The Weinstein's go to FRAGGLE ROCK
5/13/2008
Posted by Nicole
The Weinstein Company is getting down in "Fraggle Rock," adapting the classic Jim Henson television series into a live-action (puppet action?) musical feature for the big screen. The deal was made between the Jim Henson Company and Harvey Weinstein – who along with conquering Asia has been looking to conquer the family-friendly film market since leaving Miramax.
Written and directed by "Hoodwinked!" helmer Cory Edwards, the "Fraggle" pic will take the assorted cast of Fraggles outside of Fraggle Rock to the human world where they must interact with those of us not covered in plush, orange fur – they believe the people they meet are extraterrestrials – but this is coming from a group that thinks nothing of a talking garbage pile, right?
Producing on "Fraggle Rock" is Frank Zappa spawn Ahmet – now divorced from Selma Blair and looking for something more substantial in his career. "Fraggle Rock" is still sacred ground for many young adults. The series which ran for five seasons on HBO beginning in 1983 made a generation believe that Fraggles and Doozers could peaceably co-exist – as long as nobody ate Doozer architecture, that is. Though the message of inter-puppet equality seems easy to dismiss, like everything that Jim Henson Studios undertook, "Fraggle Rock" was done with enough music and humor to make even race-relations seem fun.
I admit that I missed most of the "Fraggle Rock" heyday. I couldn't afford HBO when I was a kid – insert violin solo here. I did watch the re-runs that HBO continued to run well into the 90s, however, and one thing you have to say for "Fraggle Rock" – the show holds up incredibly well. Recent sales of the first three seasons on DVD have been brisk, making a major "Fraggle" motion picture seem long-overdue. If you are still not convinced, perhaps you should reacquaint yourself with Convincing John Fraggle: he could convince a Gorg that they're a Doozer.
Consult the all-knowing, all-seeing Trash Heap here.
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