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Back to Back SIFF: Tuesday and Wednesday movies
Thu, May. 29th, 2014 06:29 amI Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
Caroll Spinney is one of the original Sesame Street puppeteers. He's made a career of playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. Narrated by the man himself, his wife, friends, family, and coworkers, this documentary tells the story of Spinney's life via home movie and video (his life has been remarkably well-documented) as well as clips of his work, so we not only get to hear but also see snippets from his original forays into puppetry, his eventual hiring by Jim Henson, and everything that came after. One thing I learned: As a way to get children excited about space and science, NASA invited Spinney, as Big Bird, to go up in the space shuttle. The trip was cancelled because the costume was too big. NASA, still wanting to get the attention of kids everywhere, invited a teacher instead. Remarkable. He's lived an amazing life. It's a sweet and very loving documentary, and I was glad to share it with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
snarke, with whom I saw what I think of as its companion film, Being Elmo, which I reviewed as part of an epic post in 2011. (I want to note that the film had one unexpected effect for me personally in that Spinney, in some scenes, bears an astonishing resemblance to dochyel, so I had the disconcerting experience of watching a complete stranger who looks like a late, beloved friend on the screen. snarke saw the resemblance too. It was uncanny.)
A Street in Palermo
This Italian dramedy is set in, predictably, a narrow street in Palermo, where two strong-willed women find themselves face to face, their cars blocking each other's right of way. Their companions and the neighbors all get involved in the stand-off. There's no question that some of it is intended to be funny. Ultimately, though, the grim determination of each of these women turns what might have been a more lighthearted story into a battle of wills. The stalemate seems pointless, but each woman has her own reasons for standing her ground, neither of which actually has much to do with the other. It's an effective exercise in character for all involved: each of the women, their companions, and the one or two neighborhood types who get involved.
Caroll Spinney is one of the original Sesame Street puppeteers. He's made a career of playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. Narrated by the man himself, his wife, friends, family, and coworkers, this documentary tells the story of Spinney's life via home movie and video (his life has been remarkably well-documented) as well as clips of his work, so we not only get to hear but also see snippets from his original forays into puppetry, his eventual hiring by Jim Henson, and everything that came after. One thing I learned: As a way to get children excited about space and science, NASA invited Spinney, as Big Bird, to go up in the space shuttle. The trip was cancelled because the costume was too big. NASA, still wanting to get the attention of kids everywhere, invited a teacher instead. Remarkable. He's lived an amazing life. It's a sweet and very loving documentary, and I was glad to share it with
snarke, with whom I saw what I think of as its companion film, Being Elmo, which I reviewed as part of an epic post in 2011. (I want to note that the film had one unexpected effect for me personally in that Spinney, in some scenes, bears an astonishing resemblance to dochyel, so I had the disconcerting experience of watching a complete stranger who looks like a late, beloved friend on the screen. snarke saw the resemblance too. It was uncanny.)A Street in Palermo
This Italian dramedy is set in, predictably, a narrow street in Palermo, where two strong-willed women find themselves face to face, their cars blocking each other's right of way. Their companions and the neighbors all get involved in the stand-off. There's no question that some of it is intended to be funny. Ultimately, though, the grim determination of each of these women turns what might have been a more lighthearted story into a battle of wills. The stalemate seems pointless, but each woman has her own reasons for standing her ground, neither of which actually has much to do with the other. It's an effective exercise in character for all involved: each of the women, their companions, and the one or two neighborhood types who get involved.