Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey

2011
7.6| 1h20m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 21 October 2011 Released
Producted By: Constance Marks Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Beloved by children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon. Few people know his creator, Kevin Clash, who dreamed of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Displaying his creativity and talent at a young age, Kevin ultimately found a home on Sesame Street. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage, interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

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Reviews

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
SoftInloveRox Horrible, fascist and poorly acted
DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Imdbidia Although I grew up with Sesame Street, I met Elmo when I was already an adult and I completely felt in love with the character at first sight. I'm still in love with Elmo because he makes me laugh every time, he makes my heart melt, and I love his mix of naughtiness, innocence, tenderness, laughter and love for the world. That is not Elmo, is Kevin Clash's puppeteer mastery and soul poured into the character.Watching this film put a face and a story to the wonderful character that Elmo is. To me, this documentary is mostly the story of how a passion for puppetry drove and drives the life of Kevin Clash, how he has devoted his life to creating magic, and how he went from a working-class multi-racial suburb in Baltimore to the top of the world following a dream. This is a documentary on a remarkable journey that was not lead by money, delusional grandeur or by coming from an influential family, but by being very talented, passionate and hard working, and meeting wonderful people who saw the gem in Clash without him having to beg, or manipulate them or play them. I also loved all the information about Henson's troupe, of whom Claus would end becoming a member. I loved the Muppet Show and Henson's amazing fantasy worlds when I was a kid, and getting to know more about him and his work was also wonderful. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary, there are a few things missing that I though that kept the doco on a plateau instead of taking it to another level. The first is Woopie Wholberg's narration; I'm a fan of Woopie, but she's uninspired here, and I felt the narration was too flat. Most importantly, some facets of Clash's personal life were never discussed, were jumped over or vaguely mentioned: > His father barely says anything about him in the film. > There is little mention of his upbringing at home and in Baltimore. > We don't know if he had ever to deal with nasty racial issues. > Also, a good part of his married life is not mentioned, and he only divorced in 2003, like a big blank there. > The film being from 2011, I wasn't expecting the scandal that followed Claus and ended his career at the Sesame Workshop in 2012 to be discussed, but that being the case, a good part of who he is, a guy man who had relationships with co-workers were never to be discussed. This is a wonderful window to who the man behind Elmo is, and what took him to get there. Although the documentary is good, there are a few relevant lacunae that make the documentary a bit flawed, and the tone of the film feels flat at times. Yet, if you love Elmo you are going to love it.
Mike B This is such an awe-inspiring, life-affirming documentary! How can one not admire and love the creators of Sesame Street? I still remember watching this show almost daily with my children as they were growing up.This documentary recounts how at a young age, Kevin Clash, was obsessed with puppets – and strived to be a puppeteer. He started with a local show in Baltimore, moved to Captain Kangaroo – and finally reached his dream with Jim Henson's Muppets and Sesame Street. We feel his motivation and self-starting ability – and also his humbleness as he approaches his life's dream. What is of great significance is how he was mentored, by both his parents and fellow puppeteers – and how this mentoring tradition is being kept on. That is why Sesame Street has endured; entertained and educated children – and their parents, since it's inception in 1969.A wonderful documentary – highly recommended. Life proof-positive!
Sean Lamberger The super-sweet story of Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind Elmo and a variety of other characters, which doubles as a heartwarming look back at the attitudes and atmosphere behind the scenes with Jim Henson's troupe in the glory days. Clash is a master at his craft, a by-product of spending every afternoon since childhood with an arm inside a furry marionette, and when he's not on the air with the cast of Sesame Street, he's contentedly passing that knowledge on to the next generation. It's an attitude he inherited from Henson and his close associate Kermit Love, who took Kevin under their wing and showed him the ropes without any pretense or hesitation. Too often we're too concerned with job security to share the intimate details of our craft with others, least of all the rising young stars, but Love and Henson adopted Clash with selfless warmth and care, a lesson he hasn't forgotten and continues to roll forward to others today. They're a perfect embodiment of everything the Muppets have stood for, complete with a contagious smile that didn't leave my face for hours.
intelearts It is sad that of the 15 documentaries currently nominated for the 2012 Oscars this wasn't one of them - it clearly deserves to be - it may not be about great injustices or uncovering the new, but it does something that the very best documentaries can do - it makes the world a a better place and the viewer a better person for watching it.This is simply one my favorite films of the year. Kevin Clash is the man behind Elmo, but he is also a man who never ever wanted to do anything from his earliest memories than to make puppets and be a puppeteer. We live in an age where, thank goodness, video records childhood and meetings and TV archives have the records - so we get not only the interviews but also some wonderful footage - and the full story of how Kevin went from making puppets in his bedroom to being a world-class puppeteer. I do like documentaries - and the best transcend their category and simply take you on the journey - that journey that the greatest drama and comedies can - where you can't wait to see the next frame - where as the story unfolds so does the magic.Being Elmo does have movie magic. What lifts this is the joy it brings and shares, not just the Muppets and Jim Henson, but just the wonderful spirit that doing what you really love can bring.It may not be a pure documentary in the truest sense of the word, but is immensely charming and it leaves you laughing, crying, and wishing everyone got to do what they hoped to do as a child.