Follow That Bird (1985)--3/5

I've been meaning to watch "Follow That Bird" for twenty-four years. It's the first movie that I can remember directly advertising itself to me. Sesame Street Magazine had a little book that could be cut out and assembled. When you turned the pages, the same image of Big Bird followed through holes in the page and appeared in various scenes from the film.

The biggest thrill of the original Muppet movies comes from seeing the familiar creatures out of context or in the real world. "Follow That Bird" doesn't disappoint on this front. Sesame Street itself is freed from the limitations of television production. It's been bulked up with the another side of the street(!) and the camera moves freely around the set. Much of the rest of the film is of Big Bird walking through the Midwest.

"Follow That Bird's" story becomes too simple at times, resembling nothing more than a Muppet-themed "Cannonball Run." The Followers' vehicles--Count's Countmobile, Grouch's trash jalopy, and Gordon's VW Beetle, complete with Cookie Monster battle-fatigue--are designed with their Happy Meal toys in mind. The sly education of Sesame Street takes a backseat to road movie standards and fuzzy lessons tucked into songs.

The Muppets save the movie from ever imploding. With Big Bird's limited set of movements, Caroll Spinney manages to evoke his hopes and fears. The Sleaze Brothers paint him blue and keep him in a cage, but it's Spinney's puppeteering and singing that bring the tears (to kids, not to me!).


As a selling point, Elmo appears on the DVD's front and back covers. "Follow That Bird" was filmed before Elmo even existed in his present form. He's in the film for maybe two seconds, and with a low, Grouch-like voice.