The Song and Cartoon
In 1966 a cartoon special came out based on the book called “Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” In the cartoon version, music, color, and action are added to storybook version. We are introduced to the adorable town of Who-Ville and its residence-who sing in merriment at decorating for Christmas. We are also introduced to the Grinch. In the storybook tale, the illustrations are black and white as blotches of shades of red add to the festivity of the story I suppose. In the cartoon version, there is no question to the colors of the town and the Grinch. Here we are introduced to the Grinch as a green character with yellow and red eyes. The Cartoon narrates the book, and follows the story, but also adds more details, such as the different toys that the children play with that drives the Grinch crazy. There is no doubt that Dr. Seuss wrote the cartoon, with words such as “jingtinglers and floofloofers and whowonkas.”
The pictures play out in action all the events in the storybook. From turning himself into “Santy Clause” to following through his awful, awful idea of stealing Christmas from each house in Who-Ville.
Along with the narrator and additional action scenes, there are a couple of songs that were also written by Dr. Seuss (lyrics). One of the most recognizable song, “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” was originally written and composed for the cartoon. Lyrics by Dr. Seuss, music composed by Albert Hague, and “performed” by Thurl Ravenscroft. The song goes into a detailed description about the unpleasant character of The Grinch. He is a mean, vile, foul, monster. He is also a rotter whos heart’s an empty hole and a brain full of spiders and garlic in his soul. He has no redeeming qualities. He is as charming as an eel and cuddly as a cactus. He is ugly (with termites in his smile) and he stink, stank, stunk-like a nasty-wasty stunk. I’m pretty sure Dr. Seuss tried to outdo even himself on coming up with descriptions that are worse than the next to describe the awful Mr. Grinch. However, the song is catchy and fits into the storyline as he plots out and follows through with his plan to raid Christmas.
But, unlike the song, the cartoon follows the book and The Grinch’s heart grows as he learns the real meaning of Christmas. In fact, in the cartoon, Dr. Seuss wants to hit home the real meaning of Christmas even further by continuing the lesson taught in his book:
Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.
Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to grasp.
Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we.
Welcome Christmas while we stand
Heart to heart and hand in hand.
*Can I just say that I really want to try Who pudding and Who Hash?
Source: Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, (1966) directed by Chuck Jones/Ben Washam/Produced by Chuck Jones Ted Geisel. Screenplay by Dr. Seuss. Voices: Boris Karloff, June Foray, Thurl Ravenscroft, Dallas Mckennon
Since the popular 1966 version, two more Grinch movies have made its way to pop culture. I will only be talking about the first version which is a “live action” movie starring Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Branski, Bill Irwin, and Molly Shannon. The official title, Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) won a handful of awards including an Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. We are introduced to Who-Ville as “real life” humans. Whos look human but have whimsical hairstyles and long eye lashes and turned up noses that don’t quiet look right, giving the Whos an animal like quality. Their costumes are delightful. The colorful town itself fantastically brings a cartoon element to life. This version stretches the original story of the Grinch who stole Christmas and adds to the “why” character of the Grinch.
The Film
In this version, Who-ville is introduced to us as a microscopic town living on a snowflake. Everyone in Who-ville loves Christmas a lot. Consequently, they detest the Grinch who lives above them on a mountain top who hates Christmas. In this version, unlike the storybook, the Whos seem to have lost their way when it comes to the real meaning of Christmas by letting the material side of the holiday, with the packages and the presents and the lighting competitions to matter most. Cindy Lou is a main character who is older and wiser in this version. She makes it her mission to understand the Grinch’s past and why he hates Christmas.
We are given flashbacks of the Grinch as a baby and child and how he was bullied in school after attempting to give a heartfelt Christmas gift to his crush one year. As a result, he runs away from Who-ville at age eight, hating Christmas and Who-ville alike. Cindy Lou convinces the town of Who-ville to give the Grinch a “Cheer-Meister” award and manages to get the Grinch to accept it. This of course backfires and once again he is humiliated in front of his peers. He causes chaos (he is very angry) but only after lecturing the Who-ville town about their obsession with gifts and material things. After deviating from the original plot to understand why the Grinch hated Christmas, we then pick up with the original storyline of the Grinch stealing Christmas.
Jim Carrey does an excellent job at performing a character we all love to hate. He is overly annoying! He does an amazing job at creating a character from the term “He’s a Rotter.” The film also helps us understand (a little bit, I guess) as to why the Grinch turned into such a nasty, bitter character. The Grinch was unlovable because he was not loved. He was abandoned and shunned as the town’s outcast. Of course, your heart would grow small, of course it would be full of dirty socks! Of course, you would have garlic in your soul… And mostly, of course you would hate Christmas! This popular version is full of humor and fun side characters that add additional layers to the original tale. It is a bit dragged out for me, but I do enjoy how it gives the audience a look inside of the Grinch’s past and consequently his hardened heart.
*Can I just say, why have they not invented the machine that Martha uses to put up her Christmas lights? I do believe we could all use it!
Source: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 2000, directed by Ron Howard, Narrated by Antony Hopkins, produced by Brian Grazer, Todd Hallowell, Ron Howard, starring Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Branski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon