The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat

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.

I can't remember the first time I watched this 1982 Dr. Seuss TV special. I have been familiar with it since about as far back as I can remember, back when I used to watch it regularly on a video tape that also featured another Dr. Seuss animated short, "Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?", and LOVED both of those cartoons! I recently watched them both again, and I obviously wouldn't think the same of them as I did back in the day, but I can't forget how much I used to enjoy them, and how big a part of my early childhood they were!

The story features two of Dr. Seuss' characters that were already famous by the time this was made. They are the Grinch (introduced in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and the Cat in the Hat (introduced in the book of the same name). One beautiful morning, the Grinch wakes up whistling, very happily, something which has never happened before! However, when his image in the mirror makes him repeat the Grinch's Oath, he is back to normal. He goes out to prove he's a Grinch, by causing trouble! Meanwhile, the Cat in the Hat sets out for a picnic, and doesn't know that the Grinch will make the day very difficult for him!

I've just commented on "Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?", and stated, "If I had just seen this Dr. Seuss TV special for the first time, I highly doubt my rating would be 10/10. Usually, I wouldn't rate something based on what I thought of it years ago, but in this case, I loved 'Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?' so much way back in the day that I feel that what I think of it now shouldn't apply!" I think I can say the same about "The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat". The Grinch and the Cat in the Hat are two very popular characters, and putting them together in a story was an excellent idea! This short also has some catchy songs sung by the characters, good animation, some humour, and a message, which you would normally expect from a Dr. Seuss story! Without a doubt, kids should LOVE it!

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

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.

My favorite Dr. Seuss cartoon! The Grinch woke up happy, but got down to Grinchy business, and crashed into the Cat's happy day. The Grinch took a dislike to the Cat, and tried to ruin his day with the Vac-U-Sound Sweeper and his Darkhouse. But the Cat sets out to un-Grinch the Grinch, softening up even the Grinchiest heart. It's funny, and fun to watch!