Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mike S

  
  We are all very familiar with the muppets in Sesame Street, but we don't really know much about the puppeteers. In this inspiring and heartwarming documentary we meet the fantastic Kevin Clash - once a young boy from a poor background, whose steadfast devotion to his dreams of… More
  We are all very familiar with the muppets in Sesame Street, but we don't really know much about the puppeteers. In this inspiring and heartwarming documentary we meet the fantastic Kevin Clash - once a young boy from a poor background, whose steadfast devotion to his dreams of puppeteering, led him on an amazing and life-changing journey, where he would eventually become the man behind the beloved muppet Elmo. During this rise to fame, we follow along as he becomes friends and colleagues with such venerable legends as Frank Oz and the late Jim Henson. The film includes a lot of old footage and interviews with the two, so if you're a fan of either, you should definitely not miss this. Anyone who has ever loved The Muppets or Sesame Street, have much to be delighted by as well, as it gives us a great behind-the-scenes look at how all the magic is created. In effect, we are taught that puppeteering is not just a matter of putting your hand inside a piece of fabric, but a subtle art that demands extraordinary talent. What I love most about Kevin Clash's story though, is that he seems like such a genuinely nice and compassionate human being. There are some incredibly moving moments in the film, like when he brings a smile to the face of a terminally ill young girl, whose last dying wish is to spend a little time with Elmo. These wonderfully poignant qualities made it a very emotionally enriching experience and one of the best feel-good films that I've seen in recent years. A wildly fascinating success story, with a lot of charm and soul, whose only real downside is that it's over far too soon. Time just flew by for me, and if you have the slightest bit of interest in it, I'm sure it will for you too!

• Matthew S

  
  Though it feels a bit like a missed opportunity, stretched too thin to explore any of its subjects deeply, this Cinderella love story is about as sweet and loveable as Elmo himself as we watch his puppeteer's growth alongside the birth of Sesame Street and The Muppets. With the… More
  Though it feels a bit like a missed opportunity, stretched too thin to explore any of its subjects deeply, this Cinderella love story is about as sweet and loveable as Elmo himself as we watch his puppeteer's growth alongside the birth of Sesame Street and The Muppets. With the success of the latest Muppets movie, I wonder if the public is ready to see another Dark Crystal/Labyrinth fantasy-style film. But I guess this movie begs the question - who alive today has that kind of creative vision?

• Melvin W

  
  Being Elmo is much more interesting than it first appears. It's about a man, Kevin Clash, who became fascinated with puppets at an early age. He began making his own and doing shows for neighborhood kids and parents. Before long, he was making a living from it and then he made it… More
  Being Elmo is much more interesting than it first appears. It's about a man, Kevin Clash, who became fascinated with puppets at an early age. He began making his own and doing shows for neighborhood kids and parents. Before long, he was making a living from it and then he made it huge with the character of Elmo. A character that his friends say resembles him.  The film is beautifully made and is quite moving. We see a guy(celebrity in his own right, even though you may not recognize him) who had to endure and fight for what he wanted to do and that was to be a puppeteer. He received help from some of the best in the business. Without them, he may have never created the Elmo we know today. He knows that too, because now he helps those kids that are just like him. The kids that are just as fascinated with puppets as he was as a child. He hasn't forgotten the feelings he had as a kid, and remembers that he needed help. The film goes through the reversal from when Kevin was receiving the help to now, where he is giving the help. It's really nice to see a success like Kevin Clash, that still gives back and helps.  If there is a complaint with the film, it would be that it is too short. It come in at around 73 minutes and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing; I could have definitely watched more. I guess that says more about how good it is, rather than being a complaint. This film really won me over, especially because I didn't know how I would react to it. I was never a huge Sesame Street fan, nor have I ever been enthused by puppets. But that really doesn't matter here. I like Kevin Clash and this movie shows the man behind the puppet in a really engrossing way. I would find it hard to believe that anyone could watch this and not fall in love with it.

• Spencer S

  
  The story of puppeteer Kevin Clash, and his exceptional rise from small town neighborhood to a rich man with a penchant for artistic puppetry and know how, is seen through the eyes of himself especially. The film follows a meteoric rise when he is just in high school to local… More
  The story of puppeteer Kevin Clash, and his exceptional rise from small town neighborhood to a rich man with a penchant for artistic puppetry and know how, is seen through the eyes of himself especially. The film follows a meteoric rise when he is just in high school to local television gigs, and then onto working with Jim Henson. The best sequences of the film are when Kevin relates stories of the other puppeteers who he has revered since childhood. Kevin is a very devoted and compassionate person, shown through the intensive ways he teaches, nurtures, and cares for the youth of the world. It is that implicit beauty that he brings to this film. You watch his rise with a feeling of pride for him, as he deserves everything he gets. He relates anecdotes of Frank Oz, Jim Henson, the cast of Sesame Street, and people he has touched with his magic. It truly amazed me that so much of his life was shot on film. Events that are usually only mentioned in interviews were actually filmed as they were happening during the seventies and eighties in true documentary style. The film also covers much of what makes puppetry an art form, the subtle nuances of facial expressions and the voices, personalities, and extraordinary characteristics of these characters he creates just by putting his hand inside a fleece mouth. What felt a tad neurotic to me was the fact that this film is only one hour and sixteen minutes long, as it was a television doc. It covers the backstory of Kevin Clash, but it also leaves quite a bit out. Though we get a sense of Kevin, I didn't see enough of Elmo. After his inception there is little that isn't covered in interviews with celebrities, news footage, and footage from Sesame Street. Though I'm glad it covered what it did and shone a light on one of the richest men in life and wealth, I just wished I could have seen more of the life of the Sesame Street icon as he is now and has been. Still, an impressive film with a positive message for all ages.

• Flutie A

  
  If you've ever seen an episode of 'Sesame Street', or are a fan of the Muppets, I highly recommend this...Very cool to see the journey of Kevin Clash and how he eventually ended up "being Elmo".

• Randy T

  
  In keeping with the spirit of Elmo, Kevin's story is uplifting, educational and inspirational.

• Liam G

  
  I loved this documentary for a number of reasons, but perhaps the main one was because of how nostalgic and personal it was to me. As a young child, I adored Sesame Street and The Muppet, so to see the magic behind the scenes explored was magical. The skills of a puppeteer are… More
  I loved this documentary for a number of reasons, but perhaps the main one was because of how nostalgic and personal it was to me. As a young child, I adored Sesame Street and The Muppet, so to see the magic behind the scenes explored was magical. The skills of a puppeteer are explored and it makes you appreciate the talent these people have for bringing life to these characters. Another reason why I loved ''Being Elmo'' was because it did what a documentary should do, make you interested in a person or subject you either didn't care about before or had no knowledge of. ''Being Elmo'' delves into the life of the creator of Elmo, Kevin Clash. He is such a fascinating and talented person and, though he didn't face any strong conflict during his rise to stardom, his journey is incredibly engaging to watch. And, though ''Being Elmo'' is not strictly a Muppet movie or an episode of Sesame Street, it still has a lot of heart and proves to be a joyous experience.

• Everett J

  
  Elmo is one of the most famous characters in the world. Everyone knows Elmo, but most people don't know the man behind Elmo. The first thing about this fascinating and highly entertaining documentary that struck me, was Elmo is played by a big black man. I would have never, in… More
  Elmo is one of the most famous characters in the world. Everyone knows Elmo, but most people don't know the man behind Elmo. The first thing about this fascinating and highly entertaining documentary that struck me, was Elmo is played by a big black man. I would have never, in a million years thought that. I figured Elmo was some small white woman. This is a movie about Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo, and his journey to get there. Raised in Baltimore, he fell in love with Sesame Street and puppets, and made it his mission to become a puppeteer. The story follows him as a child making his own puppets, to how he came to work for Jim Henson, to his worldwide success as Elmo. Clash is entertaining, enlightening, and seems just as genuine as the characters he creates. You find yourself rooting for him and are happy when he makes it, then feel sad when he talks about the time away from his daughter. You get a peak behind the curtain of the Muppets, and get to see first hand how they perfect their craft and how hard their job is. If you were ever a fan of the muppets or sesame street, then this is mandatory viewing. This is not only one of the best documentaries I've seen, but it's one of the better movies you will see too.

• John C

  
  Pure magic! The man behind (or below) Elmo of Sesame Street is Kevin Clash and if there was a more oxymoronic name for he is a very lovable and sweet puppeteer. You walk out of the movie grinning and that says it all. (2-5-12)

• Wu C

  
  Touching doc about Kevin Cash. Must see.

• Sarah P

  
  I loved it! It was a completely different look at muppets/puppets told through one man's journey to Sesame Street and beyond. It was really touching and engrossing.

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