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+ | [[Image:Journalchina08.jpg|thumb|300px|Ouyang Lianzi as Xiao Foo]] |
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| ⚫ | '''''Big Bird in China''''' |
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| + | [[Image:Big bird great wall.jpg|thumb|300px]] |
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| ⚫ | '''''Big Bird in China''''' is a [[1983]] special produced by the Children's Television Workshop which originally aired on [[NBC]]. In the first international special based on ''[[Sesame Street]]'', [[Big Bird]] is inspired by a [[Chinatown]] scroll, and the story of the legendary Phoenix. After coaxing the shopkeeper into lending him the scroll, Big Bird and [[Barkley]] take a slow boat to [[China]]. They soon make a new friend, little [[Xiao Foo]], and receive enigmatic hints from [[the Monkey King]]. |
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Filmed on location in Beijing and elsewhere, the Great Wall of China and Mao's Tomb are amongst the landmarks shown. Also featured are assorted street dancers, cheerful [[Communism|Communists]], and a song about saying "Hello" in Chinese. |
Filmed on location in Beijing and elsewhere, the Great Wall of China and Mao's Tomb are amongst the landmarks shown. Also featured are assorted street dancers, cheerful [[Communism|Communists]], and a song about saying "Hello" in Chinese. |
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The special was adapted into a [[Big Bird in China (book)|book]] by Jon Stone and [[Victor Di Napoli]]. |
The special was adapted into a [[Big Bird in China (book)|book]] by Jon Stone and [[Victor Di Napoli]]. |
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| − | The special was released on VHS in 1995, and on DVD in 2004. |
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==Reviews== |
==Reviews== |
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| ⚫ | {{quote|...But Big Bird's voice, prattling all the way, began to grate on this viewer early in the extended travelogue.<br><br>Fortunately China, in the form of its landscapes, its culture, and the most delightful on-camera youngster since Shirley Temple tap-danced down the stairway with Bill Robinson, saved the day. Six-year-old Ouyang Lianzi (sic) swoops down on the gawky old bird and flies off with the whole show...<br><br>If there is one lesson to be learned from this special, it is that Big Birds should be served in small portions. And as [[Miss Piggy]] herself might say, ''I have news for vous, 'Sesame Street,' your Big Bird simply does not have the charisma of moi.''}} |
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| − | {{quote|...But Big Bird's voice, prattling all the way, began to grate on this viewer early in the extended travelogue. |
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| ⚫ | {{quote|[[Ronald Reagan]] has never been to China but Big Bird has been there twice. Might that perchance suggest a case of twisted priorities? By now, some of the Chinese may think Big Bird is president of the United States--or at least a semi-official State Department emissary. A Muppet without portfolio...<br><br>...For the kids there are -- kids. Cute little Chinese tots hopping around in various folk dances. Indeed, from the programs produced in China so far (including a [[Bob Hope]] special that marked B.B.'s first visit), a western viewer could get the impression that folk dancing is the major industry of the country. "Big Bird in China" shows little of city life.|}} |
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| − | If there is one lesson to be learned from this special, it is that Big Birds should be served in small portions. And as [[Miss Piggy]] herself might say, ''I have news for vous, 'Sesame Street,' your Big Bird simply does not have the charisma of moi.''}} |
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| − | {{quote|[[Ronald Reagan]] has never been to China but Big Bird has been there twice. Might that perchance suggest a case of twisted priorities? By now, some of the Chinese may think Big Bird is president of the United States--or at least a semi-official State Department emissary. A Muppet without portfolio... |
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| ⚫ | ...For the kids there are -- kids. Cute little Chinese tots hopping around in various folk dances. Indeed, from the programs produced in China so far (including a [[Bob Hope]] special that marked B.B.'s first visit), a western viewer could get the impression that folk dancing is the major industry of the country. "Big Bird in China" shows little of city life.|}} |
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:-- Tom Shales, ''The Washington Post''. May 28, [[1983]]. |
:-- Tom Shales, ''The Washington Post''. May 28, [[1983]]. |
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| − | {{quote|Although the star's galumphing presence and endless prattling become grating, ''Big Bird in China'' is far superior to the insipid fare that constitutes most network children's programming. It offers not the contemporary China of bicycling millions but a vision of the mythic China of the imperial dynasties. Scene after scene unfolds exquisite landscapes that resemble the misty mountains and delicate waterfalls of Sung dynasty murals. |
+ | {{quote|Although the star's galumphing presence and endless prattling become grating, ''Big Bird in China'' is far superior to the insipid fare that constitutes most network children's programming. It offers not the contemporary China of bicycling millions but a vision of the mythic China of the imperial dynasties. Scene after scene unfolds exquisite landscapes that resemble the misty mountains and delicate waterfalls of Sung dynasty murals.<br><br>During almost three weeks of location filming in Chinese villages, the sight of Big Bird did not always bring smiles to local children, who after all had never seen ''Sesame Street''. Some were frightened by his looming grotesquely over them; his bugged-out eyes sent others scampering. One little girl burst into tears. CCTV producers are hoping their viewers will not react similarly when a dubbed version of the production is broad cast, probably on June 1, National Children's Day.}} |
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| − | During almost three weeks of location filming in Chinese villages, the sight of Big Bird did not always bring smiles to local children, who after all had never seen ''Sesame Street''. Some were frightened by his looming grotesquely over them; his bugged-out eyes sent others scampering. One little girl burst into tears. CCTV producers are hoping their viewers will not react similarly when a dubbed version of the production is broad cast, probably on June 1, National Children's Day.}} |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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| + | [[Image:BigBird&BarkleyInChina.jpg|thumb|300px]] |
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| + | [[Image:StoneBBinChina.jpg|thumb|300px|Jon Stone directing child actress Ouyang Lianzi during filming of ''Big Bird in China''.]] |
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*''Human Cast'' (as translated in the credits) |
*''Human Cast'' (as translated in the credits) |
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:[[Ouyang Lianzi]] 歐陽蓮子 as [[Xiao Foo]] |
:[[Ouyang Lianzi]] 歐陽蓮子 as [[Xiao Foo]] |
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:[[La Ja-Lin]] as the Dancing Phoenix |
:[[La Ja-Lin]] as the Dancing Phoenix |
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:[[Katherine Lakoski]] as the Singing Phoenix. |
:[[Katherine Lakoski]] as the Singing Phoenix. |
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| − | :North Hsin Hua Street Kindergarten Students as the [[Duck Dancers]] |
+ | :North Hsin Hua Street Kindergarten Students as the [[Duck Dancers]] |
*''Muppet Performers'' |
*''Muppet Performers'' |
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| − | :[[Caroll Spinney]] as Big Bird, [[Oscar the Grouch]] |
+ | :[[Caroll Spinney]] as Big Bird, [[Oscar the Grouch]] |
:[[Brian Muehl]] as Barkley, [[Telly Monster]] |
:[[Brian Muehl]] as Barkley, [[Telly Monster]] |
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| − | :[[Frank Oz]] as [[Bert]], [[Cookie Monster]], [[Grover]] |
+ | :[[Frank Oz]] as [[Bert]], [[Cookie Monster]], [[Grover]] |
:[[Jerry Nelson]] as [[Two-Headed Monster]] |
:[[Jerry Nelson]] as [[Two-Headed Monster]] |
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:[[Richard Hunt]] as Two-Headed Monster |
:[[Richard Hunt]] as Two-Headed Monster |
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==Crew== |
==Crew== |
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| − | * Directed by [[Jon Stone]] |
+ | * Directed by [[Jon Stone]] |
| − | * Written by [[Joseph A. Bailey]] and [[Jon Stone]] |
+ | * Written by [[Joseph A. Bailey]] and [[Jon Stone]] |
| − | * Executive Producer: [[Jon Stone]] |
+ | * Executive Producer: [[Jon Stone]] |
| − | * Music by [[Dick Lieb]] |
+ | * Music by [[Dick Lieb]] |
| − | * Associate Producer: [[Tish Sommers]] |
+ | * Associate Producer: [[Tish Sommers]] |
| − | * Associate Director: [[Ozzie Alfonso]] |
+ | * Associate Director: [[Ozzie Alfonso]] |
| − | * Art Director [[Victor DiNapoli]] |
+ | * Art Director [[Victor DiNapoli]] |
| − | * Editor: [[Ken Gutstein]] |
+ | * Editor: [[Ken Gutstein]] |
| − | * Audio: [[Blake Norton]] |
+ | * Audio: [[Blake Norton]] |
| − | * Sound Effects: [[Dick Maitland]] |
+ | * Sound Effects: [[Dick Maitland]] |
* Location Coordinator: [[Peter Chow]] |
* Location Coordinator: [[Peter Chow]] |
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| + | <gallery widths="209" orientation="landscape" captionalign="center" spacing="small" position="center"> |
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| − | ==Gallery== |
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| − | Image:Video.bigbirdchina-vhs.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina03.jpg |
Image:Journalchina03.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina05.jpg |
Image:Journalchina05.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina06.jpg |
Image:Journalchina06.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina14.jpg |
Image:Journalchina14.jpg |
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| − | Image:Journalchina08.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina10.jpg |
Image:Journalchina10.jpg |
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Image:Journalchina13.jpg |
Image:Journalchina13.jpg |
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| + | Big bird in china.jpg|ctw closing logo |
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</gallery> |
</gallery> |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Notes== |
| + | * In the 2004 DVD release, Brian Muehl's lines for Telly are dubbed by [[Martin P. Robinson]]. The DVD release also cuts out a couple of lines of dialogue when Big Bird first meets Xiao Foo. |
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| − | * [[Big Bird in China (book)]] |
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| + | * A running storyline was written by Bailey and Stone featuring [[Grover]], who would host a travelogue from various locations in China, but each sight would be blocked by an incoming Chinese water buffalo. At the special's end, the buffalo would follow Grover back to Sesame Street. The scenes were scrapped when Stone discovered "water buffalos stink to high heaven. They also aren’t field-trained. So Jon said he didn’t have the heart to ask Frank Oz, Grover’s puppeteer, to lie down in that slop."<ref>[http://graphicpolicy.com/2015/07/16/muppets-gone-missing-joe-bailey-part-1/ "Muppets Gone Missing: Joe Bailey] at GraphicPolicy.com</ref> |
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| + | ==Video releases== |
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| + | Image:Video.bigbirdchina-vhs.jpg|{{GNH|VHS}}1987<br>[[Random House Home Video]]<br>89755<br>ISBN: 0394897552 |
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| + | Image:BigBirdChinaVHSSony.jpg|{{GNH|VHS}}[[Sony Wonder]]<br>LV 51231<br>ISBN: 073892735X<br>{{Asin|B00016XO7O}} |
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| + | Image:Bbchina.jpg|{{GNH|DVD}}2004<br>Sony Wonder<br>LVD 51231<br>ISBN: 0738927368<br>{{Asin|B00016XO6U}} |
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| + | </gallery> |
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| + | |||
| + | ==Sources== |
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| + | <references /> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.toughpigs.com/journalchinavsjapan1.htm Tough Pigs Journal: Big Bird in China] |
*[http://www.toughpigs.com/journalchinavsjapan1.htm Tough Pigs Journal: Big Bird in China] |
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| + | *[http://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/05/29/5291983/ Jim Henson's Red Book - 5/29/1983 - Big Bird in China airs] |
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[[Category:Sesame Street Specials]] |
[[Category:Sesame Street Specials]] |
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[[Category:Sesame Street Video]] |
[[Category:Sesame Street Video]] |
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Revision as of 20:23, 30 January 2016
Ouyang Lianzi as Xiao Foo
Big Bird in China is a 1983 special produced by the Children's Television Workshop which originally aired on NBC. In the first international special based on Sesame Street, Big Bird is inspired by a Chinatown scroll, and the story of the legendary Phoenix. After coaxing the shopkeeper into lending him the scroll, Big Bird and Barkley take a slow boat to China. They soon make a new friend, little Xiao Foo, and receive enigmatic hints from the Monkey King.
Filmed on location in Beijing and elsewhere, the Great Wall of China and Mao's Tomb are amongst the landmarks shown. Also featured are assorted street dancers, cheerful Communists, and a song about saying "Hello" in Chinese.
The special was adapted into a book by Jon Stone and Victor Di Napoli.
Reviews
- -- Arthur Unger, The Christian Science Monitor. May 27, 1983
- -- Tom Shales, The Washington Post. May 28, 1983.
- --Richard Stengle. "Innocent Abroad, With Feathers." Time. May 30, 1983.
Cast
Jon Stone directing child actress Ouyang Lianzi during filming of Big Bird in China.
- Human Cast (as translated in the credits)
- Ouyang Lianzi 歐陽蓮子 as Xiao Foo
- Arabella Hong as the Shopkeeper
- Hua Zhi-Ping as the Storyteller
- Quan She-Zhen, Liu Xia-Shen, Xiu Tien-Ed, Lu Fu-Hai, Wu Chu-Lian, Li Jiang, Chou Yi-Ping, Zhang Xin-Tien as The Monkey King
- Wang Kwen Wei and Ting Bao-Yi as Lion Dogs
- La Ja-Lin as the Dancing Phoenix
- Katherine Lakoski as the Singing Phoenix.
- North Hsin Hua Street Kindergarten Students as the Duck Dancers
- Muppet Performers
- Caroll Spinney as Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch
- Brian Muehl as Barkley, Telly Monster
- Frank Oz as Bert, Cookie Monster, Grover
- Jerry Nelson as Two-Headed Monster
- Richard Hunt as Two-Headed Monster
- Cheryl Blaylock
- Ed Christie
- Martin P. Robinson
- And Jim Henson as Ernie
Crew
- Directed by Jon Stone
- Written by Joseph A. Bailey and Jon Stone
- Executive Producer: Jon Stone
- Music by Dick Lieb
- Associate Producer: Tish Sommers
- Associate Director: Ozzie Alfonso
- Art Director Victor DiNapoli
- Editor: Ken Gutstein
- Audio: Blake Norton
- Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
- Location Coordinator: Peter Chow
ctw closing logo
Notes
- In the 2004 DVD release, Brian Muehl's lines for Telly are dubbed by Martin P. Robinson. The DVD release also cuts out a couple of lines of dialogue when Big Bird first meets Xiao Foo.
- A running storyline was written by Bailey and Stone featuring Grover, who would host a travelogue from various locations in China, but each sight would be blocked by an incoming Chinese water buffalo. At the special's end, the buffalo would follow Grover back to Sesame Street. The scenes were scrapped when Stone discovered "water buffalos stink to high heaven. They also aren’t field-trained. So Jon said he didn’t have the heart to ask Frank Oz, Grover’s puppeteer, to lie down in that slop."[1]
Video releases
Sources
- ↑ "Muppets Gone Missing: Joe Bailey at GraphicPolicy.com