Positive and Negative: Elmo In Grouchland

[MuppetSpot]

Also did Dave G. & Bill B. spend much time on set since Bill did a Grouch & Dave did the Giant Chicken or Did they do just a brief cameo roles.

 

[Drtooth]

I'd still like to point out that quite a bit of old school fans are baffled an Elmo movie about Elmo had so much Elmo in it.

And ...uh... Does not compute, I guess?

 

[DePingPong]

Wow, I haven't seen Elmo in Grouchland since I was kid, let's see what I can remember.

PROS:
-Ernie and Bert throughout the movie.
-The set for inside Oscar's trashcan was so cool. We finally got to see how huge Oscar's can was.
-Grouchland was neat


CONS:
-Huxley (I really didn't like him, maybe re-watching the movie would change this, as I haven't seen in it in about 15 years.)
-"Elmo's blanket this, Elmo's blanket that", I felt like there were definitly many more interesting ways to make the build up to Grouchland. But Elmo's only 3 so I guess him going crazy over his blanket fits.
-Zoe complaining about wanting the blanket all the time

I really don't remember much from the movie, it could definitely use a Blu-Ray release (as well as FTB...)

 

[Drtooth]

It deserves, at least, a proper widescreen release. The full frame pan and scan is almost as painful as the full frame version of Ghostbusters. I don't think I've said this for a while, but the reason I hate fullframe versions of movies comes from the fact the elevator scene was butchered so badly, the VHS copies should have came with a coupon for Dramamine. The transitions in EIG gave almost that same level of sea sickness.

 

[mr3urious]

It deserves, at least, a proper widescreen release. The full frame pan and scan is almost as painful as the full frame version of Ghostbusters. I don't think I've said this for a while, but the reason I hate fullframe versions of movies comes from the fact the elevator scene was butchered so badly, the VHS copies should have came with a coupon for Dramamine. The transitions in EIG gave almost that same level of sea sickness.

At least Follow That Bird got a widescreen release 25 years after it debuted.

 

[Drtooth]

While both movies were flops, FTB at least garnered a following. EIG has a following of mothers finding an Elmo DVD in the 5 dollar bin. Then again, it could all be because the rerelease of FTB pretty much launched WB's distribution deal for SW's DVDs. Otherwise, I wouldn't have seen WB bothering.

What it all boils down to for me between FTB vs EIG, FTB is by all means very much a product of the 1980's. It's a very 80's low budget kids' film...yet that lack of a massive budget and more reliance on actual on location shots made it look less dated and artificial than EIG. For what it's worth, FTB is for a slightly older group than EIG was, and somehow FTB treated the film more like a movie than EIG did, as it feels like just an extended TV special with a slightly larger budget. However, that actually works for EIG, but also why it plays better on a small screen (minus the *&%$ pan and scan). EIG looks like a kid's movie from its specific decade. Cleaner, crisper, more colorful. It works for that demographic on that level, but that's the same demographic that gave us Elmo's World, not so much as to capitalize on his popularity, but because the show bored kids at the 40 minute mark.

So I can see why as a movie that wouldn't have worked so well, despite being made just as the Tickle Me Elmo craze was still happening.

 

[D'Snowth]

CONS:
-Zoe complaining about wanting the blanket all the time

Once again, Zoe didn't complain about wanting the blanket: she just simply saw it lying aside, grabbed it to hold for a moment, Elmo got selfish and wanted it back, but Zoe wanted to hold it alittle while long, a tug-of-war ensued, it ripped, and the rest launched the movie. Zoe didn't even really mention the blanket again after that happened.

 

[Muppet Master]

Yikes, this movie is bad. I remember watching it once when I was younger, and never watching it again. My younger brother seems to enjoy it though. Funny, because on the other hand, I enjoyed FTB a lot and could not get enough of it. The thing that destroys this movie is first off alienating the audience that goes to the theaters. While FTB was made as more of a family movie similar to the first three muppet movies, EIG was a straight-up kids movie, like 3-6 years old, and anyone above the age of 8 would be embarrased to watch it. Instead of bringing their 4 year old to a theater at the expense of them making a scene or getting bored, why not pop in an Elmo VHS or flip on an episode of Sesame Street, problem solved. This is why making kids movies, not family movies, will result in faliure almost all the time. Getting back to the movie, it's just painful to watch, the plot is Elmo loses his blanket, that's it. The other Sesame Street characters do next to nothing, and most of the movie is Elmo whining about his blanket, we get forgetable side characters, and the only redeemable performance is Mandy Patinkin. If FTB is The Muppet Movie then EIG is Muppets From Space, just a terrible movie in my opinion, FTB is so much better.

 

[DePingPong]

Wow, I haven't seen Elmo in Grouchland since I was kid, let's see what I can remember.

PROS:
-Ernie and Bert throughout the movie.
-The set for inside Oscar's trashcan was so cool. We finally got to see how huge Oscar's can was.
-Grouchland was neat


CONS:
-Huxley
-"Elmo's blanket this, Elmo's blanket that", I felt like there were definitly many more interesting ways to make the build up to Grouchland. But Elmo's only 3 so I guess him going crazy over his blanket fits.
-Zoe complaining about wanting the blanket all the time

I really don't remember much from the movie, it could definitely use a Blu-Ray release (as well as FTB...)

Once again, Zoe didn't complain about wanting the blanket: she just simply saw it lying aside, grabbed it to hold for a moment, Elmo got selfish and wanted it back, but Zoe wanted to hold it alittle while long, a tug-of-war ensued, it ripped, and the rest launched the movie. Zoe didn't even really mention the blanket again after that happened.

My bad, haven't seen the movie in long time, didn't remember exactly what went down.

 

[Old Thunder]

it wasn't quite as bad as the "help" we never give in Thomas and The Magic Railroad

I know this is from a few years ago, but as a die-hard Thomas fan, and TATMRR being my all-time favorite movie, I felt I ought to stick up for it. I personally liked Mr. Conductor interacting a bit with the audience, made it a little more interesting in my mind.

Won't say much about Elmo In Grouchland, it's been a while since I've seen it, and I can only recall that I liked it back when I watched it.