Hey folks, that disgruntled effects artist is back at it again, taking a look at another picture show for all us good folk here at AICN. Well, as Harry as my name, I'm here to tell ya that it sure as shooting looks like Mysterio really has taken a shine to the GRINCH. Take a look, have a listen... Mysterio tells us how it pans out... yea or nay... up or down, your money or the tv.... Here's the blended brain and nerve ended eyes of... MYSTERIO...
Hey all, it’s your buffed-out, dome-wearin’, skirt-chasin’ super-villain MYSTERIO, comin’ back at’cha with a final follow-up to Ron Howard’s, “The GRINCH”.
If you loyal readers recall back in late-March, I out grinched the Grinch and ran off with a copy of his script. And like I reported here before, seemed happy with what I had read, but still held some reservations particularly in regards to Howard’s direction of the material and make-up.
The day after the report that the first “Grinch” script review was on-line, low and behold, who do I begin receiving e-mails from but none other than the mean, green one himself. Seems that there’s an Internet connection running high a top Mt. Crumpit these days, as the “@whoville.net” was pretty much a dead giveaway as to who outside of Whoville was ringing my bell. But the Grinch e-mailed me not angry, but rather pleased that it was I who stole it from out under him. Said he thought that we had a lot in common, which I thought as well. His liking towards causing havok in Whoville during the Christmas season was similar to my vengeful mayhem ways towards the Hollywood studios, especially around this upcoming time of year. He was pleased to a degree that I mostly liked what I read, and surprisingly asked to meet me domed-face to grinch-face deep inside his lair at Mt. Crumpit.
A crossing of the Marvel universe into the Seussian universe – this should be interesting.
So I grabbed driving directions off Yahoo maps, which easily led me to a filthy canister that read “Dumpit to Crumpit”. I remember the Grinch telling me that venturing inside the canister would be the fastest and most direct way to get to his place. So inside I dropped and shot my way through a series of tunnels, which ultimately spit me out just outside his front door.
As I pushed open the door and crept inside, I was surprised to see not the dark, dank sub-lair of the Grinch I recalled from the Seuss tale, but the place was laid out in lights, tinsel and even a small, fir tree decorated sparsely reminiscent to Charlie Brown’s own Christmas tree.
“I’m still working on it!” shouted a voice behind me, which echoed though out the large inner cavern. I turned to see a darkened figure standing high above a carved out staircase. As he walked down and approached me, I was soon standing face to face with none other than the Grinch himself.
“So whaddya think of the place?” he asked as a green stench escaped from out of his mouth. I took a step back and answered, “Well, it’s a lot brighter than I expected. Here, have an Altoids brother.” I remarked as I offered him some “remarkably strong” mints.
“Souvenirs I stole from the set.” He replied devilishly.
“Uh-huh… Christmas ornaments are what you chose to steal from a set?” I replied. “Clearly an amateur was he.” I thought to myself.
Seeing that he wasn’t completely satisfied with my non-ecstatic reaction, he remarked back, “So, you’re not impressed ‘eh?” He then asked me to follow him over to a strange-looking Seussian contraption resembling a film projector.
“You just take a seat up there, I want to show you something.” He said.
So as I wadded through some trash and junk I found a clean area and sat down in front of a white wall spotted with coke stains and gummi bears (at least I hoped those were Coke stains!).
Soon the lights were cut and the Universal logo came up and reflected off my dome. The logo quickly dissolved over into a flurry of snowflakes as the camera tightly focused on one in particular and visually went into and through the flake, in great detail as credits rolled over for Ron Howard’s film adaptation of “How THE GRINCH Stole Christmas”.
“Ahhh…” I was now amused by how much the green-one wanted to impress me as to go so far as to show me the final cut of the film. So I sat back, folded my arms and watched.
Instantly upon exiting out from the snowflake we’re drifting down into the land of Whoville, just past Mt. Crumpit as Anthony Hopkins begins narrating the tale.
Anyone whose familiar with the story (and who isn’t really?) will find that Howard and company have been meticulously faithful in re-telling the tale and getting the look and feel just right. Major props go out to the production design team, costumers, art directors and make-up guru, Rick Baker for helping bring the world of Whoville to life. Cinematographer Donald Peterman manages to fill every square bit of the 1:85 aspect ratio of the frame that the eye is treated to such decorative colors and pieces of eye candy that is both pleasing and amazingly detailed in scope. To put it simply, you are in and out of Whoville and completely immersed into the world of Dr. Seuss and his creations, even the clouds are given a Seussian touch. There will be some Oscar nods here in these departments; I’ll say it here first.
Now one of the problems with the script was that there were quite a few too many modern touches implied and one-liners. Well, they have been tamed down considerably, as is the Grinch’s pre-adolescent tribulations, which ultimately cause him to exile himself outside of Whoville. The teen Grinch that was written in the script is out. Only the baby Grinch and pre-ad Grinch survive in the final product, and that’s just fine. It works, and keeps pace with the 105-minute film while grounding its point as to how and why he chose to extradite himself and become The Grinch. I can relate to a degree.
Actors are almost unrecognizable underneath Baker’s amazing makeup, that it’ll take you a bit to spot actors Jeffrey Tambor, Molly Shannon, Christine Baranski, Verne Troyer and Howard favorite, younger brother Clint. In fact the only actor not bogged down in Baker’s make-up, is newcomer Taylor Momsen who plays Little Cindy Lou-Who. She’s a perfect find for the role, with her cherub cheeks and small nose and sparkling eyes filled with warmth.
As for the man under the Grinch make-up, Jim Carrey, he completely morphs into the role. At first I didn’t really care for his look in the photos and the even more truly horrendous looking television spots and trailers, but by damn it comes together and works. The TV spots are downright unforgivable in the way it portrays the film as a wacky, zany Carrey vehicle, that’s overly hyper kinetic. Sure the film boosts tons of energy, but it also has very quiet and tender moments as well that are more the highpoints than the slapstick stuff. Hell there’s even 2 full songs contained within the film, one by Cindy Lou-Who, and the other by Carrey as the Grinch singing, “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” The songs are short so they don’t feel too awkward within the context of the film.
Special effects are done nice and neatly (even for CGI) by both Digital Domain and Centropolis. James Horner’s score is subtle and not overbearing, and kudos to director Howard for making this at one time naysayer believe in the wonder and amazement of bringing the world of Dr. Seuss to life. It’s a pure holiday marvel for both young and old a like, and it’ll leave your heart to grow three sizes the day you see it. It’s a film that no Grinch can resist, and when “How THE GRINCH Stole Christmas” opens Nov. 17th at a Whoville theatre near you, you’ll resist no more.
Y’know it gets kindda cold way up here on Mt. Crumpit. Time to come back down for some warmer temps I more prefer.
