Just in time for Earth Day 2010, Lionsgate is releasing some environmentally-conscious blasts from the past in Jim Henson's The Song of the Cloud Forest and Other Earth Stories. The DVD features four unique programs produced by The Jim Henson Company and all centered on the interconnected nature of animals and the environment. Each of the programs originally aired at some point from the late 1980s thru mid-1990s.
"The Song of the Cloud Forest" premiered in 1989 as part of The Jim Henson Hour on NBC and focuses on Milton, a golden toad in the rain forest who can't find a date. Using a variety of very colorful Muppets and backgrounds, Milton discovers from two humans (called "uprights" by the animals) that he's an endangered species and worries that he'll never find his mate. When he and his friends discover that the uprights have a female golden toad in a cage that they're using to lure Milton out, he has to figure out what to do... Will he try to free her or will he run away to avoid capture himself?
The whole premise of this segment is that we (humans) don't understand that everything is interconnected, the animals must somehow express this sentiment to save the rain forest. Though the uprights in this instance see the light, I'm not convinced that the rest of the world understands this simple idea even 20 years later. We can only hope that with growing awareness around the world we will eventually find ways to get across the message that humans must stop destroying our planet. If not, we will be killing more than a few trees and frogs — we'll be committing suicide.
The only negative comment I have about "The Song of the Rain Forest" is that it looks like someone designed it while on an acid trip. The colors are far too bright in just about every scene, which distracts viewers from the message and enjoying the story and songs. However, if you wear sunglasses during those "too bright" bits, you'll probably be just fine.
Next on the DVD are two episodes of Jim Henson's Animal Show with Stinky and Jake, "Owl & Frog" and "Kangaroo & Frog." "Owl & Frog" originally aired in 1996 on Animal Planet during season 3 of the series and "Kangaroo & Frog" aired on Fox Kids in 1994. The Animal Show is set up in a talk-show format with Stinky the skunk and Jake the polar bear interviewing different animals and sharing fun facts about animals and the environment. They are cute and fit in well with the overarching theme of the set.
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