Muppets don't need to play other characters, they are the characters and at their strongest and most focused they are vaudevillian. They are song and dance men ready to put on a show. That might be why I love those older movies and the show the most. It was The Muppets as The Muppets being The Muppets.

JediRob has been ready and willing for Muppet Domination for decades.

Kermit The Frog Live From The Black Carpet Of The Pirates of the Carribean Movie Premiere

In some more Muppet news, I came across this little gem, from the premiere of 'On Stranger Tides.' Kermit gets the exclusive with all the attending celebs, including Johnny himself.



Johnny Depp and Kermit the Frog. Nerdgasm! What better interviewer could you ask for than the former 'News Flash' correspondent?

The Greatest Muppet Movie Of All Time...

I am an absolute Muppet addict. Be it the original TV show, the Sesame Street characters, Christmas specials, the movies, or the recent viral videos, I cannot get enough fuzzy comedy. That said the last few feature length outings, including the TV specials(Muppets Wizard of Oz I'm looking at you), have been less than stellar. For me the original trilogy of Muppet films is where it's at. Those being "The Muppet Movie," "The Great Muppet Caper" and "The Muppets Take Manhattan." I get the rest all mixed up in my head.

We've been hearing about this new movie for quite some time now, sometimes listed as simply "The Muppets," it is supposed to be modeled specifically on those original films. A little teaser poster snuck out on to the webs. Not much to go on but it gets me excited!

OMG they have feet. This shit just got real.

For those unaware, Jason Segel is at the center of this reboot of sorts. He's been the champion behind getting it into production, serves as a writer and plays the human lead. Segel is quite the Muppet nerd himself, as evidenced by his 'Dracula's Lament' as seen in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and on Craig Ferguson.



The film is Directed by James Bobin of 'Da Ali G Show' and 'Flight of the Conchords' fame, which is appropriate given The Muppets penchant to break into song.

Sam The Eagle seemed to be the only one paying attention to the raid on Osama's compound

I've managed to avoid spoilers for the most part for this. All I know is basically The Muppets have been gone for a long time, and Jason's character has to go on the road to get them all back together and to their former glory. I expect a never ending parade of celebrity cameos, brilliant witticism and of course...chickens.



The Muppets is set to release November 23rd. (day before my Birthday whoo hoo!)

What The World Needs Now...

... is another Muppet movie. ASAP. And thanks to Mr. Forgetting Sarah Marshall himself (Jason Segal), we are slowly moving towards that goal. The new Muppet movie is going to be epic, and it couldn't come at a better time. Children's movies have moved into an era where they serve a dual purpose: 1) Entertain the kiddies & 2) Keep the parents entertained. Parents buy tickets, and Pixar has proven that if they are done correctly kiddie flicks can get the adults to laugh and cry as well (watch the last 20 minutes of Toy Story 3 or the first 20 minutes of Up and tell me you weren't bawling like a baby... if you didn't cry you are heartless!!!). Megamind just completed its second week on top of the charts, beating out new movies by Denzel & Harrison Ford. Family fare is better then ever, and we owe it to....

*****Please click Read more below for more on the upcoming Muppet movie*****

.... the Muppets!!! The Muppets were one of the first times that children type characters (in this case the puppets) were interwoven with adult themes (crime in The Great Muppet Caper, space travel in Muppets In Space, etc) and prominent actors and actresses shared the screen with them in some adult type situations. The Muppet Show was a prime time hit that appealed to adults and kids alike and holds a special place near and dear in my childhood memories. Maybe that's why I am looking so forward to self proclaimed "Muppet freak" himself Segal to take a shot at making this new film. It takes place in the current setting where the puppets like the Muppets are forgotten and computer animation is on the rise. They live and operate a studio, Muppet Studio, that is a throwback to a time when the Muppets were the biggest show on earth. Now they have fallen on hard times (as you can see in the pics) and a little boy/puppet named Walter (Paul Rudd) wants to bring back the good old days of Muppets riding high. There will be Segal, Rudd, Amy Adams, and a host of celebrity cameos filling up the 90 minutes of sure to be hilarious hi-jinx. The exterior shots were taken at the La Brea based Henson Studios, which has been turned into the downtrodden Muppet Studios. Check out these first set photos and see if you start to get that tingle like I did. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS ONE!!! The movie will be out Christmas 2011. Are you excited? Tell us in the comment section below. Thanks to /Film for the pics.