Ernest and Bertram
| Ernest and Bertram | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Peter Spears |
| Produced by | TC Smith |
| Screenplay by | Peter Spears |
| Based on | Sesame Street, The Children's Hour |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Aaron Barnes, Thomas Richter |
| Edited by | Steven Friedland |
|
Release date
|
2002 |
|
Running time
|
8 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Ernest & Bertram is a 2002 tragic comedy short film by Peter Spears spoofing Sesame Street characters Ernie and Bert. The film is based on Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour, and depicts Bert and Ernie after they are outed by Variety magazine. Although the film was a success at the Sundance Film Festival and the U.S Comedy Arts Festival, it kept from further distribution when Sesame Workshop served the film's producers with a cease and desist order for copyright violation.
When the film starts, Miss Piggy has discontinued a romantic relationship with Bert when rumors of the roommates being gay hit the media. Ernie comes home, and through conversation reveals that he does love Bert "that way." Bert seems not to share this sentiment, resulting in Ernie's suicide.
The film makes no effort to hide the fact that they're using Sesame Workshop's characters. The blatant use of copyrighted characters is no doubt what initiated legal action on the part of the owners. This includes the two main characters, their likenesses and an arrangement of the Sesame Street theme song.
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