Customer Reviews

How the Grinch Stole Christmas [VHS]

5 star:		(166)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(33)
1 star:		(67)

 

 

Many kids
Enjoy Christmas
They like it a lot

And this film
Is about the Grinch
Who did not

The film gives the background, and fills in some blanks
The Grinch as a child was subjected to pranks
He fancied a Who, with the name Martha May
He tried to impress her and to his dismay
They laughed at his efforts, his gift and his face
So he destroyed the classroom and fled from that place

Then,
He moved to Mount Crumpet
And made him a home
While the green hairy creature seethed under the dome
Until one cold day at the town Christmas party
When young Cindy Lou showed him how to be hearty
Then Mayor May-Who went and spoiled all the fun
By taunting the Grinch 'til he came all undone

He went up his mountain, and he started scheming
And when he was through he was smiling and beaming
He'd ruin their Christmas; he knew what to do
Revenge is the sweetest when it's overdue
If you've read the story you know how it ends
How the Grinch stole that Christmas from his former friends

So what happened next?
I won't give it away
This Christmas this movie will show every day
So if you're a Grinch you can run, but not hide
As you try to stifle the feeling inside
Just gather the kids for a clean yuletide treat
Merry Christmas to all!
(Now this poem's complete)



Amanda Richards, December 10, 2006

Its the classic tale of the hate-filled outcast who with time grows to be accepted into society. In this instance, the Grinch, a hideous abnormality that lives off his passion for yuletide misery, is eventually persuaded from obscurity to join the Whos in their picture-perfect village. Under the layers of leathery green skin, Jim Carrey is instantly recogniseable as he writhes and extends his facial features to the limit capturing the loveable rogue stature perfectly. Ron Howard's takes charge of the direction and provides an magical yet comprehendable depiction of the dedicated Whos as they prepare for the festivities. Its not laugh a minute entertainment but it is inventively produced and provides a credible reproduction of Dr Seuss classic childrens stories. Hilarious in parts and cringeworthy in others, this is family fun encroaching upon the the best in DVD entertainment.

Pretty much all of us know the classic Dr. Seuss story about the Grinch, a somewhat green meanie, who wants to stop Christmas from coming to his local neighbor's, the Who's. Ron Howard's film version starring rubber faceman Jim Carrey simply takes that story and adds a bit more to it (to fill the extra hour and twenty minutes of running time as opposed to the original cartoon version's 25 minutes). I for one love the backstory that was created. I always wondered why did the Grinch hate the Who's so much. What made him hate Christmas? These questions are answered quite well with some well imagined backstory of the Grinch as a child who actually grew up among the Who's, only to be ridiculed and made fun of for his strange appearence and unique behavior. It seems that the Green one became interested in a young girl that another boy liked (and who ultimately would later became the Mayor of Whoville). The film evens goes on to have Cindy Lou Who (who's given a bigger part in the film) question her family's values of what Christmas is really about...presents?...buying stuff?..is that's all it's about?..she wonders. It is she who realizes the good in the Grinch and crusades for him to be head chairmeister at one of the Who celebrations. I'm not sure what other people were really expecting, but this is pretty much what I thought the movie should and would be like. The sets and costumes are amazing..very Seussian! And Jim Carrey?...Well, I personally believe that Jim is great in everything he does and doesn't recieve enough credibilty by critics and certain moviegoers mainly because of where he came from (i.e. comedy and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the film that made him a star). I think critics that gave the film a bad review missed the whole point and probably need to watch fewer films 'cause they're obviously burntout! All I can say is the fans have spoken, which is why, despite lukewarm reviews, the film went on to become a huge hit and success back in November of 2000! I will still of course watch the cartoon version, but this version will also find plenty of time in my DVD player as well!

My only gripe with the DVD is that certain special features are too short or missing. The "Spotlight on Location" is barely over 7 minutes long. There are about 5 such featurettes included on the DVD that run between 4 to 10 minutes long. With such an interesting story like "The Grinch", a 60 minute or longer documentary should've been made to really take us inside not just the filming process, but the world of Seuss and Whoville as well. The other disappointment is there is no audio commentary included. I had almost expected one from director Ron Howard, who had always done one for previous Universal Pictures Collector's Edition DVDs (Apollo 13 & EDtv). I really wanted to know more about just how stressful it was on Jim Carrey to wear the Grinch costume. From interviews I've seen by Howard on Late Nite talk shows, Carrey became so tortured that he ripped the mask off his face and walked off the set. He was in the makeup chair everyday for 92 days straight. They had to get a Navy Seal team leader to instruct Carrey on ways of dealing with torture just so he could finish the shoot (no joke). This kind of story deserves much more insight, which is why I'm so disappointed that no commentary is available on the disc. So whenever people say Jim Carrey wasn't good as The Grinch, I scoff and say, "he went through torture to make that movie!" Some people are just hard to please. But don't let it ruin your Holiday Spirit! Add "The Grinch" to your collection today. And catch the special sneak preview trailer of E.T. The Extraterrestrial on this DVD (just before the movie begins), coming only to theaters in March 2002, with added footage, new special effects shots and more!

The Grinch - It's not easy being green.

For all you Christmas lovers this would be a great film for you. The Grinch is a great film which everybody enjoyed. Children under the age of five might find The Grinch abit frghtening to look at but there is no need to be scared.The Grinch is a nice monster once you get to know him. This film really gets you in the Christmas mood. It would be a great film to watch on Christmas Eve.
I really, really really enjoyed the film. My mum and dad did as well. I can tell you that there not a film person, but they liked this one especially. I would say this is the best film I have seen. If you haven't seen the film yet, you must get it on video.

It's no wonder that "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" ended up being the number one, top-box office money-maker of the year 2000. Jim Carrey IS the Grinch! His portrayal is obviously based on not only the book and the 1966 animated special, but also the other Grinches as seen in Dr. Seuss' "Grinch Night" and "The Grinch Grinches The Cat In The Hat" .... His facial expressions and mannerisms are perfect (and approved by Seuss' widow- a real Grinch lover herself)! It’s amazing to see him do that famous Grinch smile that seems to go on forever! Jim manages to speak clearly and sound like a Grinch, even with those huge prosthetic teeth, (which as he told Rosie O’Donald, force you to talk as he did in the movie). And to be as flexible as he ever was, even in that suit! In fact, he's actually rather cute! The film is funny both for kids and adults since it has a variety of humor to appeal to all ages. My 7 year old and her 60 year old Grandpa loved it as much as I did and I’m 33, making this a rare film that can be enjoyed by all generations. The whole production is amazing; sets are right out of a typical Seuss book, like “The Troubles I Had in Getting To Solla Sollew” or Whoville as seen in “Horton Hears a Who”. Lots of details (like the 1950’s style refrigerator from the original book), make it all the more spectacular, yet, they still managed to make it feel some how modern, too. Cindy Lou Who is adorable and the new characters work well. The story is fantastic as we finally find out WHY the Grinch hates Christmas. The last part of the movie is right out of the book and cartoon but with a few of it’s own inflections. And I LOVED the new version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” much more than I ever loved the version from the animation. Anybody who tells you Ron Howard was off the mark or that Jim wasn’t good simply doesn’t know Grinch! I’m a Grinch fanatic and a Seuss fanatic and I can tell you that every bit of this film was researched and designed incredibly well. In “Horton”, Whoville was inside of a speck of dust. In this film, it’s in a snowflake- perfect! I can't wait to finally own this one!

While Ron Howard is one of the best directors of our time, Jim Carrey is surely one of its most gifted actors. While he hasn't yet mastered the subtleties of dram, he is like human Play-Dough, easily able to mold into the most unusual of characters. The Grinch, while an odd, even uneasy character, may be Carey's most challenging role to date, due in large part to the mountain of makeup the transformation requires. Within the green fur and facial prosthesis, Carrey literally becomes the Grinch, enough so that Dr. Seuss's own widow personally approved of the production.

The unexpected treat in this film is the sweet on-screen relationship between the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, played perfectly by 6-year-old Taylor Momsen. While Carrey is a delight to watch in his crazed Grinch routine, by the end of the movie even the Grinchiest of people will likely feel their hearts growing three sizes. While perhaps not a holiday classic, "The Grinch" will take an honored place in our Christmas viewing traditions, and should be a welcome addition to any DVD collection.

My friends and all LOVE this movie, despite all the scathing negative reviews from so-called "experts" here and on other movie sites who constantly trash it. Of course it's not 100% "true" to the original (20-minute) cartoon or the book. You gotta fill a 2-hr+ movie with something, so they came up with a lot more material and a back story... we all adore the mildly adult and sometimes twisted humor, anti-Christmas dialog, great effects, and some of the funniest lines I've ever heard in a movie. I generally hate Jim Carrey, but in this role, he truly cracks me up. I am ordering the Blu-Ray version to replace my regular DVD... It's a holiday staple at our house, and will continue to be forever.

For those who expected a charming, nostalgic full-length children's book movie version of this classic tale, I suggest you settle for the original cartoon... This takes the story to a new, (and funnier) level, and I for one, think it's great entertainment!

Celebrating Christmas in August, I decided to watch this movie the other day, since I hadn't seen it in a long time and wanted to give it a second chance. After all, after my first viewing, I'd given it the same rating as so many others. The same type of horrid review the "Cat in the Hat" movie has gotten. By the time the Whobilation was over, I had thought the entire movie was finished and then wondered when exactly the Grinch was going to try to steal Christmas. Well, having matured a little and watched through the film with a more positive attitude, I can now say that it is nothing close to the superficial, vulgar, boring disaster I once believed it to be. Contrary to what some may say, this movie is worth seeing--and not just once. Yes, it's a different story than the Grinch book. Who says that's a fault? You must appreciate this film for what it is on its own, and that's something that is only based on the book. The movie is creative and elaborates on things the book barely touches. Max is a brilliant canine actor, and while he's clearly not of the same breeds as the dog in the original, he's near enough.

Would this film ever replace the cherished Boris Karloff cartoon? Never! But the half-hour cartoon need not even be mentioned in a review of this movie. Ron Howard's film is both funny and touching, and tells people it's different right off the bat with a setting located inside a snowflake, and some variations/additions to the Grinch poems/songs. Pretty near everything about this movie is above satisfactory; the acting, the scenery, the make-up. Cindy Lou's "Where are you Christmas?" song could be called, admittedly, somewhat random, pointless, dull, etc. However, when seen from the proper angle, it's kind of cute. And it's so short, I was actually surprised when the little girl didn't continue singing and the scene cut directly to the Grinch's lair. The whimsical, elaborate sets are truly brilliant, and do the best they can to fully transport you to Whoville. Look closely for all the clever little pieces of work put into them, such as the "E Pluribus Whonum" on the town hall. And Mary Stein, if anyone knows her from the Babe sequel, isn't instantly recognizable but is fantastic as Miss Rue Who.

This film will become a holiday classic in its own right; it won't replace or compete with the previous Grinch we all know and love. I found it nice to see that the moviemakers had read into the original Seuss story a bit and decided that, not only do the innocent Whos have some valid points to make, but so does the old Grinch. The Whos are good people, but a tad naive, as they have gotten caught up in material presents so much that they've almost forgotten the gifts that are more important. They know deep down what the holiday's all about, but they simply need to tap into it. Funnily enough, the Grinch helps them do just that. Another point: claims that the movie revokes lessons parents have tried to teach their children by encouraging them to approach strangers, wander off, etc., are entirely ungrounded. I won't even go into it except to say that, living inside a snowflake, little Cindy Lou doesn't exactly have much to worry about. Oh, and we're not supposed to feel sorry for the mayor in the end; if there was one Who who really needed to learn a lesson, it was him.

The cast of brand new characters is quite well developed; the added backstory of the Grinch's past and, most especially, Martha May Whovier (Christine Baranski), is adorable. She is beautiful, and may at first seem almost perfect in a superficial way--but she is in fact not shallow. She loves the Grinch because she sees in him what no other adults do, and she is strong. (Frankly, I always could have made perfect sense of someone having a crush on the Grinch--at least, the old animated and illustrated renditions of him!)

Also perfectly cast is Betty Lou Who, Cindy Lou's dowdy mother, portrayed by Molly Shannon. One thing I couldn't entirely figure out was the deleted scenes on the DVD. Sure, the "Wholiday Shopping" song is indeed irritating enough to be understandably cut out, but one brief scene in which the Grinch's "boo hoos" are coming from the mouths of the Whos on Christmas morning is very, very funny. At first I was shocked to see Betty Lou, the first one; "Why is she crying like a man?!" At any rate, I recommend seeing this movie and giving it a real chance. You may find that it's a new favorite to be watched each holiday season.

This was the first HD DVD I purchased to watch on my new HD DVD player. What a disappointment! I love this movie but the quality was mediocre even when compared to standard definition DVDs like Jurassic Park III and The Incredibles. That plus the lack of extras makes me wish I had purchased the regular DVD.

First, I congratulate the crew of this film for their hard efforts on a fantastic set and array of costumes. However, Dr. Seuss's story got lost in this overly secularized version of a classic story. The Grinch is, at heart, a comical escapade. By the end of the movie, Seuss's apparent moral got lost in a world of sight gags. Also, Dr. Seuss's book was short, simple, and to the point. However, in order for this movie to fit the customary video length, it had to add a lot of unnecessarily tiring and misfitting footage. Those familiar with the original story will notice how much this tends to drag. -- Now Jim Carrey really brings some life into the Grinch's character, but he tends to mumble way too much and a lot of [what could be funny lines] gets lost in his slurred speech. All in all, The Grinch is a decent movie, but if you're familiar with Seuss's book... and I know you are... you're in for a real downer.