me sure does fly by, doesn’t it? This year marks the 50th anniversary of the classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!", which first released in 1966. Often, the original feature is cut down to 26 minutes when aired in the past. However, to celebrate this milestone, NBC will air the film in its entirety beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 25. This tribute comes just days before the annual celebration of Grinch day on Dec. 1.
The movie was based off the book by Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, originally published back in 1957 shortly after writing "The Cat in the Hat". The book was written in rhyme, and the classic film follows suite. The 1966 version quickly became a hit and developed into a holiday classic. The movie features the voice off Boris Karloff as both the Grinch himself and the narrator, while June Foray voices Cindy Lou and Dal McKenon as Max. And of course, who can forget the catchy tune of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.
The classic tale of what Christmas is truly all about tells the story of the Whos of Whoville and icy, cold Grinch. The Whos love to celebrate Christmas, but the Grinch detests even the idea. As a result of very little love and his ice-cold ways, his heart shrinks in size. The Grinch can no longer stand the Christmas celebrations and develops the awful idea to steal Christmas from the Whos. Amidst his diabolical plan, however, he meets Cindy Lou, a little girl who provides him with a life-changing experience. While most of you may have seen this classic, I won’t give away the ending just in case. No spoilers here!
The best part of the story is how it highlights what Christmas truly is about. It’s not the gifts or materialistic things, but the love and joy to spread throughout the season. Some people criticize the season for developing into a commercialized time of year, but this film is a great example to show that it is not all about the presents. Not only does this film feature a humbling story, but also won the Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children in 1968.
Many love the simplicity of the original animated feature, but another full-length film was released Nov. 17, 2000, starring Jim Carrey. With the use of real actors, this version of the movie brought the characters of the animated classic to life. "Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" is also celebrating its 16th anniversary. Let’s not forget the musical "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" with 2016 tour dates, and a new animated film it set to release in 2018 starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch.
Whether you are a fan of the classic or look forward to a new take on a holiday hit, be sure to tune into NBC on Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET to watch every minute of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. Celebrate 50 years of a classic, and start spreading that Christmas cheer!
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