DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS [2000]

HO, HO, HO! Hi there everyone, I thought that since CHRISTMAS is almost here and with today’s movie turning 25 [As of the time that i’m writing this!] that we would take a look at the 2000 live-action version of “DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS”.

Did you know about how the film got “THE GREEN-LIGHT”?

Our story starts with “DR. SEUSS” [A.K.A. TED GEISEL - MAR. 2, 1904 – SEPT. 24, 1991] himself. Following his death in 1991, his WIFE, AUDREY GEISEL [AUG. 14, 1921 – DEC. 19, 2018], began licensing his work with greater regularity. In 1998, she invited HOLLYWOOD bigwigs to present her with pitches for “HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS”, which would be the first live-action film adaptation of any “SEUSS” story. According to a letter that laid out her terms (explained in “TIME MAGAZINE” at the time), she had a few key stipulations. No. 1? The work was open only to DIRECTORS who had already earned a minimum of $1 million from at least one previous movie. She’d also consider only those “GRINCHES” who were of “comparable stature to JACK NICHOLSON, JIM CARREY, ROBIN WILLIAMS and DUSTIN HOFFMAN.” (THE PRODUCERS would have to hand over a portion of the box-office gross too.) In the end, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER RON HOWARD [“APOLLO 13” - 1995] and CARREY successfully wooed her. But that dream team almost fell apart …

[TED GEISEL/“DR. SEUSS”]

[TED and his WIFE/WIDOW AUDREY GEISEL.]

Do you know how CARREY really feels about “THE GRINCH” COSTUME?

For CARREY, saying yes to the role in this iconic Christmas movie was the easy part. Transforming into the character was the real challenge. After undergoing [what he believes were] eight brutal hours of makeup and prosthetics on Day 1, he put his leg through the wall of his trailer out of anger and told the powers that be that he wanted a one-way trip out of “WHOVILLE”. “It felt like being buried alive,” he told GRAHAM NORTON about the experience on NORTON’S talk show, “THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW”, in 2015. “I told RON HOWARD I couldn’t do the movie.” HOWARD’S PRODUCING partner, BRIAN GRAZER, came up with the solution: Hire an expert who trains CIA OPERATIVES to withstand torture. The guy came to the set and taught the ACTOR how to endure this special brand of torture. Here are the tricks in CARREY’S OWN WORDS: “Eat everything you see. If you’re freaking out and you start to spiral downwards, turn the television on, change a pattern, have someone you know come up and smack you in the head, punch yourself in the leg or smoke as much as you possibly can.” I do not recommend that anyone start smoking by the way on account of the fact that it’s not healthy for you!

[GRAZER]

Do you know which music group also helped CARREY during the makeup process?

According to CARREY: “The only thing that worked in the makeup chair to be calm through the process was everything THE BEE GEES had ever done. I've no idea why, but they just made me happy. There'd be no “GRINCH” without them,” according to the NZ HERALD.

[THE BEE GEES ladies and gentlemen!]

Did you know that for one day on the set there were two “GRINCHES”?

In empathetic support of his LEAD ACTOR CARREY, HOWARD spent a whole day DIRECTING while decked out in the full “GRINCH-Y” gear “so I could suffer along with him and see how miserable it really was,” the ACTOR/FILMMAKER revealed during an appearance on “IN DEPTH WITH GRAHAM BENSINGER”. He found the costume “terrible” and “itchy” but noted that CARREY “appreciated that I was willing to suffer with him.” It is also worth mentioning that when CARREY saw HOWARD in the full “GRINCH” outfit at first, he was angered, believing it was a STUNT DOUBLE who “looked nothing like him”.

[Images of CARREY throughout “THE GRINCH” makeup process.]

[HOWARD getting his very own STAR on “THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME”!]

[HOWARD dressed-up as “THE GRINCH”]

Did you know that one of THE MAKEUP ARTISTS almost quit the film?

According to LEAD MAKEUP ARTIST RICK BAKER, CARREY’S makeup process actually averaged about 2.5 hours for application and another hour for removal —which CARREY had to endure a staggering 92 times. “By the end of the project, literally you could’ve hit me in the face with a baseball bat and I would’ve gone, ‘Good morning, how are you?’” CARREY later said. “I learned patience. It was amazing.” But getting there wasn’t easy. MAKEUP ARTIST KAZUHIRO TSUJI [A.K.A. KAZU HIRO], who would go on to win “OSCARS” for his work on “DARKEST HOUR” [2017] and “BOMBSHELL” [2019] [he became the first JAPANESE MAKEUP ARTIST to win an “ACADEMY AWARD” - “DARKEST HOUR”], told VULTURE that CARREY was so unpleasant and erratic on set that his behavior started to stall production. After discussing the issues with his MANAGERS, they decided that TSUJI should take a leave of absence to prove how important he was to the project. It worked: CARREY promised to treat people better, and TSUJI returned to work.

[TSUJI with his OSCAR AWARD for “DARKEST HOUR”!]

Did you know that “THE GRINCH” met “THE NUTTY PROFESSOR”?

During production on THE UNIVERSAL LOT, another big prosthetic-heavy comedy was shooting nearby: “THE NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS” [2000]. This meant two of the most makeup-intensive productions of the era were happening side-by-side; something THE MAKEUP TEAM joked about often, considering both films relied on enormous amounts of foam latex, body suits, and prosthetic appliances. In fact, LEAD ACTORS EDDIE MURPHY [who plays most members of the “KLUMP” family along with the villainous “BUDDY LOVE” and FITNESS GURU “LANCE PERKINS”] and JIM CARREY [“THE GRINCH”] often met up during production [in between takes] and the photo of the two in costume has been circulating online since the rise of social media.

[CARREY and MURPHY]

“DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS” [2000] was filmed on “THE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS BACKLOT”, specifically behind the original, iconic “BATES MOTEL” SET used for the 1960 ALFRED HITCHCOCK film “PSYCHO”. During a tour of THE BACKLOT, CARREY [fully dressed in his “GRINCH” costume and makeup] noticed a group of tourists near “THE PSYCHO HOUSE”. Seizing the opportunity for a prank, he ambushed the group while wearing a dress and brandishing a knife, mimicking the infamous shower scene from the popular horror movie. None of the visitors recognized him, and TOUR GUIDES still share the story when passing “THE BATES MOTEL” on the tour.

[Sorry I couldn’t find an image relating to the prank in question so have an image of a “smiling” “GRINCH” instead!]

[Speaking “GRINCH” SMILES:] CARREY is able to contort his facial muscles to create the “GRINCH’S” sinister grin; it is not achieved with prosthetics.

[Here’s an image of CARREY making that face without the makeup!]

Did you know that there are also “EASTER EGGS” to other “DR.SEUSS” stories seen throughout the film?

After “THE GRINCH” leaves “WHOVILLE” for the second time, the camera pans up, and a statue of an ELEPHANT can be seen, a reference to “HORTON THE ELEPHANT” from the book “HORTON HEARS A WHO!”. CARREY also voiced “HORTON” in the ANIMATED film version, “DR SEUSS’ HORTON HEARS A WHO!” (2008).

[“HORTON” as a statue.]

[“HORTON” movie poster.]

During the joyous “WHOVILLE CHRISTMAS FEAST” after “THE GRINCH’S” heart grows, “CINDY LOU WHO” [TAYLOR MOMSEN] serves “MAX” [“THE GRINCH’S” DOG] a plate of green food, clearly identifiable as “GREEN EGGS AND HAM”.

[I’m not sure if the arrow is really helpful here!]

Here’s a “YOUTUBE VIDEO” I found showcasing more little details from the movie: “I WATCHED JIM CARREY’S THE GRINCH IN SLOW MOTION, HERE’S WHAT I FOUND”

And now for some quick fun facts:

SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS recorded all of the narration for this movie in one day.

CARREY’S yellow contact lenses were so uncomfortable that he wasn't able to wear them at times during filming. Some shots of his eyes were colored in post-production. However one shot might-or-might-not have accidentally revealed his real eyes!

“BROWN VS YELLOW EYES” #CHRISTMAS #GRINCH #NOSTALGIA

[Don’t forget to unmute the video when it starts if you want to hear the sound.]

Incase you weren’t watching, here is a still image of the shot in question.

[It’s not so clear in this image, sorry.]

And here’s how his eyes are supposed to look!

ACTORS and ACTRESSES were required to go to a “WHO-SCHOOL” with a CHOREOGRAPHER, learning how to move and be comfortable being a “WHO”.

CARREY’S accent for “THE GRINCH” is based on that of SIR SEAN CONNERY.

[CONNERY as “007”]

CARREY, with no accompaniment nor anything to alter his voice, sang a few verses of the signature song “YOU’RE A MEAN ONE, MR. GRINCH” which had the lyrics WRITTEN by “DR. SEUSS” himself. The song was originally COMPOSED by ALBERT HAGUE [born ALBERT MARCUSE, OCT. 13, 1920 – NOV. 12, 2001] and originally PERFORMED by THURL RAVENSCROFT [FEB. 6, 1914 – MAY 22, 2005 - the original voice of “TONY THE TIGER”].

[HAGUE]

[RAVENSCOFT]

[“TONY”]

CARREY accepted the role of “THE GRINCH” when he heard a tape of a kid's choir singing the previously mentioned song.

This was the highest grossing Christmas movie since “HOME ALONE” [1990].

The original “GRINCH”, as some of you may already know, was not green. Like everything else in the book, he was black and white with some red and pink splotches, but HOWARD wanted this movie to also be an adaptation of the 1966 ANIMATED T.V. special of the same name, but with an exclamation point [!] at the end of the title.

[The book.]

[The cartoon.]

Many “CIRQUE DU SOLEIL” PERFORMERS were used for the more acrobatic tricks and stunts in the movie. They can be spotted in the beginning as some of the “WHOS” in the parade.

No other movie has featured so many characters in heavy makeup and costumes since “THE WIZARD OF OZ” [1939].

The photo of “THE GRINCH” in the “WHOVILLE” newspaper has “THE GRINCH” in the same pose as a well-known alleged photo of “BIGFOOT”, also known as “SASQUATCH”, from the “PATTERSON-GIMLIN FILM” [1967]. Another CHRISTMAS movie, “ELF” [2003], similarly featured its main character, “BUDDY” [WILL FERRELL] the adopted the ELF - who is actually a HUMAN, walking near CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK CITY and mimicking the walking style of “BIGFOOT/SASQUATCH”.

[“BIGFOOT”]

[“THE GRINCH]

[“BUDDY”]

Do you know who played “MAX” in the movie?

the role of “MAX” was primarily played by a rescued MIXED-BREED DOG named KELLEY. A total of six dogs from SHELTERS were used for the role, with KELLEY performing most of the stunts, accompanied by CHIP, TOPSY, STELLA, ZELDA and BO. The vocal effects for “MAX” were provided by VETERAN VOICE ACTOR FRANK WELKER.

[“MAX” “AUDITIONING” for the role of “RUDOLPH”.]

[WELKER]

The scene with “THE GRINCH” DIRECTING his DOG, “MAX”, before stealing CHRISTMAS, is a result of CARREY making fun of HOWARD, imitating his style of DIRECTING. HOWARD found the scene hilarious and decided to include it in the movie.

[Sorry the image is a little blurry but you can still see that CARREY is imitating HOWARD here!]

There are 40,000 computer-generated trees in the opening shot sequence.

[See if you can count all of the trees!]

The PRODUCER and DIRECTOR, RON HOWARD, has many of his family members appearing in brief parts in the film. His FATHER, RANCE HOWARD, plays the Elderly Timekeeper “WHO” shouting, “Put him in the Chair of Cheer!” His DAUGHTER, BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD, is the laughing young redhead “WHO” with braces seen briefly after “THE GRINCH” restores the lights in “WHOVILLE”, while his other DAUGHTER, JOCELYN HOWARD, appears as a “WHO” in the crowd behind “THE GRINCH” when he says “Cheer up dude, it's Christmas.” His SON, REED HOWARD, plays a red-haired “WHO” boy in the BAND playing horns, while RON’S WIFE, CHERYL HOWARD, can be spotted holding hands with the Elder “WHO” during the gathering around the tree. His BROTHER, CLINT HOWARD, PORTRAYS “WHOBRIS”, Mayor Augustus May Who “MAYOR AUGUSTUS MAYWHO’S” [JEFFREY TAMBOR] ASSISTANT. RON HOWARD himself plays a “WHO” reacting in amazement when THE MAYOR is trying to win over “MARTHA” [CHRISTINE BARANSKI] with the car. Another actor with the same surname, JEREMY HOWARD, plays “DREW LOU WHO”, though he is not related to THE HOWARD FAMILY.

[BROTHERS CLINT and RON HOWARD]

[CLINT HOWARD as “WHOBRIS”]

[BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD]

[JEREMY HOWARD - again no relationship to RON HOWARD’S family - with and without the “DREW LOU WHO” makeup and prosthetics.]

JEREMY HOWARD also shaved off his eyebrows for the duration of production to help cut makeup time in half.

SUSS COUSINS, a LOS ANGELES-BASED SWEATER DESIGNER [whose first name is pronounced just like DR. SEUSS], along with two other knitters, produced 250 pieces of original knitwear for this movie [including eight identical red-striped sweaters for CARREY] in four months. That works out to 83.3 sweaters per person - an amazing amount, as all were hand-knitted. Here’s a FACEBOOK post from HOLLYWOOD FLASHBACK CLUB of CARREY wearing the iconic sweater!

GEISEL came to the set of the film “MAN ON THE MOON” [1999] to see if CARREY was right to play “THE GRINCH”. He was so deep into the character of ANDY KAUFMAN [JAN. 17, 1949 – MAY 16, 1984], however, he had to essentially do an impression of himself doing an impression of “THE GRINCH”, and that was what got him the gig.

[KAUFMAN]

[CARREY as KAUFMAN]

“CINDY LOU WHO” [TAYLOR MOMSEN] has actual egg nog on her head when she nominated “THE GRINCH”. It even spills slightly in a shot.

[MOMSEN]