Product Details

• Actors: Billy Crystal
• Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, SECAM, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Random House Home Video
• VHS Release Date: April 21, 1992
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302360749
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,795 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Billy Crystal has fun with this beloved tale of Horton the empathetic elephant who sees a need--in this case an egg that needs some sitting on--and does whatever it takes to fill it. He gives Horton's voice an earnest goofball quality and errant mother bird Mayzie a loopy Southern belle accent. While Horton may be the embodiment of the Golden Rule, Morris McGurkus of If I Ran the Circus, the second story on this 30-minute tape, is a classic Seuss daydreamer. Sitting behind the local store, he envisions a fantastic Circus McGurkus, complete with horn-tooting apes with two or three tongues, wink-hooded hoodwinks, and storeowner Sneelock pipe-smoking his way through a series of daredevil performances. Both stories feature illustrations from the books with some minor animation added. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars STOP! May not be the version you're thinking of!, January 4, 2002

By 

Robert Craig "cranky critic" (Los Altos, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dr. Seuss Horton Hatches the Egg/If I Ran the Circus [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is not the fully animated version that has been shown on television ... it is the illustrated version narrated by Billy Crystal (who does a wonderful job, BTW). Having said that, my four year old has only seen this version, and minimal as the animation is, he loved it. Also included on the tape is "If I Ran the Circus" (or "Circus McGurkus", if that helps jog your memory), which is much longer, silly, and just as engaging to my son.

I don't regret buying this version, but I'm disappointed I didn't read the description more carefully before throwing it in my cart (as a child, I really fell in love with the fully animated version).

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected but good, January 26, 2003

By 

Winslow B. Woodland (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Seuss Horton Hatches the Egg/If I Ran the Circus [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The cartoon I was looking for was the original "Horton Hatches the Egg" aired in 1942 by Looney Tunes. This video was good for children and Billy Crystal did well with the voices of the different characters

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Horton Hatches the Egg, August 25, 2000

By 

Te M. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Seuss Horton Hatches the Egg/If I Ran the Circus [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The stories of Dr. Seuss are fun and enjoyable to adults as well as children. The characters are entertaining and the stories always have a deeper message. In the case of Horton Hatches the Egg, the message is of loyalty, patience, and perseverence as seen in Horton the elephant. The story shows that hard times may come but nature has its ways of giving everyone what they have earned. Children will remember the fun and unique tale and adults will appreciate the message that the story gives.