 Based
on the beloved children's book published in 1957, The
Grinch was the brainchild of author and illustrator
Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss. The writer, who gained fame for
such works as Horton Hears a Who, The Cat in the Hat,
and Green Eggs and Ham, is concurrently being
celebrated with a Broadway show, Seussical the Musical.
Yet it's Ron Howard's eagerly anticipated movie release that
hopes to score a direct hit at the box office this fall.
Diving into the title role is Jim Carrey.
Today's greatest physical comedian, Carrey's a natural for the
part of the green meanie who dons a
Santa suit and steals Christmas from the
residents of Whoville. In addition to perfecting his
portrayal, the Golden Globe-winning performer had to endure
more than four hours
a day in the makeup chair to bring The Grinch to
three-dimensional life. His uncanny resemblance to the book's
villain is the handiwork of Rick Baker, who's copped five
Oscars for his eye-popping effects.
The flick adds another indelible credit to Jim's movie resume.
Most recently seen in 'Me, Myself and Irene' (opposite
off-screen sweetie Renee Zellweger), Carrey's films include
'Man on the Moon,' 'The Truman Show,' 'The Cable Guy,' 'Dumb
& Dumber,' 'The Mask,' and the 'Ace
Ventura' series.
 Leading
Carrey's 'Grinch' co-star list are Molly Shannon of
"Saturday Night Live," Emmy winner Christine
Baranski ("Cybill," now headlining the sitcom
"Welcome to New York"), Jeffrey Tambor (of the late,
great "Larry Sanders Show") and Verne Troyer (Dr.
Evil's pint-sized alter ego Mini-Me from 'Austin Powers: The
Spy Who Shagged Me').
For Ron Howard, 'The Grinch' provides a
colorful addition to his filmography, which already boasts
such pics as 'Splash,' 'Cocoon,' 'Apollo 13,' 'Backdraft' and
'Ransom,' among others. The screenwriting team of  Peter
Seaman and Jeffrey Price, whose best-known release is probably
'Who Framed Roger Rabbit,' penned the silver-screen version of
the Dr. Seuss tale.
When you see the movie, don't be surprised
if you recognize a familiar voice doing the narration. That
sound you hear is Anthony Hopkins. Yep, "Hannibal the
Cannibal" recites some of the more memorable lines from
the classic book -- a chore Boris Karloff performed for the
1966 animated TV production (along with voicing The Grinch). |
