Enough already! We just don't get Hollywood's obsession
with blowing up (in every sense) beloved
books from our childhood
and morphing them into big screen spectacles.
Of all children's authors, probably no one has suffered worse than Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. The good
doctor has had a lot of his stories made into films -- going back as far as 1931
-- but most of those were short films
which fit the style and sensibilities of the originals. The notable exception
of those movies was The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, for which Geisel wrote his only live-action script, and
whose story
of a young boy at war with his piano teacher couldn't have come from anyone
else.
But starting with 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, producers got the "brilliant" idea of taking
charming picture books with small stories and turning them into 100-minute
blockbusters with unnecessary backstories and character development. Combine that with actors like Jim Carrey and Mike Myers
(who have ruined more films than a bright light in a darkroom), and
you've got a formula for cinematic disaster.
Now don't get us wrong; we love Dr. Seuss (the animated Grinch never fails to bring a smile and a tear);
it's what Hollywood's done to him that we can't stand. So this weekend, if
you hear a tiny voice in your ear, it's probably not the Mayor of Whoville
asking for help, but your good taste telling you to avoid the movie theatre.
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