Follow That Bird Discussion Thread

[minor muppetz]

does anyone know how much this film grossed?

I don't know exactly how it grossed, but I have read that it was number 85 at the box office in 1985 (how ironic.... being number 85 in 1985). I have once seen a list of the top ten most successful theatrical movies based on live action childrens shows, and Follow That Bird was on the list, I think at number 8 or 9. Also on that list were Elmo In Grouchland, all six Muppet movies (The Muppet Movie was #1), the Lizzy McGuire Movie, and (annoyed sigh...) Barney's Great Adventure. it seems strange (and at the same time interesting) that neither of the Power rangers movies were in the top ten, but all of the muppet and esame street movies were there (and what's Barney doing with higher profits at the box office than the power rangers?)

And now, let's get back on topic...

 

[AAO]

LOL! well - I've got the pics - just PM me your email addesses and I'll send'em...

 

[minor muppetz]

I have looked at the back of the DVD box and noticed one picture that has Big Bird sitting in a vehicle (probably the truck, though it's shot at an angle where it's a little hard to see the truck driver) and looking sad. This wasn't in the movie. was it in the book? I know that Big Bird seemed happy throughout the sequence that he was in the turkey truck.

I wonder why Miss Finch and the Dodos voices were dubbed by celebrities/ outside people instead of the regular performers. Kathy Mullen probably should have performed Miss Finch and either Mommie or Marie Dodo while Richard Hunt should have performed either daddie or Donnie so that Richard and Kathy's principle muppet performers credit would have made more sense. Or perhaps the performers inside the suits should have done the voices as well.

 

[BEAR]

I have looked at the back of the DVD box and noticed one picture that has Big Bird sitting in a vehicle (probably the truck, though it's shot at an angle where it's a little hard to see the truck driver) and looking sad. This wasn't in the movie. was it in the book? I know that Big Bird seemed happy throughout the sequence that he was in the turkey truck.

I wonder why Miss Finch and the Dodos voices were dubbed by celebrities/ outside people instead of the regular performers. Kathy Mullen probably should have performed Miss Finch and either Mommie or Marie Dodo while Richard Hunt should have performed either daddie or Donnie so that Richard and Kathy's principle muppet performers credit would have made more sense. Or perhaps the performers inside the suits should have done the voices as well.

They way those puppets were built it probably wasn't possible for the same person to do both the mouth/voice and the acting. They seemed to be more like the Gorg puppets than the Big Bird puppet (which has one person inside the suit doing everything).

 

[minor muppetz]

They way those puppets were built it probably wasn't possible for the same person to do both the mouth/voice and the acting. They seemed to be more like the Gorg puppets than the Big Bird puppet (which has one person inside the suit doing everything).

Would that mean that the voice actors also worked a glove that would radio controll the mouths, or would there be an additional puppeteer for that, making Miss Finch and the Dodos performed by three people each (with one performer not being given credit for the performance, as Miss Finch and the Dodos all had two people each credited for playing them).

I don't think any of the voice actors were puppeteers, so I'm doubtful that the voice actors would have radio controlled the mouths of their characters. I don't know anything about Brian Holfield, who voiced Daddie Dodo, but I know that the other voice actors were at least semi-big stars. Larane newman, who voiced Mommie, was probably the biggest star of the voice actors, Sally Kellerman, who voiced Miss Ginch, was in the original M*A*S*H movie, Cathy Silvers, who voiced Marie, had previously played Jenny Piccalo on Happy Days a few years earlier (though I'm not sure how big a star she is outside of her Happy Days role), and I think Eddie Deezen, who voiced Donnie, is more of a voice actor than a regular actor (though he has played live action roles in movies such as 1949), but his voice has been heard in a lot of cartoons, including Dexter's Lab and The Polar Express (though I guess being a voice actor in a lot of successful animated roles doesn't automatically make you a star).

I thought that Miss Finch at least looked like she was performed the way that Big Bird is. The Dodo's short of looked like they weren't moving their mouths when they talked in wide shots (the tip of their beaks got in the way of their mouths) but in close ups it looked like they moved their lips perfectly fine, making me think that the Dodos were puppets in close-up shots and costumes for wide shots (I don't know for sure whether I'm right or wrong).

 

[BEAR]

Would that mean that the voice actors also worked a glove that would radio controll the mouths, or would there be an additional puppeteer for that, making Miss Finch and the Dodos performed by three people each (with one performer not being given credit for the performance, as Miss Finch and the Dodos all had two people each credited for playing them).

I don't think any of the voice actors were puppeteers, so I'm doubtful that the voice actors would have radio controlled the mouths of their characters. I don't know anything about Brian Holfield, who voiced Daddie Dodo, but I know that the other voice actors were at least semi-big stars. Larane newman, who voiced Mommie, was probably the biggest star of the voice actors, Sally Kellerman, who voiced Miss Ginch, was in the original M*A*S*H movie, Cathy Silvers, who voiced Marie, had previously played Jenny Piccalo on Happy Days a few years earlier (though I'm not sure how big a star she is outside of her Happy Days role), and I think Eddie Deezen, who voiced Donnie, is more of a voice actor than a regular actor (though he has played live action roles in movies such as 1949), but his voice has been heard in a lot of cartoons, including Dexter's Lab and The Polar Express (though I guess being a voice actor in a lot of successful animated roles doesn't automatically make you a star).

I thought that Miss Finch at least looked like she was performed the way that Big Bird is. The Dodo's short of looked like they weren't moving their mouths when they talked in wide shots (the tip of their beaks got in the way of their mouths) but in close ups it looked like they moved their lips perfectly fine, making me think that the Dodos were puppets in close-up shots and costumes for wide shots (I don't know for sure whether I'm right or wrong).

Miss Finch could have been performed the same way as Big Bird only with the actress' voice dubbed. The Dodo's I think were done the same way the did the Gorgs on Fraggle Rock with one person in the suit and someone else doing the voice and radio controlled mouth. Could be wrong though.

 

[AAO]

I agree that it was radio controlled - cuz there's a scene where Donnie and Marie are sitting on the swing and the door bell rings. Both character's 2 hands and 2 arms are moving just as the mouth is. And the eyes are moving as well - so I'm going along the lines of Radio Control. Cuz when miss Finch is in the hay field - I think both of her arms move as she moves her mouth and eye lids. So maybe she was radio controlled too..

 

[minor muppetz]

Since we seem to be getting some new members I figured I'd revive this old thread.

 

[superboober]

I agree with the rest of the you: it's a classic. They should do something like this more often. My favorite moments:

-the opening Grouch National Anthem (Oscar was the second star of this film)
-the Dodo's fabulous runaway lawnmower
-Grover slamming through the roof of Gordon and Olivia's car ("You are not Big Bird! You are imposterers!")
-Cookie completely eating up the car on his own (well, if he could take out a hot dog stand in Don't Eat the Pictures, a Volkswagen's no problem at all)
-Chevy blowing the Street's name live (that's why he's Chevy Chase and we're not, although the baker who falls down the stairs during the song of 10 sketches might be a close relative)
-the entire Don't Drop Inn sequence; I'm still hope the grouch yelling "WHERE's MY JELLO!!??" drops by to visit Oscar sometime
-Super Grover all but killing himself trying to bend the cage bars
-BERT: You see anything, Ernie?
ERNIE (through binoculars): Your nose, Bert!

And many more.

 

[minor muppetz]

-Cookie completely eating up the car on his own (well, if he could take out a hot dog stand in Don't Eat the Pictures, a Volkswagen's no problem at all)

Shouldn't it be the other way around? A Volkswageon is probably bigger than a hot dog stand. Also, while he did eat all of the hot dog stand, he didn't eat the entire volkswageon. There was enough left for people to push.