Wonka Review

Wonka

Release Date: 14th December 2023 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)

Domain Entertainment (in association with)

The Roald Dahl Story Company

Heyday Films

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Fantasy/Musical/

Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 116 minutes

Budget: $125,000,000

Box Office Gross: $634,502,312 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

As a young, poor man

with dreams of opening

a chocolate shop in a

famous city, Willy Wonka

is determined to change

the world, one delectable

bite at a time. However, he

discovers that a cartel of

greedy chocolatiers controls

the industry and will stop at

nothing to eliminate their

competitors.

Cast

Timothée Chalamet - Willy Wonka

Gustave Die - Ship's Engineer

Murray McArthur - Ship's Captain

Paul G. Raymond - Map Seller

Bertie Caplan - Shoeshine Boy

Isy Suttie - Fruit & Veg Vendor

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith -

Officer Affable

Matilda Tucker - Young Mother

Tom Davis - Bleacher

Olivia Colman - Mrs.

Scrubbit

Calah Lane - Noodle

Paterson Joseph - Slugworth

Matt Lucas - Prodnose

Matthew Baynton - Fickelgruber

Freya Parker - Miss Bon Bon

Keegan-Michael Key - Chief of Police

Hugh Grant - Oompa-Loompa

Jim Carter - Abacus Crunch

Rakhee Thakrar - Lottie Bell

Natasha Rothwell - Piper Benz

Rich Fulcher - Larry

Chucklesworth

Colin O'Brien - Young Willy Wonka

Sally Hawkins - Willy's Mother

Rowan Atkinson - Father Julius

Ellie White - Gwennie (Mistress of the Keys)

Rufus Jones - Jenkins

Simon Farmaby - Basil (Zoo Security Guard)

Susie Fairfax - Abacus

Crunch's Wife

Macie Blake - Abacus

Crunch's Granddaughter

(4 Years Old)

Charlotte Ritchie - Barbara

Phil Wang - Colin

Bleu Woodward - Waitress

Robyn Rose - Tram Lady 1

Millie O'Donnell - Tram Lady 2

Ben Howard - Oompa Loompa Guard 1

Muzz Khan - Oompa Loompa Guard 2

Ian Bartholomew - Sceptical Old Man

Sophie Winkleman - The

Countess

Lola Shepelev -

Moustached Little Girl

Michael Abubakar - Orange-

Haired Customer

Justin Edwards - Green-

Skinned Customer

Marina Bye - Green-Bearded Customer

Tim Fitzhigham - Sinister Ship's Captain

Jane Bertish - Bardness Von Schmeichelhammer

Dominic Coleman - Donovan

Tracy Ifeachor - Dorothy Smith

Ellie Blake - Abacus Crunch's Granddaughter (8 Years Old)

Alison Pargeter - Wendy Chucklesworth

Crew

Story/Screenplay/Director - Paul King

Based on Characters - Roald Dahl

Screenplay - David Farnaby

Executive Producers - Cate Adams,

Rosie Alison and Michael Siegel

Executive Producer/Unit Production

Manager - Tim Wellspring

Producers - David Heyman,

Alexandra Derbyshire and Luke Kelly

Co-Producer - Bernie Hall

Casting Director - Nina Gold

Military Technical Advisor - Paul Biddiss

Production Designer - Nathan Crowley

Supervising Art Directors - Toby Britton

and Tom Brown

Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

Hair & Makeup Designer - Ivana Primorac

Director of Photography - Chung-hoon Chang

"A" Camera/Steadicam Operator - Peter Robertson

Unit Production Manager: Additional Unit -

Steve Harding

Second Unit Director/Director of Photography -

John Sorapure

Choreographer - Christopher Gattelli

Stunt Coordinator - Paul Lowe

Animal Coordinators - Julie Tottman

and James Weller

Special Effects Supervisor - Hayley J. Williams

Visual Effects Supervisor - Graham Page

Visual Effects Producer - Dominic Sidoli

Editor - Mark Everson

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer -

Glenn Freemantle

Supervising Sound Editor - Ben Barker

Production Sound Mixer - John Casali

Re-Recording Mixers - Niv Adiri

and Paul Massey

Foley Mixer - Glen Gathard

Original Songs - Neil Hannon

Music - Joey Talbot

Music Producer - Charlie Rosen

Music Supervisor/Vocal Producer -

James A. Taylor

Review

It took me a few months to finish this review before I could publish it. Despite the turbulence of 2023, the film industry is still enduring a rough patch, with industrial action and the popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. However, the former affected many movies that premiered that same year and bombed in theatres due to poor marketing and ridiculously high budgets. There are some exceptions, like Barbie and Oppenheimer. At the end of this year, several films came out during the holiday season. One of which was WONKA. It is the latest incarnation of Roald Dahl's beloved character.

Considered the most popular of all Roald Dahl's stories, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been the subject of several adaptations over the years (the two most famous are the 1971 film by Mel Stuart and the 2005 film by Tim Burton). At first, I was sceptical because this prequel may be a cash cow as it would tarnish the legacy of the original 1971 musical starring Gene Wilder. Thankfully, it wasn't. I'm glad it's nothing like the interpretation Tim Burton produced with Johnny Depp as the titular character. While the previous film adaptations by Mel Stuart and Tim Burton share the same story, this one is a tribute to the former with its confectionery qualities, such as a hint of sweetness and energetically choreographed musical numbers.

Paul King is already familiar with audiences, having directed the first two Paddington movies and is no stranger to children's fiction, having borrowed elements of a literary classic. It lacks the dark undertones that made the classic book and the two previous interpretations intriguing. The set designs and visuals are phenomenal. The songs are catchy, too.

Timothée Chalamet may seem like an odd choice to play Willy Wonka, but he was naturally good in the role and eager to take it on. Interestingly, this version of Wonka is a young optimist, whereas previous incarnations depict him as self-absorbed with little regard for others' thoughts and feelings. I never knew Chalamet could sing and dance, let alone act in an exuberant and colourful motion picture like WONKA. I liked his rendition of "Pure Imagination," which differs from Gene Wilder's version.

The supporting cast consists of comedians who stole the show, while young Calah Lane lends a sincere performance as Noodle. Keegan-Michael Key is terrific as the chief of police. Paterson Joseph distinguishes himself as a full-on pantomime villain, with Matt Lucas and Matthew Baynton making a delightfully evil trio. Hugh Grant has made a terrific comeback in his latest work, but playing an Oompa Loompa named Lofty isn't something I expected from him.

While silly and whimsical, WONKA is a sweet-filled cinematic delight that will arouse audiences and tempt their taste buds. When a movie hits theatres in the holiday season, you know it's WONKA. I recommend this film to those who grew up with Gene Wilder's previous incarnation and Roald Dahl's original story.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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In Memory of Carl Weathers (1948-2024)

Carl Weathers (1948-2024)

With great sadness, the actor Carl Weathers passed away on 1st February 2024. He was 76 years old. The actor was famous for his role as boxer Apollo Creed in the first four "Rocky" films. He also appeared as Colonel Al Dillon in "Predator," Chubbs Peterson in "Happy Gilmore," and, most recently, as Greef Karga in the "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian." Weathers made over 75 films and television appearances during a career lasting more than 50 years in the screen industry.

Born in New Orleans on 14th January 1948, Weathers was a football linebacker at San Diego State University, where he also studied drama, before joining the Oakland Raiders. Weathers gravitated to Hollywood, inspired by Woody Strode, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Muhammad Ali. After appearing in bit parts in numerous projects in the mid-70s, Weathers rose to stardom in 1976 as the fictional boxer who rivalled Sylvester Stallone's champion, Rocky Balboa. He appeared in the first "Rocky" film before reprising his role for the second, third, and fourth films. Weathers' character was the source of inspiration for Jordan's "Creed" film series.

While continuing to star in the "Rocky" franchise, Weathers scored several significant roles in the 1980s, including 1987's "Predator," in which he played Arnold Schwarzenegger's former war buddy turned CIA operative. Weathers also appeared in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Force 10 from Navarone," "Action Jackson," and "Hurricane Smith." While Weathers was known for his action roles, he also had a knack for comedy, with a memorable turn as Chubbs in Adam Sandler's 1996 film, "Happy Gilmore." He would reprise his character in "Little Nicky" and had a minor voice role in "Eight Crazy Nights." He also played himself in the sitcom "Arrested Development," serving as an acting coach for David Cross' character, Tobias Funke. Weathers was also the voice of Combat Carl in the "Toy Story" series, beginning with the television special "Toy Story of Terror" and ending with the Oscar-winning "Toy Story 4."

Most recently, however, his most high-profile role has been in the Star Wars universe, where he has played Greef Karga in all three current seasons of the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian." It earned him an Emmy Award nomination for his performance in 2021. In addition to starring in the show, Weathers served as director for two episodes, including "Chapter 12: The Siege" from Season 2 and "Chapter 20: The Foundling" from Season 3. He also helmed episodes in television shows like "Law & Order" and "The Last O.G."

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96th Academy Awards

Broadcast Date: 11th March 2024 - Australia

Hi everyone, it's me, Rad Dingo. I haven't published a film review recently, as I'm still working on each of those that require completion. However, the 2024 nominations for the 96th Academy Awards were announced, with Oppenheimer leading up the categories. Unfortunately, those who saw the movie Barbie will be disappointed that Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig didn't even get nominations for Best Actress and Best Director, while it only scored eight. It is an outrage that these women don't deserve to get snubbed in both categories. Also, I never watched Oppenheimer, but it'd be good if the film did win Best Picture.

Best Visual Effects

The Creator - Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould

Godzilla Minus One - Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masako Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One - Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould

Napoleon - Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould

Best Film Editing

Anatomy of a Fall - Laurent Sénéchal

The Holdovers - Kevin Tent

Killers of the Flower Moon - Thelma Schoonmaker

Oppenheimer - Jennifer Lame

Poor Things - Yorgos Mavropsaridis

Best Costume Design

Barbie - Jacqueline Durran

Killers of the Flower Moon - Jacqueline West

Napoleon - Janty Yates and Dave Crossman

Oppenheimer - Ellen Mirojnick

Poor Things - Holly Waddington

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda - Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashram Kelly-Blue

Maestro - Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell

Oppenheimer - Luisa Abel

Poor Things - Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston

Society of the Snow - Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé

Best Cinematography

El Conde - Edward Lachman

Killers of the Flower Moon - Rodrigo Prieto

Maestro - Matthew Libatique

Oppenheimer - Hoyte van Hoytema

Poor Things - Robbie Ryan

Best Production Design

Barbie - Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Killers of the Flower Moon - Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis

Napoleon - Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff

Oppenheimer - Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman

Poor Things - Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

Best Sound

The Creator - Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryan, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic

Maestro - Richard King, Steven A. Morrow, Tom Ozanich, Jason Ruder and Dean Zupancic

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One - Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

Oppenheimer - Willie Burton, Richard King, Kevin O'Connell and Gary A. Rizzo

The Zone of Interest - Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers

Best Original Song

"The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot - Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren

"I'm Just Ken" from Barbie - Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

"It Never Went Away" from American Symphony - Music and Lyrics by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson

"Naatu Naatu" from Killers of the Flower Moon - Music and Lyrics by Scott George

"What Was I Made For?" from Barbie - Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

Best Original Score

American Fiction - Laura Karpman

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - John Williams

Killers of the Flower Moon - Robbie Robertson (posthumous nomination)

Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransson

Poor Things - Jerskin Fendrix

Best Animated Short Film

Letter to a Pig - Tai Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter

Ninety-Five Senses - Jerusha & Jared Hess

Our Uniform - Yegane Moghaddam

Pachyderme - Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius

War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko - Dave Mullins and Brad Booker

Best Live-Action Short Film

The After - Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham

Invincible - Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron

Knight of Fortune - Lasse Lyskjaer Noer and Christian Norlyk

Red, White and Blue - Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - Wes Anderson and Steven Rales

Best Documentary Short Film

The ABCs of Book Banning - Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic

The Barber of Little Rock - John Hoffman and Christine Turner

Island in Between - S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien

The Last Repair Shop - Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers

Nai Nai & Wài Pó - Sean Wang and Sam Davis

Best Documentary Feature Film

Bob Wine: The People's President - Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek

The Eternal Memory - Maite Alberdi, Juan de Dios & Pablo Larraín and Rocio Jadue

Four Daughters - Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha

To Kill a Tiger - Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim

20 Days in Mariupol - Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath

Best International Feature Film

Io capitano (Italy) - Directed by Matteo Garrone

Perfect Days (Japan) - Directed by Wim Wenders

Society of the Snow (Spain) - Directed by J. A. Bayona

The Teachers' Lounge (Germany) - Directed by Īlker Çatak

The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) - Directed by Jonathan Glazer

Best Animated Feature Film

The Boy and the Heron - Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

Elemental - Peter Sohn and Denise Ream

Nimona - Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary

Robot Dreams - Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Diaz

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction - Cord Jefferson; based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett

Barbie - Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach; based on characters created by Ruth Handler

Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan; based on the biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

Poor Things - Tony McNamara; based on the novel by Alasdair Gray

The Zone of Interest - Jonathan Glazer; based on the novel by Martin Amis

Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall - Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

The Holdovers - David Hemingson

Maestro - Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

May December - Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik

Past Lives - Celine Song

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer as Kitty Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks - The Color Purple as Sofia

America Ferrera - Barbie as Gloria

Jodie Foster - Nyad as Bonnie Stoll

Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers as Mary Lamb

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown - American Fiction as Clifford "Cliff" Ellison

Robert DeNiro - Killers of the Flower Moon as William King Hale

Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer as Lewis Strauss

Ryan Gosling - Barbie as Ken

Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things as Duncan Wedderburn

Best Actress

Annette Bening - Nyad as Diane Nyad

Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon as Mollie Burkhart

Sandra Hüller - Anatomy of a Fall as Sandra Voyter

Carey Mulligan - Maestro as Felicia Montealegre

Emma Stone - Poor Things as Bella Baxter

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper - Maestro as Leonard Bernstein

Colman Domingo - Rustin as Bayard Rustin

Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers as Paul Hunham

Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer as J. Robert Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright - American Fiction as Thelonius "Monk"

Best Director

Justine Triet - Anatomy of a Fall

Martin Scorsese - Killers of the Flower Moon

Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Yorgos Lanthimos - Poor Things

Jonathan Glazer - The Zone of Interest

Best Picture

American Fiction - Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, producers

Anatomy of a Fall - Marie-Ange Lucian and David Thion, producers

Barbie - David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, producers

The Holdovers - Mark Johnson, producer

Killers of the Flower Moon - Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, producers

Maestro - Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, producers

Oppenheimer - Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, producers

Past Lives - David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, producers

Poor Things - Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, producers

The Zone of Interest - James Wilson, producer

Honorary Awards

Angela Bassett

Mel Brooks

Carol Littleton

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Michelle Satter

Make sure you let me know who the winners are. My predictions for the winners of the following categories are

Best Visual Effects - Godzilla Minus One

Best Production Design - Barbie

Best Costume Design - Barbie

Best Cinematography - Oppenheimer

Best Original Song "What Was I Made For?" - Barbie

Best Actor - Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer

Best Director - Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

Best Picture - Oppenheimer

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In Memory of Glynis Johns (1923-2024)

Glynis Johns (1923-2024)

British actress Glynis Johns died on January 4th, 2024, at 100. She was best known in "Mary Poppins" as the suffragette mother Winifred Banks. Johns appeared in dozens of films during a distinguished career spanning over six decades and was also an accomplished stage actress.

Born on October 5th, 1924, in Pretoria, South Africa, she was the daughter of the Welsh actor Mervyn Johns. From an early age, she performed on stage and was typecast as a stage dancer from her early teens, eventually breaking into the big screen in "South Riding." She burst onto the scene in the 1940s after playing Anna in the war drama "49th Parallel" and starring in "Miranda" (which made her a star in the UK) and "Third Time Lucky." Later, she starred opposite James Stewart in "No Highway in the Sky" and with Alec Guinness in "The Card." In the United States and elsewhere, Johns took on more and more roles, including two live-action Disney swashbucklers, "Rob Roy" and "The Sword and the Rose" with Richard Todd, "The Weak and the Wicked," "Mad About Men," and "The Court Jester." In 1956, she and Hermione Gingold briefly appeared in the all-star vehicle "Around the World in 80 Days" as "sporting ladies" - in other words, prostitutes.

In 1960, Johns received an Oscar nomination for her role in "The Sundowners." While "Mary Poppins" introduced Julie Andrews as a singing English nanny, Ms Jones was a wonderfully eccentric and competent singer in the supporting role of the children's mother, Mrs Banks.

On television, she starred in her sitcom "Glynis" and made numerous appearances on shows like "Batman." Before retiring in the US, she had her last film roles in "While You Were Sleeping" and "Superstar."

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In Memory of David Soul (1943-2024)

David Soul (1943-2024)

British/American actor David Soul passed away on 4th January 2024. He was 80. He was best known as Detective Hutch in the popular 70s television series "Starsky & Hutch."

Starting his career on stage in the 1960s, Soul broke into television, appearing in shows such as "Star Trek," "All in the Family," and "Here Come the Brides," before landing a film role opposite Clint Eastwood in the movie "Magnum Force."

It led to his career-defining role in "Starsky & Hutch" alongside co-star Paul Michael Glaser. He also appeared in "Salem's Lot."

Soul also had a singing career, achieving #1 in 1977 with "Don't Give Up on Us." Throughout the 1980s, he continued to work in American television before moving to London in the 1990s, where he obtained British citizenship and enjoyed a successful stage and screen career. In 2004, he and Glaser made a cameo in the remake "Starsky & Hutch," starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.

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In Memory of Tom Wilkinson (1948-2023)

 

Tom Wilkinson (1948-2023)

Two-time Oscar-nominated British actor Tom Wilkinson has died. He was 75 years old. The actor was known for such roles in "The Full Monty," "Batman Begins," "Michael Clayton," and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." His family announced his passing.

Born in Leeds, England, Wilkinson began acting at age 18. Before embarking on a well-trodden path in theatre and television, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). His first prominent screen role came in 1986 in the miniseries "First Among Equals" based on the best-selling novel by Jeffrey Archer. His stint on the drama series led to further professional development and had a lasting impact on his life. The show brought him into contact with his future wife, actress Diana Hardcastle, and they married in 1988. They went on to have two daughters, Alice and Molly, and also played husband and wife in the 2011 TV miniseries "The Kennedys" and the 2014 film "Good People."

In 1997, Tom earned his most famous role as Gerald, a steelworker who joins a group of men who decide to strip for money in the comedy "The Full Monty," for which he scooped the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He later reprised his role in the eponymous Disney+ miniseries in 2023. In 2001, he received an Oscar nomination for his role in "The Bedroom," and in 2007, another for "Michael Clayton," in which he co-starred with George Clooney.

His other notable film roles include "Sense and Sensibility," "Shakespeare in Love," "Rush Hour," "Girl with a Pearl Earring," "Batman Begins," "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," "Belle," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," and "Selma."

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) Review

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Broadcast Date: 15th November 1977 - Australia

Production Companies

The Cat in the Hat Productions

MGM Television

MGM Animation/Visual Arts

Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 26 minutes

Budget: $315,000

Plot Summary

It's Christmas Eve in Whoville, and everyone is excited about what tomorrow will bring. Unfortunately, this did not stop the Grinch from hating the holiday, as he couldn't bear the sight of people being eager over it. By stealing all the presents and other goodies, he is determined to ruin Christmas for the people of Whoville.

Voice Cast

Boris Karloff - Narrator/Grinch

June Foray - Cindy Lou Who (Uncredited)

Dal McKennon - Max (Uncredited)

Crew

Producer/Storyboard Artist (Uncredited)/Director - Chuck Jones

Co-Director/Animator - Ben Washam

Based on the Book/

Producer/Songs: Lyrics - Dr. Seuss

Additional Story - Irv Spector

and Bob Ogle

Production Designer -

Maurice Noble

Animators - Ken Harris,

Lloyd Vaughan, Richard

Thompson, Don Towsley,

Tom Ray and Phil Roman

Layouts - Oscar Dufau and Don Morgan

Backgrounds - Philip DeGuard, Bob Inman and Hal Ashmead

Graphics - Don Foster

Production Manager - Earl Jones

Production Executive - Les Goldman

Editors - Lovell Norman and John Young

Songs: Music - Albert Hague

Performer: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" -

Thurl Ravenscroft (Uncredited)

Additional Music and Orchestra Conductor -

Eugene Poddany

Review

Happy holidays, everyone. During the season, I've been busy making significant edits to my reviews and one analysis (as you may not have noticed). Speaking of which, I watched a Christmas special, which, believe it or not, is the 1966 animation classic HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! It takes me back to my childhood when I first saw it on Cartoon Network. Yes, it's timeless and unforgettable. No one can deny that this rendition is much superior to the live-action adaptation with Jim Carrey or the CG version from Illumination. It was the first time I reviewed a holiday special, but I was still unsure whether this was a movie, given its short running time of 26 minutes. I couldn't care less that it isn't full-length, unlike the other versions that expanded the story. It is, however, one of the few good Dr Seuss adaptations that are at least incredibly loyal to the original book.

This piece of animation is sublime. Fortunately, former Looney Tunes director Chuck Jones brought this to life, with the author, who also wrote the songs. I like how he brings his devilish charm into the character animation, and it's a pity that none of today's generation could measure up to his talent. The late Boris Karloff did an excellent job narrating and also provided the voice of the Grinch. The songs and music are spot-on, particularly "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch", which is the best.

This special holds a special place among the other Christmas movies. I recommend it to Dr Seuss fans, and I look forward to seeing it again next Christmas. But in the meantime, Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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