Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Dr. Seuss on the Loose" is a 25-minute short film from 1973, so this one will have its 45th anniversary next year. The director is Hawley Pratt, but the more known name of this animated movie is of course the writer Dr. Seuss, an institution for children anywhere on the planet (well, except deepest Africa perhaps). He is known for the Lorax and the Cat in the Hat and the latter also appears in here, namely as a presenter of 3 relatively short films that fit in this under half an hour. The first about Sneetches is solid, as is the second about Zax, the shortest from the bunch. But the most memorable thing here is of course the story about Sam-I-Am and the Green Eggs and Ham he tries to serve to his pal, who keeps refusing for a long long time. Amazing work by Paul Winchell too, the man who voices both characters, the "waiter" and the "hater". If you know Seuss a bit, you also know that it relies more on the charm and comedy of the plays on words than on spectacular animation. It looks really retro here, even much older than fifty years old to be honest. Animation is very simple, but it works and elevates the already pretty good voice-over material. It's one of my favorites from Seuss and I recommend checking it out. Certainly ahead of its time.

Woodyanders This choice Dr. Seuss TV special offers three excellent and immensely entertaining stories in a tight 25-minute format. First and most profound segment, "The Sneetches" - Star-bellied sneetches shun their fellow sneetches with no stars on their stomachs in this breezy and charming, yet still relevant parable about prejudice and discrimination. Second nifty yarn, "The Zax" - Amusing vignette on stubbornness about a north-going zax and a south-going zax who obdurately refuse to get out of each other's way. Third and most delightfully madcap outing, "Green Eggs and Ham" - Persistent little Sam-I-Am (voiced with disarming sweetness by Paul Winchell) tries to convince a sour and recalcitrant grouch to sample his favorite dish of green eggs and ham. This particular tale rates as the program's definite hilarious apex, with Dr. Seuss' trademark clever rhymes and infectiously gonzo sense of the absurd operating at their gloriously goofy peak. As usual, it's an absolute joy to see Dr. Seuss' fertile and (over)active imagination at work. The stories all have a pertinent message, but fortunately never become too preachy or heavy-handed. The Cat in the Hat (marvelously voiced with lip-smacking hearty aplomb by Allan Sherman) makes for an extremely jovial and appealing host. The animation is quite vivid and impressive. Dean Elliott's groovy and lively score is likewise right-on funky and effective. A complete treat.

SimpsonsRock11 I love Dr. Seuss animated specials, and this is one of the best! I especially love the "Sneetches", and of course, I have a soft spot for "Green Eggs and Ham"! I love the songs they sing in the entire special, my favorites being the songs the backup singers sing in "Green Eggs and Ham" and the one before "The Zax" and all the songs from the Sneetches.

jeffcoat1959 When people think of Dr. Seuss and animation, the Christmas classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is usually what comes to mind, which indeed is top-notch. (I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the new version this year to see how well it translates to live-action).But most people don't know about a collection of Dr. Seuss shorts entitled "Dr. Seuss on the Loose".This video has animated adaptations of 3 Dr. Seuss stories ("Green Eggs and Ham"; "The Zax"; "The Sneetches") with narration & introductions provided by the Cat in the Hat, voiced by humorist/folk singer Allan Sherman. His voice talents alone make this collection worthwhile viewing (although I must admit being biased as I am a longtime fan of Sherman's song parodies such as "Camp Granada", "Harvey & Sheila", etc).Most people are familiar with the "Green Eggs and Ham" story. The animated version here follows the book fairly closely without a great deal of embellishment. "The Zax", although a somewhat humorous story teaching a lesson about stubbornness, is an extremely short and rather forgettable.But the true gem on this tape is the story of "The Sneetches". The animated story takes the book to a new level, improving greatly on it with better action, sound effects, and a couple of very catchy songs. And the story itself, in addition to being riotiously funny, makes a very effective statement about prejudice and discrimination that ring out as clearly today as they did nearly 30 years ago.This made for TV program is available on video but may be somewhat hard to find. If you can find it, it is well worth checking out (particularly if you have kids). If you can't, then you should at least look for the book "The Sneetches" in the children's section of your local public library. (Unfortunately, it has nowhere near the impact of the animated version).