As a teenager growing up in baltimore in the 1970s, clash had very different aspirations from his classmateshe wanted to be a part of hensons team, the creative force. As a teenager growing up in baltimore in the 1970s, clash had very different aspirations from his classmates he wanted to be a part of. This documentaries is sentimental, heartfelt, inspiring. A puppeteers journey focuses on the muppet performer kevin clash, who performed and voiced elmo, the adorable and lovable red monster from sesame street until late 2012. A puppeteers journey panel during the pbs portion of the 2011 summer tca tour held at the beverly hilton hotel on july 31. His name is kevin clash, and he is the fiftysomething sesame street performer who operates and voices the character of elmo. To this day, when a make a wish child or a sick child is there, the majority of the time, theyll ask for elmo. The movie follows his upbringing in baltimore, his passion for creating and performing with puppets. Starved for content, the whimsical illusions, the tricks that once inspired our young minds have all been demystified. Criticisms and nitpicks crumble at the feet of a documentary like being elmo.
A puppeteers journey is a wonderfully uplifting, positive, insightful portrait of kevin clash, the man behind elmo, the popular muppet character. However, few people know the softspoken man behind the furry red monster. A puppeteers journey is a 2011 american documentary film about kevin clash, a puppeteer who performed the sesame street character elmo. One of my most anticipated films of the 2011 sundance film festival was a. There is very little magic left in the world of hollywood. A puppeteers journey, which premiered at sundance back in january. Beloved by millions of children and adults alike, sesame streets elmo is an international icon. Elmo puppeteer resigns after fresh allegation the new. It is sad that of the 15 documentaries currently nominated for the 2012 oscars this wasnt one of them it clearly deserves to be it may not be about great injustices or uncovering the new, but it does something that. Elmo was on sesame street before clash joined the show, but he wasnt the smiley, loveable puppet we know today. A puppeteers journey tells the story of elmos creator kevin clash, whose childhood dream was to work with his idol, jim henson.
A puppeteers journey november 1, 2012 as more and more pictures and reports come in, our thoughts are with our resilient neighbors in the tristate area. Kevin clash, the man behind elmo of sesame street, as he chases and ultimately achieves his childhood dream of working with master puppeteer. A puppeteers journey, which christens the bloor cinema as the new home of hot docs this friday. Narrated by whoopi goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage. After working in the music industry for several years, including positions in artist management and marketing, she became the director of the american film institutes new york office. Its moral of following your dreams is tearinducing, its intimate interviews with the man himself adorable and the ups and downs that he faced on the journey inspiring. Puppeteer kevin clash speaks during the independent lens being elmo. A puppeteers journey follows clashs remarkable career, while also offering a behindthescenes look at sesame street and the jim henson workshop.
Elmo character and name are trademarks of sesame workshop. Corinne has reunited with her 8th grade film classmate connie marks to produce being elmo. Suitable for all audiences this documentaries is sentimental, heartfelt, inspiring. Anyone looking for a salacious and dramatic unveiling of the drama behind the magic of childrens puppetry wont find it here. A puppeteers journey, a flawed documentary that has, at its center, the most unquestionably likable protagonist this side of marge gunderson. Provides behindthescenes views of sesame street and the jim henson workshop and featuring interviews with frank oz, rosie odonnell, cheryl henson, and joan ganz cooney. A puppeteers journey was released in 2011 and lasts 76 minutes. A puppeteers journey offers a backstage look at clashs life and times, a look into his working methods, and insight into how he informs elmos personality and uses the character to send a positive message to the world. Elmo used to be a caveman with a gruff voice and its clash who turned him into the personification of love. A puppeteers journey beloved by children of all ages around the world, elmo is an international icon. A puppeteers journey is a 2011 american documentary film about kevin clash, the puppeteer behind the sesame street character elmo who became a rising star and created a global sensation. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet the heart and soul of elmo kevin clash. A puppeteers journey 2011 interviews with frank oz, rosie odonnell, whoopi goldberg and others highlight a portrait of kevin clash, the.
Kevin grew up poor and africanamerican in baltimore. A puppeteers journey was one of the most talked about documentaries coming out of the 2011 sundance film festival. Beloved by millions of children around the world, elmo is an international icon. From his earliest childhood, he dreamed of becoming a muppeteer a puppeteer for the muppets. Youll see this firsthand in the festival awardwinning pbs documentary being elmo. The muppet elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. One of the biggest crowdpleasers out of this years festival circuit was being elmo.
Whoopi goldberg narrates elmo creator kevin clashs remarkable journey from a workingclass baltimore neighborhood to jim hensons sesame street. Sesame streets elmo the muppet is an international icon, loved by children of all ages around the. Elmos world is a five minutelong segment shown at the end of the american childrens television program sesame street. It premiered on november 16, 1998, as part of the shows structural change and originally ran fifteen minutes at the end of each episode until 2009, but was then rebooted in 2017. Documentary competition from the sundance film festival 2011 trailer genre. A puppeteers journey, a young man named kevin clash is seen trying to find a voice for a puppet he has made. There are two reasons why being elmo doesnt particularly work. A puppeteers journey on dvd april 3, 2012 starring whoopi goldberg. Narrated by whoopi goldberg, this behindthescenes insightful film follows kevin clash, the man behind the puppet, and his remarkable transformation from a dedicated teenaged puppeteer growing up in 1970s baltimore to an integral part of the sesame street team. Being elmo received its world premiere at the 2011 sundance film festival. Clash said in a statement, personal matters have diverted attention away from the. A puppeteers journey is above the average cinafilm score for movies made in 2011, which stands at 59%. Displaying his creativity and talent at a young age, kevin ultimately found a home on sesame street. Being elmo is a rather lightweight documentary looking at the celebrity muppet, elmo, and hisits puppeteer, kevin clash.
Few people know his creator, kevin clash, who dreamed of working with his idol, master puppeteer jim henson. Sesame street theme music by joe raposo lyrics by joe raposo, jon stone, bruce hart. Beloved by children of all ages around the world, elmo is an international icon. Other movies from 2011 with similar scores include films like tomboy, the lost valentine and win win.
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