The Lorax (TV special)
{{Short description|1972 animated TV special}}
{{about|the animated television special|other uses|Lorax (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| developer = CBS. BFA Educational Media.
| writer = Dr. Seuss
| based_on = {{Based on|The Lorax|Dr. Seuss}}
| director = Hawley Pratt
| genre = Comedy/Fantasy/Musical
| company = {{ubl|The Cat in the Hat Productions|DePatie–Freleng Enterprises|CBS Productions}}
| voices = {{ubl|Bob Holt|Athena Lorde|Harlen Carraher|Thurl Ravenscroft|Matt Bennison}}
| narrated = Introduced by:
Eddie Albert
| composer = Dean Elliott
| country = United States
| language = English
| executive_producer = David H. DePatie
| producer = {{ubl|Friz Freleng|Ted Geisel}}
| runtime = 24 minutes
| network = CBS
| released = {{Start date|1972|02|14}}
}}
The Lorax is a musical Dr. Seuss animated short produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises which first aired as a television special on CBS in the United States on February 14, 1972, and in Canada on CBC Television on October 22, 1972.{{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987 |date=1989 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-2198-2 |access-date=27 March 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/animatedtvspecia0000wool |url-access=registration |pages=[https://archive.org/details/animatedtvspecia0000wool/page/126 126]–127}} The special was written by Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), based on his 1971 book of the same name.{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 |date=2013 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-0786474448 |page=133 |edition=2nd}}
Plot
A young boy in a gloomy ghost town meets the Once-ler, who recounts the story of the Lorax, a creature who speaks for the trees: as a young man, the Once-ler had arrived in a forest filled with brightly colored Truffula trees and playful animals. Initially enchanted by the trees, he starts a business making Thneeds from the trees, which depletes them, and the Lorax warns him, but as he grows more obsessed with profit, he ignores the Lorax's warnings. As industrialization progresses, the environment deteriorates and the animals leave. The Once-ler still tells the Lorax that he will keep on "biggering", turning more trees into Thneeds; but then the last tree is cut down. With no more trees, the factory is forced to shut down. The Lorax departs, leaving behind a pile of rocks marked "Unless." The Once-ler reveals to the boy that "Unless" signifies the need for someone who cares to take action. He gives the boy the last Truffula seed, encouraging him to restore the forest, signaling hope for the future.
Cast
- Eddie Albert – Narrator
- Bob Holt – The Lorax, the Once-ler
- Athena Lorde – Miss O'Schmunsler
- Harlen Carraher – Boy, Singing Bears
- Thurl Ravenscroft – Singer
Home media
The Lorax was released on VHS in 1994 as part of a CBS Video four-tape package called "Dr. Seuss Sing-Along Classics".{{cite magazine|last1=Fitzpatrick|first1=Eileen|title=Sing-Along Seuss Titles Coming from CBS Video|magazine=Billboard|date=May 21, 1994|pages=53, 56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA53|access-date=April 20, 2018|location=Los Angeles}}
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, with newly remastered picture and sound. This release also included another special Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? as an extra.
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 (Valentine's Day), 2012.[https://www.wbshop.com/Lorax-The-Deluxe-Edition/1000232243,default,pd.html?cgid=PRE Lorax, The: Deluxe Edition DVD – Warner Bros.: WBshop.com – The Official Online Store of Warner Bros. Studios] This release once again included Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? and now also included The Butter Battle Book as another extra (however, when The Lorax was released on digital retailer sites in 2021, the two extras were taken out of the release and moved over to being included with the digital retailer release of Green Eggs and Ham and Other Treats, where they were restored in high definition).
Reception
The Lorax received the Critics Award from the International Animated Cartoon Festival (Zagreb, 1972) and the Silver Media from the International Film and Television Festival (New York, 1972).{{cite book|editor1-last=Cullinan|editor1-first=Bernice E.|editor2-last=Person|editor2-first=Diane G|title=The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature|date=2005|isbn=0-8264-1516-4|page=710|publisher=A&C Black |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0LyutQg6mroC&pg=PA710}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLvABgAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 |title=The Dr. Seuss Catalog |last=Lindemann |first=Richard H.F |date=2005 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=0-7864-2223-8 |page=128}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0213065|title=The Lorax}}
{{Dr. Seuss}}
{{The Lorax}}
{{DePatie-Freleng Enterprises}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lorax (TV special), The}}
Category:1972 television specials
Category:Dr. Seuss television specials
Category:Television shows written by Dr. Seuss
Category:CBS television specials
Category:CBS television dramas
Category:1970s animated television specials
Category:Musical theatre television specials
Category:Television specials by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises
Category:1970s American animated films
Category:Films scored by Dean Elliott