Grouchland USA

 GROUCH land   U S A , " the land of a thousand stenches " , is the home town of  OSCAR THE GROUCH  in  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land . Prior t o t h e film , i n  SESAME STREET   EPISODE 2 6 4 8  ( & then  repeat ed  as  EPISODE 2 8 99  ) ,  Bob  visited  GROUCH  l and , a neighbor hood which was the opposite of  SESAME STREET  , although it was called  GROUCHY  town . In the film , however , the only known way to get to  GROUCH  l and , despite it being in  A m e r i c a  is through a swirling door portal in  OSCAR  ' s  TRASH CAN  o n  SESAME STREET . Visitors are then deposit ed, through a pipe , onto a pile of  TRASH  bag s , the gate way to  GROUCH  l and.  GROUCH  land is ostensibly run by the  GROUCH  Mayor.

GROUCH Architecture
 GROUCH  land is a teeming metropolis, populated solely by  GROUCHES  , littered with  TRASH  , ranging from small , mess y  pile s  to huge  mound s .  TRASH  is not just on the street s as  TRASH , however. A living embodiment of t he say in g " 1| 1 man ’ s  TRASH  is another man ’ s treasure ",  GROUCH  land incorporate s  TRASH  of all kinds into the very fabric of t he city ’ s architecture & economy.  TRASH  i s prize d a s better t h a n " good " stuff. The buildings are tall but lopsided, resembling stylize d version s of the worst urban tenements. Though many  GROUCHES  still appear to live in  TRASH CANS , many of the build in g s also serve as home s , sport in g tilted jig saw - like window s , crooked door s , & a teeter in g floor p lace d on top of an other. The entire city sky line i s angular & jut s in odd direct i on s. Car s &  GARBAGE  truck s drive to & fro, add in g to t he smog , & the occasional  GROUCH  Dog wanders the street ( while a  GROUCH  parrot is on display in the market p lace ).  OSCAR  also nostalgic a ll y mention s " the old septic tank ".

GROUCH Commerce
 GROUCH  land ’ s business district is a thriving market place of shop s & service s, most of them centered a round  TRASH  or just much general  GROUCH  surliness.

Store front s include the Book Dumpster, the Wilt in g Rose florist s , the Car Mess , the Tone Deaf music shop , Bad Humor Man  ’ s  ice cream  cart & a restaurant called The  ROTTEN  Egg. Patron s can buy a quart of muck or a glass of Icky  YUCK  ee at the I n convenience Store. The bank of  GROUCH  land is the 1| 1 st Saving s & Leave  Us  Alone &  GROUCH  girl s can receive a make - over a t  THE UGLY PARLOR . For entertainment the local cinema plays such movie s as  Basically It Stink s  starring the  GROUCH  celebrity  SHARON GROAN . Although, most of the  SESAME STREET  visitor s find accommodation at the  GROUCH  land Jail.

Out side of the city it s elf, surround ing environ s include a for est teem in g wit h  very   GROUCHY  animal s & such locale s as the steep Mount Pick a nose  ,  Huxley  ’ s castle &  DA DUMP  , the domain of the  Queen  of  TRASH  & a kingdom all to it s elf.

 OSCAR  has reference d t h e Rusty Bucket, a  GROUCH  jazz club. " Can ' t wait for the sound of 1 2  broken trom bone s play in g different tune s at the same time ! "

Be hind T he Scene s
  Design  Team :  Val Strazovec  • ( conceptual  design er )  Alan Cassie  • ( production  design er )  G R O U C H  land, like many other Muppet  sets , relies heavily on forced perspective , creating an enormous land s cape , vast in relation to the  G R O U C H E S  & other  Muppet s  , but still able to accommodate hum an visit or s. Wide camera angle s & other technique s made the s pace see m more open.

Design consultant Val Strazovec  was largely responsible for the essential design & look of  G R O U C H  land, &  he  discussed  his  approach in t he  film  ’ s production note s : " At 1| 1  st , t h e y thought  I  had gone too far with  G R O U C H  land . T h e y envisioned a real town wit h t he  TRASH  being the  TRASH  , b ut  I  said '  NO  ,  NO  ,  NO  , this is such an opportunity to show some thin g that is n ' t tradition . The whole thing should be as  GROUCH Y  as those who live t here . '  G R O U C H  land is about crank i ness & fun. I though t, let ' s make it look silly , make i t look funny. Almost like a chi ld would d raw, with crazy angle s. It was crook ed. The foundation s were real but w e twisted the m. "

In addition to specially fabricated  G R O U C H  house s & prop s, real actual  TRASH  was a vital ingredient. The prop s depart ment visited flea market s & other place s, collect in g 1 0  truck load s of suit able  TRASH .

T V / Movie s  /  Special s

 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  G R O U C H  land  ( 1 999  )
 *  The Adventure s o f  Elmo  i n  G R O U C H  l and : Sing &amp; Play  ( 1 999  )

Book s

 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  G R O U C H  land Movie Story book  ( 19 99  )
 *  G R O U C H  l and Surprise s  ( 1 999  )
 *  Happy  GROUCH Y  Day  ( 1 999  )
 *  UN  welcome t o  G R O U C H  l and  ( 1 999  )