Sesame Street: The Best of Elmo (1994-1996 VHS)



Here's the opening and closing to the 1994 and 1996 VHS of Sesame Street: The Best of Elmo.

Release Date
August 17, 1994 (original)

February 6, 1996 (re-release)

Characters

 * Maria
 * Elmo
 * Ruthie
 * Zoe
 * Blue Honker

Sketches

 * Ernie
 * Wolfgang the Seal
 * Hoots the Owl
 * Savion (mentioned)
 * Julia Roberts
 * Backup Singers
 * Herry Monster
 * Prairie Dawn
 * Whoopi Goldberg
 * Telly Monster
 * Dog
 * Cow
 * Horse
 * Owl
 * Donkey
 * Pig
 * Farmer
 * Big Bird
 * Mr. Snuffleupagus

Songs

 * One Fine Face
 * Imagination
 * Happy Tappin' with Elmo
 * Elmo's Jive Five
 * Three
 * Heavy and Light
 * The Sound That's in the Air
 * Elmo's Song

Unused

 * Seven Goldfish
 * Right in the Middle of My Face

Synopsis
The video begins with Elmo carrying a stack of pictures and bumps into Maria on accident. Elmo tells Maria that he has made a lot of drawings and has to enter one for the Monster Art Show, but he can't pick which one. Maria finds one of him and Ernie, which leads to...


 * Song: Elmo and Ernie sing about the parts of "One Fine Face".

Elmo says Maria can keep it, since he has a lot more to choose from. Maria asks Elmo where he got his ideas. Elmo says he has a great imagination. He finds a drawing, which leads to the next segment...


 * Song: Elmo sings about the things he can do "In Your Imagination".

At Finders Keepers, Elmo bumps into Ruthie next, who startled him with a chandelle boa. Elmo tells her about the Monster Art Show, but can't pick which drawing he should enter. Ruthie finds one of him with Julia Roberts, and one where he wears tap shoes.


 * Song: Elmo, wearing tap shoes, says it's almost time for Savion's dance class, and is excited for tap dance lessons. Elmo imagines being one of the best tap dancers in the world, and sings "Happy Tappin' with Elmo."


 * Celebrity: Elmo and Julia Roberts demonstrate what it's like to be afraid. Elmo attempts to scare Julia, but the first two attempts, Julia laughs, unable to be afraid. Julia claims that next time, she'll be sure she'll really be scared. When Elmo tries again, Julia screams and runs in fear, which leaves Elmo satisfied that he scared Julia this time. When he calls Julia to come back, she scares Elmo back.

Elmo says Ruthie can have those. Ruthie finds two more drawings, one about the number 3, and another one with two backup singers. Despite having no number on the latter, Elmo says it's about the number 5.


 * Song: Elmo sings "Five Jive".


 * Song: Elmo, Prairie Dawn, and Herry Monster sing "Three".

At the park, Zoe accepts to help Elmo choose which drawing he should enter for the art show, but she ends up keeping them for herself.


 * Celebrity: Elmo thinks that Whoopi Goldberg's skin is a very pretty brown. Whoopi likes Elmo's soft red fur. Elmo admires Whoopi's bouncy hair, too. Elmo suggests that they trade, but Whoopi says that they can't – it doesn't come off. But even if she could trade, she wouldn't want to. She likes her skin and her hair, and she wants to keep it. Elmo says that he wants to keep his fur, too.


 * Song: Elmo and Telly demonstrate the difference between "Heavy and Light".

Zoe decides to keep the drawings of the two previous segments. She finds another one with trees. Elmo, meanwhile, starts to feel bummed as the number of pictures gets smaller ("It's not easy being the best.").


 * Song: Elmo sings about "The Sound That's in the Air".

Zoe thanks Elmo for the pictures he gave to her and walks away. Elmo then shows the last picture left, which shows him playing the piano...


 * Song: Elmo calls Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus to tell him that he wrote a song. He sings "Elmo's Song" as he plays it on the piano. He then lets Big Bird and Snuffy share it with him, and they finish together.

Elmo decides to enter the last drawing, when suddenly a Honker appears, looking unhappy. Elmo guesses that he wants one of Elmo's drawings, but Elmo isn't sure of what to do, until he realizes that his friends' feelings are more important than drawings. Elmo gives his last drawing to the Honker. However, this leaves Elmo unhappy that he has no pictures left to enter for the art show.

On the stoop of 123 Sesame Street, Elmo apologizes to Maria, Ruthie, Zoe, and the Honker that he'll never enter the Monster Art Show. Maria assures Elmo that he will enter the art show and lets everyone return the pictures to Elmo right after the show, but he has one problem: which one will he enter for the art show? He laughs while his friends bicker over which one Elmo should enter. Elmo then asks the viewers which picture they like best.

As the credits roll, all of Elmo's pictures are displayed on screen one by one on different frames against the pink background. When the credits finish rolling, the last picture in "Elmo's Song" magically changes to a picture of Elmo laughing while at the piano.