How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
From The Film Guide
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas! | ||
|---|---|---|
 Jim Carrey as The Grinch | ||
| Directed by: | Ron Howard | |
| Produced by: | Brian Grazer | |
| Written by: | Theodore Geisel (based upon 1957 book), Jeffrey Price (screenplay), Peter S. Seaman (screenplay) | |
| Starring: | Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon, Clint Howard, and Taylor Momsen | |
| Music by: | James Horner | |
| Cinematography by: | Don Peterman | |
| Editing by: | Dan Hanley, Mike Hill | |
| Runtime: | 104 mins. | |
| Country: | United States | |
| Language: | English | |
| Distributed by: | Universal Studios | |
| | ||
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a 2000 live-action film, based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Due to additions made to the storyline so that it could be brought up to feature-length, it was considerably less faithful to the original book, creating a new back-story to explain the Grinch's motivations.
The film was directed by Ron Howard, produced by Brian Grazer, and starred Jim Carrey in the title role of the Grinch. Taylor Momsen starred as Cindy Lou Who, who in this version seems to be about eight years old, where the character in the book was "no more than two". While this version is often referred to as simply The Grinch, the on-screen title is How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, with the word "Grinch" written in much larger letters than the rest of the title.
Other cast members include the late Josh Ryan Evans as the young Grinch, Bill Irwin as Lou Lou Who and Jeffrey Tambor as Mayor Augustus May Who.
Contents |
[edit] Critical reaction
Despite an incredible costume and the standard physical comedy from Jim Carrey, the film received decidely mixed critical reviews. Nonetheless, the film became the highest-grossing film released in North America in 2000, earning $260 million at the box office.
Some felt the extension of the film past the original plot was unwarranted and made the film drag. Others thought the attack on Western crass commercialism was a bit overblown and overbearing, and especially ironic in a big budget Hollywood film that cost well over $100 million to make.
Typical of such reviews, Roger Ebert wrote of the film's darkness:
- "This is a movie that devotes enormous resources to the mistaken belief that children and their parents want to see a dank, eerie, weird movie about a sour creature who lives on top of a mountain of garbage, scares children, is mean to his dog, and steals everyone's Christmas presents." [1]
Ebert goes on to say Carrey is almost unrecognizable in his thick mask-like Grinch costume, and that the sets, unlike the original book illustrations by Geisel/Seuss, are "unattractive and menacing."
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jim Carrey | The Grinch |
| Jeffrey Tambor | Mayor Augustus May Who |
| Christine Baranski | Martha May Whovier |
| Bill Irwin | Lou Lou Who |
| Molly Shannon | Betty Lou Who |
| Clint Howard | Whobris |
| Taylor Momsen | Cindy Lou Who |
[edit] Selected quotes
- "You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I'm saying? In your *garbage*. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice..." - Jim Carrey as The Grinch
- "Blast this Christmas music. It's joyful and triumphant." - Jim Carrey as The Grinch
- "Santa, don't forget the Grinch. I know he's mean and hairy and smelly, and his hands are cold and clammy, but I think he's kinda... sweet." - Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who
