Jim Henson's The Storyteller ~ The Complete Collection

Description

Henson fills the screen with wonderful creatures that have
a wisp of J.R.R. Tolkein fantasy. Directed by Anthony Minghella (The English
Patient), he takes us through the fantasy of recognizable European folk/fairy
tales with narration by the Storyteller played wonderfully by John Hurt. The
entire series on DVD for the first time! From the master Jim Henson who
brought us The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Stars John Hurt, as the narrator.
Adapted by Oscar-winning filmmaker Anthony Minghella (The English Patient).
One of Jim Henson’s finest hours was the Storyteller series that
first aired on HBO in 1987. As with his other non-Muppet creations
(Labyrinth), Henson fills the screen with wonderful creatures that have a wisp
of a J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy. This collection of nine stories (it does not
contain the Greek myths arc) were adapted by Anthony Minghella, who became an
Oscar-winning filmmaker a decade later with The English Patient. Minghella
weaves the narration of the storyteller (played with aplomb by John Hurt) with
dialogue from the stories to beguiling effect; the storyteller doesn’t simply
introduce the tales. A few of the stories have been available before on video,
but this collection starts with the debut, the Emmy-winning “Hans My
Hedgehog,” the title role being a young disformed man who helps a lost king in
the woods. Other highlights include “The Luck Child” about a king bent on
destroying a commoner boy, known as the luck child (“the seventh son born of a
seventh son on a week with two Fridays”). After a wizard declares the boy will
grow up to be king. The fate of the king is one of those hooks that should
have the kids smiling for days. Henson himself directs “Death and the
Soldier,” a brilliant example of how these episodes were so wonderfully
complex. A penniless solider (Bob Peck) is given a magical sack and he uses it
to full effect, capturing gremlins and greater evils on his way to be king.
“Sapsorrow” is a curious variation on the Cinderella legend. “A Story Short”
is the storyteller’s own adventure. He makes a deal with a king to tell a
story every day of the year. Yet on the last day, the storyteller’s mind is a
blank and his fate may lead him to a boiling vat of oil. Henson’s work is true
family entertainment and at only 22 minutes per episode, it’s the perfect
companion for some fine entertainment around the TV. –Doug Thomas

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Fantasy
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Full Screen, Digital Sound
• Contributor: Jim Henson, Brian Henson, Frederick Warder, David Greenaway, Alistair Fullarton, John Hurt, Robert Tygner, Robin Summers, Mak Wilson, Michael Kilgarriff, Diana Payan, Peter Marinker See more
• Language: English
• Runtime: 3 hours and 35 minutes
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 3.52 Ounces
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Full Screen, Digital Sound
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 3 hours and 35 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ August 26, 2003
• Actors ‏ : ‎ John Hurt, Brian Henson, Frederick Warder, David Greenaway, Robert Tygner
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)