I am Big Bird

 

My Childhood started of with the muppets as my friends and they never stopped being my friends. From the beginning I started off watching Sesame Street. As I aged I later turned to re runs of the muppet shows and later to the Muppet Movies. I have found that some of my characteristics even come from some the muppets. It was the muppets that helped me find my interest in film and movie and if it was not for the muppets I don't think I would be doing what I do today.

 

Jim Henson's name is a icon for me and my family and both me and my mom both had the desire to work under Mr Henson producing television for families to enjoy. So as you can see when I went into watching This Documentary “I Am Big Bird” you could see how I would have high expectations.

 

You know my entire life I have looked at big bird and I have never thought about what make big bird run. Who was the person that was inside the bird. My suspension of disbelief was strong. This also happened to be the theme for this Documentary. It tries to show the man behind the bird which is Caroll Spinney. This Documentary is centered around Mr Spinney and for good reason, He is and continues to be Big bird.

 

This show starts of with the beginning about how Mr Spinney Started off playing with puppets as a kid and later growing up to go into air force. Then later working for a short time in TV. Eventually he decided to create his own show for theater where he would have a puppet show in front of a rear projected screen. Unfortunately for him the lights from the auditorium drowned out his projector rendering the performance useless. He did not give up however. He went to the back of the screen and gave a short performance in a shadow puppet style of his frustration over the technical difficulties. On of the people in the audience happened to be Jim Henson. After the show was over Jim went back to meet with Mr Spinney and Offered him a job to work on the muppet show.

 

Mr Spinney and a rough start from on the muppet show but it wasn't until he became the Big bird did he really hit his stride as a muppeteer. The documentary goes into great detail about how big bird and Mr Spinney is one and the same, kind, gentile, loving, and most of all kid like with a big curiosity.

 

Big bird Became an Iconic Success and probable one of the most recognizable Characters from both Sesame Street and the Muppet Show. How ever life at home was not so kind. His wife cared very little for his performance as big bird and they eventually separated. Leading Mr Spinney into dark times. He even thought about quitting the show, not happy with his living arrangements in New York. Luckily for Mr Spinney he was discouraged from quitting by a close friend and told Mr Spinney that he should wait a month to see of things would turn around for him self.

 

This Documentary is masterfully made, and has a notable sound track through out the telling of stories that helps to amplify the emotional tone of this movie. There was several times while watching this film where I had to hold back tears as I watched the events unfold for Mr Spinney. Is this because I hold the Muppets close to my heart? Maybe. But the emotional delivery from this Documentary was off the scale and very uplifting to see such a kind relatable man behind the Big Bird. This is a documentary that I would recommend to any film student, all of my friends and family, as a much watch film. I and I guarantee this you will come out from watching this documentary happy to have met Caroll Spinney.