Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird

Infobox_Film
name=Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird


caption = "Follow That Bird" movie poster
imdb_id=0089994
writer=Judy Freudberg
Tony Geiss
starring=Caroll Spinney
Jim Henson
Frank Oz
director=Ken Kwapis
music=Lennie Niehaus
Van Dyke Parks | distributor=Henson Associates
Warner Bros. Pictures
released=August 2, 1985
runtime=89 minutes
language=English
preceded_by=
followed_by="The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland"
awards=
producer=Tony Garnett
budget= |

"Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird" (commonly shortened to "Follow That Bird") is a film directed by Ken Kwapis, starring many "Sesame Street" characters (both puppets and live actors). This was the first of two "Sesame Street" feature films, followed in 1999 by "The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland". The film was produced by Henson Associates and Warner Bros. Pictures, and originally released to movie theatres in 1985.

Songs include "The Grouch Anthem," "One Little Star" (sung separately by Big Bird, Olivia and Snuffleupagus), "Ain't No Road Too Long" (sung separately by Big Bird, Waylon Jennings, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Grover, the Count, Gordon, and Olivia), "Upside-Down World" (sung by Ernie and Bert), "I'm So Blue" (sung by Big Bird), and "Easy Goin' Day" (sung by Big Bird and a young Alyson Court, who would go on to star in "The Big Comfy Couch" and numerous voice acting roles).

Plot

Big Bird is sent to Oceanview, Illinois, to live with a family of dodo birds by Miss Finch, a social worker who thinks he needs to be with his own kind (other birds, instead of the diverse Sesame Street). His new family thinks exactly the same, even saying Big Bird should have a bird as a best friend instead of Mr. Snuffleupagus. This causes Big Bird much distress.

He soon runs away from home. His Street friends band together to find him. In a Volkswagen Beetle is the group of Gordon, Olivia, Linda and Cookie Monster. Count von Count departs in his own car, known as the Countmobile. Bert and Ernie go out to search in a plane, Grover flies as Supergrover and later falls into the Volkswagen. Maria leaves with Oscar, Telly and a Honker in Oscar's Sloppy Jalopy. They all head out across America in search for their beloved Big Bird.

Big Bird has various adventures in his attempt to get home. First he hitches a ride with Waylon Jennings who plays a turkey truck driver. He then meets a pair of kids at a farm who let him stay with them for a while. All the time, Big Bird is being pursued by Miss Finch who wants to take him back to the Dodos. He has to leave the farm because of her arrival.

He is also sought by two scam artists, the Sleaze brothers, who operate a lousy carnival, the Sleaze Brothers Funfair. They want to capture Big Bird to put him on display. The Sleaze Brothers do soon capture Big Bird, but with the help of two new friends, he is soon rescued safely. The Sleaze Brothers are pulled over by a state trooper (John Candy) who questions them about multiple felonies. Sam tries to cover up the situation, but the officer simply replies "Tell it to the judge".

When he is finally brought home, Big Bird's family on Sesame Street convinces Miss Finch that Big Bird can be, and "is", happy there on Sesame Street—that it does not make any difference that his family consists of humans, monsters, grouches, honkers, and the other varieties of eclectic species on Sesame Street. What matters is that they are "family."

At the beginning of the end credits, Count von Count begins to count the movie credits (in a nod to the original series, Count calls Joan Ganz Cooney, the co-creator of "Sesame Street", "mom" when her name is credited as one of the executive producers). By the end of the credits in a brief "bonus scene" Count announces 278 credits and does his trademark laugh accompanied by a thunderclap (no lightning flash was present as was in his usual running gag).

Cast and characters

* Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
* Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog and Ernie
* Frank Oz as Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover
* Jerry Nelson as Count von Count, Herry, and Biff
* Richard Hunt as Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, Bird, Feathered Friends Owl, Sully, Monster
* Martin P. Robinson and Bryant Young as Snuffleupagus
* Kevin Clash as Board of Birds, various Muppets, Elmo (uncredited small cameo)
* Kathryn Mullen as
* Laraine Newman as Voice of Mommy Dodo
* Brian Hohlfeld as Voice of Daddy Dodo
* Cathy Silvers as Voice of Marie Dodo
* Eddie Deezen as Voice of Donnie Dodo
* Sally Kellerman Voice of Miss Finch
* Bob McGrath as Bob
* Roscoe Orman as Gordon
* Linda Bove as Linda
* Sonia Manzano as Maria
* Emilio Delgado as Luis
* Loretta Long as Susan
* Alaina Reed as Olivia
* Alyson Court as Ruthie
* Sandra Bernhard (Grouch waitress)
* Chevy Chase (news anchor)
* John Candy (state trooper)
* Waylon Jennings (truck driver)
* Joe Flaherty As Sid Sleaze
* Dave Thomas As Sam Sleaze
* George Lucas, in a small cameo

External links

*
* [http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/1324-follow-that-bird Follow That Bird Review by the Nostalgia Critic]