Lesson Two
As has been previously stated, this year’s Holiday Special Assignment focuses only on the animated adaptations of the following four books written by Dr. Seuss - Horton Hears A Who!, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Cat in the Hat, and The Lorax.
Horton Hears A Who! (2008)
Horton Hears a Who! is a 2008 American CGI-animated adventure comedy Feature film based on the 1954 children's book by Dr. Seuss. Produced by Blue Sky Studios, it was released on March 14, 2008, by 20th Century Fox. The film grossed $298 million on a budget of $85 million. According to the Internet Movie Database, in the film Horton the Elephant struggles to protect a microscopic community from his neighbors who refuse to believe it exists. The film concludes with a grand musical number that emphasizes the message that "a person's a person, no matter how small." This is also the moral of the book.
This film is the fourth screen adaptation of the book following the 1970 Chuck Jones television special, the 1987 Soviet animated short, and the 1992 Russian animated short.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966 animated television special)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a 1966 American animated television special, directed and co-produced by Chuck Jones. Based on the 1957 children's book of the same name by Dr. Seuss, it tells the story of the Grinch, who tries to ruin Christmas for the townsfolk of Whoville below his mountain hideaway. It was produced by The Cat in the Hat Productions in association with the television and animation divisions of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. It originally aired in the United States on CBS on December 18, 1966.
Chuck Jones and Ben Washam adapted the story as an animated television special in 1966, featuring narration by Boris Karloff, who also provided the Grinch's voice. Thurl Ravenscroft sang "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch", with lyrics written by Dr. Seuss himself.
The Cat in the Hat (1971 animated television special)
The Cat in the Hat is an American animated musical television special originally broadcast March 10, 1971, on CBS. It was based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss children's story of the same name and produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises. The half-hour special is a loose adaptation of the book with added musical sequences. According to Internet Movie Database, The Cat in the Hat animated musical television special is about a red and white-striped top-hatted cat who visits two children left home alone.
The TV special was produced by individuals who worked as animators for well-known animation studios. They included the following:
David H. DePatie - executive in charge at Warner Bros. Cartoons, co-founder of DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, executive producer at Marvel Productions, worked at Hanna-Barbera Productions. Isadore "Friz" Freleng - worked at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, co-founder of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. Charles Martin “Chuck” Jones – worked at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, worked at the Leon Schlesinger Production's Termite Terrace studio, the studio, founded Sib Tower 12 Productions, worked on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoons, founded Chuck Jones Enterprises. Theodor Seuss Geisel – author of book on which the adapted animated TV special was based.
This TV special was the first animated adaptation of the book, which has become one of Dr. Seuss’s most famous. The Cat himself has also become one of the mascots for Dr. Seuss Enterprises. The book was also adapted into a 2003 live-action film. Another animated adaptation of the book is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on February 27, 2026. It is an American animated fantasy comedy film that is being produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and A Stern Talking To.
The Lorax (2012)
The Lorax is a 2012 American animated musical fantasy comedy film based on the 1971 children's book by Dr. Seuss. Produced by Illumination Entertainment, it is the second screen adaptation of the book following the 1972 animated television special. According to Internet Movie Database, in the film a 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world. The film builds on the book by expanding the story of the Lorax and Ted, the previously unnamed boy who visits the Once-ler, and provides an extended ending.
Wikipedia states the following about the book:
The story is commonly recognized as a fable concerning the danger of humanity's greed causing destruction of the natural environment, using the literary element of personification to create relatable characters for industry (the Once-ler), the environment (the Truffula trees) and environmental activism (the Lorax). The story encourages activism and involvement in making the situation better: a quote from the Lorax states, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not".
The idea for the film was initiated by Seuss's widow Audrey Geisel. It was theatrically released in the United States on March 2, 2012, by Universal Pictures. It was a commercial success, grossing $351 million against a budget of $70 million.