"Follow That Bird"

[peyjenk]

My sister recently found Follow That Bird on DVD and bought it for me, and all kinds of memories came rushing back. This is a movie I loooved as a little kid, and even now, it is as fresh and funny and exciting as ever before. This film is timeless, and was produced right in what I consider the "golden age" of Sesame Street... before Elmo and Zoe, and back when Bob and Linda and Maria and the human adults were still pretty major characters.

So what are some of your favorite parts? Mine include...

-The Grouch restaurant.
-Seeing the Count's living room.
-Cookie Monster eating the car.
-Laraine Newman as Mommy Dodo.
-Sally Kellerman as Miss Finch.
-Miss Finch in general (so creepy!).
-Chevy Chase as the newsman ("Ses-same Street", lol).
-Ocean View, Illinois.
-"One Little Star".
-Big Bird and Gordon's conversation when Gordon is trying to save BB from the Sleaze brothers: "You should never jump from a moving vehicle! I shouldn't even be standing up!" "You have my permission, just this once!"
-And so, so, so many others that fail to come to mind right now.

 

[redBoobergurl]

Upside Down World with Ernie and Bert, apparently when I was little I would cry when Big Bird and Snuffy say goodbye and I wouldn't smile or start laughing again until Upside Down World came on. I also love the song Easy Going Day.

 

[theprawncracker]

Super Grover is hillarious in this movie, as is Telly and Oscar. I also really like Big Bird throughout, Carol held character really well, not really surprising though. Bert and Ernie's "Upside Down World" is also a highlight for me.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I just found the CD soundtrack for Follow That Bird at the bookstore recently. I didn't even know it was available! I'm so happy!

It's a great movie of course, wonderful story and the music is lovely. What I love most is how all the actors, puppets and humans, take it so seriously. It doesn't talk down to kids, you are seeing real emotions.

Plus it shows just how unusual Sesame Street is; they have all different kinds of creatures living together, and they're all happy. They are an example to us all in this film.

Even better, Miss Finch, pretty much the villian of the story, isn't punished or laughed at. They manage to peacefully come to an understanding. Often in films (kid or adult), the good guys prove how "good" they are but hurting the villians, which is rather unfortunate.

 

[janicegroupie]

I really love that the movie promotes diversity. It is such an important message and they teach it in a creative and entertaining way. Also love Upside Down World. Probably one of my favorite Ernie and Bert moments ever.

 

[minor muppetz]

It's a great movie, and an underrated classic. It's a shame that it's hardly mentioned in any Henson/ Sesame Street biographies, and a shame that Caroll Spinney and Kevin Clash didn't write about their experiences working on the movie in their autobiographies (does Roscoe Orman's autobiography include any info about this movie?). Does anybody know if any of the celebrities who appeared in the movie have ever written any autobiographies and wrote about this in their books? Have any of the movie's celebrities ever spoken about the movie in interviews? Were there any interviews regarding this movie when it was released? It would b great to know if Kermit, Grover, Ernie, Bert, Big Bird, or any of the other Muppets promoted this film on The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, or any other talk show at the time.

 

[SSLFan]

Let's see, what do I like about this movie...hmmm...everything! The Dodos were my favorite! Who played Donny Dodo? His voice reminds me of Mandark on Dexter's Lab!
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[Cecilia5]

-The Grouch restaurant.

Toss salad. haha. Best part!

 

[muppet maniac]

Let's see, what do I like about this movie...hmmm...everything! The Dodos were my favorite! Who played Donny Dodo? His voice reminds me of Mandark on Dexter's Lab!

Because Donny and Mandark were both voiced by the sme guy, Eddie Deezen.

 

[Andy]

This movie features a rare instance of Sesame Street doing product placement advertising. When Oscar and Maria are deciding where to have supper, Oscar complains that for lunch, Maria had to go and choose a place called "Friendly's". That bit makes me laugh every time, because it's so unlike a Sesame Street character to plug anything not related to Sesame Street.