The Cat in the Hat (1971)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

That was an excellent one.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Cat in the Hat, The (1971) *** (out of 4) Two children get left home alone on a rainy night when there's a knock at the door and in walks a strange cat in an even stranger hat. Next to 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' this here is perhaps the most famous story from Dr. Seuss and there's no question that this made-for-TV short goes all out in turning it into one of the most memorable shorts from this era. When you look back at these animated shorts from the 1970s there's no question that the majority of them stand the test of time for numerous reasons. THE CAT IN THE HAT is certainly no exception and there are two things that make it remain so fresh. One is the terrific dialogue, which gets shot out at a mile a second. There's never a dull moment because the dialogue just keeps firing on all sides. It's funny and also very catchy to the point where you just want to start speaking this dialogue. Another thing that I really loved about the film were the colors. The colors used really bring this film to life and I really love one sequence where our beloved cat is sitting at a piano with both sides of the wall being a different color and then you have that terrific looking carpet. When you see all three colors blended together it's really a treat for your eyes. The story itself is a nice one and there's no question that kids and their parents will enjoy this one.

The talent in this is Allan Sherman who did the kids song "Hello Mother, Hello Father, Here I am at Camp Grenada" besides this.To me, the book reads better than this animated effort. I do like some of the sequences here, but I found that reading this book to my kids was more satisfying than watching this animated special. Still, the story is so good that it makes this one very watchable.Dr Seuss is a great kids author who is ahead of his time. His stories really are imaginative and still hold up for the young kids. This special is yet another example of his talents. While I like the Grinch & The Lorax better, this one is almost as good.

On this, what would have been Dr. Seuss's 103rd birthday, I wanted to talk about the TV adaptation of one of his greatest books. It seems that "The Cat in the Hat" was actually a political allegory, as the hedonistic feline gets the kids to go all wild in the midst of the regimented suburban world of 1950s America.But even beyond that, it's still a masterpiece. Dr. Seuss always had wonderful ideas, and this one was no exception. I notice that it was directed by Hawley Pratt, formerly a Looney Tunes animator. He obviously had a good eye for many things. A true classic. I heard that the 2003 live action version was little more than a 90-minute commercial padded with jokes inappropriate for children.

I remembered that this special would air on CBS around the end of December throughout the 1980's. Along with "Happy New Year" Charlie Brown, and that one Bugs Bunny New Year special, This special was great. The special was based on the great Dr.Seuss Book (which i owned as a child) that touched the hearts of millions of children possibly in the world. It was funny, and the fish brings back good memories. I wish CBS would air this timeless classic again, but that probably won't happen. But if you see it at a video rental store, rent it to bring back some childhood memories.