Your Thoughts: The World According to Sesame Street

[Phillip]

Just a reminder that the documentary "The World According to Sesame Street" airs later tonight on PBS. It is airing during Independent Lens on your local PBS station.

The acclaimed documentary was also released on DVD today along with the Sesame Street Old School box set.

After you see the show or watch the DVD, post here and let us know what you think of the documentary.

 

[minor muppetz]

I watched it and liked it, though it was a bit boring at times (I'm not as into the international versions as I am the American version). I liked how a lot of really old american clips were shown. I was surprised to see part of the opening from the baker films, and while I figured Kermit would be in the Old School set, I wasn't expecting to see clips with him in this documentary. It was also a pleaseant surprise to see clips from the pitch pilot. I also liked the footage of Big Bird training Chinese puppeteers for the chinese co-production, as well as the footage of Martin Robinson training performers.

I also liked the clips from one international version which featured traditional-style puppets. Though it is weird to see those types of puppets in a Henson-related production.

I give this documentary four stars.

 

[beaker]

I wasn't expecting this to be as heavy and hard hitting as it was, but as a big political documentary buff I could see why they made it that way impact wise.

But wow, not sure what to say...it's crystal clear in this time of global chaos and uncertainty, the world NEEDS Sesame Street more than ever. I think Jim Henson needs to be given the nobel peace prize posthumously, or at least whoever runs international Sesame Street. Absolutely astonishing what they are able to do. And I liked how they make each production very culturally rich and specific to the at region.

The documentary might be a little heavy for people, I'd say it would probably be pg-13, but it is no doubt a very important testament to JH legacy and what Sesame Street is doing right now.

 

[BEAR]

I think if anyone should have the Nobel Peace Prize, it should be Joan Ganz Cooney, the one who started it ALL.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

At first when I herd about it how ever long ago, I didn't think It was going to be to interesting. But boy was I wrong about that. I absoutly love it!

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

wow seriously...such mixed emotions over this thing...I love what Sesame workshop and Jim have done for the world even more after watching this.
But some times I guess I tend to forget what an evil place this world is and how much I really can have such hate for anything outside of my own little world.
The things I saw on this made me very very sad...those people working so hard to get the show done when they finally got it on the air I started to cry it was just so beautiful.
This world is sooo sooooo sooooooooooo very dark and full of hate but it's nice to see some people makign a differnce in it.
One thing I would have done at the end of the credits though would be to thank Jim Henson for his vision.
I got a bit choked up when they said his name to..when the lady said Jim would have loved that I totally agreed he would have shame he's no longer around to agree.
You know I never really thought of it before but you know if he was still here on earth with us I bet you anything he'd be a member of Muppet Central and talking to us all.
All and all wonderfull program saw sooo many things I would never have seen other wise.

 

[BEAR]

I got a bit choked up when they said his name to..when the lady said Jim would have loved that I totally agreed he would have shame he's no longer around to agree.

That "lady" was Joan Ganz Cooney, the creator of Sesame Street.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

That "lady" was Joan Ganz Cooney, the creator of Sesame Street.

yes I know who she was just couldn't remember her name...I'm sorry to say but she may have come up with the idea but to me jim and the people working on the show made it magical.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, I'd love to share my thoughts on the special, but my PBS station lost its signal and I never saw the whole thing!

 

[muppet maniac]

I watched it and liked it, though it was a bit boring at times (I'm not as into the international versions as I am the American version). I liked how a lot of really old american clips were shown. I was surprised to see part of the opening from the baker films, and while I figured Kermit would be in the Old School set, I wasn't expecting to see clips with him in this documentary. It was also a pleaseant surprise to see clips from the pitch pilot. I also liked the footage of Big Bird training Chinese puppeteers for the chinese co-production, as well as the footage of Martin Robinson training performers.

I also liked the clips from one international version which featured traditional-style puppets. Though it is weird to see those types of puppets in a Henson-related production.

I give this documentary four stars.

Well that's different for me. I love the international versions. Of course I've never really seen them whole-rather just bits and snippets of them, but really I'm impressed because of each version's own colorfulness, great puppets, their own street, basically those countries take something that all of us here have enjoyed and give it a new flavor. I like that. Or, if some countries prefer the original version, then that's good too.

Oh BTW, there's this one question I've been meaning to ask those who are from/have been in Canada. I heard that before they aired the original American show...and twenty years or so later, they canceled it and replaced it with Sesame Park. My question is, did you like it? Or prefer the original one?