Horton Hears a Who!/Transcript

Rolling Along/In the Cool of the Pool

I'm currently working on getting all the voice lines typed into here first, so please excuse any skipped choreography and depictions.

(The film begins on a leaf that has been wet by the rain. But though it may be wet, a few drops of water on the leaf have merged to one and has began its drop off from the leaf then splashed a sweetgum seed pod from a sweetgum tree. That ball fall down from the tree then rolls through a field of dandelions. The ball then rolls down through a crack and went inside a cave where in this cave was a single sunflower standing in the sunlight. The sweetgum seed rolls closer and closer to the sun till when it hits it and rolls off, the sunflower dislodges a small speck and it starts to drift off from the flower to the open crack on the wall. But as the camera goes through it, we discover a strange jungle full of bizarre plants and beautiful trees. This is the Jungle of Nool. A vast jungle of strange and weird creatures, big and small. The speck drifts over the water, then down from a waterfall. As the speck weaves its way through the foliage, the nearby trees shake and tremble. The camera then cuts to where the shaking comes from: a grey elephant with no tusks, and a tuft of brown hair on his head. This is Horton. He pushes against a tree and knocks it down to make it like a diving board, and he gets on top of it. He stands on his two feet with pride, then sighs in relief. He folds his ears into a swimmer’s cap around his head, and begins to jump toward the end of the three: one... two... three! Off the tree and into the sky, like an Olympic diver with a graceful swan dive, but splashes not so gracefully into the water instead, screaming. He emerges from the water as if nothing had happened, and begins drifting on his back along the stream, using his ears to propel himself forward.)

Narrator: On the fifteenth of May, in the jungle of Nool, in the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool. He was splashing, enjoying the jungle's great joys, (Horton uses his trunk to spray water onto himself, twisting it like a showerhead nozzle to adjust the massage mode.) when Horton the elephant heard a small noise.

(The speck seen earlier flies by Horton, uttering a high-pitched squeal.)

(Horton looks around in response, and digs into his ear to clear his hearing, using his trunk to blow water in through one ear, and out the other, as well as a fish!)

Animal Kids: (offscreen) Horton!

(He looks up to see four young animals sitting on a tree branch above him.)

Horton: Good morning, class. Are you ready?

Animal Kids: Yeah!

Horton: Jump on board!

(The small animals drop down onto his back, causing Horton to wince.)

Tommy: (offscreen) Look out below!

(Tommy lands hard on Horton’s back, causing his legs to buckle from the weight.)

Horton: Tommy’s on board...! Katie, you there?

Katie: (lands on his back, being small and light) Ha-Ah-A.

Horton: (awkward) Okaaay.

Class in Session/A Yelp for Help

(Horton and the kids take a walk through the jungle, when Horton stops them in their tracks.)

Horton: (quiet) Shh... there it is. This is one of the jungle's most amazing creatures: the leaf bug. In order to protect itself from predators, it disguises itself as a leaf.

(The kids look on in fascination as Horton pokes the leaf with his trunk, smiling goofily with no response from the leaf. A few more pokes does nothing either, causing Horton to squint his eyes in skepticism as he grabs the leaf and branch, shaking it vigorously. Still seeing no results, he climbs atop the tree to get a better hold of it.)

Horton: This one's got quite a grip. Come on, little buddy. Don't be shy...!

(Horton's trunk slips and he falls backwards off the tree, the leaf bug flying away behind his back.)

Horton: I guess I was mistaken, kids. There are obviously no leaf bugs in this area. (Horton's body is outlined by a swarm of leaf bugs, just chilling on him with chirping not unlike cicadas, and much to the children's amusement.)

Even if they're- AH, THEY'RE ON ME! (Horton panics and starts running around and rolling on the ground, scaring the leaf bugs away.)

Get them off...! (As he inhales through his trunk, a leaf bug gets sucked in, causing Horton to choke on it. With a retch, he bangs his head on a low-hanging branch as he gets up.)

I think I swallowed one! (He blows his trunk, and slams it on the ground, trying to get the bug out, before turning to Tommy in desperation.) Tommy! Pull it out!

Tommy: (unsure) Uhh, okay. (He grabs Horton's trunk where there's a noticeable bulge, and begins to pull, two of the other children helping out, when Horton stands up and begins to spin around in circles, sending the children for a ride on his trunk as Katie runs behind him, chasing his tail.)

Narrator: Then humpfing a "humph" was a sour Kangaroo, the type who's convinced she knows better than you. (A purple kangaroo comes bounding down a dirt path with a like-colored joey in her pouch, holding her head high in indignation. An orange ox-like creature hides in some tall grass, and a big-antlered deer with birds roosting on top jumps into the river as the birds fly away when the kangaroo approaches, allowing her to cross over the stream via a fallen log bridge.)

She made every law and enforced every rule, as self-proclaimed head of the jungle of Nool. (The kangaroo, harboring a nasty scowl, gives another "humph!" at the sight of Horton and co.'s shenanigans.)

Rudy: Why can't I play with the other kids, Mom?

Kangaroo: How many times have I told you that the jungle is no place to act like a wild animal? (The kids are thrown off of Horton's trunk and onto some sturdy plant foliage and leaves. Horton falls forward and snot-rockets the leaf bug out of his trunk, sending it coughing as it flutters back into the air, before being snatched by Katie's frog-like tongue. Horton gives a disgusted "ew" as the other kids giggle.)

(An antlered mother and Mrs. Quilligan, obvious parents of two of the children, join beside Kangaroo to watch the kids goof around with Horton.)

Antlered Mother: My, that Horton certainly is eccentric.

Mrs. Quilligan: And the children are learning so much from him.

Kangaroo: Learning to be a bunch of harebrained half-wits! (Mrs. Quilligan looks surprised, almost appalled at the notion.) And that's why my Rudy is pouch-schooled. (She gives the joey a rough pat on the head.)

Narrator: So while Kangaroo stood there, sneering a sneer...

Tommy: Horton, that was the best time I've ever had in my life! What are you gonna show us next?! (The kids return to Horton, who is clearly winded and exhausted, when the speck returns to view, flying out from behind some flora.)

Narrator: ... once again, the speck floated right by Horton's ear.

Speck: Yelp!

(Horton gasps to attention, spotting the speck as it floats close in front of his face.)

Narrator: Then he heard it again, just a very faint yelp, as if some tiny person were calling for help.

(In the classic Dr. Seuss art style, we see a single Who hanging onto the speck for dear life as it speeds through the air. We cut back to Horton, looking at the speck as it floats by the kids, Katie seeing it as well as it flies by.)

Narrator: And you know what he thought? Why, he thought that there must be someone on top of that small speck of dust! Or even a family, it just might be so, a family with children, just starting to grow.

Horton: (gasp) Uhh, I gotta go. Katie, you're in charge!

(Katie opens her mouth to release the leaf bug, which chases after the other kids, who run away from it.)

Horton: Wait! Come back!

(The Wickersham brothers are chanting "One more! One more!" as one of them is stuffing a bunch of bananas in their mouth, managing to fit one more in as one of the bananas stick out their nose, splitting open. They all cheer and laugh.)

(Two guards or scouts are stationed at the top of a tree as Horton runs by, using two bananas as "binoculars.")

Scout 1: Ooh ooh, I hear someone coming!

Scout 2: Give me those! (He takes the bananas and can see Horton running by between the bananas blocking his view.)

Horton: Wait!

Scout 2: Sound the alarm!

(Scout 1 reaches higher into the tree and grabs another monkey's leg, biting it and causing them to scream out in pain, alerting the other Wickershams of Horton's presence.)

Horton: "Excuse me! Pardon my stampede!" (A bunch of monkeys and bananas get thrown up into the air as Horton stampedes through.) Sorry, Wickershams! I promise I'm gonna clean all this up later!

Fat Wickersham: Bring the ammo! (A fat monkey with a banana in his mouth posing as a cigar gets into a ready position with his arms out.)

(Two brothers by his sides grab some bananas with a mischievous chuckle, and stick them under the fat brother's armpits, and in slow motion, shows as he crushes the bananas with his armpits, launching the naked fruits forward. Then we see in real time how fast the bananas are being launched at Horton.)

Horton: I love the smell of bananas in the morning!

Wickersham brother: Banana in the hole!

Horton: Come on, guys! We're all mammals! (slow motion) Whoa! I feel the diplomatic process is beginning to break down.

There you are! I got you!

Hi kids! (He runs by the kids.)

W-o-o-o-o-w. (spoken underwater)

Community Standards

Horton: There... now you're safe.

I know I heard you say something. I just know it. Where are you...?

Kangaroo: Hmph!

Horton!

Horton: Ooh! Sorry! Uhh, hehe... I just... uh, there was this speck. And, uh, it called out for help. And I was-

Kangaroo: The speck called out for help?

Horton: Well not the speck. I mean... that's ridiculous. Aheheh... is that what you thought I meant? No, the speck can't call out for help. Come on, get real, hahah. No, there's a tiny person on that speck that needs my help.

Kangaroo: Ahahah, absurd. There aren't people that small!

Horton: Well, maybe they aren't small. Maybe... we're big.

Kangaroo: Horton-

Horton: No, really, think about it. What if there was someone waaay out there, looking down on our world right now? And to them, we're the specks.

And then maybe someone else will come along and say, "Oh, there can't be people that small", and the first guy would say, "Are you calling me a liar?" And the second guy would say "If the shoe fits, wear it!" And now the fists are flying, and the first guy picks up a brick, and you might wanna zip up the pouch for this next part. "All right, fat boy, you want some of this?!"

Kangaroo: Horton!

Horton: What?

Kangaroo: There is nothing on that speck.

Horton: ... but I heard.

Kangaroo: Did you? Really? Oh my... Then how come I don't hear anything?

Horton: Well...

Kangaroo: If you can see, hear or feel something, it doesn't exist. And believing in tiny, imaginary people is just not something we do, or tolerate, here in the jungle of Nool.

Horton: Really? Because I bet if I really tried, I could find somebody who'd believe what I've been saying.

Kangaroo: You will do nothing of the sort! You will not breathe a word of this lie to anyone else, especially the children. I do not want you poisoning their minds with this nonsense.

Our community has standards, Horton. If you want to remain a part of it, I recommend you follow them. Have a nice day.

Horton: All right, then, I'll, uh, take that under advisement. Certainly appreciate your input.

I don't understand. I know I heard you. It's as plain as the nose on my face.

... That's it. Maybe you can't hear me. Of course! Your ears must be tiny. I need to speak up.

HEEEELLLLLOOOOOO!

Narrator: Now some people out there, I think I know who, may find they agree with that sour Kangaroo. "There can't really be people as small as a mite." Well, there can, and there are, because Horton was right.

Whoville/Ned's 96 Daughters/Family Tradition

Narrator: That single "hello" traveled all the way down to the speck, through the clouds, until it found a small town. A town known as Whoville, for there lived the Whos, feeling happy and safe, knowing only good news, unaware that their world was a speck on a clover, unaware that the sweet life they knew might be over.

The Mayor of Whoville, a man named McDodd, was devoted and fair and a little bit odd.

The Mayor and his wife, they had children to spare, 96 daughters, some here and some there. 96 girls to love, 96 girls to teach, but the Mayor had only a few seconds for each.

Helen: Daddy, I got better than best on my Who-story test.

Mayor: Ah, Who-story. I remember it well.

Sally: That's one of my girls.

Holly: Hildy's been using my hairbrush!

Hildy: Holly's been using my hairbrush!

Mayor: Look! Over there!

(Ned switches their hairbrushes while they're not looking, and they hug.)

There. All better.

Heather: Can I please have a Who-phone, Dad? Everyone else in my class has one.

Mayor: Oh, really? Everyone?

(Heather holds up a picture of her class, where everybody is talking away on their phones except her, looking sadly at the camera.)

Oh. I will think about it.

Twins: Daddy, look! Daddy, look!

(The twins have their hair tied together, swinging it in cylindrical loops, when Ned jumps between them like it's a jump rope, before returning to his seat as the bell rings.)

Hedy: Toof!

Sally: It's a "T-H", sweetheart. It's "tooth."

Narrator: In Whoville tradition, unlike yours or mine, the Mayor's oldest is next in the Mayoral line. And who was the oldest? To lead and stand tall? It was JoJo, his son, the smallest Who of all.

Mayor: So, JoJo, what's shaking? What's happening? What's the word? (trying to act hip)

(JoJo looks at him weird, still saying nothing.)

Narrator: Now, to you or to me, it's abundantly clear that JoJo did not want his father's career. But the Mayor pressed forward, completely deluded, while JoJo just sat there in silence and brooded.

(JoJo gets up from his seat and leaves.)

Mayor: Oh, JoJo!

Daughter 1: Hey, why does he get more time?

Daughter 2: That's not fair!

Mayor: Son! Hey!

Narrator: And why didn't he speak? Well, I think that the lad was afraid if he did, he might let down his dad.

Mayor: You know what's awesome? (He points to the wall of past Mayor portraits,) This is awesome. Just look at the men and women hanging on these walls. You, my boy, are part of a family legacy that spans centuries.

You know what? Your grandfather was Mayor of Whoville, mm-hm, and... your great grandmother, that's right. All the way down to your...

Great, great, great, great, not so great, great, great, great-great-great, great great great GREAT...

Grandfather!

Someday I hope to join them. Be one of the greats. I tell you, JoJo, there is nothing like being Mayor. I get to sign resolutions, approve ordinances, submit budgets, and in the Edible Parade, I'm the one sitting on top of the giant meatball.

Someday, that can be you, too, JoJo. Someday you'll be the one wearing the Mayoral Crest. You just... You just need to... You know what I mean?

(JoJo walks away wordlessly.)

Okay. Good chat. I'm glad that we had this talk... that I am continuing now by myself. Good.

(A tremor shakes the hall, causing the portraits to slant momentarily, before resuming their alignment, much to Ned's confusion.)

Keep it to Yourself

(In the jungle, the tremors were actually coming from Horton trying to position the clover and the speck near a coconut drink.)

Horton: There. That ought to be comfy.

(Horton sips from a coconut, and sighs in relaxation.)

Nothing wrong with this, Morton. Nothing wrong with this. Just you, me and the speck, shooting the breeze.

We're a club. We're a group. We can take a vote on the issues. (mock evilly) We can be a secret society that controls the balance of power in the world.

Morton: Horton.

Horton: And no one else can join, unless they wear funny hats! (He laughs goofily, before sipping his drink.)

Morton: Listen, Horton!

Horton: The Chair recognizes Brother Morton.

Morton: I am really happy you found this speck and all, but you might want to think about keeping it to yourself.

Horton: Hm? What? Why?

Morton: Well, you're talking to a clover. That doesn't look good.

Horton: You know what doesn't look good? You talking about the speck like the speck isn't even there. The speck never said anything bad about you.

But, hey! Good luck with your illusion of superiority.

Morton: You know, the speck can think anything it wants about me. It's a speck.

Horton: Whoa! I see what's going on here. Morton, no matter how tight the speck and I get, the speck could never replace you. I'm only sad that I would have to explain that, at this point.

Morton: Well, that's awesome, Horton. That really helps. Just try to keep this to yourself. I'll see you later. Try.

(Horton shrugs and contemplates the speck, looking closer at it, when the kids arrive.)

Jessica: Hey, Horton! What you got there?

Horton: What? Nothing! We're not doing anything! Do-do-dum dum dum, we're totally alone!

Jessica: Who's we?

Horton: "We"? What? "We"? Did I say that? I just... oh. No, I would never say that. because that would imply that I was with someone, and not alone. (He giggles, before trying to keep his mouth shut to avoid spilling the beans about the speck.)

Okay, seriously, you can't tell anybody! I mean it. If anybody finds out about this, it could be very, very bad. I'm not sure why.

Tommy: We won't tell anyone. And if we do, we'll tell them not to tell anyone!

Horton: Perfect! Okay, so I'm taking a bath, right, cus my skin gets kind of dry and a little bit ashy.

Good News Only

(In Whoville,)

Narrator: While Horton came clean about the speck that he'd found and how he had saved it when it nearly drowned, the Mayor set off on his morning commute and noticed things weren't quite the same on his route.

(Back in the jungle, as Horton continues his story.)

But please don't blame Horton, for he didn't know that a small bump above...

Horton: ... and I dove into the water like this!

(As he jumps and lands on the ground, Whoville and its buildings jump up in a giant tremor.)

Narrator: ... was a big bump below.

()

Mayor: Hey, Joe, don't work too hard.

Joe: Ah, these luxury condos, they don't build themselves.

(Another big bump sends everything in the air, allowing the condo to practically build itself.)

Joe: Hey, look at that! I guess they do build themselves.

Mayor: O-o-o-okay, that happened.

()

Narrator: Now, the Mayor knew it was his job to convey the unusual things that he'd noticed that day, but there was one problem. Though his will was strong...

Miss Yelp: You're late.

Mayor: Thank you, Miss Yelp.

()

Narrator: ... nothing in Whoville had ever gone wrong.

Everyone: We have all that we need. We need all that we've got. We like it in Whoville. We like it a lot!

Chairman: We're all very busy with the Who-Centennial coming up, so let's bring this meeting to order. Mr. Mayor, I presume you have some good news for us.

Mayor: Well, it's news. I don't know if we need to go labeling it "good" or "bad" or anything like that. The thing is, I have noticed some odd goings-on in Whoville lately.

Chairman: Good "odd goings-on"?

Mayor: Well, you know, tremors, clouds swirling in the sky. And it seems to me, just to be safe, we might want to consider (mumbling) postponing the Who-Centennial.

Chairman: Consider what?

Mayor: (even quieter) postponing the Who-centennial...

(The stenographer can't hear him probably, so she just types gibberish)

Chairman: What?? Speak up, man!

Mayor: ... Postponing the Who-Centennial, all right?!

(Mummers of worry spread throughout the court, and the Chairman presses a smiley button his desk which encases his co-men and the mayor in a glass dome, and the onlookers relax. The enraged Chairman chases the Mayor around the dome, strangles him, and illustrates him as a donkey in complete silence, to concerned looks.)

Chairman: We are about to celebrate 100 years of Whoville happiness and harmony, and you want to postpone the celebration?!

Mayor: Well, what if Whoville's not safe?

Chairman: Nothing ever goes wrong in Whoville. Never has, and never will, you blathering boob!

Mayor: (whispers) Boob...?

()

Chairman: The Who-Centennial will proceed as planned! The Mayor was merely being an idiot. It will be all smiles from now on.

()

Mayor: Ow. Ow. That hurt!

Cosmic Convergence

()

Miss Yelp: (laughing) Girl, I got 15,000 friends already. What? What do you mean, it don't look like me? That looks just like me; 10 years ago. Wait a minute. Hold on for one second.

()

Mayor: Treats me like an idiot. I am not an idiot... () Do I look like an idiot??

Miss Yelp: You don't want me to answer that.

Mayor: I am not an idiot.

()

Mayor: Has the nerve to call me a boob? I would never call somebody a boob. He's a boob. Look at you. Yuck! Look at your face. And I bet you don't look so good with a (throughs his stapler at the painting) stapler on your head!

(Not only does the stapler miss the portrait, but it bounces right back at Ned, stapling him square in the forehead, to which he screams in pain at the top of his lungs, loud enough for even Horton to hear!)

Horton: Whoa! Who-ho-hoa!

(Back in Whoville,)

Mayor: Ow, ow, ow... yagh! Thank you, Miss Yelp.

Miss Yelp: You're welcome.

()

Horton: Hello??

()

Mayor: (slurred) Who said that!? Back off! I'll punch you! Wagh!

(He falls over onto his gramophone, grabbing the horn in self defense as he follows the voice outside, coming out of the burst drain pipe from earlier.)

Mayor: Hello?

()

Mayor: (high pitched and quiet, from the speck) Hello?

Horton: (excited) Hellooooo?

(Back in Whoville, his speech is unintelligible due to the drain pipe. Ned ponders in confusion about this but seeing the horn in his hands, he puts it in the drain pipe and...)

Horton: (through the horn) Who's there?

Mayor: Um, this is the Mayor.

(In the jungle…)

Horton: The Mayor? The Mayor?! (looks to a passing bird in hysterics) I'm talking to the Mayor! () I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew there was life on this speck!

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: "This speck?" (chuckling doubtedly) What speck?

(In the jungle…)

Horton: Well, um... (leans on a tree) I don't exactly know how to tell you this, but...

(In Whoville…)

Horton: (through the horn) You're living on a speck.

Mayor: Well, I hate to disagree with you, O voice from the drainpipe, but I live in Whoville.

()

Horton: Well, then, Whoville's a speck.

Mayor: (from the speck) Right, o-

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: -kay, seriously, who is this? Is this Burt from accounting?

()

Horton: Uh, no. This is Horton. I'm an elephant.

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: Okaaay... "Hor-ton." Fake name. Where are you?

Horton: Well, from where you're standing, I guess I'm... in the sky.

()

Horton: Compared to you, I'm enormous. Which is saying something, because I've slimmed down quite a bit. I swim. You're whole world... fits on a flower in my world.

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: (checks around the horn) Oh, man, this is even pushing it for you, Burt.

(In the Jungle, Horton comes close to a tree to pull over the speck.)

Horton: Don't believe me? Watch what happens when I put you in the shade.

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: This is absolutely impossible-

Horton: (through the horn) Dark.

()

Horton: Light.

()

Horton: (through the horn) Dark.

()

Horton: Light.

()

Horton: (through the horn) Dark, light, dark, light, dark, light, dark, light, dark. Light.

()

Horton: Don't you see?

(In Whoville, )

Horton: (through the horn) We're in the middle of some kind of amazing cosmic convergence. Two vastly different worlds, miraculously crossing paths!

()

Horton: Mine, COLOSSAL! Yours, miniscule. Yet somehow, we've managed to make contact.

(In Whoville…)

Horton: (through the horn) If you think about it, it's pretty amazing.

()

Horton: Is everything okay down there?

(In Whoville…)

Mayor: I... I don't know. You tell me. You're the one holding the speck.

()

Horton: I'm the one holding the speck. (gasp) I'm the one holding the speck!

()

Horton: (through the horn) Don't you worry, Mr. Mayor.

()

Mayor: Hold, please! (ran off)

Brainiest Brain

Narrator: What did all of this mean? The Mayor hadn't a clue. So he ran to the office of Dr. Larue, the brainiest brain on the staff at Who U.

Mayor: Dr. Larue! Uh, this is crazy...!

Dr. Larue: Oh! Mr. Mayor! How may I be of assistance? (spoken with a lisp)

Mayor: I don't know. Hey, you know, I was just wondering if our world were, say, a tiny speck, mmm, floating through space... how would we know?

Dr. Larue: Well, why would you ask something like that?

Mayor: Oh, no reason. No reason at all. I don't even remember. Yes, I do. Ah, you know what? Some guy was talking to me. Not an elephant in the sky. A guy on the ground.

Dr. Larue: There would be several ramifications.

Mayor: Good ramifications?

Dr. Larue: A tiny speck?

Mayor: Uh huh, yeah. Tiny speck.

Dr. Larue: Floating around. Well, we'd have inexplicable tremors, dramatic changes in the weather, and if we didn't eventually achieve some sort of stability, our world would be... destroyed!

Mayor: Destroyed? (slurred) Destroyed, ohh destroyed. Oh, trouble!

Horton!

Horton: (in a nasally voice) Um, no, uh, this is... uh... Benny. Horton's busy right now. (In the jungle, Horton holds his trunk to change his voice, before going back to his normal voice, chuckling.) No! I'm joking. That's me.

Mayor: Oh, we're doomed. Listen, Horton, turns out I need your help a little bit. Apparently, if that speck keeps moving around, our whole world… could be obliterated. So I need you to find us Whos a safer, more stable home… and fast.

Horton: No problem, Mr. Mayor. Let's see…

(Horton begins walking around, looking to find a safe place for the speck when he notices flowers above him.)

Horton: Wow. That's a nice view.

(A zatzoo walks in and eats the flowers. Horton gets scared. Back in Whoville…)

Mayor: Hello, is everything okay?!

(Back in the jungle, a grape falls on Horton's head. He looks to find out where the grape came from. Two birds are pecking a pile of grapes, taking turns trying to knock them down, causing them to fall and hit Horton, Horton then dodges 2 more, and a giant anteater vacuum mouth creature walks by consuming flowers, nearby some ants with bladed teeth. Horton gasps in fear. In Whoville…)

Mayor: What's going on up there?

(The scene cuts back to the jungle again to the zatzoo eating the flowers, the two birds who are now pecking the grapes at the same exact time, just slightly off from each other, Horton gasps in shock, the anteater consumes more flowers, the ants with bladed teeth are eating something, cuts back to the birds, who are pecking the exact same grape, anteater, and zatzoo are shown again.)

Horton: (freaking out) OH NO!

(The ants eat what looks like a tree, but is actually just a flower.)

Horton: (screams then runs to a hill) THIS ENTIRE JUNGLE IS A HOUSE OF DEATH!!! (then) Oh wait, (looks over) there's a good spot.

Narrator: And it's then Horton saw at the top of Mount Nool (the camera flies to reveal Mount Nool's cave with a sunflower) a small cave that looked peaceful and quiet and cool, where a sunflower grew proud and tall from the ground. There, he knew every Who would be safe. Would be sound.

Horton: I found it, Mayor. The perfect place. Right up there. At the top of Mount Nool.

Miss Velp: Mr. Mayor?

(The mayor was startled when Miss Yelp entered the office)

Horton: I wish you could-

Mayor Ned: Haha, oh, shiny. Haha...

Miss Yelp: The Who-Centennial Committee is waiting for you to look over the giant meatball for the Edible Parade. Oh, and then you're due at the dentist for your Who-root canal.

Mayor: You know, sticking “Who” in front of everything doesn’t make it hurt less. Just wastes time! I don’t… wanna go.

Listen, Horton, I gotta go. Apparently, there’s a problem with the giant meatball.

Horton: You just take care of that meatball, sir, and leave the freaking out to me.

Narrator: So then Horton began his long, perilous trek, determined to save the small world on the speck.

Horton was faithful and stalwart and kind.

Horton: I got you. Don't worry. I'll protect you!

Narrator: He was a brave hero... at least in his mind.

Horton: We must become invisible. Travel silently. For there are forces that would seek to destroy us.

(An anime sequence takes the scene with a 2D-animated Horton screaming in a forward jump. A giant tree sprouts up from the ground, blocking his path.)

Horton: Huh?! So you think you can sneak up on me, huh?! (combat and impact noises) It is clear that you are no match for my technique. Hey!

(He kicks a branch, but it snaps back and smacks his butt with an awkward shot of a red mark from below.) I see you have mastered the way of the snapping branch. Watch me tumble! (He spins in the air and jumps from branch to branch to the top of the tree.)

Morton: (high pitched) Morton Mouse, go! (normal) You are fast, Horton, but the Kangaroo has monkeys! (Monkeys can be seen flying in from the distance.)

Horton: Hm? I will make monkeys of these monkeys. It is their destiny. (He shouts an unintelligible incantation to fire a beam of energy at the monkeys.) For the clover!

(Morton looks on in awe.)

Clover: Horton is the greatest hero of them all, haaaa!

Horton and Morton: Horton! Morton! Go! (Horton runs forward, but is stopped by Morton.)

Morton: But Mount Nool is that way!

Horton: Ha-ha-ha! To the top of Mount Nool! As fast as lightning! Away, I go. (He jumpkicks, but snaps back to reality as he trips, landing on a flower.) Oh, sorry little fellow. You'll be fine. Just think healing thoughts.

Making Trouble

Animal Kids: Horton, Horton! Look!

Jessica: We've all got our own clovers with worlds on them!

Glummox Kid: Yeah!

Horton: Oh... (He turns forward to see Katie in his way, which startles him from her silence getting there.)

Katie: In my world, everyone's a pony, and they all eat rainbows, and poop butterflies!

Horton: That's beautiful, Katie...!

In a... really weird way.

Jessica: My world is called Jessicaland, and everyone worships Queen Jessica because Jessica is so beautiful.

Glummox Kid: Jessica, that was awesome.

(Nearby, Kangaroo is picking some fruits from a tree, while Rudy admires a clover. Kangaroo sees this, believing him to be following in Horton's footsteps.)

Kangaroo: Rudy!

Rudy: Mom, be careful! My best friend [Thidrick?] lives on that!

Kangaroo: Rudy, no one lives on this. It's not possible? (She crushes the clover in front of him.)

Rudy: What...? (His heart crushed just like the clover.)

Kangaroo: That Horton is a menace.

Rudy: Mom, Mom, please, you're so weird! Don't do this to me!

Kangaroo: Honey, go to your room.

Horton!

(The kids run away at the sight of her as she kicks Katie out of a bush, who squeals in glee, flying between a football-esque tree-tee.)

Tommy: It's good!

Kangaroo: What do you think you're doing?!

Tommy: Uh-oh! You guys' worlds are in trouble!

Kangaroo: Have you forgotten what we discussed?!

Horton: Oh, no. I'm an elephant. And elephants never forget. It's a curse, really. I remember I was on my head. And you said "hmph!", and I looked up. And you said "what are you doing?" And I said the thing about the speck. Then you pulled my ears, and you poked me in the forehead.

Kangaroo: Horton!

Horton: What, you did.

Kangaroo: Give me that clover, Horton. Now.

Horton: ... No!

(Some Wickersham monkeys gather around to watch the confrontation, while Kangaroo gasps in shock.)

Kangaroo: "No?"

(Rudy shakes his head as if to tell Horton to stop for both their sakes.)

Horton: (nervously) Yeah...?

Kangaroo: Are you sure you wanna fight this fight, Horton? Because I promise you that it will get very ugly, very fast. And you need to ask yourself, "Do I really wanna put myself through this? For a clover?" (He's chasing him around in circles, around trees as the monkeys begin to walk out from the trees.)

Take it from me, Horton. You don't. So, hand it over!

(She tries to grab the clover from him, but he moves it away from her quicker than she can grab it. Comical, really. She huffs in frustration.)

Horton: No! I can't give it to you! There are people on this speck. Granted, they're very small people. But a person's a person. No matter how small.

(Rudy goes "huh" as if coming to a realization, while Kangaroo scoffs and covers his ears.)

Kangaroo: You just crossed the line, Horton. And I'm gonna make you pay.

(Kangaroo is now backed by the intrigued support of the Wickershams as she begins to convince them that Horton is a menace, while Horton makes his escape, tripping over a plant.)

Kangaroo: That Horton is a menace. He has those kids using their imagination. It's sick!

Lighter than a Feather/Horton Dances to His Groove

Horton: Alright. I got to get this speck up to the top of Mountain Nool A-S-A-P! Whatever that means. Probably "Act Swiftly, Awesome Pachyderm!" I mean, how hard can it be?

(He looks on in trepidation at a very long, very thin, very rickety bridge that's barely holding on.)

Horton: It's just a straight plummet to certain death. (He pokes one of the stakes keeping it in place, testing its stability as it wobbles widely.) This looks... kinda precarious. Well... no need to worry. Obviously when they build a bridge like this, they take into account that elephants will be crossing here.

(Horton reaches out and puts his weight onto one of the platforms, which bends greatly.) Alright. Feel good. I'll just get... whoa! (He steps onto the bridge with his whole body, causing it to bend more and making him lose his balance. And each step causing him to wobble on the unsturdy bridge. It's a long way down, and a long way forward...)

(Meanwhile, back in Whoville, the Mayor is showing up at the dentist for his Who-root canal, looking stressed from the day as he settles into the chair. Looking around, he spots a portrait of a whale tail dipping out of the water, and a label saying "Courage.")

Mayor: W- Uh yeah, that's true. (He lays back into his chair with a sigh, trying to calm his mind and relax, when he hears a scream from a room over, followed by a higher pitched scream. Panicked, he gets up and attempts to run out,) Alright! (but is stopped by the operating dentists.)

Dentist: Hello, and how are we today, Mr. Mayor? Say aaaaah.

Horton: (He finds what looks like stable footing,) Ah! (and takes a step, but falls right through the plank, causing the dentist to miss the Mayor's mouth, and instead hit his eye with the stream of water, much to his discomfort. Looking around confused, the dentist dismiss the sudden quake, and proceed.)

Dentist: Rinse, please. (The Mayor fountains the water out of his mouth and into the cup, prompting the dentist to scrape a little dollop of water off his lip.)

Horton: Huh, I think a few of these boards could stand to be replaced. (He takes a step back,) Ooh! (but the plank behind him breaks, causing every single plank behind him to fall off and crumble.)

I just need to think light. I'm light as a feather. I'm light... as a feather. (He watches as a passing bird drops a feather, which lands on a board, causing it to break and fall.) Heavy feather.

Dentist: Okay! (He taps a syringe.) This will just pinch a little.

Mayor: (nervously) Uhh...

Horton: I'm lighter than a feather. What's lighter than a feather...? (gasp) Air! There's nothing lighter. So, it stands to reason... (He takes a breath in.) That the more air I have... (He takes another breath, his talking strained.) The lighter... (And another.) I'll be...!

(We see Horton holding his breath with an inflated trunk; we believe him to be floating in air, but then we see him quickly stepping across the bridge, breaking each plank he steps on. The scene switches between the dentist getting closer with the syringe to the Mayor's tongue, and Horton getting closer to the end of the bridge, but as he runs out of breath, he exhales powerfully enough to send him barreling back down to the middle of the bridge with nothing but the support ropes keeping him from falling. While in response to the fall, the dentist misses the Mayor's tongue, and somehow jabs his arm with the needle instead, prompting the Mayor to scream in pain.)

(We see that his arm is now numb and limp from the numbing shot. He gets up and runs away, but struggles to open the door with his bad arm. Giving up on moving it, he uses his other arm to open the door, running out and slapping the people in the waiting room with his numb arm, while the dentist calls out,) Next, please.

Horton: Alright. That was absolutely terrifying. If I just pull myself UP- (His legs splay outward as he tries to hold onto the ropes. He looks down at the abyss beneath him.) Try-not-to-panic! (Painstakingly, he manages to pull himself back up to the end of the bridge, grabbing onto the posts when they jolt downward. We believe him to be falling as he starts screaming, but as the camera zooms out, we see he's not falling, and he just acted pre-emptively. He hums, and pulls himself all the way back onto solid ground.)

Whew. That could have been a disaster!

(As he walks, he begins to bounce and bop, getting into a giddy groove.) Wow, I feel really good right now. Maybe it's my new sense of purpose. (He begins ballet dancing, grabbing a vine off of a tree and twirling it like a ribbon, before the theme changes drastically, ushering him to shake his booty and spin, which sends him crashing into a tree with a "Whoa!")

Weird Feelings

(The Mayor is running home from the dentist with his numb arm flailing behind him. He enters and closes the door on his arm, struggling to pull it out, before noticing JoJo holding a pile of various objects.)

Mayor: Alright...! Heeey, JoJo, I need your help. Can you help me? Okay, great! Okay, first! I need you to go to the girl's room! (His numb arm rubberbands back at him and slaps him in the face.) Ahh! Take down Hannah's china doll collection, and then- stop looking at my arm. Put away Holly's light bulb collection, and then- you know what? Just take care of anything that might break or shatter!

Okay, take a good long look. Got it? Thanks JoJo!

(He runs up the stairs, and shouts some gibberish as he shakes his arm, before throwing it against the wall, where he screams in pain. But in realization, his arm is no longer numb and works perfectly again.)

Mayor: Here. I'll take that, and- whoa. Yah!

Sally: Hi! You're home late!

Mayor: Oh, sorry Hon, I was just... having some dental work done. On my... arm.

Sally: So, what was that- Ned!

What are you doing?

Mayor: Wha- What do you mean?

Sally: Well, I'm no detective, Ned, but you are hanging from the chandelier.

Mayor: I just thought it might look better somewhere it can't fall on us and crush us in our sleep. Waaauugh! Aheheh...

Sally: What is going on?

Mayor: ... Hey, Hon... Did you ever get the feeling that you were being watched?

Sally: Um... yeah. Sure. I suppose.

Mayor: And then you get the feeling that maybe that thing watching you is, aaauuuhh- a giant elephant!

Sally: Um...

Mayor: And- You know how you get that weird feeling that your world is actually a tiny speck? And that elephant... that I talked about earlier, is carrying it around on a flower. And you realize that if you tell anybody, they'd think you were crazy. But you still feel the responsibility to keep everyone safe... You know that feeling?

Sally: Um... you know, I'm gonna have to say no... do you know that feeling?

Mayor: ... dah! Pfft, hohohoho, no! (yawn) Yawn! Wow, I am beat. Time to hit the hay, I guess.

Sally: Sweetheart, I know you're under a lot of stress. And if you're seeing elephants and flowers, then fine. Just don't tell anyone else that story, okay? And remember, it's not the end of the world.

Mayor: The end of the world...?

Being Alone

Horton: Horton to Mayor. Horton to Mayor. Come in Mayor, over.

Mayor: Horton? I get terrible reception here.

Horton: HOW ABOUT THIS?! IF I GET UP REAL CLOSE, CAN YOU READ ME?!

Mayor: (screams) Yep! Roger that! Are we at that safe place yet?

Horton: Almost. I'm pretty sure the worst part's over. This is your elephant speaking. Just sit back, enjoy the ride, and we'll have you to Mount Nool in no time.

Sally: No, you can't have ice cream for breakfast.

Daughters: Pleeaase?

Horton: Who's that? Is there someone else there?

Mayor: Well, that's my wife and kids.

Horton: You have a family...

Mayor: I do indeed. A beautiful wife, 96 daughters, and one son.

Horton: Hohohoho! Busy guy, haha.

Mayor: And we all share one bathroom. You know how that is.

Horton: Yeah! Don't I know it, heh. (whispered) Bathroom...?

Sally: Ned?

Mayor: Ahh- What?

Sally: Sweetheart, you know you're on the roof, right?

Daughter: Please, Mom.

Sally: What's that? No, you need to go to bed, Daddy's having a breakdown. Ned? What are you up to now?

Mayor: I was just about to put the kids to bed when I got off the roof. And I- That's the- That's what happened, right.

Daughter: Daddy?

Mayor: Yes?

Daughter: Can I have a glass of water?

Mayor: Of course.

Daughters: Me too! Me three! Me four! Me five! Me nine! Me twenty-eight! (And so on.)

Mayor: Okaay...

Heey, JoJo. Wooooow, lotta liquid. Loottta liquid. Just the person I wanted to see. Yeah, I realize that we have not been seeing eye-to-eye lately, and most of it is my fault. It's true. You know what I've been trying to do? I've been trying to impose my vision of your future on you. Let me make this perfectly clear. JoJo... you can be whatever kind of Mayor you wanna be. Hands on, strong and silent, outspoken, it's up to you. Well, good. I feel so much better. I am expecting big things from you, young man. Big things! Alright. Good night. Good stop! Good talk.

Narrator: Then, JoJo snuck out, feeling lonely and sad, and tragically misunderstood by his Dad. And where was he going at such a late hour? Up to Whoville's abandoned star study tower. A place where the boy felt contented and free. A place he could be what he wanted to be. And what was inside there, I'd say if I could. But up above, the Kangaroo was up to no good.

Evil Plans

Rudy: Can I come out now, Mom?

Kangaroo: No, Rudy. Stay in your room.

Rudy: But Mom...

Kangaroo: Stay inside.

ahem... Mr. Vladikoff? (She gets jumpscared by Vlad and yelps.)

Vlad: Eating. Go.

Kangaroo: Yes, I realize you're busy. But I need your help. It's Horton. He's become obsessed with a clover. And he actually thinks there are little people on it. I want that clover destroyed!

Vlad: Sure, what a big deal this is. For you, bro.

Kangaroo: I'd do it myself, but being a lady, I prefer not getting my hands dirty. But I hear you have no problem with that.

Vlad: No. No problem. Easy-peasy. But... I will only do this for a price. In exchange for a brand new pair of- no... this. Little kangaroo.

Rudy: Mom?!

Kangaroo: Quiet, Rudy. Mommy's thinking it over. Huh... well thaaanks, but on second thought, I think I'm going to have the Wickersham brothers take care of this for me.

Vlad: Yeah, of course, Wickersham. I mean, they're classy operation, you know, they'd- wait, no! You can't go with Wickersham!

Kangaroo: No no, no no, the Wickershams would be perfect for this job.

Vlad: But, they're monkeys! It's not scary!

Kangaroo: Uhh, thanks anyway. Maybe next time.

Vlad: Wait! Here is what I will do to precious clover. I will take it. I will crush it. And I will devour it. (He begins to choke on a bone he swallowed to prove his point.) Bigger than it look! One second. (retch) Holy moly. (He manages to cough it up and pull it out.) Then I will regurgitate it. Then, I will devour it. Second time. T- Two times devoured!

Kangaroo: Sounds nice... But I think I'll talk to the Wickershams.

Vlad: Wait! Here is best part. I do all... gratis. That's free, bro. What do you think? (He nods excitedly in anticipation.)

Kangaroo: ... Deal.

Vlad: Yes! Score! Thanking you! You won't regret! (He flies away laughing, forgetting to flap and falls for a moment, before getting back up with a cackle.)

Admit You're Wrong

(later, close to Mount Nool, we crane down to see Horton heading there when he stops to hear something from the ground. He lifts up and he sees Morton running to him)

Horton: Morton. I told you, 100%!

Morton (Panting while running) Horton.

Horton: Morton pick up your feet, sheesh!

Morton: It’s not me!

(The rumbling gets louder as the stampede of the jungle animals appears.)

Horton: Oh Ho ho. I see. It’s an angry mob. Sorry morton. I thought it was you that was all of that…(he then realizes it) but it’s…oh darn

We Are Here/One More Voice

(Back in Whoville, every Who, including the Mayor, heard what the Kangaroo said about through the horn.)

Mayor Ned: They don't believe that we're here! (zips to the balcony; to the Whos) We gotta make some noise! "We are here, we are here, we are here!"

(The Whos followed along, shouting "We are here" repeatedly to the sky.)

Mayor Ned: Come on! Everybody! "We are here, we are here, we are here!"

(Back in Nool, the Wickershims brings in a cauldon of Beelzenut Oil through the angry mob. When dropped on the ground, Horton sees a splash of it killing a flower near it.)

Sour Kangaroo: (enraged) THIS WILL TEACH YOU NOT TO MAKE UP STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE ON SPECKS!

(as the Mob comes close to Horton...)

Horton: Listen. There they are!

(He holds the clover to let them hear the speck, but no sound. They heard nothing.)

Animal: Rope him!

Animal 2: Cage him!

Horton: (to the speck) It's not working. I can hear you. But, their ears aren't strong enough.

(Back in Whoville...)

Mayor Ned: We need to be louder. Get every Who'd make noise! Everyone!

(All Whos start getting louder while shouting "We are here!" with horns and anything to make noise to the clouds. Jojo, taking noitced, starts running off before the Mayor sees him taking off.)

Mayor Ned: JoJo, where're you going? We need every voice, JoJo!

(Back in Nool, the Wickershams start roping Horton up to be pulled to the cage)

Horton: You need to make some noise down there. Or we all be destroyed!

()

Narrator: The Mayor grabbed a tomtom, started to smack it.

()

Narrator: And all over Whoville, they whooped up a racket.

()

Narrator: They rattle tin kettles, they beat on brass pans, on garbage pail tops, some old cranberry berry cans. They blew on bazookas and blasted great toots! On Zarmids, on Soombas, on Phoombas and flutes.

()

Mayor Ned: There!

()

Mayor Ned:

()

Horton:

Wickersham:

Hearing the Whos/No Matter How Small

(camera zooms out of the speck to see reaching to the oil when... Rudy catches it, hearing the Whos shout out from the speck.)

Rudy: I hear it! I hear it! They are there!

()

Narrator: And that yoop. That one small extra yoop put it over. [as the wickershims let Horton out of the cage] And all the Who noises bursted out of the clover.

Wickershim: I hear it!

Wickershim 2: Me too!

Wickershim 3: So do I!

()

Sour Kangaroo: Rudy,... give me that. (tries to grab it from her son) Come, Ru...

(Rudy jumps out of her pouch, hops off away from his mother.)

Sour Kangaroo: Rudy, get back in the pouch now.

Rudy: (stops for a bit) No, Mom.

()

Sour Kangaroo: Wickershims, (points at her son) get that clover!

(Rudy stops in front of the Wickershims. They let him pass while glancing at the Sour Kangaroo.)

Sour Kangaroo: (stammers) What the...E..Anybody?! Take it from him.

(The crowd all glances of the Kangaroo, devicing her upon the lies she told about Horton being a bad influence to the children. They're on Horton's side now. The Kangaroo frowns in worry. )

Horton: (to the speck) You did it, Mayor. You did it.

(Back in Whoville, the Mayor and Jojo zips down to the balcony upon the Whos cheering in success.)

Mayor Ned: We did it!!

Punk Rock Who: YEAH!!

()

Mayor Ned: (to Jojo; proud) Well done, son.

Who: Alright, Mayor!

Jojo: (smiles; speaks for the first time) Dad, you're one of the Greats!

()

Horton: Wow! Easy everyone. Easy! (then) Oh hi, Vlad.

(The Animals gasped, thinking it's the bad Vlad but... it's the good Vlad that makes the cookies. It's a bunny Vlad, holding a plate of cookies.)

Animals: Aww...

Horton: Well, I shouldn't. But...

(He giggles when taking a cookie but... outside the crowd, Horton sees the Kangaroo sulking)