Kathryn Mullen Movies
- 2001
Lion parents Theo and Cleo live with their children, Lionel and Leona, in a special library in the PBS series Between the Lions, a program designed to help children learn to read. The library is full of lively characters, some leaping off the pages of books to sing and perform entertaining skits, as the lion family shares its favorite stories. In "Between the Lions: The Lost Rock," a rock rolls out of his book and cannot remember which one it is. With some help from the lions, he find his way home again. ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- 2001
This is an educational video aimed at the children's audience, between the ages of four and seven years. Funded by a Ready to Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program was produced for PBS. In its first season, the series won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming. The show was developed with reading and literacy experts, with the goal of interesting children in the pleasure of reading. This episode stars a little duck who does not want to be thought of as cute, but rather longs to be mean and scary. He gets help changing his image from Lionel the Lion. Songs, skits, puppets, animation, and live action make learning fun for kids in this video. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
- 2001
Between the Lions is an award-winning PBS series, aimed at children ages four to seven, that features a family of reading lions and employs puppets, animation, and live action. In this episode, Leona's new hat is half-green and half-red. Conflict arises when characters on opposite sides of the hat see it as either all green or all red. The arguments are resolved when the lions realize that it's best to try to see both sides of a disagreement. Winner of an Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming award from the Television Critics Association, Between the Lions has also been endorsed by the National Educators Association (NEA), the nation's largest teachers organization. Designed to introduce kids to the world of literature and to encourage learning as a fun activity, Between the Lions deals with a family of lions -- Theo and Cleo and their cubs, Lionel and Leona -- who live in and run a library that's populated by an eclectic menagerie of characters. Each episode centers on a book or other piece of written material that the lions and their friends discover in the library. ~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
- 2001
Between the Lions is an award-winning PBS series, aimed at children ages four to seven, that features a family of reading lions and employs puppets, animation, and live action. In this episode, a rambunctious ram abandons his book and wreaks havoc by butting everyone and everything in the library. Winner of an Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming award from the Television Critics Association, Between the Lions has also been endorsed by the National Educators Association (NEA), the nation's largest teachers organization. Designed to introduce kids to the world of literature and to encourage learning as a fun activity, Between the Lions deals with a family of lions -- Theo and Cleo and their cubs, Lionel and Leona -- who live in and run a library that's populated by an eclectic menagerie of characters. Each episode centers on a book or other piece of written material that the lions and their friends discover in the library. ~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
- 2001
This PBS series, Between the Lions, uses an appealing family of lions -- Theo, Cleo, Lionel, and Leona -- to help children learn to read. The family lives in a library where characters can move right off the pages, vowels can sing, and words come to life. The lessons are brief, full of humor, and delivered by colorful characters of the animated, human, and puppet variety. Reading skills are reinforced with skits and songs. In this episode, "Between the Lions: Little Big Mouse," the lions' friend, Click the Mouse, gets jealous after learning the story line of Aesop's fable, The Lion and the Mouse. ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- 2000
First aired in 2000, Between the Lions is a delightful PBS kid's program designed to encourage independent reading and practice literary skills. The show takes place in a grand library run by the highly literate lion family: mom Cleo, dad Theo, brother Lionel, and sister Leona. The family gets help from technology guru Click the Mouse and reference-section dinosaur Heath the Thesaurus. Phonics instruction is provided by the Motown-style girl group Martha Reader and the Vowelles, while the recurring saga of adventure hero Cliff Hanger helps to build fluency. Meanwhile, the crusty old bust of founder Barnaby B. Busterfield III sits atop the library's dome complaining to the adorable old city bird couple Walter and Clay Pigeon. Between the Lions is recommended for kids aged four to seven. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Miniscule Fraggle leader Travelling Matt issues his final 13 reports on the wonders of Outer Space (aka the "real" world) during the fifth and last season of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock. As always, things are moving apace in Fraggle Rock, the tiny community hidden under the huge stone lying in the backyard of the house owned by human inventor, Doc. In the season opener, a Magic Mirror reveals quite a few surprises to Red Fraggle on the occasion of her 28th birthday. In later episodes, Matt's nephew, Gobo, attempts to solve the "Riddle of Rhyming Rock"; Doc's dog, Sprocket, pays another chaotic visit to the Fraggles; Boober Fraggle comes to the rescue when the "Silly Creatures" pollute Fraggle Rock's water supply; the annual arrival of the pink Knobblie vines precipitates a most unusual adventure; and gruesome Junior Gorg prepares to become king, whether anyone likes it or not. In the series' last episode, Doc finally tumbles to the existence of Fraggle Rock -- placing the fate of everyone in that world in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Parkes, Lee Armstrong, (more)
As the Jones family celebrates Christmas Eve, so does another part of their household: the playroom, where the toys come to life in excited anticipation of the new toys to come the next morning. Though Balthazar the bear encourages the toys to welcome the new additions with open arms, Rugby the tiger plots to make sure he remains the Jones' favorite Christmas toy. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- 1986
"Head Fraggle" Travelling Matt continues to act as liaison between his own tiny world and Outer Space (otherwise known as the "real" world) during season four of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock. As before, Matt manages to escape the detection of Doc, the human owner of the house behind which the giant stone separating Fraggle Rock from the Outside has been resting for all these many years. The season opens with Doc's dog, Sprocket, running loose in Fraggle Rock, much to the confusion of the residents. Later on, the sullen Boober Fraggle is transformed into "Dr. Fun" in a bid to become more popular; Matt returns from Outer Space just in time to discover a magical cavern; Boober and Wembley Fraggle find their friendship threatened by a rare "Perfect Blue Rollie"; Red Fraggle confronts a mighty dragon during a visit to T. Matthew Fraggle; and the gruesome Gorgs mistake an amnesiac Boober for their own son, Junior. In addition to the 13 new episodes seen on HBO during the 1986-1987 season, the series began its first rerun cycle on the TBS cable superstation. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Parkes, Lee Armstrong, (more)
- 1985
- G
- Add Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird to Queue Add Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird to top of Queue
The first film to be adapted from the popular children's television series Sesame Street, Follow That Bird follows the story of Big Bird after a social worker (Sally Kellerman) takes him away from Sesame Street to live with a family of birds in Illinois. Unhappy in his new surroundings, Big Bird attempts to hitchhike back home to Sesame Street. Over the course of his journey he meets a number of odd and charming characters, in the form of cameos by Chevy Chase, Sandra Bernhard, Waylon Jennings, Dave Thomas and John Candy. The music for this engaging family film was written by Van Dyke Parks and Lennie Niehaus. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carroll Spinney, Jim Henson, (more)
Season three of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock serves up 13 new adventures, taking place in the tiny world hidden beneath the big rock that rests in the backyard of human inventor, Doc. As before, head Fraggle Travelling Matt continues in his explorations of Outer Space (otherwise known as the "real world"), sending back his discoveries in the form of postcards to his home turf of Fraggle Rock. A Christmas parable, "The Bells of Fraggle Rock," opens the series' third season. In subsequent episodes, a huge, pink glob from the gruesome Gorg Family's castle wreaks havoc during Fraggle Rock's annual Joke Day; Gobo Fraggle seeks out a cure for the dread Pebble Pox; Wembley Fraggle finds a magic bottle and uncorks a surprisingly nasty genie; the ability of the Fraggles' furry tales to register "fear" is given quite a workout; Pa Gorg's fear of heights is exposed during a cloudburst, and the hardworking Doozers accept the wrong creature as their long-awaited king. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Parkes, Lee Armstrong, (more)
Jim Henson's Muppets find themselves in Manhattan yearning to get a musical on Broadway in this charming film that also chides show business and its foibles. Kermit the Frog has just put together a successful variety show at Danhurst college (probably somewhere between Amherst and Dartmouth), and although he would like to mount it on Broadway so he would have a hit and be able to marry Miss Piggy, he cannot find backers. The Muppets are then forced to take jobs to support themselves, and it is while working as a waiter that Kermit meets the friendly Jennie (Juliana Donald). Jennie is the daughter of the owner of the restaurant and a source of great jealousy for Miss Piggy, who does not like competition. With stunning musical numbers involving a hundred or so Muppets and on-scene locations in New York City, the film is impressive in its merging of technical achievements and acting. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Henson, Frank Oz, (more)
Travelling Matt, the leader of the teeny-tiny Fraggle civilization, continues to dispatch informational postcards during his journey into Outer Space (actually the "real" world) during season two of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock. As usual, there's a lot of activity in the world beneath the rock in the backyard of the house owned by human inventor Doc. The opening episode is the Dr. Seuss homage "Wembley's Egg," in which Wembley Fraggle protects a lost baby Tree Creature. Later, Travelling Matt returns from Outer Space, only to get into a personality clash with his jealous nephew, Gobo. And in other episodes, noise-sensitive Boober moves into the Cave of Boredom for peace and quiet; cloddish monstrosity Junior Gorg tries to get rid of the Fraggles' precious Trash Heap; Mokey Fraggle decides to live the life of a wandering minstrel; Doc's dog, Sprocket gets stuck in the tunnel between Outer Space and the Fraggles' world; the Doozers uncharacteristically enter into a building competition; Doc's radio causes confusion and disunity amongst the Fraggles; and a huge caterpillar saves Mokey from the evil Gorgs. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Parkes, Lee Armstrong, (more)
Although kindly old inventor Doc is unaware that a tiny civilization lives beneath the rock behind his house, Doc's dog, Sprocket, is all too cognizant of this phenomenon. Thus is established the premise of the live-action puppet show Fraggle Rock, which launched its first season's worth of 24 half-hour episodes in January of 1983. The stories deal with the colorful, carefree Fraggles, the hardworking and industrious Doozers, and the gross, dictatorial Gorgs. The first episode, adroitly titled "Beginnings," finds head Fraggle Travelling Matt venturing out of Fraggle Rock and into "Outer Space" (aka the real world), sending postcards of the various wonders he's witnessed to his nephew, Gobo. In later episodes, Wembley Fraggle's willingness to be agreeable to everyone he meets plays right into the hands of the Gorgs; the Doozers are frustrated by the Fraggles' insistence upon eating their construction jobs; Gobo and Red Fraggle go on a treasure hunt; Boober Fraggle gets his feelings hurt once too often; the Fraggles' precious radish supply runs out; and Mokey's efforts to one-up the Gorgs culminate in her funeral -- even though she's very much alive! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gerard Parkes, Lee Armstrong, (more)
Jim Henson ventures into Tolkien territory in his all-Muppet fantasy feature The Dark Crystal. The titular Crystal maintains equilibrium in a mythical kingdom. When the Crystal is broken, the evil Skeksis take over, killing off the good-guy Gelflings and enslaving everyone else. Two of the Gelflings have survived: Jen was raised by the all-knowing Mystics, while Kira grew up amongst the swamp-dwelling Podlings. Jen and Kira join forces to "heal" the precious Dark Crystal and restore order to their world. Adults may find the whole affair a little precious, while children may be disturbed by the film's mortality rate. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, (more)
The Great Muppet Caper is the second Muppet film and it is considerably more complex than its predecessor, The Muppet Movie, which was essentially just a road movie. As the film begins, Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear are reporters who have failed to bag a story of a London jewel heist, which happened under their watch. The real criminals managed to escape and frame Miss Piggy as the thief. Kermit, Fozzie and the Great Gonzo set out on a mission to solve the mystery and track down the criminals who stole the Baseball Diamond. There are fewer star cameos and songs in The Great Muppet Caper than in The Muppet Movie, although appearances from John Cleese and Charles Grodin are particularly memorable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg, (more)
The second entry in George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the green-as-grass hero from the first film, now a seasoned space warrior. Luke's Star Wars cohorts Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) are likewise more experienced in the ways and means of battling the insidious Empire, as represented by the brooding Darth Vader (body of David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones). And, of course, "The Force," personified by the ghost of Luke's mentor Ben Kenobi (Alec Guinness), is with them all. Retreating from Vader's minions, Luke ends up, at first, on the Ice Planet Hoth, and then the tropical Dagobah. Here he makes the acquaintance of the gnomish Yoda (voice of Frank Oz), whose all-encompassing wisdom comes in handy during the serial-like perils of the rest of the film. Before the film's open-ended climax, we are introduced to the apparently duplicitous Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and are let in on a secret that profoundly affects both Luke and his arch-enemy, Vader. Many viewers consider this award-winning film the best of the Star Wars movies, and its special-effects bonanza was pure gold at the box office. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, (more)
Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, from of the large crew of loveably fuzzy characters created by puppetmaster Jim Henson, have embarked on a quest for stardom. They take a trip to Hollywood, riding in or on a wide variety of vehicles along the way. They begin their journey on a bicycle pedalled by Kermit, but friends accumulate along the way, and they change vehicles to accomodate them. They have the additional challenge of fending off the entreaties of the heartless Doc Hopper (Charles Durning), who wants Kermit to make some advertisements promoting fried frog legs. Kermit must also cope with his amorous feelings for Miss Piggy, and hers for him. This appealing children's adventure movie has numerous scenes which do homage to classic films, and features a huge cast of Hollywood greats, from Edgar Bergen to Orson Welles, in cameo roles. A great box-office success, this movie paved the way for a number of sequels. One of the film's many songs, The Rainbow Connection, was nominated for an Oscar. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jim Henson, Frank Oz, (more)
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