The Lorax: A Review & Reflection
Well, not so much :3 I don't actually plan on reviewing the movie. I do, however, feel like talking a bit about this movie, inspired by the book of the same name written quite a few decades ago by the fabled Dr. Seuss, and why I really enjoy the messages it has to offer. Hell, perhaps a few of you fence-sitters will give the book and movie a try, yourselves, after patiently reading through my yacking.
For those of you who don't know, 'The Lorax' was a children's book written and published by Dr. Seuss in 1971. It told the story of a greedy man, known only as 'The Once-ler', who had an insatiable vision to create the ultimate consumer product. This product, known as a 'Thneed', was advertised as 'a fantastical thing that everyone needs', of which had 'a thousand uses'. In order to achieve his dream, The Once-ler destroyed an entire ecosystem (a forest, in this case) to harvest the trees' raw materials needed to create his thneeds. Though the guardian of the forest, The Lorax, tried to stop him, he had no success, and the entire forest of the once beautiful Truffula Trees was chopped down, forcing the animal inhabitants to leave.
With no more raw material to produce his product, the Once-ler's fast-growing, 'Too Big to Fail' business crashed and burned. Alone and miserable as he regretted his actions, the Once-ler aged into a reclusive hermit, living at the top of a single tower left over from his once thriving, polluting factory. Years later, when a boy from a nearby town stumbles upon the tower after hearing legends of the 'Legendary Once-ler', the Once-ler explains that it's his fault the forest around them has become a desolate wasteland, and gives the boy the very last Truffula seed, saying 'Truffula Trees are what everyone needs'.
A year following the books' release, an animated television special was released for the book. It stuck close to what the book presented, making few liberties and being very loyal to Seuss' original style.
In the book and animated television special alike, the Once-ler was never given a visible face or body. Only his green gloves. Symbolism for the idea that anybody could be a 'Once-ler'. Someone who allowed greed to consume them.
Decades later, last year in 2012, a brand new animated adventure was made for the book. For the first time, the Once-ler was given a face and personality past his greed and later regret. The movie follows a boy from 'Thneedville', a completely plastic city void of nature and trees, and harboring perfectly happy people. After discovering the Once-ler through his grandmother (voiced by Betty White, fuck yes), Ted learns of the history of this once beautiful paradise, and the rise and fall of the Once-ler's dream.
The Once-ler is depicted in a great way in this movie, imo. While he was one big symbolic, faceless individual in the past, he is now relateable, identifiable and a great contrast to create a full-circle to what he was in the books. His progress from a completely harmless individual with an honest dream to a ruthless tyrant corrupted by greed is believable, and is followed-up by the emotional realization that he has destroyed an entire ecosystem, and he regrets his actions for years as a hermit. He then assists Ted in replanting the last Truffula seed, which will one day regrow into the forest the Once-ler once destroyed.
A rather accurate example of the Once-ler's corruption process, using the popular 'alignment' meme nine box style found all over the internet.
The reason I adore this book and the fantastic movie created for it is that, of all Seuss' books, I feel this one was the perfect one to remake into a film for modern times. Don't pollute the planet? Don't allow greed to grow your dream at the expense of others? Promote the well-being of the planet by planting forests? Yes, please. These are messages that can't possibly be promoted enough, especially in today's day and age.
So yeah, that's about it Can't think of much else to add. Oh, asides from, the movie has some great music. Every song in it is pretty awesome. Just try the
The movie can be found on Netflix, and in any sort of store that sells DVD's, for the most part. I encourage people to give it a try; it's a cute movie that has tons of humor, and a great theme. Be sure to give that animated special or even the book itself a try, first, if you're curious of getting a feel of what started it all.
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Quote ~ Dr. Seuss
Art ~
Duckboy, DeviantARTSome other cool art while I'm at it:
'Lorax - Stature' by LierMagician, DeviantART
'Peace of mind' by mizuk0, DeviantART
'You Done Good Beanpole' by Professor Pemzini
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