Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Deluxe Edition)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Christine Baranski, David Costabile, Jim Carrey, Josh Ryan Evans, Michael DahlenBrand: Universal
Primary Contributor: Jim Carrey
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, Live, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 104 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-11-05
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Deluxe Edition)
Movie Review: Problematic, but can be overcome with discernment and discussion
Summary: 3 Stars
Ron Howard's adaptation of Theodor Geissel's (Dr. Suess) "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (HGSC) is a problematic film for parents: it is both horrible excess and conveys an important, although flawed, message.
Let me be clear on my perspective: I am a traditional Catholic, and I firmly believe Christmas is the Church's commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I also believe that in keeping with the festive nature of this glorious event that expressions of joy are not to be shunned. However, Christmas is a season (the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25th to January 6th, with expressions of Christmas joy extending all the way to Candlemass).
Jim Carey gives a Jim Carey performance, which is indistinguishable in my book from his excesses in "the Mask" or his other frolics. If you like Jim Carey you'll like his Grinch. I must admit I was amazed that he could convey any expression at all from under his makeup.
The assorted other characters, save the smallest Who in Whoville and the dog, are reduced to cameos, so it is suffice to say that they are adequate, although they too suffer under much make-up.
But larger than any character is the art direction: these sets make "Hook" look like a back alley, with distinct and unique cars, shops, homes, terrain, streets, light fixtures, etc. If this didn't win the Oscar for art direction it should have, simply because of the sheer magnitude of it.
Which leads to its flaws: the sets overwhelm everything and are too much, in a way that baroque or rococo is not too much. And Howard's direction and camera shots make all the detail so constantly in-your-face and overwhelming that you can scarcely follow the story.
The story is mindlessly expanded from Geissel's original fable, with evident padding and a ridiculous sub-plot about a romance between the Grinch and the prettiest girl in town and her present suitor, the self-satisfied and vain mayor.
Which leads to the story's redemptive portion: it does attack the commercialization and emphasis on the giving of presents that mass consumer culture has produced. While I'm no Jansenist, such excess is self evident. But the film's excesses itself blunt this simple message, and disarm the argument through its hypocrisy. In addition, it says, and says loudly "Christmas is NOT about giving presents" but what it offers up is that Christmas is about....warm feelings we have for each other.
News flash to Hollywood: that is NOT what Christmas is about.
Nevertheless, I don' find HGSC all that offensive or damaging to the observant Christian home. It is piffle, but harmless piffle. The cartoonish excess is annoying, but it has some morbid appeal to children that is ultimately correctable through conversation.
Summary of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Deluxe Edition)
Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 08/22/2006 Run time: 105 minutes Rating: PgUnder a thick carpet of green-dyed yak fur and wonderfully expressive Rick Baker makeup, Jim Carrey is up to all of his old tricks (and some nifty new ones) in this live-action movie of Dr. Seuss's holiday classic. He commands the title role with equal parts madness, mayhem, pathos, and improvisational genius, channeling Grinchness through his own screen persona so smoothly that fans of both Carrey and Dr. Seuss will be thoroughly satisfied. Adding to the fun is a perfectly pitched back-story sequence (accompanied by Anthony Hopkins's narration) that explains how the Grinch came to hate Christmas, with a heart "two sizes too small." Ron Howard proves a fine choice for the director's chair with a keen balance of comedy, sentiment, and light-hearted Seussian whimsy. Production designer Michael Corenblith gloriously realizes the wackiness of Whoville architecture, and his rendition of the Grinch's Mt. Crumpit lair is a marvel of cartoonish, subterranean grime. Then there's Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), the thoughtful imp who rallies her village to recapture the pure spirit of Christmas and melts the gift-stealing Grinch's cold, cold heart. You've even got a dog (the Grinch's good-natured mongrel, Max) who's been perfectly cast, so what's not to like about this dazzling yuletide movie? The production gets a bit overwhelmed by its own ambition, and the citizens of Whoville (including Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Molly Shannon, and Bill Irwin) pale in comparison to Carrey's inspired lunacy, but who cares? If a movie can unleash Jim Carrey at his finest, revamp the Grinch story, and still pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Seuss, you can bet it qualifies as rousing entertainment. (Ages 5 and older.) --Jeff Shannon
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