What's Wrong with Cinderelmo?

[backpackmina]

I recently watched my old Cinderelmo tape yesterday for the first time in like 8 years. I then looked up the reception of it and was honestly surprised to see that it was negatively panned. I thought it was pretty cute and nice! Does anyone see anything wrong with Cinderelmo, because I sure don't.

 

[D'Snowth]

Maybe considering Elmo already had a theatrical movie a year earlier that perhaps giving him a TV movie afterwards might have been a tad much for some.

Maybe, I don't know.

 

[minor muppetz]

I had no idea that it was negatively panned. I'm pretty sure that the Muppet Central review at least gave it a good review (I haven't looked at that review in awhile).

Although I haven't watched it very many times, I've always liked this special. There's so much to like about it. It includes appearances by nearly every major Sesame Street character who was part of the show at the time (except for Oscar), a few minor characters pop up as well, it has one of Kermit's last Sesame-related appearances, and we get a good amount of screen time for Frank Oz's characters (though it seems like others did the actual performing... According to Muppet Wiki, Kevin Clash and Steve Whitmire alternated between performing Grover, so I'm not sure if Frank did any actual puppeteering here).

Maybe considering Elmo already had a theatrical movie a year earlier that perhaps giving him a TV movie afterwards might have been a tad much for some.

Actually, Elmo in Grouchland came out the same year (it was two months earlier). And this is a TV special, not a movie.

 

[D'Snowth]

According to Muppet Wiki, Kevin Clash and Steve Whitmire alternated between performing Grover, so I'm not sure if Frank did any actual puppeteering here).

Rick Lyon also performed Grover too - he had a blurb on his website about it, talking about how Grover is the world's most perfectly constructed puppet, because his neck falls exactly at your wrist, and has such a wide range of movement and flexibility that makes him so easy to manipulate.

Actually, Elmo in Grouchland came out the same year (it was two months earlier).

Ah, okay. I don't recall it hitting our airwaves till 2000. And it was on FOX, for some reason - what network did it originally air on?

And this is a TV special, not a movie.

Well, it was a looong special then, because even with commercials, it seemed to fill an hour and a half/two hour slot.

 

[minor muppetz]

Ah, okay. I don't recall it hitting our airwaves till 2000. And it was on FOX, for some reason - what network did it originally air on?

It first aired on Fox in December 1999 (according to Muppet Wiki, it was December 6, 1999). I guess that's close enough to 2000.

Though I think the video release actually gives it a 2000 copyright (along with mentioning Sony Wonder Home Video in the credits, and I don't mean logo credits). I was surprised when I saw this on video and the end credits showed clips from the special, because I remember the end credits being on a plain black background (for the first few credit screens, before switching to the split screen credits many channels do).

 

[backpackmina]

Here's one negative review from the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/06/a...a-meets-the-muppets-a-tale-of-the-market.html

The critic keeps complaining that this was made just for merchandising and marketing and while that MAY be true, you still have to give it credit that it wasn't rushed-looking for the sake of marketing like, say, that Elmo in Grouchland Singalong.

I do agree with him on French Stewart's performance - not the best, but at least it's better than Inspector Gadget 2. I still get nightmares of that movie, believe it or not.

Whatever. I still love this movie, or tv special if you prefer. Cookie Thief got nothing on Cinderelmo.

 

[minor muppetz]

Here's the very positive Muppet Central review: http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/reviews/tv-film/cinderelmo.shtml

The critic keeps complaining that this was made just for merchandising and marketing and while that MAY be true, you still have to give it credit that it wasn't rushed-looking for the sake of marketing like, say, that Elmo in Grouchland Singalong.

Aside from a home video release and maybe a soundtrack, I don't think there was any official CinderElmo merchandise. At least no toys. I'm starting to think maybe there was a book adaptation.

One thing I find wrong with this special, and I think I've seen this criticised somewhere online before, is Zoe's presence. Elmo fills the male Cinderella role, and yet Zoe is just there. She's not mistreated like Elmo, but she also doesn't get the special treatment of Telly and Baby Bear (and the stepmother doesn't let her go to the ball, either). It's sort of pointless. Zoe might as well have been Cinderella (but then what would Elmo do?).

 

[backpackmina]

Aside from a home video release and maybe a soundtrack, I don't think there was any official CinderElmo merchandise. At least no toys. I'm starting to think maybe there was a book adaptation.

K-Mart had a big campaign on it.

 

[backpackmina]

One thing I find wrong with this special, and I think I've seen this criticised somewhere online before, is Zoe's presence. Elmo fills the male Cinderella role, and yet Zoe is just there. She's not mistreated like Elmo, but she also doesn't get the special treatment of Telly and Baby Bear (and the stepmother doesn't let her go to the ball, either). It's sort of pointless. Zoe might as well have been Cinderella (but then what would Elmo do?).

Same here. I honestly forgot about her after just a couple of scenes. Did she even have any big lines?? I also did not like that the human castmembers weren't anywhere to be seen, not even in the background.

 

[Drtooth]

I do agree with him on French Stewart's performance - not the best, but at least it's better than Inspector Gadget 2. I still get nightmares of that movie, believe it or not.

I don't see why they followed up overly loveable lug Gadget with whiny Gadget, but then again they completely discarded classic cartoon oblivious, slightly egotistical Gadget both times, so...

Suffice to say, I hate both movies, but give credit to the second one for at least trying to incorporate cartoon elements. They name dropped some of their villains and kept Dr. Claw faceless. So much better than the dumb "used to be fat" jokes from the first movie. Was..was that supposed to be funny?