Stretching back into the 1970s, the legacy and influence of the Muppets and Jim Henson cannot be overstated. From delivering groundbreaking, fourth-wall-smashing, absurdist humor to breathing life—not to mention heart and soul—into a bunch of fabric contraptions, the Jim Henson Company was on the forefront of both comedy and special effects for years.
Though the Company and the Muppets soldiered on following the tragic death of founder Jim Henson, the projects that had his personal touch possessed a certain aura about them that nothing afterward could emulate.
Thankfully, Muppet fans old and new have the Brattle. Once again, the theater plays host to its annual Muppet Madness series over Patriots’ Day weekend. Screening classic Muppet films along with decidedly different, non-Muppet works like The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986), the series kicks off with a special sing-along screening of The Muppet Movie (1979).