New Sesame Street documentary based on "Street Gang" to premiere in April 2021

[zns]

Well the DVD and Blue-Ray got released earlier this week. Has anybody gotten their copy yet? And special features or content?

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

I was wondering the same thing. It was confirmed that there would be bonus features.

 

[Oscarfan]

Spurred by zns' post, I darted off to my local library that happened to have a DVD copy already. I don't know if there might be a little more on the Blu-ray, but the DVD has a little over 12 minutes of deleted scenes (including more Muppet outtakes).

 

[LittleJerry92]

I imagine the blu-Ray definitely has a lot more, but that sounds like a promising feature.

 

[Oscarfan]

I believe they said there's 16 minutes total. There's an extra 3-minute-ish deleted scene included only in the iTunes extras, so I'm guessing there's not going to be much more on the Blu-ray.

 

[MrMuppet93]

Did they include the CPB-era NET logo that starts with triumphant synth tune and the colors form the letters with The Lone Ranger announcer Fred Foy saying "This is NET. The Public Television Network!" or just be historically inaccurately put that baloney 1971 PBS logo when that newly formed network wasn't completely organized to even LAUNCH let which it did in 1970?

 

[antsamthompson9]

I finally got around to seeing this. Seeing Jon Stone's kids interviewed was a nice treat. I really liked seeing all the behind-the-scenes footage and outtakes, plus the footage of the cast and crew singing Put Down the Duckie.

 

[minor muppetz]

I’m surprised I still haven’t talked about this. I was surprised to actually see a copy of the DVD at Walmart not long after it was released.

It is a great documentary. Part of me wishes it did go a little more into the 1990s to today, but it is great to have so much classic focus - with very little of Elmo (I think Elmo only shows up near the end).

I like that version of “Put Down the Duckie” with the cast and crew in place of the celebrities (I’m guessing that came in season 19 or 20 as opposed to 18). Though I have trouble identifying everybody and the image is a bit small to really see everybody in the really large crowd shots (I wish a full screen version of that could surface). I like when the performers sing a verse and then Richard Hunt (I assume) shouts “yeah!” like a rock star. Muppet Wiki sources Kevin Clash as performing Ernie’s right arm during his cameo in that, but Ernie does not appear in any new footage (only Hoots does), making me wonder if they left something out of that.

 

[Muppet Master]

I gave this a watch after reading the book by Michael Davis. It's free on Pluto TV for anyone who is interested.

I have to say that my favorite part was the various Sesame bloopers that pop up (there's a particularly hilarious one with Kermit and Gladys). It was also great to see interviews with the surviving human cast members. This sadly marked the final film appearances of both Emilio and Bob, so I'm glad we got their insight. I was also shocked by how much footage they had that I've never seen before, especially the Joe Raposo interview & behind the scenes footage from decades ago.

I do think they kinda glossed over a lot though. Of course Jim's death was a turning point in the show's history, but Raposo, Calloway, and Hunt also died around the same time, and their passings had an impact as well. And they focus a lot on Jon Stone, but they don't talk about his disagreements with the show's direction in the '90s.

In general, this is worth a watch, but it's better as a companion piece with Davis's book, so reading that before watching this gives you the best experience.