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 the film , i n  SESAME STREET   EPISODE 2648  ( & then repeat ed as  EPISODE 2899  ) , Bob visited GROUCH land , a neighbor hood which was the oppo site of SESAME STREET , although it was called GROUCHYtown. In the film , however , the only known way to get to GROUCH land , despite it being in A m e r i c a is through a swirling door portal in  OSCAR  ' s  TRASH CAN  on SESAME STREET. Visitors are then deposited, through a pipe , onto a pile of  TRASH  bag s , the gate way to GROUCH land. 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 , messy pile s to huge mound s.  TRASH  is not just on the street s as  TRASH , however. A living embodiment of t he saying " 1 man ' s  TRASH  is another man ' s treasure ", GROUCH land incorporate s  TRASH  of all kinds into the very fabric of the city ' s architecture & economy.  TRASH  i s prize d as 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 buildings also serve as home s , sporting tilted jig saw - like window s , crooked door s , & a teetering floor p lace d on top of an other. The entire city sky line i s angular & juts in odd direction s. Cars &  GARBAGE  trucks drive to & fro, adding 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 al ly mention s the old septic tank.

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

Store front s include the Book Dumpster, the Wilting Rose florist s , the Car Mess , the Tone Deaf music shop , Bad Humor Man  ' s ice cream cart & a restaurant called The Rotten Egg. Patrons can buy a quart of muck or a glass of Icky Yuckee at the I n convenience Store. The bank of GROUCH land is the 1 st Savings & Leave Us  Alone & girl  GROUCHES  can receive a make - over at  THE UGLY PARLOR . For entertainment the local cinema plays such movie s as  Basically It Stinks  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 itself, surround ing environs include a for est teeming 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 itself.

 OSCAR  has reference d t h e Rusty Bucket, a  GROUCH  jazz club. " Can ' t wait for the sound of 12 broken trom bones play ing different tunes at the same time ! "

Be hind T he Scene s
 Design Team:  Val Strazovec  • ( conceptual  designer ) Alan Cassie • ( production  designer ) GRouch land, like many other Muppet sets , relies heavily on forced perspective , creating an enormous landscape , vast in relation to the  GROUCHES  & other Muppet s , but still able to accommodate hum an visitor s. Wide camera angles & other techniques made the s pace see m more open.

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

In addition to specially fabricated  GROUCH  house s & props, real actual  TRASH  was a vital ingredient. The props depart ment visited flea market s & other place s, collecting 1 0 truck load s of suitable  TRASH .

T V / Movie s / Special s

 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land  ( 1 999 )
 *  The Adventure s o f  Elmo  i n  GROUCH  land : Sing & Play  ( 1 999 )

Book s

 *  The Adventure s of  Elmo  in  GROUCH  land Movie Story book  ( 19 99 )
 *  GROUCH  land Surprise s  ( 1999 )
 *  Happy  GROUCHY  Day  ( 1999 )
 *  UN  welcome to  GROUCH  land  ( 1 999 )