The Cat in the Hat

Cat in the Hat, The (1971)

*** (out of 4)

Two children get left home alone on a rainy night when there's a knock at the door and in walks a strange cat in an even stranger hat. Next to 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' this here is perhaps the most famous story from Dr. Seuss and there's no question that this made-for-TV short goes all out in turning it into one of the most memorable shorts from this era. When you look back at these animated shorts from the 1970s there's no question that the majority of them stand the test of time for numerous reasons. THE CAT IN THE HAT is certainly no exception and there are two things that make it remain so fresh. One is the terrific dialogue, which gets shot out at a mile a second. There's never a dull moment because the dialogue just keeps firing on all sides. It's funny and also very catchy to the point where you just want to start speaking this dialogue. Another thing that I really loved about the film were the colors. The colors used really bring this film to life and I really love one sequence where our beloved cat is sitting at a piano with both sides of the wall being a different color and then you have that terrific looking carpet. When you see all three colors blended together it's really a treat for your eyes. The story itself is a nice one and there's no question that kids and their parents will enjoy this one.

I have seen The Cat in the Hat since the 70s and I think it's the best written cartoon on TV between the runs of Rocky and Bullwinkle and The Simpsons. The line I remember the most was the song that went "Hey! I'm a punk. A gratunculous shlunk." I also remember that the cat was messing up the house looking for his moss covered, three handled, three family gradunza. That would definitely be a Dr. Seuss line.

Allan Sherman, in one of his last TV roles before his death in 1974 was sensational as the voice of the cat. I would also like to add that Gloria Camacho was the voice of the kid's mother.

Dr. Seuss books just don't lend themselves well to live action movies. The live action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas was awful, mostly because the padded scenes LOOKED like padding. There isn't enough of a story in Seuss's books to make a feature-length movie, and really not even enough to make a 25-minute TV show.

But add some good animation and the music of Allan Sherman, and you have a winner. I'll be watching THIS version for many years, not the dreadful Mike Meyers version.

This song-filled Dr. Seuss classic should be shown on network television at least twice a year! The musical numbers are pure fun; as a bonus, they managed to sneak in a quick foreign languages lesson. The newest home video release of this favorite has the words on the screen, which is even better. Listen during the song performed with Thing 2 and Thing 1. You'll hear the booming baritone of Thurl "Tony The Tiger" Ravenscroft. I have watched this special over 100 times on home video, and never want to stop.

With Dr. Suess you're WAY better off with SHORT cartoons then live action. My favorite part is the language lesson very cool. The cartoon at least is more faithful to the book and the Dr. Suess spirit. I also hope it gets released on DVd soon. Along with The Grinch Grinches The Cat In The Hat.

Scary thought- What if those people who made the live action films do THAT story next???????????