How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Film poster
Directed by	Ron Howard
Produced by	Brian Grazer Ron Howard
Written by	Screenplay Jeffrey Price Peter S. Seaman Book Dr. Seuss
Narrated by	Anthony Hopkins
Starring	Jim Carrey Jeffrey Tambor Christine Baranski Bill Irwin Molly Shannon Clint Howard Taylor Momsen Anthony Hopkins
Music by	James Horner
Cinematography	Donald Peterman
Editing by	Dan Hanley Mike Hill
Studio	Imagine Entertainment
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	November 17, 2000
Running time	105 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$123 million
Gross revenue	$345,141,403

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, also known as The Grinch, is a 2000 American live-action film from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, based on the 1957 book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. Because the film is based on a children's picture book, many additions had to be made to the storyline to bring it up to feature-length. Most of the rhymes used in the book were used in the film, though some were slightly changed, and new rhymes were put in as well. Directed by Ron Howard, produced by Brian Grazer, and starring Jim Carrey in the title role, it is the first Dr. Seuss story made into a live-action film. The film received mixed critical reaction but spent four weeks as the #1 film in the U.S., eventually earning $260 million at the US box office and breaking the 2007 Guinness World Record for Highest-Grossing Christmas Movie. A Blu-Ray Version of the movie was released on October 13, 2009.

Plot

The story takes place in a land "inside a snowflake, like the one on your sleeve". The Whos of Who-ville love Christmas more than any other holiday, but the Grinch, a hairy, green creature living just north of Who-ville, hates Christmas.

The Grinch lives with just his dog, Max, in a cave on Mt. Crumpit. He is haunted by unpleasant memories associated with the Christmas season, hence his having nothing to do with it. The Grinch is a childhood sweetheart of Martha May Whovier, but the mayor of Who-ville, Augustus Maywho, has always been in competition with the Grinch for Martha's affections.

As a baby, the Grinch was brought up with a love for Christmas. When he was eight years old, he made an angel ornament as a gift for Martha. However, he was also worried Martha would dislike his facial hair. He shaves, but ends up cutting himself in several places. At school the next day, he is ridiculed and even the teacher can't help but laugh. Enraged he throws the tree at everybody and it drives him to leave Whoville and set up residence on Mt. Crumpit. Over time, he has become something of an urban legend among the Whos.

Cindy Lou Who is a young Who who feels the true meaning of Christmas is lost, as she is overwhelmed by all of the commercial and materialistic commotion. She has a random encounter with the Grinch, and becomes fascinated with finding out more about him. After learning his story, she becomes determined to get him into the Christmas spirit again. To this end, she convinces the Grinch to participate in the Whos' Christmas festivities, tempting him with the fact that Martha May will attend, but Maywho publicly humiliates the Grinch by giving him an electric razor and proposing to Martha May. Furiously haunted by the past, the Grinch becomes angry, calling the Whos' Christmas stupid and saying the holiday is about nothing but greed. He then uses the razor to shave Maywho's head, sets the Christmas tree ablaze, and returns to Mt. Crumpit in disgust. Meanwhile, the Whos produce a spare tree and commence with a Grinchless Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, the Grinch plans to ruin the Whos' Christmas by means of burglary. To masquerade as Santa Claus, he fashions a rocket powered sleigh and a red and white hat and coat, using Max as his reindeer. He steals all of the Whos' Christmas presents and decorations. When he stumbles into Cindy Lou Who, she tells him (thinking he's Santa) to not forget the Grinch, as she thinks he's sweet. The Grinch is at first touched, but quickly refocuses on his plot. Once all of the houses are robbed (and after taking some time to exact revenge against Mayor Maywho), he has Max pull the sleigh up to the top of Mt. Crumpit, where he plans to dispose of all of the presents.

The Whos are at first miserable over what has happened, especially Mayor Maywho. He openly blames Cindy Lou for the catastrophe, but Cindy Lou's father stands up to him. He reminds everyone that Christmas isn't all about gifts after all, and that they still have the Christmas Spirit - the one thing that doesn't come from a store. They sing at the arrival of Christmas, and the Grinch hears them echoing over the mountain. He finally realizes that Christmas is something that can't be stolen, and his heart swells and he feels Christmas spirit at last. He realizes his stolen load is about to tumble off the mountain peak. At first he is unable to muster the strength to pull it back, but when he sees that Cindy Lou has climbed onto the sleigh, his worry for her safety gives him the superhuman strength to lift the sleigh clear off the ground. He and Cindy Lou then bring the presents back to Who-ville. Martha May gives Mayor Maywho his engagement ring back and tells him that she won't marry him because her heart belongs to The Grinch.

The Grinch is accepted back into society and all of Whoville goes up to the Grinch's cave on Mt. Crumpit, where the Grinch carves the roast beast at Christmas dinner. Martha May stands beside him, while Cindy Lou sits nearby waiting for her portion of the roast beast.

Cast

• Jim Carrey as The Grinch, a creature bent on ruining Christmas for the Whos.
• Anthony Hopkins as the Narrator.
• Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who, a young Who who thinks the Christmas spirit in Whoville is lost. She is notably older (near 8-Years old) in this version than in the book and TV special (where she was no more than two).
• Jeffrey Tambor as Mayor Augustus Maywho, Whoville's mayor, and a rival to the Grinch in stealing the heart of Martha May Whovier. He also happens to be Grinch's Childhood Bully that motivated The Grinch to hate Christmas.
• Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier, the Grinch's lifelong crush and the romantic interest of Augustus.
• Bill Irwin as Lou Lou Who, Cindy's father.
• Molly Shannon as Betty Lou Who, Cindy's mother and a rival to Martha May in a house lighting contest.
• Clint Howard as Whobris, the mayor's aid.
• Mindy Sterling as Clarnella, the teacher.
• Jeremy Howard as Drew Lou Who, brother to Cindy.
• T.J. Thyne as Stu Lou Who, brother to Cindy and Drew.
• Jim Meskimen as Officer Wholihan, the chief of police.
• Josh Ryan Evans as an 8-year-old Grinch. His humiliation at school is what drives him into a hatred of Christmas.
• Ben Bookbinder as 8-year-old Augustus Maywho. He ridicules the young Grinch.
• Landry Allbright as an 8-year-old Martha May Whovier. She shows compassion towards the Grinch.
• Reid Kirchenbauer as an 8-year-old Whobris.
• Frank Welker as the voice of Max the Dog, the Grinch's only companion on Mt. Crumpit.

Soundtrack Listing

• "Kids Today" (dialogue) - Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen
• "Grinch 2000" - Busta Rhymes and Jim Carrey
• "Green Christmas" - Barenaked Ladies
• "Christmas of Love" - Little Isidore and the Inquisitors
• "Lonely Christmas Eve" - Ben Folds
• "Grinch Schedule" (dialogue) - Jim Carrey
• "Better do it Right" - Smash Mouth
• "Whoville Medley" (Perfect Christmas Night/Grinch) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• "Reindeer" (dialogue) - Jim Carrey
• "Christmas is Going to the Dogs" - The Eels
• "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - Jim Carrey
• "Christmas Means More" (dialogue) - Anthony Hopkins and Jim Carrey
• "You Don't Have to be Alone" - 'N Sync
• "Where Are You, Christmas?" - Faith Hill
• "The Shape of Things to Come" (score) (includes "Happy Who-lidays")
• "Memories of Green Childhood" (score)
• "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You? - Taylor Momsen
• "Stealing Christmas" (score and dialogue) - Jim Carrey, Anthony Hopkins, and Taylor Momsen
• "The Big Heist" (score)
• "Does Cindy Lou Really Ruin Christmas?" (score)
• "A Change of the Heart" (score)
• "The Sleigh of Presents" (score)
• "He Carves the Roast Beast" (score) (includes "Welcome Christmas")

Reception

The Grinch was a smash hit at the box office, opening at #1 with a weekend gross of $55,082,230, for an average of $17,615 from 3,127 theaters. It closed on March 1, 2001 after 15 weeks with a final domestic gross of $260,044,825 and an additional overseas gross of $85,096,578 for a total worldwide gross of $345,141,403.

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film with a 53% rating, classifying it as "Rotten", and Metacritic listed the film with a 46% rating, indicating "mixed or average reviews". For its shortcomings, it was nominated for 2 Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Screenplay and Worst Remake or Sequel, but did not win either. On the other hand, the film also garnered three Academy Award nominations, including Best Costume and Best Art Direction, and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. At the Golden Globes, Carrey was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, losing the award to George Clooney for O Brother, Where Art Thou?

DVD & Blu-ray

A blu-ray and DVD combination pack was released on the 13th October 2009,

See also

• The Grinch
• The Grinch Video Game
• The Cat in the Hat
• Horton Hears a Who!

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (film)

• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Internet Movie Database
• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Rotten Tomatoes
• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Metacritic
• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Box Office Mojo
• Archived ABC Feature Page for Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!