The Lorax is an animated TV special based on the book of the same name. It was first aired in the United States on CBS on February 14, 1972, and was aired in Canada on CBC Television on October 22nd of the same year. The special was written by Dr. Seuss, who had als written the original book.
Plot[]
A young boy goes to meet a ruined industrialist in a treeless wasteland and hears his tale of what happened to him. His tragic story is about how he began a thriving business with a useful fashion product derived from the trees of a forest. As his business booms, the forest and its inhabitants suffer as he wantonly clearcuts without regard to the warnings of a wise old creature called the Lorax about the dire consequences of his greed.
Cast[]
- Eddie Albert - Narrator
- Bob Holt - The Lorax, Mr. Once-ler
- Athena Lorde - Ms. Funce-ler, Ms. O'Schmunsler
- Harlen Carraher - Boy
Uncredited[]
- Scatman Crothers, Thurl Ravenscroft, Vivian Vance - Singers
Songs[]
Home Media[]
The Lorax was initially released on VHS in 1985 by Playhouse Video, in a double feature with The Hoober-Bloob Highway. This VHS was later released individually by said distributor in 1989. It was then released on VHS in 1994 as part of a CBS Video four-tape package called "Dr. Seuss Sing-Along Classics".[1]
In 2003, Universal Studios Family Productions got the rights to the original 1972 TV special, and Universal released The Lorax on DVD under its home video label, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
To tie-in with the 40th anniversary of the special and the release of film The Lorax, Warner Home Video released the special on a deluxe edition DVD and Blu-ray on February 14, 2012, with fully-remastered picture and sound.[2]
Trivia[]
- The Truffula Trees produce assorted colors of material. About halfway into the special, both the Truffula Trees and the Thneeds we see are pink.
- When the original mastertape of the special deteriorated over the years, the opening and closing credits' dark blue background became brown, but were restored to their original dark blue color in the 2012 remaster.
Differences from the book[]
- The Once-ler does not charge the boy to hear the story, nor does he tell it using a "Whisper-Ma-Phone". These elements were reintroduced in the 2012 film.
- The Lorax states that it takes ten months for a Truffula seed to germinate, followed by ten years for it to grow into a sapling, and an additional ten years for the tree to reach maturity. This information is not included in the book.
- The Bar-ba-loots leave the valley to find food after the sky becomes smoggy. In the book, they leave while the sky is still clear.
- The Once-ler's character is depicted with greater complexity; at one point, he engages in an internal debate about the morality of his actions and convinces himself that others would do the same if he didn't. He also argues that closing his factory would result in mass unemployment and harm the economy, a point that the Lorax reluctantly acknowledges.
- The line "I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie," originally spoken by the Lorax in the book, is instead voiced by one of the Humming-Fish. While the line was removed from the book in 1985 following successful cleanup efforts in the lake, it remains in all home video releases of the special.
- Following the departure of the Humming-Fish, the Once-ler's perspective starts to change, until his secretary alerts him of a significant increase in his company's stock. It is this, rather than the Lorax's continuous protests, that triggers his outburst.
- In the book, the Once-ler does not understand the Lorax's message until after he concludes his story, and thus gives the boy the last Truffula seed as a reward for helping him realize this. In the special, the Once-ler seems to already understand the message, leaving his motivations for giving the seed to the boy unclear.
Production notes[]
- This is the first Dr. Seuss CBS television special to feature the short version of the 1971–1975 Cat in the Hat Productions logo with only the "Cat in the Hat doing tricks" sequence. The short version of the logo was also seen on Green Eggs and Ham, The Sneetches and The Hoober-Bloob Highway, thus ending the company. The Cat in the Hat uses the extended version of the 1971–1975 logo instead.
- This is also the first Dr. Seuss CBS television special to use the Cat in the Hat Productions logo at the end since Horton Hears a Who!. The Cat in the Hat does not use this logo at the end. It was last used as an animated closing variant at the end of The Hoober-Bloob Highway causing the last TV special produced by Cat in the Hat Productions.
- This is the last Dr. Seuss television special until Halloween Is Grinch Night to feature Thurl Ravenscroft.
Gallery[]
Video[]
