Drtooth's Elmo's World Happy Holidays review

Drtooth

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(Disclaimer: this is the actual aired TV version, not the video or DVD. Things may be missing)

Okay, I know what you're thinking. Elmo's World? Come on!?!?!! But trust me on this one. If you can see it on Television, you'll be pleasantly surprised, like I was.

It starts out like anyother Elmo's World. He says, "Guess what Elmo's thinking about to day.. YAH TA TA TAAAA..." He opens the closet, and Christmas Presents and orniments fall on him , "That's right! Christmas!" A short segment is played with short live clips, like usual (watch for a guy dressed up as Santa Claus about to go surfing..) and he does about the same stuff he always does. Then Missletoe drops over his head, and the door keeps kissing him until Elmo tells him to stop! (this becomes a running gag) All of the sudden, there's a knock at the door, and it's Kelly Ripa as Mail Carrier Kelly (who's a little too devoted to her job). She brings Elmo a christmas card from Big Bird and Snuffy. They hope Elmo has a great Christmas and Big BVird and Snuff keep switchiung off like this

"with family"

"and Food!"

and Presents!

and Food (etc.)

Apparently, Christmas Dinner is big at Snuffy's house.

Then Elmo plays his "what's the right answer game" with Santa Claus as the subject. (i.e. where does Santa live? In a shoe, in a Lake or iat the north pole?) He concludes with what does santa Bring you? A present or a smelly old shoe? (Present!) Oscar than appears and says, "Unless you're a grouch! Then you're present is the shoe! It's begingin to smell a lot like christmas!"

Elmo then wonders how christmas started. Then he gets an E-mail from Praire Dawn who is putting on a Christmas pagent! (it gets fun here! Trust me). Bert is Joeseph, Rosita is Mary, and Natasha is baby Jesus! They sing in the normal style in Praire's plays. Then everything goes wrong. Bert is allergic to hay, and Baby Natasha keeps crawling out of the crib. Enter the three wise men played by Herry, Grover, and Cookie Moster, who respectively give "Jesus" Gold, Francensencse and Cookies. Praire corrects Cookie, to his reply.."well, then you won't be needing these! and eats them Zoe appears as an angel for the big finish, and Natasha crawls away again.

Elmo discovers he didn't get anything for Dorothy, and kelly comes back with a Hannuka (sp?) card, and Elmo attemps to play it.. thinking it's a harmonica card. Elmo has no idea what this holiday is, and then watches (get this..) the Hannuka channel! Then, a sweet and funny little cartoon is played. A reporter names Monica Harmonica (?) tells the story of Hannuka. They first go back in time too soon (1970's, people are disco dancing) and then too much (dinosaurs). After going into the right time period, , thjey tell the tale of Macabee who (rather than a bloody battle) ousts the ruler by kicking him out. They then tell how the oil in the lamp lasted for 8 nights in which they got more oil. Macabee says, "WOW!! That's some lamp." and the lamp replys, "It's not me! It's a hannuka miricle!" Comming up next on the Hannuka channel, "To Macabee or not to Macabee!"

Elmo gets an E-mail from Telly and Baby Bear who teach (briefly) how to play the Dredle game! They sing the song, and Telly is nervous about playing. He then gets the Gimmel, and wins the game. Then, Poppa bear gives them Hannuka Gelt (SP?) which Telly then thinks it's gold. "I'm rich!! I'm rich!!" Baby Bear then tells him, it's chocolate, and Telly says, "THAT'S EVEN BETTER!!!!!"

Kelly returns with a Kwanzaa card from Gordon's family. Elmo has no idea about this holiday either, then Kelly tells him that he knows this little boy on her route that celebrated this holiday. A short segment of a human kid (not a muppet) celebrating this holiday is aired.

After that, Dorothy imagines Elmo and a band of Africa American musicions do an ethnic dance, to celebrate Kwanzaa.
Then they talk to a bunch of other kids about their holidays. They bring up Ramamdan, Three Kings day, among others.

Elmo, still not knowing what to give Dorothy, tries to mail a letter to Santa Claus, but Kelly is off duty. So he goes there himself. At which point, the elves are really working hard, and killing themselves to get Christmas ready (i.e. they keep falling over carrying too many gifts!) Santa sings a nice song to Elmo, and tells him to give her something from his heart! Elmo gives her a Drawing.

At the end, a group of Carolers (a funny run ning gag! They are old 18th century English carolers whoi sing beautifully, but talk like Jerry Lewis) and Elmo sing the Happy Holidays song (to the tune of Jingle bells) while the cast of Sesame sings the REAL Jingle Bells.

Coming up next, my thoughts...
 

Drtooth

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my thoughts...

First off, let me appologize if I spelt anything wrong. I am a BBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD speller, so don't take any offense!

Secondly, here's what I thought of the special itself. I actually like Elmo, and I think that this is one of the best Christmas specials made specifically for kids in recent years. I enjoeyd it. The Nativity featuring Sesame Street characters was really funny. I saw it and I just cracked up!!! I know Humphry and Ingrid (?) are very proud of their baby Natasha, but funny thoughts filled my head. Imagine their reaction when their baby plays Jesus! And it was so great to see Herry, Cookie, Grover, et al involved. And not to mention the classic Prairie's play tune (Welcome, oh Welcome, to our little play, I'm glad that you could join us today!). I also thought the Carolers were hilarious. They only sang "We wish you a Merry Christmas," over and over. They sang beutifully, but spoke so comically. Now that was definately a gut buster! I even liked it when they sang to Dorothy (We FISH you a merry Christmas!)

Plus I liked how they talked about other holidays, and customs. Unfortunately, sometimes too briefly. They told little about Kwanzaa, and Ramadan was mentioned only in passing by a few muslim kids that were interviewed. I think they should have gotten into more detail here, like discussing what Ramadan is, or explaining the 7 principles of Kwanzaa (only two were mentioned) Plus, dispite the fact I just LLOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Telly, I think they should have talked (or gotten E-mails) from International characters, like the cast of Rechov Sumsum/ Simsim or Talakine Sesame (for Hannuka, Ramadan, and Kwanzaa respectively.) much like they did in the old New Year's special.

SOme parts, I will not lie to you, are only for little kids. Specifically, the things they ALWAYS do in Elmo's world.

Plus, though this was a very good special, it wasn't as classic and fun as Chistmas Eve on Sesame Street, or Elmo saves Christmas. It's more educational than fun, but it's still fun to watch.

I give it 3 and a half Kermit heads.
 

Daffyfan4ever

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Actually, I haven't watched it yet (out of embarassment of people hearing that I'm watching a Sesame Street show in a college dorm), but I did fast forward through it and it seems like it was mostly animated segments and things like that. How many of the Muppets were actually in it? Also, you mentioned about Elmo getting a Kwanzaa card from Gordon's family. Was he or any of the humans on Sesame Street actually in this? I've noticed they haven't appeared on "Cinderelmo," so that's why I'm kind of curious. Oh another thing, how do Bert and Grover sound? I understand that it's now Eric Jacobson doing their voices rather than Frank Oz, so I'm sort of wondering about that too.
 

Drtooth

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Re: Reply

Originally posted by Daffyfan2002
Also, you mentioned about Elmo getting a Kwanzaa card from Gordon's family. Was he or any of the humans on Sesame Street actually in this?
Well, They did have the cast in the opening and closing. I can remember seeing Maria, Luis (?) and Allan. Cna't remember anyone else. The Cards that Elmo gets are like his E-mails. They talk and such, so Gordon, Susan and Miles were in it.

As for Frank's characters, Grover sounded very good, just like he sounded when he was most popular in the 70's and 80's. He didn't quite have the lilt to Frank Oz's voice than most of Frank's characters had, though. Bert sounds a bit gruff, like he has a frog in his throat, and Cookie sounds great, like he sounded (such the case with Grover) during earlier appearances.

Sorry If I can't get into much detail. I saw it at 8 a.m. Saturday morining while I was still sleepy!
 

Daffyfan4ever

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That's okay. Like I said, I taped it so maybe I'll find some time to watch it with my brother and sister when I get home from the dorm.
 
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