Jim and Jane Henson founded the Jim Henson Company all the way back in 1958. In the nearly 70 years since the visionary couple formed their family-owned and operated creative outfit, The Jim Henson Company has become one of the premiere puppetry and animatronics studios on earth, and home to a pair of the most globally recognizable brands in all entertainment; Sesame Street and The Muppets.

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The company has always possessed a creative ethos of unbridled imagination, as well as the reputation of being a fertile incubator for legendary talent, dating back to a young Frank Oz who began his career as a puppeteer and performer on "The Muppet Show" at the age of 19. The Jim Henson Company has amassed an expansive catalog of movies, which span generations, tones, genres, and a litany of striking visual palettes. But across its vast and varied canon, The Henson Company always makes movies that contain a singular ineffable essence, that stems from the deeply humane, hilariously insightful, and wonderfully warped mind, of Jim Henson himself.

Muppets from Space (1999) - 6.2

Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, 'Muppets in Space'

In 1999, Kermit and the Gang took things interstellar with Muppets from Space. The movie, while far from perfect, remains an underrated Henson company romp, that actually provides some riveting backstory in its investigation of the intergalactic origins of Gonzo the Great.

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Folks, don't let the somewhat middling 6.2 rating discourage you from checking this out. The movie's opening tracking shot, which glides throughout the chaotic interior of Muppet residence, set to The Commodores' 'Brick House', is arguably the best opening sequence of any entry in the ever-continuing Muppets saga.

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - 6.8

“Together Again” - The Muppets Take Manhattan

The third Muppets movie sees the lovable troupe of misfit entertainers, confront the tribulations of the artistic life when they graduate from college and struggle to realize their dreams of Broadway stardom in Muppets Take Manhattan. Veteran Henson Company contributor Frank Oz infuses this story of showbiz aspiration, with all the signature Muppets humor, and standout musical numbers that fans have come to expect from the series. But what makes this one special, is its ravishing and infectiously fun use of its setting - the bustling streets of 80s Manhattan.

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The movie is an evergreen time capsule that represents the early years of the Muppets, and a fantastic portal into a bygone era of NYC.

The Witches (1990) - 6.8

the witches 1990

The Witches is a Henson Company-produced Roald Dahl adaptation, directed by avant-garde international auteur Nicolas Roeg. It is also possibly the most vividly grotesque and transgressive movie that the company ever released.

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The eclectic cast, led by spooky-movie all-star Anjelica Houston, all work to bring a sense of unbroken commitment to the deliciously ghastly tone that Dahl's Witches provides. It's a Halloween cult classic, that is perhaps, closer to tween-friendly than child-friendly.

Muppet Treasure Island (1996) - 6.9

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Image via Disney

The Henson Company's second official "Muppet-ization" of a classic literary tale came in 1996 with Muppet Treasure Island. This nautical lark of a Muppets adventure, is generously adorned with swashbuckling sea shanties, heart-skipping pirate romance, rivers of buried treasure, and an all-time human performance in a Muppets production by the inimitable Tim Curry as Long John Silver.

Much of the pure enjoyment in this telling of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, comes down to all of our favorite Muppets, substituting their usually static uniforms for both the grungy ruffles and hoop earrings of the pirate-era garb and the gaudy pageantry of British high-society. Fozzie Bear dressed as a foppish British elite, is particularly rich.

The Muppets (2011) - 7.1

Promotional image for 'The Muppets' (2011) showing Jason Segel, Amy Adams, and multiple muppets.
Image via Walt Disney

2011's The Muppets was a soft reboot for the series and a tremendously charming one at that.

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Among other things, the movie allowed Jason Siegel to realize his dream of being in a Muppet movie (Forgetting Sarah Marshall Fans know), filled in the Paul Williams songwriting void with Flight of the Concords' Bret Mckenzie, and saw the Muppets kidnap Jack Black and tie him up on stage for the sake of increased viewership. It's a truly delightful romp, and one of the absolute best muppet musicals of all time.

The Dark Crystal (1982) - 7.1

Kira, Jen, Dark Crystal.

Jim Henson was always in a constant state of experimentation and metamorphosis as a storyteller. His natural curiosity as an artist led to more "left-field" projects like The Dark Crystal. And though it never rose to the same level of mainstream exposure as The Muppets or Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal imprinted heavily on those who happened to catch it at the right age.

Once a legitimate cult film, The Dark Crystal has now been reclaimed as a modern fantasy classic. It even inspired an excellent spinoff Netflix series called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, which explores the world that Henson created in the original, through the advent of stunningly baroque puppetry and expansive world-creation.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981) - 7.1

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Image via Jim Henson Company

The Great Muppet Caper was the second Muppet movie ever released, and the first to take matters internationally. Timeless trio Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo set off to England with the ambition of interviewing recently-robbed fashion designer Lady Holiday (played by the late great Dame Diana Rigg), and in the hopes of getting to the bottom of her case, and land the story of a lifetime in the process.

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With almost as many standout musical moments as the original Muppet movie, a hall-of-fame Muppet movie supporting performance by Charles Grodin, and a persistently engaging and hilarious mystery/heist element woven into the plot, The Great Muppet Caper fits solidly in the distinguished pantheon of Henson classics.

Labyrinth (1986) - 7.3

Labyrinth movie david bowie and jennifer connelly social

Labyrinth, sadly, was the final feature-length film that Jim Henson directed in his life. Famously starring the late, great David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King and a young Jennifer Connely as frustrated older sister lost in a fantastical world Sarah, this movie's reputation speaks for itself.

Labyrinth is an opulent display of the sheer level of craft that Jim Henson and his studio had access to at its creative peak. The movie is a musical parade of awe-inspiring creature design, masterful puppetry, and inspired set design, all accompanied by a number of brand-new, authentically great Bowie jams, to boot.

The Muppet Movie (1979) - 7.6

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The one that started it all, The Muppet Movie hit cinemas in 1979, and the world saw the illustrious gaggle of goofballs hit the big screen for the very first time. By 1979, The Muppet Show had become a phenomenon on television, so audiences of all ages were poised to see the Muppet's first cinematic foray. And it did not disappoint.

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Prolific songwriter Paul Williams and composer Kenneth Ascher wrote a collection of timeless ditties that are performed in the movie including the iconic "The Rainbow Connection". This foundational Henson Company flick follows Kermit as he rises from banjo-playing country frog, who spends his days atop a log deep in the Florida everglades, to inside a Hollywood studio lot aside from a glorious collection of other characters from across the Henson-verse. Despite its age, this one still plays like a house on fire.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - 7.7

Michael Caine as Scrooge with Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo in The Muppets Christmas Carol
Image via Disney

Guillermo Del Toro once co-signed the opinion that The Muppet Christmas Carol was in fact, the best cinematic adaptation of the Dickensian holiday classic. And who can argue? Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge is remarkably natural onscreen as the lone human being in an ensemble of bug-eyed hand-puppets. Caine never feels as if he's overcooking his performance for the sake of childish theatricality. The movie's ornate creature design and set creation reached new highs for the Muppets franchise as well.

Director Brian Henson (son of Jim) and company both nail the gothic tone of Dickens' weighty morality tale and manage to fully maintain the comedic spirit of the Muppets ethos, simultaneously. The Muppets Christmas Carol remains a prevailing holiday favorite, that Henson fans of all ages, return to year after year.

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