Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird

views updated

Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird ★★½ Follow That Bird 1985 (G)

Possibly the best children's TV show in the history of the medium makes a so-so transition to the big screen. Suffering an identity crisis, a lonely Big Bird allows himself to be adopted by a family of birds. Quickly realizing that his new family is a bunch of dodos (literally), the big guy heads back to NYC, followed by a vindictive social worker, two scheming carnival owners, and the assorted residents of Sesame Street. There are great moments (mostly involving Super-Grover and Ernie & Bert) and some fun cameos from Waylon Jennings and SCTV alumni, but it never lives up to the potential of the TV show. 92m/C VHS, DVD . Sandra Bernhard, John Candy, Chevy Chase, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Waylon Jennings; D: Ken Kwapis; W: Judy Freudberg, Tony Geiss; C: Curtis Clark; M: Lennie Niehaus; V: Carroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz.