How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 film)
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| Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Ron Howard |
| Written by | Screenplay Jeffrey Price Peter S. Seaman Book Dr. Seuss |
| Produced by | Brian Grazer Ron Howard |
| Starring | Jim Carrey Jeffrey Tambor Christine Baranski Bill Irwin Molly Shannon Clint Howard Taylor Momsen Anthony Hopkins |
| Narrated by | Anthony Hopkins |
| Cinematography | Donald Peterman |
| Edited by | Dan Hanley Mike Hill |
| Music by | James Horner |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Studios |
Release date | November 17, 2000 |
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Template:FilmUS |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $123 million |
| Box office | $345,141,403 |
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, also known as The Grinch, is a Template:Fy 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. 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. The film airs on ABC Family un-cut with deleted scenes that partially didn't make it on to the DVD release. A VHS and DVD were released on November 20, 2001. A Blu-Ray Version of the movie is set to be released on October 13, 2009.
Plot
The Whos of Whoville love Christmas more than any other holiday, but the Grinch, a hairy, green creature living just north of Whoville, 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 Whoville, 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. 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. This is what drives him into a deep hatred of Christmas.
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 is fascinated with the Grinch and wants nothing more than to get him into the Christmas spirit again. 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 returns to Mt. Crumpit and the Whos 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, 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, blaming Cindy Lou, but Cindy Lou's father convinces them 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 is convinced 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 Whoville. 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 he himself 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.
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 Design and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. At the Golden Globes, Carrey was nominated for the Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical or Comedy, losing the award to George Clooney of O Brother, Where Art Thou?
See also
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