Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, The (1999)

reviewed by
Michael Dequina


_The_Adventures_of_Elmo_in_Grouchland_ (G) ** 1/2 (out of ****)

Everyone who's grown up in front of a television during the last 30 years has memories of _Sesame_Street_--but not just any type of memories: fond memories. So it's hard to bear any ill will toward the warm and cuddly _The_Adventures_of_Elmo_in_Grouchland_, which brings to the big screen all those familiar faces--human and Muppet--from "where the air is sweet." Accordingly, the film is sweet, and technically accomplished. But the film is strictly for those who are currently watching the PBS series: that is, the preschool/kindergarten audience.

And that target audience will eat up this high spirited-musical adventure as if it were a piece of candy. Elmo (performed by Kevin Clash), that fuzzy little red monster known for his ticklishness, loves his blanket, which he expresses in a bouncy curtain-raising tune. He loves it so much that he refuses to let his friend Zoe so much as hold it for a moment. It's obvious that Elmo has to learn a thing or two about sharing, and his lesson comes the hard way when he and his blanket are sucked into the world of Grouchland, where the evil and greedy Huxley (Mandy Patinkin) claims the blanket for himself.

Writers Mitchell Kriegman and Joseph Mazzarino and director Gary Halvorson do make an effort to keep the adult audience (read: parents) somewhat caught up in the proceedings. In addition to the regular _Sesame_Street_ cast (Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Telly, Cookie Monster, et al. as well as flesh-and-blood regulars Maria, Gordon, Bob, and the others), on hand as "guest stars" are Patinkin as well as Vanessa Williams as the Queen of Trash; of course, these seasoned musical performers are each given a big production number to call their own. And very once in a while, a bit of smart dialogue that goes over kids' heads creeps in. For example, when Huxley is confronted by the entire _Sesame_Street_ gang, he says that the look like the types who would "sing your A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s all day long."

But there's no mistaking that when Bert and Ernie appear periodically to let the audience know that things will be OK, they're talking to the wee ones; and that when Elmo turns to the camera and asks for help, he's asking the kids in the crowd (after all, an audio track of kids yelling and laughing is tacked on during these moments). So while the adults may not exactly be bored during _The_Adventures_of_Elmo_in_Grouchland_, they may feel left out, making the film a much better bet once it reaches home video, for it would be more functional as a 77-minute babysitter.

Michael Dequina twotrey@juno.com | michael_jordan@geocities.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com | mrbrown@iname.com Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown CinemaReview Magazine: http://www.CinemaReview.com on ICQ: #25289934 | on AOL Instant Messenger: MrBrown23


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