Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who

Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who
by Chuck Jones, Ben Washam

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Movie Reviews of Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who

Movie Review: An amazing little piece of history....
Summary: 5 Stars

On top of this now preserved "performance" by Hartman, we are treated to interview segments with the now deceased Chuck Jones who shares wonderful tidbits about working with the genius Dr. Seuss. Speaking of Dr. Seuss, his wife is interviewed as well and gives us nice details about her husband and his love for his work. We are also given great background on the music of the Grinch, the most amazing thing being that Boris Karloff in fact did not sing the famous "You're a Mean One Mister Grinch." In fact, the man who did was never credited with his performance. We now know him best as Tony the Tiger and his most famous line, "It's GRRRRREAT!"

Along with these special features and the feature, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" we get another Dr. Seuss classic, "Horton Hears a Who". This feature is also decently restored, although the picture is not near as high quality as "The Grinch". Horton, an elephant, hears a tiny voice screaming "help!" from a speck of dust one day (he has very large ears) and quips the line "I must save them, because after all, a person is a person no matter how small". The rest of the feature shows Horton's dilemma as his fellow jungle friends who do not hear the voice believe Horton is going mad and attempt to punish him and destroy the dust. We also learn that the voice is in fact coming from Whoville (the same as in the Grinch) and that the entire town is so tiny that it is entirely inside the speck of dust. The Who's don't believe that anything exists outside their world and thus, don't know of their impending danger, except for one Who who has built a large telescope which stretches to the outside of their world. Both the Who and Horton have to deal with the fact that society doesn't believe they have truly spoken with one another.

If you find it difficult to spend money on a Christmas classic that lasts only half an hour and would only be watched during one season of the year, then the addition of Horton should make the purchase more worth while. This DVD is a classic every way you look at it. Two classic cartoons, and footage of personalities now gone but forever imprinted on our hearts. By way of Christmas classics, few are better than "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Even my husband still sheds a small tear when the Grinch's heart grows three sizes. We now have this endearing work to share with our children any time we want.

Summary of Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
To heck with the kids--this is one of the best holiday presents you can give yourself. Adapted from the children's book by Dr. Seuss, this charming story is one to watch every holiday season. It is just edgy enough to help you forget the more cloying aspects of Christmas, yet it is also sweet enough to remind you of the reason for all that holiday cheer. Animation genius Chuck Jones directed this 1966 television production featuring the voice of Boris Karloff as the mean greenie. Bitter and selfish, the Grinch decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, the sweet little folk who live at the bottom of his mountain home. When little Cindy Loo Who returns his hateful act with kindness, she melts the old miser's heart. There are many reasons to watch this: inventive wordplay, Karloff's impressive narration, and a very memorable soundtrack. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Horton Hears a Who!
Chuck Jones was chief animator on this lively adaptation of the famous book by Dr. Seuss. The story of a friendly elephant named Horton who discovers--deep inside a daisy--a tiny city called Whoville with tiny, intelligent residents--this film (fleshed out a bit from the source) is strong on character and has striking, appealing visuals. The little folks of Whoville, with their natural air of aristocracy, are a kick, and when they come to see Horton as a hero for his democratic view of all life big and small, the effect is quite touching. This should be a real treat for kids already familiar with the book, and just might inspire those who haven't read it to pick it up. --Tom Keogh