How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Voices of: Boris Karloff, June Foray (uncredited), Dal McKennon (uncredited), Thurl Ravenscroft (uncredited)
Directed by: Chuck Jones, Ben Washam
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Short
Length: 26 minutes
1966

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: An unhappy Grinch (Boris Karloff) is determined to wreck Christmas for the citizens of Whoville.

Review:

Tim: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a classic children's short film. I remember watching it during the holidays. While it was never my favorite, it was memorable. It was interesting to see it for the first time in two decades, now able to watch it with my children. I don't think my feelings about the film were altered much with the passing of time. This is a classic, for sure, and it's good. It's just not my favorite.

On the plus side, the movie tells the unforgettable story of the Grinch and his attempt to steal Christmas away from the Whos of Whoville. It obviously benefits from Dr. Seuss' writing. It helps when you have a solid source material. The story moves quickly and it has more depth than you might expect. As a parent, I found it a wonderful opportunity to remind my kids that Christmas is about more than presents. I appreciated that the film felt like it was actually about something, not just an attempt to entertain kids for half an hour.

I appreciated Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch. He was an inspired choice. It did feel like the recording of his voice was wonky. I'm not sure what happened, but it didn't sound as crisp as it should have. It sounded like he was quite far from the microphone or something. I never noticed it as a kid, but it bothered me some as an adult. Maybe it was intentional, but I didn't love the sound quality. Still, Karloff voicing the Grinch was a tremendous benefit to the film.

I'm also a fan of Thurl Ravenscroft's "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". It's such a catchy song and it has become a true Christmastime classic. The song is also incredibly mean-spirited, which is certainly problematic, but it's entertaining.

Now, why do I say this isn't my favorite? I certainly enjoy it a good deal. As a kid, I wouldn't have ever jumped for joy when this came on. I was more drawn to Frosty the Snow Man or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. There's nothing wrong with this film, it's probably somewhat due to the protagonist being a bad guy for most of the movie. As an adult, I appreciate this unique twist, but as a kid, I preferred to root for Frosty or Rudolph. This short has arguably more depth, though, so I don't want it to seem like it's all bad.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is certainly a classic film. It's hugely influential- setting up the color of the Grinch as green, for example. You can clearly see this short's influence on both 2000's live action How the Grinch Stole Christmas and 2018's animated The Grinch. It's been a hallmark of Christmas for 50+ years and will likely continue for many more. It's certainly a film well familiarizing yourself with.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- N/A


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), The Grinch