Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole
Christmas + Horton Hears a Who (Animation/Warner Blu-rays)
Picture: B+ Sound: B- Extras: B+/C+ Films: A/B-
Having already reviewed the 50th
anniversary release of How the Grinch
Stole Christmas on DVD there is not much left to say about the classic
Seuss book adapted into a short film.
The 26 minute animated feature has become a Christmas Season staple that
without its presence would just not be the same. How
the Grinch Stole Christmas elicits feelings of warmth, nostalgia and
memories of a more innocent time; unlike any other animated feature. It truly is a classic that holds a special
place in this reviewer’s heart that only gets better with time.
The genius that was Dr. Seuss
shines through in each scene and between the brilliant art and great tale the
film appears to be flawless.
To read more about Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, please
follow the link below:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4673/Dr.+Seuss%E2%80%99+Ho
Horton Hears a Who is another classic Dr. Seuss film (also adapted into a feature length
film recently) that leapt off the pages and into our homes years ago with a
short 26minute film. The animation is
the similar to the Chuck Jones animation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and has all the same heart. Whereas the film is not nearly as special to
this reviewer or many as the The Grinch it
is still an amazing work that is worth both owning and viewing for children of
all ages.
To read more about Horton Hears a Who, please follow the
link below:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6655/Dr.+Seuss%E2%80%99+Ho
The technical features on both of
these Dr. Seuss classics are admittedly not the best thing Blu-ray has ever
seen, but they are passable. The picture
on both is presented in a 1080p/VC-1 High Definition 1.37 X 1 that demonstrates
brilliant colors, crisp line art, inky blacks and a solid contrast that all
capture Dr. Seuss’ original vision excellently.
Even with all of their positive attributes between the two Blu-ray sets;
problems do remain as some background glitches, some debris, color
inconsistencies and so forth. Overall
the picture is well done but it can be better.
The sound is a simple Dolby Digital 2.0 (same as the DVD on the Grinch) that gets the job done, but
does nothing else to give a better presentation than a DVD would
demonstrate. I would call the stereo
tracks simple at best.
The Grinch has the same extras as those found on the DVD release, as does
Horton Hears a Who from its Deluxe
DVD edition. To expand upon the list of
extras on Horton Hears a Who; the
bonus features include The Feature Length
In the Search of Dr. Seuss – Kathy Najimy Hosts this celebration of the
author’s life via celebrity
class=Section2>
skits, music and animated clips from his stories, 2 more delightful
stories: Dr. Seuss’ Butter Battle
Book and Daisy Head Mayzie.
Overall both films are classics
that are a great addition to any animation enthusiast’s collection. These are films that should be passed down
form generation to generation and though the Blu-ray cannot step up the humble
sound tracks, it is the best these films have ever looked visually.
-
Michael P. Dougherty II
