Hey folks, our resident in green super villain, Mysterio managed to make off from the black tower with a copy of the GRINCH script, and likes what he's read. Personally, I've been waiting to lay my hands on a finished shooting draft of this script for quite some time, as it's the last key to the puzzle for me. I've seen sooo much on the film, from sets to makeup and costumes to some effects things to all sorts of promotion material... And from all that I've been able to see thus far, the film looks like it'll be great. HOWEVER, my big hesitation remains because I haven't read the script yet. BUT... my mania seems to be fading as Mysterio... loyal evil contributor to AICN, has said... it doesn't suck, but is really good. Beware of a few spoilers here and there... otherwise proceed...
Harry,
I know the Christmas season is still but a mere 8 months away, but I just couldn’t help myself. You see lately, I’ve begun to hear these delightful and familiar lines in my head:
“You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch…”
“You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch…”
“You’re a vile one, Mr. Grinch…”
Ya know, I think I like this guy. Reminds me a lot of, well… me! Now I’m still a bit on the fence with this project as far as the makeup goes. Until I see some live action stuff here (and it best be soon!) I can only base my opinion on the script to which I managed to “out-grinch”, the Grinch himself, and swipe his copy of the shooting script from his cave high atop Mt. Crumpit (which fittingly enough was printed on puke-green paper).
Ever since hearing of this project being made into a live-action feature, I’ve always pondered how the relation and ultimately the comparison to Chuck Jones’ cartoon classic would be. Visually, I’m still on the fence with this one, but from what I hear, the Production Design team on this one has done their job! Every detail of Who-ville is covered right down to the inch even to the whether vane on top of Who-ville’s city hall that depicts Horton the Elephant holding a daisy flower wrapped inside his trunk. Pretty impressive sounding. Now let’s see more! Dammit Harry! Cough me up some more visuals on this one!
So with that in mind let’s move to the script. Eye candy’s one thing, but story is everything! So let’s see.
Well the script is mighty-sized surprisingly; chock full of revised pages and such from a screenplay drafted by Peter Seaman and Jeffrey Price. You might remember these guys on a little project a while ago called, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” I dug that flick, and the script was pretty damn good too, so I was curious to see how these guys would approach and handle Seuss’s material.
Well, Dr. Suess himself couldn’t have been more proud. It’s a great, fun and energetic script, that on the page gives off the same look and feel to the storybook & cartoon classic that we’ve all grown to know and love. And that’s all I’m gonna say.
No, I’m serious. It’s that great that I don’t want to spoil it and say anymore.
Uh-oh, there goes that damn song in my head again. Feeling Grinchy… even Grinchier now…
S P O I L E R A L E R T ! ! !
“But hell, ya already know the story (or at least should by now!”
The script begins with an introduction to Who-ville, as we meet the various Who’s (who of course all look a-like) of Who-ville as they prepare for Christmas Day, which is just 3 Days, 17 Hours and 33 minutes away.
It’s here in the hustle and bustle of the shopping season that we meet LOU LOU-WHO, and his young daughter, CINDY-LOU, and his sons, STU & DREW LOU-WHO.
The NARRATOR narrates over certain scenes, and in particular setting up the introduction of the Grinch states, “Every Who. Down in Who-ville, liked Christmas a lot… But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-vile, did NOT!”
Stu and Drew, just outside of Who-ville with two young Who-girls, attempt to lure them to some mistletoe up top the mountain.
A strange looking Seussian periscope follows their moves closer up the mountain where inside, over a hairy green shoulder, the GRINCH snickers malevolently as he watches them inch closer and closer.
“Well, well, well, something Who-ey this way comes…” grumbles the Grinch.
Stu & Drew get closer as they attempt to frighten the girls with stories about the Grinch of how he only retreats out from his cave only when he’s hungry for the taste of Who flesh.
They all playfully laugh it off until they turn to find themselves in front of the Grinch’s door, which just so happens to then slowly creek open. Curious, they take a quick peek inside only to instantly face a pair of monster jaws blasting out a bloodcurdling “WOOF, WOOF!!!”
The teenagers tumble down in fear down the mountainside, where they fall into a bunch of rigged grinch trappings, which he triggers off with grinch delight.
You can see just from the introduction of the Grinch, that he’s well described in appearance and attitude with such tone and feel that the character plays just right.
And with this unwelcome visit, does it remind the Grinch, that indeed, once again, “’Tis the season.”
Which brings out the true Grinch in him and the story rolls from there.
But what makes this 2-hour script different from the 30 minute Chuck Jones cartoon, is the backstory given to The Grinch and the Who’s in Who-ville. Here in the script, Seaman & Price set up how the Grinch came to be.
From the time that the pubescent baby Grinch is delivered on a Who’s doorstep by a stork (as with every who-baby), through his maturing into his teens years, he’s always been unaccepted, and mistreated within the Who community based on his odd, un-who-like appearance. He even goes so far in to looking like a regular Who, that he shaves himself only to result in doing such a hack job, that he leaves his face a “patchwork or razor burns and toilet paper squares.”
So in order to hide his hideous face at school, he wears a paper bag over his head. When instructed by his teacher, MISS RUE-WHO, to remove the bag from his head, the kids tease him with such cruelty, that it only adds in pushing him closer to solitary.
But for the Grinch, his last straw was in his teen years. Where, as a rebellious teenager, was an ongoing rivalry with a young MAYOR MAY-WHO for the affections of MARTHA MAY WHO-VIER. Who, during a misleading moment in time, leads the Grinch into believing that his affections for her were scorned over instead for those of May-Who’s, when in fact they we’re not.
The Grinch finally decides that he’s had it with the Who’s and Who-ville, and takes recluse in a cave on Mt. Crumpit.
The plot then steers its way back to present day, where it eventually segues back into the familiar 30-minute Jones segment.
The visuals are well described within the Suess world, giving some small surprises that will please and delight die-hard Suess fans. The town and environment of Who-ville is written and laid out with such wonderful familiarity from the material from which the script is based, that it makes for such an easy, enjoyable read that I’m now eager to see how it turns out under Ron Howard’s direction.
There are also modern touches that the screenwriter’s have given in terms of situations and current slang dialogue. Now this could be a dicey situation, but alas knowing that Jim Carrey’s in the role here, reading such lines and visualizing Carrey saying them with such timing and flair, it’s easy to see they’ll work and go over like a charm.
Adding to that, with Carrey’s physical mannerisms, and comedy he brings with him, he’ll be able to ease and absorb himself into the character of the Grinch that it’ll fit him like a glove.
To that, I’ll add that I’ve just learned that a trailer for “Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” is being planned to be released wide during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and that the trailer is just about cut.
Until then, I’ll just say to Universal . . .
“I GRINCHED YA!”
-Mysterio
