Doc News: “Being Elmo” Hits Theaters October 21 (Plus Two Cute New Teasers)

Back in May, Submarine Entertainment announced it would release Constance Marks’ cute and heartwarming Kevin Clash profile, “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” this fall for an Oscar-qualifying run before quickly hitting DVD and then PBS. Now the distributor has unveiled its theatrical strategy, and it appears to be a more substantial run than previously hinted at. There’s a possibility the doc’s ongoing acclaim and festival success (including recent wins in Traverse City and Nantucket) got Submarine thinking bigger, so following an October 21 bow at NYC’s IFC Center, they will take it around the U.S. through November and December. For already booked dates/cinemas head over to /Film.

After seeing the film at Sundance, I wrote the following in my Cinematical recap:

Many Sundance attendees fell for Special Jury winner ‘Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,’ but it’s probably too short and simple to be a substantial theatrical title. And while kids seemed to enjoy it out in Park City, I don’t know that a documentary about the guy who operates their favorite Muppet is as appealing as simply watching ‘Sesame Street’ or an Elmo home video.

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News: “Gasland” Sequel; “Food, Inc.” Continued; “Being Elmo” Release Plans

Which of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentaries has a sequel on the way? That would be Josh Fox’s “Gasland,” which has done wonders to out the issue of hydraulic fracking since its Sundance 2010 premiere. According to a recent article in Rolling Stone, Fox is currently shooting the follow-up for an early 2012 release, and this time he’s focusing on the politics involved with the issue, on all levels. It’s unclear if he’s doing the sequel first-person style, following in the footsteps of Michael Moore, who he’s been likened to, or if this could be like what the new doc sequel “Revenge of the Electric Car” is to its predecessor, “Who killed the Electric Car?” That could equally mean an improved style, but it could also be a more conventional one. And much of the favor for the first “Gasland” is in the amateur investigator angle. Either way, I’m looking forward to the continuing story. [via All These Wonderful Things]