On Day Four, Four, Four, I decided…I decided…
On Day Four, I decided to watch “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” The OG. The Original Recipe. The one with the songs sung by an uncredited Thurl Ravenscroft (known by many as Tony The Tiger from the Kelloggs Frosted Flakes cereal commercials). Animated by Chuck Jones’ studio. Narrated by Boris Karloff, who according to his daughter, was pleased to do something she and her children could enjoy.
Yes, there have been two sequel specials and a number of remakes including a live musical. And everyone and their cousin have shouted out, hat tipped and straight up parodied it over the years - the Simpsons did this in two separate episodes. To my mind though, the original 1966 version beats them all. It is extremely faithful to the original book that Dr. Seuss wrote.
Seuss illustrated the original book also
We get a complete story that is satisfying, even though there are certain questions-questions that the newer versions feel they need to answer by giving us unnecessary backstory. I don’t care about why the Grinch lives high up far away from the Whos and why his heart is two sizes too small. Sometimes it’s fun to have such questions not be answered. It’s there for the snarking!
For example, every year I always ask that if the Grinch knows that the Whos in Whoville do this celebration every year (and apparently he’s been there for 53 years or so)-why doesn’t he just go away for the Christmas season and return when it’s over? I’m also questioning how he’s hearing this all being so high up in the mountains, but that one of those Writers Aren’t Always Scientists tropes.
We also know that honestly in certain states, the Grinch would’ve been shot during one of his break-ins due to the “Stand Your Ground” law. Not to mention that I’m surprised that the Whos didn’t clap the Grinch into Whoville jail for breaking and entering, grand theft “everything” and vandalism. He didn’t just steal the holiday things. He stole regular food from their refrigerators and he stole logs, which is how these Whovians are keeping their homes warm. How much are you hating people that you not only take the things that bring them joy, but you are also starving and freezing them out?
I haven’t even talked about poor Max. If there was ever an animated representation of Domestic Violence abuse survivor/Stockholm Syndrome Victim, it IS the Grinch’s dog Max.
The Grinch makes Max a “Patty Hearst” as he commits his crimes.
He hits and berates him.
He doesn’t look like he gets fed. Like the Grinch, Max gets a pass and enjoys the holiday meal with the Whos of Whoville at the end of this tale. Unlike the Grinch, Max didn’t really need to discover the True Meaning Of Christmas (TMOC). He’s always had it-he was never in a position to exercise it. (For those concerned about Max after Christmas, we learn in a sequel series - Halloween is Grinch Night - that Max LEAVES the Grinch and lives with a family that actually loves and cares for him. The family is that of Eukariah’s, a Who that is the main character along with the Grinch in the special.)
This special is about 30 minutes long with commercials. You can find it on Peacock most of the year. There are limited broadcast airings of this version. Watching the Grinch go from being so deliciously evil:
To discovering the TMOC backed by a Boris Karloff narration, Thurl Ravenscroft’s “Mr. Grinch” songs, and rendered in brilliant color animation by Chuck Jones’ studio is a treat that you should give yourself.