This is an article I just read about Sesame Streets new shtick, instead of Elmo's World, it will be Elmo: the Musical. One of the interesting aspect of this Elmo show is that Elmo will be dancing and singing and that will show Elmo's feet. Most puppets do not show their bottom half because, as puppets, it would take 3 puppeteers to control a full body puppet. Don't get me wrong, it can be done.
As seen in this scene, that I found quite frightening as a child.
Nonetheless, it is more expensive and difficult to have a full body puppet then just torso up. But, Sesame Street has to compete with many more children shows then it did in the 1960s when it was first introduced to television. These new shows are often digital art or mixed media animation--- often including the computers to manipulate the images. I'm not knocking CGI at all, but it is monopolizing children's shows. Pixar has produced great movies, I'd list them but you already know them all. I didn't go see Brave though, Pixar's new film. Personally, I'm not a fan of the style to which Pixar makes humans, and I'm bored of CGI. Puppets are losing their spark to our new culture. I went to Disney World, as I have stated previously. While I was there I found that Winne the Pooh is getting kicked out for Duffy Bear, (a new marketing scheme,) and the Muppet 3-D Show is on it's last legs. The Muppets movie that came out in 2011, and I thought that would be a revival of the Muppets. Seems as though not really. Disney is also the owner of the Muppets now, not Jim Henson Productions. This makes me upset because as a child and even now, I love Disney. I love Disney World and Lion King and other heart-warming things. Maybe I'm getting old and I'm not use to the change. Muppets should be Henson's in my opinion. Winnie the Pooh also had a movie come out last year and it was AMAZING. Narrated by John Cleese and including music from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. One of the few hand drawn movies that have come out recently. Yet, it seems it wasn't a huge hit. "Moderate success" is how Wikipedia put it.
I hope that Elmo: The Musical works for Sesame Street because it is one of the better children shows out there.
And on my last note: we need more puppets! I brought this topic up with some friends and I got a list of puppet movies to watch:
- Avenue Q
- Meet the Feebles
- Strings
If anyone has puppet movie suggestions, please feed my interest.
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