by Helen Langdon
Today, we’re talking about How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Let’s get this out of the way right at the start – not that abominable Jim Carrey film, which deserves to die in a Yule-Log-fuelled fire. No, this is the 1966 cartoon, which is half an hour of glorious technicolour cheesy fun. Half an hour, because the story isn’t bloated out with unnecessary characters, side plots, Jim Carrey in dodgy prosthetics and a badly attempted Tim Burton aesthetic (OK, that’s the last time we’ll mention That Film, honestly).
Today, we’re talking about How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Let’s get this out of the way right at the start – not that abominable Jim Carrey film, which deserves to die in a Yule-Log-fuelled fire. No, this is the 1966 cartoon, which is half an hour of glorious technicolour cheesy fun. Half an hour, because the story isn’t bloated out with unnecessary characters, side plots, Jim Carrey in dodgy prosthetics and a badly attempted Tim Burton aesthetic (OK, that’s the last time we’ll mention That Film, honestly).
It’s the story of a creature called the Grinch, who lives high up on a mountain about the town of Whoville. The Grinch hates all kinds of jollity, which makes his living situation a bit unfortunate, as the Whos of Whoville are all abnormally happy (that Who Juice probably contains some kind of mood enhancer). He especially detests Christmas, when all the Whos come together for a noisy, happy celebration which disturbs his solitary existence. So, the Grinch lives in misery with his dog Max until he comes up with the brilliant idea of stealing Christmas from the Whos. Can there be a happy ending? Obviously, but only after the Grinch learns the true meaning of Christmas.
So far, so standard. After all, “grump learns to love” is the basis for most Christmas stories, from A Christmas Carol on. What makes How The Grinch Stole Christmas worth watching in the run-up to Christmas Day? Well, a combination of things. It’s narrated by Boris Karloff, who’s so associated with his role as Frankenstein’s Monster that most audiences probably never realised he could speak. But it’s difficult to think of a better narrator, as Karloff’s deep voice brings little nuances to the words. He’s not just reciting a story – it’s like he’s talking to the characters, reacting to the Grinch’s plot even as he reads it. And his slow, stentorian tones add a bit of menace to proceedings. You’re pretty sure that everything’s going to work out OK, but the way Karloff tells it, it’s quite possible the Grinch will succeed in his plan and end Christmas for the Whos.
And then there’s the songs, two of which really stick out. Firstly, there’s the Whos’ Christmas song, with the most annoyingly catchy nonsense sounds (“fahoo fores dahoo dores”). That’s a sign of the best Christmas songs, right? But that’s not the song which everyone remembers. That honour goes to You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch. Sung as the Grinch dresses as Santa to steal Christmas, it’s catchy, bouncy and perfectly conveys the Grinch’s lack of moral character. The song isn’t actually sung by Karloff, although they’ve done a great job of finding someone with a really similar voice – similar enough that without knowing beforehand, you might never notice the difference.
And then there’s the songs, two of which really stick out. Firstly, there’s the Whos’ Christmas song, with the most annoyingly catchy nonsense sounds (“fahoo fores dahoo dores”). That’s a sign of the best Christmas songs, right? But that’s not the song which everyone remembers. That honour goes to You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch. Sung as the Grinch dresses as Santa to steal Christmas, it’s catchy, bouncy and perfectly conveys the Grinch’s lack of moral character. The song isn’t actually sung by Karloff, although they’ve done a great job of finding someone with a really similar voice – similar enough that without knowing beforehand, you might never notice the difference.
OK, so the story and soundtrack is great. But that could all be for nothing if the animation is shoddy. Luckily, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is directed by Chuck Jones, whose animation style you might recognise from Looney Tunes (he created Roadrunner and Wile E Coyote, amongst others). Jones had also worked with Dr Seuss before this, with the two helping to create the Private Snafu propaganda films during World War Two. What this means is the ideal combination of style and content, with Jones’ primary colours, slick movement and small visual comedic details perfect for the rhyming tale of the evil Grinch. When preparing for the Christmas season, it’s definitely one to get you in the mood.
RSS Feed
