Follow that Bird

Hey, look! Remember the Big Bird movie? I didn't really remember it. I know I've seen it when I was little, but not since. I'm going to count it as new-to-me and worthy of a short review.

Follow That Bird was from Sesame Street at its Elmo-less prime, back when Big Bird was the character that kids all loved. Surprisingly, it was Ken Kwapis' directorial debut. He has directed a lot of movies that aren't really on my radar, but also a lot of television that is, including lots of episodes of The Office, and a couple of Freaks and Geeks episodes.

The movie opens with a group of bird social workers deciding that Big Bird, an orphan, needs to be surrounded by birds. They place him in a house of Dodos. Big Bird can't stand it and decides to run back to Sesame Street. Meanwhile, all our friends on Sesame Street go on a cross-country chase looking for him.

I liked seeing Sesame Street turned into a movie set. It was already a pretty magical place, but in movie form, it is infused with a life that public television could never afford. It looks like a real inner city street, but in it, humans and muppets intermingle and go about their daily life like it's nothing.

Follow That Bird is, of course, a G-rated movie, made specifically for kids, but, just like Sesame Street, there is plenty in there for the adults to enjoy too. Lots of fun cameos, including a funny bit by Chevy Chase and Kermit the Frog, and SCTV greats Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty play the villains. They seemed to be having a good time. Ken Kwapis clearly gave them a lot of freedom to mess around.

Grover and Cookie Monster get all the best stuff. Grover gets to be Super Grover through most of the movie! The Count drives a pretty rockin' car that I wish I had. I think I had a Happy Meal toy of it.

The score is pretty nice. It's by Van Dyke Parks. It was just an interesting coincidence that I watched this so soon after watching Popeye, the only other movie I've ever seen scored by him.

I feel a little ludicrous writing about Sesame Street like this, but I don't know why. I still watch videos on Youtube. Check out the Monsterpiece Theatre bits, they hold up as well as any other great sketch comedy. They even did a parody of Twin Peaks back in the day.

So, hey, Follow That Bird holds up as well as the Muppet Movies of the 80's. It's probably more enjoyable with kids in the room, but I don't have kids and I enjoyed it plenty. If you don't experience a wave of joy every time you see all these beloved childhood friends of ours, then you need an inner child injection, STAT.

Follow that Bird: B