Christmas is my favorite time of the year; I love everything about it. Decorating the tree, spending time with family, watching snow fall, presents, and all the traditions each family has. Christmas has inspired countless filmmakers to create movies about the holiday season, and some of my favorite films are Christmas movies. To celebrate the season, I've compiled a list of my favorite 12 Christmas movies or specials, and there will be a review of one of them every day, a countdown from 12 to 1. Check back every day until Christmas for a new Christmas review!
The 12 Films of Christmas
12:
Elf (2003)
11.
A Christmas Story(1983)
10.
A Charlie Brown Christmas(1965)
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
I'll admit that I'm one of the few people who actually enjoys Ron Howard's 2001 Live-Action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' classic Christmas story; don't get me wrong, it's nothing great, but its entertaining and has some memorable moments. My main complaint is that it's a rather shameless parody of the Dr. Seuss story, rather than a heartfelt adaptation, and that's why I'll always enjoy the 1966 animated televised version more. The story of the
Grinch is simplistic yet undoubtedly powerful, and that power shines strongest when the story is stripped to its core, which is what the TV special does.
The 25-minute short film is essentially the Dr. Seuss book on screen; nothing is taken away and very little is added. The short is narrated by Boris Karloff, and this might have been one of the greatest decisions in the history of television, because Karloff is simply terrific as the narrator and the Grinch. When I hear the word "Grinch," the voice that comes to mind is the low rumble of Karloff; he embodies the character and brings the Seuss story to life with vigor.
The animation is a blend of the classic Dr. Seuss style and the iconic techniques of Chuck Jones. The result is a colorful, stylized look that emulates the style and feeling of Seuss' images better than any other Seuss adaptation, be it TV, Film, Live-Action, CGI, etc. The Grinch himself is much more detailed then he is in the Seuss book, where he was a black and white character who looked like any other generic Seuss character. The town of Whoville and its citizens, also animated with blacks and whites in a fairly stripped-down manner in the book, is greatly expanded upon and there are plenty of great visuals to feast upon in the brief run time.
There isn't a lot to say about a short film, especially one that is so popular.
The Grinch has become part of culture, to the point where the word 'grinch' has taken on a meaning similar to 'Scrooge,' and is probably used more out of context than in. The most famous scene from the TV special, the music number "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch," is one of the great moments of TV history and has entered the standard Christmas-song repertoire.
Ultimately, the thing that amazed me about this film is its longevity. It's a simplistic story about a mean old codger who finds the true meaning of Christmas, and yet it's as famous as
A Christmas Carol. The story isn't told in an extravagant manner, either; in fact, it's rather quaint. But therein lies the true power of the short film; it's proof that sometimes the best way to tell a good story is in a straightforward, no-frills manner. That doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it, because this TV special is tons of fun. But the extravagant live-action production missed the mark because it didn't keep things simple. For me, no feature-length film can replace this animated masterpiece.
The Grinch is a story that has been repeated and retold many times in its forty-year lifespan, but going back to the basics and watching the short film is the best way to experience it.