Product Description

Every who down in Who-ville likes Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Who-ville did NOT! So the cuddly as a cactus Grinch (with termites in his smile and garlic in his soul) tries to wipe out Christmas for the cheerful Who-villains, only to discover: maybe Christmas, he thought doesn't come from as store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more! Magnificently narrated by Boris Karloff and animated by cartoon legend Chuck Jones, it's an award-winning Who-roast-beast-feast of a holiday classic!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4073 in DVD
• Brand: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2006-11-21
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 26 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Accept no substitutes. The 1966 television adaptation of Dr. Seuss' timeless book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!--about an anti-Santa who tries to heist the holiday only to learn a powerful lesson--is a classic in its own right, and looking better than ever in its 50th Birthday Deluxe Edition. (For those doing the math, the 50 years is counting from the book's 1957 publishing date rather than the show's broadcast date.) The most significant improvement is in the digital transfer, cleaning up fuzz and specks and restoring the proper colors to the program. While the awful earlier DVDs showed the Grinch in a mustard-yellow color, this edition restores his proper green gleam. Special features are mostly ported over from the previous DVD--the Horton Hears a Who program, a featurette on the songs, Phil Hartman's special edition version, pencil tests, etc. minus the commentary track--but there is a new 15-minute featurette, "Dr. Seuss and the Grinch: From Whoville to Hollywood." While it starts out as a fluff piece aimed at the younger set (interviews with kids, some rapping), it does provide some interesting information, including interviews with the widows of Theodore Geisel and Chuck Jones and clips of Geisel and Jones' Private Snafu. (No mention of Jim Carrey, however.) --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

The Grinch is GREEN!!!
I just purchased this new anniversary edition of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (50th for the book and 40th for the special). First, this is a single disc release - not the two-disc set that was originally announced. I stuck the disc into my player to check it out and I was pleasantly surprised. "The Grinch" has been cleaned-up and looks beautiful. And, yes, the Grinch is now GREEN! YEA!!! But be warned, "Horton Hears A Who" has NOT been cleaned-up. It is the same version that appeared on the previous release. There is a new special feature that looks interesting. BUT, there are a few things that have disappeared: Chapter stops for both specials are GONE!, Subtitles for both specials are GONE!, and the commentary for "The Grinch" is GONE! I suppose I can live without those in exchange for a green Grinch, though it is disappointing. Be prepared for the missing features if you plan to upgrade. I do recommend this, though, as "The Grinch" looks so much better than the previous release.

THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY
Forget the hideously overblown film version -- if you want the real thing, buy this double treat and enjoy the Grinch's story the way it was intended to be seen. Boris Karloff's voice lends this wonderfully inspiring story a hint of real menace, and the animation, spare and imaginative, creates an oddly familiar world that is both melancholy and Christmasey -- the perfect combo. The songs have become holiday traditions. The story of the Grinch is as much a mystery of faith and joy as it is an entertaining comedy. You will get the additional family treat of Horton Hears A Who, also an inspiring tale that explores the value of life itself. Dr. Seuss' brilliance with conceptual family entertainment is on clear display in both of these classic stories; you will not be disappointed. Merry Christmas.

Accept No Substitutes
The Grinch, who lives just north of Whoville, is tired of listening to their Christmas celebration each year. But this year, he's going to do something about it. Disguising himself as Santa, he sneaks down into the town to take everything Christmassy, and everything else, from them. But will that stop Christmas from coming? Is he beyond enjoying the season himself?

What can I say; this is a great holiday special. There were only a handful I had to watch every year growing up, and this is one of them. That's extended to my adult Decembers as well. It keeps the story simple, not trying to expand it needlessly like the recent live action movie did. And the songs add to the fun, especially "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." That song alone is worth watching the special for.

This DVD is a great way to own this classic. The picture and sound are good. I can't really tell that much difference in how the Grinch is supposed to look, and to me this is a minor issue anyway. The extras are a mixed bag. The audio commentary isn't that great because it's obvious that they really don't have that much to say. However, the special about the making of the cartoon and the separate interview about writing the songs are both interesting.

This disc also includes another cartoon from a Dr. Seuss book, HORTON HEARS A WHO. I had never seen this special before I bought the disc, but I'm not a fan of it. Not sure why because I like the book. Maybe if I'd seen it as a kid I'd feel differently.

Ultimately, the reason to get this DVD is the classic Christmas special that headlines the disc. Watching it always brings the warm fuzzies of Christmas past for a visit. You can't go wrong getting it.