The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat

Accidentally stumbled upon this after watching the Christmas classic. Cool to see a grinch cartoon that wasn't the Christmas one. Very psychedelic animation. Nice emotional elements that touched me.

Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, The (1982)

*** (out of 4)

This fun tale from Dr. Seuss takes two of his most loved characters and throws them into one film. The Grinch wakes up one morning smiling and singing but the "Grinch in the mirror" makes his take the Grinch's oath so he must then go out and be mean. The first person he runs into is the Cat in the Hat and soon the two are going at it. This film falls well short of the two movies where are heroes were first introduced but this is still a very enjoyable film that manages to be beautiful to look at and we get many funny gags as well. The entire opening sequence with the Grinch being happy was very delightful but so were the scenes where he turns into his old self. The majority of the running time has the Grinch trying to drive the cat crazy by doing a wide range of things like using a certain ray to make the cat sound like a cow. The animation is at the top of the game with the same beautiful colors that you've come to expect from a Seuss movie. Just check out how wonderful the actual look is during a sequence where the cat is driving in circles to get to his castle. Another funny bit happens right at the very end but I won't spoil it for those unfamiliar with the film. If you're a fan of the characters then the 25-minute running time flies by with one good moment after another.

I love the writing and stories of Dr Seuss, they are funny, witty, colourful and charming with great characters and amusing plots. The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are Dr Seuss at his best. The cartoon versions are timeless classics, and when it comes to the live-action versions Grinch is inferior but not as bad as it is made out to be in my opinion but Cat in the Hat is an abomination and the anti-thesis of the story it is based upon.

So what is this special? Well it is classic Dr Seuss, with not one but two classic Dr Who characters, The Grinch and Cat in the Hat. These two are great and iconic on their own, just imagine them together, for me it was a wonderful treat and so much fun. The story of The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat is simple, but has all the charm and fun of Dr Seuss's work. The dialogue is also very funny and witty.

The animation also impresses, it is very colourful and vibrant and sticks true to the style of the illustrations, while the music is equally energetic and playful. The pace is spot on, brisk and with seldom a dull moment, and both characters are wonderful to watch and exude an entertaining chemistry. The voice work is faultless, of course there will be inevitable comparisons with the original voice actors, but these voice actors are just as worthy and do a terrific job.

In conclusion, clever and entertaining special. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The story is that the Grinch, out to prove that he still has what it takes to be a Grinch, clashes with the Cat and proceeds to try to make life miserable for him. So the Cat decides the only way he can stop the Grinch is to try to reach his softer side.

I love Dr. Seuss and I'm a huge fan of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This Emmy-winning cartoon, originally written for television, partners the Grinch with another memorable Seuss character, The Cat in the Hat. The results are uneven but still enjoyable. The animation is adequate and better than average for early '80s television. Veteran voice actor Bob Holt fills the big shoes of Boris Karloff as best he can. The Cat is voiced by Mason Adams ("With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good!"). The songs are OK but not that memorable, except for "The Mother Song," which defies description. Overall, it's a fun little cartoon. Not a classic by any means but it's Seuss and that alone warrants you check it out.

Dr. Seuss introduced the world to the authority-defying Cat in the Hat in the book of the same name, and the happiness-hating Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", both of which got turned into TV specials. It was inevitable that these classic characters should co-star. My favorite scene in "The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat" was always the scene where the green-faced grouch uses his Vacusound Sweeper to mess with the cat's surroundings, turning everything into a wacky mix of colors. Around the time that Dr. Seuss died, I saw an interview with him from some years earlier, and he said that the Grinch was his favorite of all his characters. It's easy to see why the Grinch was his favorite, and you're sure to enjoy this short just as much as "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the 1966 TV special, not the 2000 feature film; I heard only negative things about that movie).