I Am Big Bird

I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story is exactly what I look for in a documentary. The best documentary, to me, is a piece that elaborates deeply on some random tidbit of information that you never knew you wanted to know so much about. That is exactly how this documentary played out. I can't even remember the last time I thought about Big Bird, or Sesame Street--I didn't even know there was only one guy playing Big Bird-- but from the moment this documentary started I could tell I would be captivated.

The documentary is primarily a happy one, showing what a great and talented guy Carroll Spinney is, but there are a few dark moments. I think that the light-nature of the documentary (and dealing with a childhood memory for most of us) makes the dark moments that much more dark. I found the sad parts of the documentary (Spinney's first wife, the young girl, Hansen, etc.) as hard to watch as many of the things we have seen this semester.

However, aside from a few key moments, this documentary should bring sheer happiness to it's viewers. It's so refreshing to see and find out that the people behind Sesame Street are basically just as up-beat as the characters that they created. The behind the scenes footage of Hansen and Spinney (and other cast) are a lot of fun to watch. I've mentioned this documentary to a lot of friends and families mentioning that it's a great watch if they have a spare hour or two. I can't see anyone not enjoying it!