My love affair with Emmett

I don't know how to say this, so I guess I'll just come right out with it. I'm in love with an otter. Well, two otters, actually. And a porcupine. And some weasels, ferrets, badgers, foxes, bullfrogs, squirrels, and two rather frightening rabbits. I refer here, of course, to the amazing Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas, the Jim Henson extravaganza. We used to watch this little tv movie every year when I was a child, and I remembered the song "When the river meets the sea" until I became an adult, because I loved it so much. And guess what. The movie is just as sweet and endearing and full of fantastic music as I remembered it being. Watched it last night on dvd, and just about cried. Absolutely lovely.

And that's not even mentioning the amazing dvd extras, all of which were worth the price times 100. The making of doc is funny and full of interviews with everybody from puppet makers to songwriters (one, Paul Williams) to vocal talent. And the Outtakes! Oh my god! I have not laughed that hard in a long time. To watch Ma Otter say "Sweet Jesus!" and little Emmett ask for spare change to buy his Ma some Ripple, well, words cannot capture the sheer madness of it. I am in love with Frank Oz. And how much does it suck that Jim Henson died. The man was a genius of the highest order.

I definitely need to get every Jim Henson project on dvd. If they are even half as entertaining and informative as this one, they're worth it.

All right, I've said my piece. Go, go and watch Emmett Otter. You won't be sorry.