In Search of Dr. Seuss

This is a great biography movie. I learned a lot about Dr. Seuss watching this movie and still think this is a great movie. I like to watch it again & again. I would recommend it for kids aged 6 and up. Even adults might like this movie. This is probably the best TV movie ever. A reporter (Kathy Najimby, Sister Act) wants to find out more about Dr. Seuss so she goes to his house who finds a strange man who turns out the be the Cat in the Hat (Matt Frewer, Honey I shrunk the kids). Now the reporter is on for the ride of a lifetime learning about Dr. Seuss, reading some of his stories & singing some songs. Special Appearances by Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Howie Mandel (Later to be known as the Host of Deal or No Deal) & David Payner. This is a really great movie an I highly recommend it.

I believe this movie was made before the recent glut of biography shows and movies went into full swing. It was made in that time not too long ago when seeing someone's life story being played out on TV was interesting, not repetitive. This movie is one of the most unusual, but one of the best, biopics I've ever seen.

Who didn't love Dr. Seuss as a kid? I still have yet to meet someone who didn't. This movie is done in the spirit of a Dr. Seuss book; there are some serious points, but mostly light-hearted humor. The celebrities providing the voices and faces of Dr. Seuss's world were absolutely wonderful. I especially liked Billy Crystal as the Voice of America radio station. It was also pretty interesting to see clips of cartoons that had been made from the books. I had never known that cartoons had been made from "The Sneeches" and "The Lorax". The songs, with lyrics taken from Seuss's books, were nice and upbeat, and the narrative itself remained interesting up to the very end, showing how Seuss's books tied in with his own life. I don't think I've ever heard that much information about Dr. Seuss's life anywhere else, even though some may think that information is presented in a goofy way. You'll have to agree that it is rather thorough for a family presentation and brings up many things we have never before heard about Seuss and his books.

When I think Seus, I think of witty rhyming stories with bursts of color and humor. I think of a world that he created which boasts many inhabitants including the Cat in the hat, The Grinch, Horton the Elephant, The Sneetches, to name a few. Where did all these important symbols of our time come from? Well, this is what In Search of Dr Seuss shows us, the man himself. T Giesel. Without destroying the colorful world which is Seus we are shown his childhood, the dramas he went through being an outsider which formed his own opinions which he voiced through his witty drawings against racism and Hittler. We learn about his marriages,his opinions of war, what inspired him, where the name Seus came from and ultimately his death. Through out this documentary we the audience get a rare glimpse into the true nature of some of these stories we might not have thought too deeply into since first hearing them as children. That said this documentary celebrates his life and I would suggest it appropriate for children. Maybe that is what we need more of today for our kids, the simplistic and innocent stories which can teach so us, even today, so much.

I think I saw just a bit of this made-for-TV movie on TV when I was around eight years old (around the time it was released, or shortly after), but didn't know it was called "In Search of Dr. Seuss". I remember so many Dr. Seuss stories from my childhood, both books and animated cartoons, but don't recall seeing much of this biography film. After fifteen years or so, I've finally seen the entire film on DVD. By the time that happened, I knew the lead character was played by Kathy Najimy, and knew her as the voice of Peggy Hill in "King of the Hill", and the role of Beverly "Bev" Pear in "Rat Race". I was also familiar with several other cast members. If I had seen the entire film as a kid, it probably would have been more entertaining, but it was still interesting.

Kathy Lane is a news reporter who comes to the home of the late Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) to get as much information as possible for a report on the famous children's author, information she couldn't find anywhere else. The first character she meets turns out to be the Cat in the Hat, one of Seuss's famous characters! She then sees a book entitled, "Open a book, open your imagination," and opens it, which takes her on a magical adventure through the world of Seuss, full of surprises, with the Cat as her tour guide! Many of the author's famous stories are included on this adventure, and Kathy finds herself taking part in them! She also gradually learns about his life, career, the inspiration for some of his stories, etc. She gets some information from the Cat in the Hat, and some from other characters she meets in different places on her adventure.

There's lots of humour in this film, but it certainly didn't make me laugh much. With Christopher Lloyd, Andrea Martin, and Robin Williams all in the cast, it could have been so much funnier than it is, at least for adults. There are parts I found mildly amusing, but not many. This was the most disappointing aspect for me. For the most part, the humour is very kiddish, and it might not just be the humour, as the sets often look like they're from a low-budget kids' show, though I'm sure that was intentional. However, it is an interesting biography on Dr. Seuss, focusing on different parts of his life and sometimes showing documentary footage. There are also some pretty good presentations of Dr. Seuss stories, sometimes with edited versions of animated cartoons, and it's also good that the morals of these stories are mentioned. The author was well known for those. The film is informative in a way I've never seen before.

I don't know if I should be rating this film 8/10, and I'm definitely not doing so because of how entertaining I personally found it. I would usually have to find a movie more entertaining than this to even give it a 7. I don't think I could exactly say I found most of "In Search of Dr. Seuss" that entertaining, especially with the lack of laughs. Still, it's an interesting way of telling viewers about the life of Dr. Seuss, and to me, there is something charming about it. I'm sure many kids would like it a lot, and I'm sure the humour would probably be more appealing to them, though I don't recall liking the part of the film I saw as a kid. Also, if you're an adult who grew up with Dr. Seuss, then this is probably worth watching for information on the influential author (though you may wish it were presented in a different manner), and you could find more entertainment value than I did.

An overview of Dr. Seuss' life and career done in a Seussian style. A determined, yet affable reporter goes to the home of Dr. Seuss for an inside scoop and unwittingly discovers the magic of his imagination. She meets the various literary characters (portrayed by well known personalities) whom illustrate his life and all the major books he wrote. Some are acted out in very catchy musical numbers while others are illustrated by animated adaptations from years ago (i.e. Clampett's adaptation of Horton Hatches The Egg)

The bio manages to be very informative and fun. Almost as if Seuss himself would have told it (despite that he wasn't really directly in the spotlight much). Matt Frewer's performance as The Cat In The Hat is perfect. He really captured the essence of the mischievous and playful spirit of the character.

While this bio is family oriented, there is plenty of discussion of Seuss' career as a political cartoonist in which he was a vocal critic of the Nazis (and the America's lack of urgency), antisemitism, and America's own racism issues. Also remarkable is a short discussion of the propanganda piece he wrote for WB titled Hitler Lives, to demonstrate his patriotism.

Unfortunately, in light the removal of six classic books from circulation, this wonderful documentary appears to have disappeared from circulation as well. Two of the six books in question, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street (his first book) and Mcgelliot's Pool are discussed and reenacted (although nothing controversial is seen). Granted, it's impossible to discuss Dr. Seuss' career without mentioning Mulberry Street.

I highly recommend this uplifting and magical look at the world of Dr. Seuss. Hopefully this won't disappear entirely.