Jim Henson's The Storyteller - Greek Myths

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: I am a huge fan of the Jim Henson Company; I grew up with the Labyrinth, Dark Crystal and the original Storyteller series. So when I heard about this series I was very excited, assuming they would be of the same quality and caliber as the originals. Unfortunately, they are not even close.

The stories are told very differently since they are all Greek tragedies, unlike the original series which were fairy tales and obscure folk tales. The storyteller in this series talks quite a bit, more like a narrator. The way he tells the stories are more informative and factual, more like a history lesson whereas the original storyteller was much more entertaining and managed to create a dark ambiance that set the feeling for each episode.

Also, this series only had two Muppets, the Minotaur (who was more like a combination of Muppet and human) and the vulture. The Muppets in the original series were fantastic and they were the stars just as much as the actors. The stars in this series are human actors in tacky make-up, none of whom gave memorable performances; the original series had lots of famous British actors who all gave wonderful performances.

And I did not like the look of these episodes, thought they were all very stark and plain...very little creativity or imagination. Brian Froud was the creative consultant for the original series (he also worked on the Labyrinth and Dark Crystal) and I believe he is responsible for the warm, fuzzy, dark and magical feel of the original series.

The original series also had partially animated sequences and scenes where the sets of the storyteller's home would turn into the sets of the stories he was telling. For example, in the story "Fearnot" a small version of the main character is seen sitting on the edge of the storyteller's fireplace, kicking his feet in the "pond" which is actually the floor of the storyteller's home, then the camera pans back and the character is actually sitting at the edge of a pond. I thought all of those scenes were very clever and well done, almost trippy and very fun to watch. There was nothing like that in this series; just boring sets that were very plain and by the numbers.

The ONLY redeemable thing about this DVD was the preview for Neil Gaimen's movie "Mirror Mask" which the Jim Henson company is working on. It looks amazing, visually stunning.

If you are a teacher and you are going over the Greek myths in class then this DVD might be good to show your class cause it does cover a lot of history and detail about the myths. But if you are like me and grew up with the original Storyteller and are hoping these will be just as good I would definitely recommend renting it first before buying it.

Check out Brian Froud's books here on Amazon, they're great...he also did an oversized book with Jim Henson for the Dark Crystal that is very beautiful.


Rating:
Summary: Great Story Telling
Review: I am not a super fan of Greek Mythology, but this short collection was wonderful to watch. They are well done and they keep the audience immersed in the stories. It is nice to watch QUALITY programs instead of all the reality TV nonsense and overly violent and crass shows currently on the tele. Worth the purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Complete your Jim Henson's The Storyteller Collection
Review: Last year, fans were thrilled to find Jim Henson's The Storyteller Collection on DVD for the first time featuring the fairy tales crafted for the series. Thanks to the success of that DVD, the Greek Myths are also being released this year. While the effects of the series are somewhat dated, the series is still spectacular, incorporating the genius of Jim Henson and those he gathered around him. Also note that the storyteller in this series is Michael Gambon, the new Dumbledore in the third Harry Potter movie.

To let you know what is on the DVD, here is the episode info provided by Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment:

DAEDALUS AND ICARUS: Daedalus, one of the greatest inventors of ancient Greece, and his son Icarus are betrayed by cruel King Minos and must flee for their lives. To escape, Daedalus creates wings so they can fly to safety, but will the young Icarus heed his father's instructions or will their dreams melt away?

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE: The great musician Orpheus vows to bring back the soul of his beloved Eurydice from the depths of Hades. But the task he must complete to reunite with his love turns out to be as torturous as the fate he will have to endure.

PERSEUS AND THE GORGON: When the evil king threatens Perseus' mother, he must bring back the head of Medussa - who's stare will turn anyone who looks upon her to stone. Will the help of the gods be enough to aid in this seemingly impossible task?

THESEUS AND THE MINATAUR: With the help of a beautiful princess, Theseus tracks down the man-eating Minotaur, half-man, half-bull to prove his courage and loyalty. A fight to the death ensues, and a shocking secret emerges.

Rating:
Summary: Complete your Jim Henson's The Storyteller Collection
Review: Last year, fans were thrilled to find Jim Henson's The Storyteller Collection on DVD for the first time featuring the fairy tales crafted for the series. Thanks to the success of that DVD, the Greek Myths are also being released this year. While the effects of the series are somewhat dated, the series is still spectacular, incorporating the genius of Jim Henson and those he gathered around him. Also note that the storyteller in this series is Michael Gambon, the new Dumbledore in the third Harry Potter movie.

And to let you know what is on the DVD, here is the episode info provided by Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment:

DAEDALUS AND ICARUS: Daedalus, one of the greatest inventors of ancient Greece, and his son Icarus are betrayed by cruel King Minos and must flee for their lives. To escape Daedalus creates wings to they can fly to safety but will the young Icarus heed his father's instructions or will their dreams melt away.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE: The great musician Orpheus vows to bring back the soul of his beloved Eurydice from the depths of Hades. But the task he must complete to reunite with his love turns out to be as tortuous as the fate he will have to endure.

PERSEUS AND THE GORGON: When the evil king threatens Perseus' mother, he must bring back the head of Medussa - who's stare will turn anyone who looks upon her to stone. Will the help of the gods be enough to aid in this seemingly impossible task?

THESEUS AND THE MINATAUR: With the help of a beautiful princess, Theseus tracks down the man-eating Minotaur, half-man, half-bull to prove his courage and loyalty. A fight to the death ensues, and a shocking secret emerges.

Rating:
Summary: The don't make 'em like they used to.
Review: This is no where near the quality of the original Storyteller. When I bought it I thought since it was cheap, and since I loved the first soo much that it wouldn't be so bad. Boy was I wrong. Every story dissapointed me, and it's a black mark on Jim Henson's name in my opinion. Save your money!

Rating:
Summary: Immerse Yourself In Ancient Mythos...
Review: Whether you are a Mythology major in a university or one who has become so familar in the subject that you consider yourself an expert, you are sure to love these myths-come-to-life retellings brought to the screen. Kept in the same vein as Jim Henson's The Storyteller series featuring John Hurt, this series is also told by a teller of stories represented by Michael Gambon and with as much ability to mesmerise the listener as his predecessor.

The music (which is a crowning point, in my opinion) is weaved by Rachel Portman who, as always, delivers a lovely score marred fittingly with dark, forboding - yet bittersweet tones. In many instances such as in the tale of 'Orpheus & Eurydice', the climatic storytelling is accompanied by the score which successfully heightens the intensity of what will happen next. Everything set to music from Eurydice's 'birth' to Ariadne's furious curse when she realises Theseus has abandoned her is rapturously beautiful, chillingly haunting.

The acting performances are also well worth mentioning, most notably that of Gina Bellman [Eurydice], Jesse Birdsall [Aristaeus] and Maggie O'Neill [Ariadne]. Whether it be the wonder found in new life, mischief or the sting of being betrayed, these things prove small feats to bring across by such seasoned performers as these.

Having waited what seems forever for this program to come to DVD, I am ecstatic that it finally has. Remaining true to the original Grecian myths, this series will be cherished for ages to come in the homes of fantasy and mythology lovers alike.