Sesame Street’s Big Bird is a character that has captured the hearts of generations of children (and adults) all over the world. You’d be hard-pressed to meet someone who had never at least heard of the lovable yellow bird, but who’s inside the suit? I Am Big Bird tells the story of Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer responsible for Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch from the show’s very beginning.
Any biography can only be as good as its subject matter and Spinney’s life is fascinating enough to comfortably fill the film’s hour-and-a-half running time. The movie flits between the professional and private by turns to produce a compelling narrative woven together by an extensive collection of interviews and videos from everyone who’s been a part of it: his wife, children, Muppet wranglers, apprentice, directors, animators and countless others. It tracks his life over 80 years, from his early work with Jim Henson all the way to the present.
At the centre of everything, though, is Spinney’s relationship with his feathered creation. His role as Big Bird is the driving force of his life, influencing every major decision made along the way, taking him to China and bringing him into contact with famous figures like Bob Hope. I Am Big Bird is an honest and emotional story told of a man who just can’t walk away.
