I am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story: DVD Review

I am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by Vendetta Films

The story of Big Bird is perhaps not an original one if you've seen the likes of Being Elmo.

Amiably told, this is the tale of Caroll Spinney, a man whose dreams of being a muppeteer were made real by a coincidental meeting with Frank Oz. But his tale of success and of performing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch is not an easy route to success; Spinney never really fitted in with the other performers and was close to leaving when he stumbled across the idea of Big Bird.

The story's pleasantly told and with plenty of input from Spinney and those around him, but the anecdotes that have the real edge (Big Bird on the Challenger space shuttle and a murder on his estate) are never really fully explored to the frustration of the viewer looking for a deeper experience.

As an insight and a jog down memory lane for those Sesame Street characters and people you remember, I am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story is perfectly perfunctory - it's never as inspirational as you'd hope, but it's certainly not a badly constructed doco.