Animated Toast!: I HEAR HORTON HAS CARREY AND CARELL

Friday, September 15, 2006

I HEAR HORTON HAS CARREY AND CARELL

Popular children's book Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss will meet the big screen March 18, 2008 and the first images have been released! Horton is a story about an elephant who hears the cries from the denizes of a city living on a speck of dust.

The feature is brought to you by 20th Century Fox/Blue Sky Studios, the same team that brought you Robots and Ice Age. Jim Carrey has signed on to be the voice of Horton and Steve Carell will lend his voice to the Mayor of Whoville!

I am so happy that this movie will be animated. I was not a fan of the live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Cat in the Hat nor did I like the Jim Henson Workshop's Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. The cartoon medium is where the world of Dr. Seuss belongs.

Probably most famous and most popular of all of Dr. Seuss' works brought to the big and small screens is the 1966 TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This show was so true to the original book and had some great designs by the legendary Chuck Jones who also was the director.

But let's talk more about Horton. These stills really capture the true image of Seuss' drawings. The stubby noses, the tuft of hair atop the mayor's head, even the buildings in the background are all ripped from the pages and brought to life. I can't wait to see them move. My only concern is that the story, being as short as it is, won't be able to fill a feature film length.

I know I will be there on opening day to see how it turns out! How about you?

4 comments:

Hero Supreme said...: this movie has a lot going for it. isnt there more than one horton book? maybe they will plot elements from stories. the designs are great too.; 2:13 PM
Kurtis Findlay said...: Actually, Horton Hears a Who (1954) is the sequel to Horton Hatches the Egg (1940) in which Horton is convince by a bird to sit on her egg while she goes on vacation. Her vaction lasts months and Horton gets captured by the circus.

I would rather see this story as a seperate movie. But who knows?; 2:48 PM
Katie said...: Okay, I thought there was a different Horton story. I think I've only actually read Horton Hatches the Egg. Because this plot for the movie sounds completely foreign to me.

I'm super excited though!! Let's hope the animation is better than Robots. But just looking at those stills... the textures of fur/skin/whatever looks beautiful. And you're right... the whole thing is wonderfully Seuss-ish.

Definitely seeing this one opening night. I can't wait for actual previews!; 4:46 PM
coolshades said...: I love to see animated movies on opening day...I've been gearing up for Happy Feet for months now :P

The live-action Cat in the Hat was ridiculous...I can't believe I paid to see it in the theater. Problem was like you said...it was too short to be a feature-length movie. So they took "creative license" and totally ruined it.

The stills for this one look really great.

And I agree with Katie that the animation in Robots left something to be desired... :S; 8:21 PM