 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
- Review Date: September 15, 2005
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1970
Common Sense Media says
Four classic Seuss animated TV specials.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that kids will see some cartoonish violence. Most notably, some characters cage Horton and almost throw the dust-speck world he discovers in a cauldron of boiling water. There are three more stories on the 2008 DVD: The Butter Battle Book (1989), Daisy-Head Mayzie (1995), and Horton Hatches the Egg. These three tales range in tone from light-hearted to heavy. Horton Hatches the Egg is the most kid-friendly, though it unfortunately ends with a throwaway gag where a fish shoots himself in the head. Preschoolers should enjoy the simplicity of the stories and the Seussian wordplay, although the dark messages, such as mutual destruction (The Butter Battle Book), and loneliness (Daisy-Headed Mayzie), will fly over their heads.
What's the story?
Based on the Dr. Seuss book Horton Hears a Who, the main story concerns the selfless elephant Horton whose big ears allow him to hear a voice from a whole world that exists on a speck of dust perched on a flower. The other jungle animals think he's crazy and try to destroy the speck, making Horton and Whoville do everything to try to be heard. Then Horton shows he's "faithful 100 percent" in Horton Hatches the Egg, when a lazy bird asks him for a very big, embarrassing favor. In The Butter Battle Book, creatures known as Yooks and Zooks divided by a wall battle out how to butter their bread. In Daisy-Headed Mayzie little Mayzie McGrew unintentionally causes a sensation when a daisy flower sprouts from her hair.
Is it any good?
Of the four animated stories, of course Horton Hears a Who stands out. It's directed by Chuck Jones who did the excellent Grinch TV special four years earlier. The songs here aren't nearly as good, and the villains aren't as engaging (are those blue furry brothers supposed to be monkeys?), but Horton is such a great Seuss character that these things are easily forgivable. He's selfless in this story -- picking through thousands of pick flowers to find the lost one with his speck -- and loyal and sweetly maternal in his second story, Horton Hatches the Egg.
It's hard to figure out why Horton Hears a Who was repackaged with the other three stories, which can also be found in The Best of Dr. Seuss, but since the Whos are the highlight and Seuss stories are engaging in whatever form, it's worth watching.
What families can talk about
Families who watch this DVD with their youngest might want to also introduce their kids to Seuss books (including Horton). Parents with slightly older kids might discuss Horton and the lessons he teaches.
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AGE
Lame Trailer means Lame movie
The trailer looks lame.
If the trailer looks that lame it probably is lame.
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AGE
Third Time's a Charm
Finally, an adaptation of Dr. Seuss that sticks to the story the way it was written. The extra time was made up in detail instead of new scenes.
Jim Carey plays the role of Horton with just enough of his standard crazyness to believable and enjoyable. Carol Burnett as the Sour Kangaroo adds just enough fright to keep the story moving.
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AGE
Homeschooling Kanga
I thought this was a cute movie, aside from some unnecessary language and violence, and the odd twist that portrayed the "bad" kangaroo mother as a weird "homeschooling" mother who felt like she needed to over shelter her child. I felt that the movie was trying to impress a negative social statement about homeschoolers( an un-informed and ridiculous statement I might add) and as a homeschooled child I was slightly offended at this suggestion.
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AGE
Love Dr. Suess, Hate the suicide
The fish shooting himself in the head with a gun horribly unnecessary.
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AGE
Watch the Extras too!
We bought this for our 5 year old in lieu of the "new" version. I have seen this original one before. The copy we have has an extra option that chronicles the history of Dr. Seuss and tells more of his stories in a very theatrical and entertaining way.
We will not let our son watch the "Horton Hatches an Egg" segment because we have a strict NO GUN policy. Other wise it is a great video!!!!!
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Directors: | Chuck Jones, Ralph Bakshi, Tony Collingwood |
| Cast: | Hans Conried, June Foray |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 30 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 1, 1970 |
| DVD release date: | March 4, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | Not Rated |
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