HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! ***** (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Voices of-Boris Karloff Director-Chuck Jones Rated G Released 1966 MGM Home Video
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
`How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' is a Holiday tradition for many families, in the same regard as the Christmas turkey or decorations on the tree. I, myself, can hardly think of a more rewarding manner to spend a snowy evening in December than curling up and watching this Holiday gem. It's 26 minutes of warmth, humor and moralizing that clicks perfectly upon every viewing.
Everybody knows the Grinch. He is a pudgy, reprehensible green creature with spindly fingers and a wicked heart that is two sizes too small. He looks down from his desolate mountain cave toward the citizens of Whoville, furrowing his brow and frowning the most hateful of frowns. The Grinch is completely fed up with the Christmas celebrations of the Who's: their annual singing at Town Square, the pretty decorations they put up, and all of the aggravating noise that results from the Who girls and boys playing with their new toys. The Grinch devises a plan - an evil plan - to put a stop to all of this warmth and jubilation in Whoville. He will disguise himself as Santa Claus, ride down the mountainside in a sleigh, and steal all of the presents and decorations in the happy little town.
`How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' is full of delightful Seussian humor, which makes sense, because it was originally written by the incomparable Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel, the King of rhyme). Some of the toy names are particularly inventive in all of their exuberant, tongue-twisting glory. And the musical numbers are absolutely wonderful, with everything from the more traditional `Trim up the Tree' to my personal favorite, the low-octave charmer `You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch'. The film is narrated by the legendary Boris Karloff to sheer perfection, and the three central characters are each memorable in their own separate way. The Grinch himself is a villain to be remembered, his dog (or unwilling reindeer) is cute and affectionate in his shy attempts to please his master, and Cindy Loo Who (a tiny girl who stumbles upon `Santa' in the act) is adorable. With all of this fun and imagination at work, how could you not love this movie?
`The Grinch' originally aired on television in 1966, but it has grew in popularity with every passing year. The animation is certainly nothing special, but for the demands of a children's story, it is perfectly rendered. Most importantly, `How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' strives for a moral that everyone in the family can learn from. This Christmas, dedicate a mere 26 minutes to this Holiday classic. `The Grinch' is one Yuletide selection that will always be welcome in my book.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
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