Hollywood turned "The Lorax" into a Paradox

It is ironic how after 41 years Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax” became an animated movie for Hollywood to monopolize off of. The film hardly captured the dark essence of capitalism, but nevertheless Universal Studios created a lot of hype and anticipation for the release on March 2, 2012.

            As one of the more political of Seuss’s books it is a shame that the plot of the film hardly had any of the original rhyme or phrases. Directed by Chris Renaud, the movie is based upon the timeless children’s book that was published in 1971. As a tribute to his genius and what would have been his 108^th birthday, the film was (as expected) a box office hit.

Because Dr. Seuss was a part of the past century of childhood bedtime stories the anticipated audience was of all ages but the added musical numbers were hardly memorable or even necessary. However the casting of the characters was entertaining with the famous voices of Danny DeVito as the Lorax, Zac Efron as Ted, Ed Helms as the Once-ler and Taylor Swift as Audrey.

The plot of the film revolves around the curious 12-year-old boy who approaches the Once-ler who is named Ted. The setting is in the materialistic metropolis of Thneed-ville. What the wasteful utopia lacked in nature it was over compensated with extraordinary technology: disco light trees and clean bottled air. The bottled air business is booming because of the heavy pollution, which was created and ran by the conniving midget of a man with bangs, Mr. O’Hare (voiced by Rob Riggle). The villain sees Ted’s curiosity to find the trees as a threat causing conflict: “You've got a beautiful town here, Ted! I can't think of any reason you'd want to leave town... ever again.”

As much as the film made it necessary for the Once-ler to be seen it destroyed the hidden message that Dr. Seuss implied as the ominous face-less big corporation. The sad story of the Once-ler became less important in the movie to fulfill Ted’s love interest. It was frustrating because Ted had a superficial driving force for the Truffula Trees to be discovered and planted, which probably had Dr. Seuss rolling over in his grave.

            Although it was necessary to give Ted a journey, the introduction of his town and the good vs. bad situation between a boy and the mayor seems ridiculous. The problem I had with the film in comparison with the movie was it lacked the message of capitalism and greed that was supposed to be embodied in the Once-ler. By giving the bad guy roll to a midget with bangs it is humorous but completely misses the mark.

 I also disagree with the way the Lorax was interpreted through the movie because in the book he was determined and persistent toward the Once-ler. In the movie, they made him look like an orange pushover with a mustache.

            “Why was it lifted and taken some where?” A question from the book that was never answered in the film because it was more important for Audrey to kiss Ted, who is ridiculous since she is allegedly in high school and is romantically interested in a 12 year old? That’s borderline creepy Universal Studios.

If can remember the book did not end that way at all, it was more concerned with hope for a better future especially to clean up the Earth. How did Dr. Seuss know the world would end up as filthy and as capitalistic as he thought? 

Dr. Seuss or Theodor Seuss Geisel’s books were for children yet they symbolically reflected his political and personal opinions during the post World War II era in America. With brilliant specific rhyme scheme and creative illustration these books had depth that children would not fear but adults could interpret.

The fable of The Lorax was a metaphor for anti consumerism and environmentalism. It is a paradox that in modern day that Hollywood took that message of anti capitalism and over produced the film leaving the morality of the original Lorax behind. 

            The over the top music numbers and juvenile story could have all been forgiven if they had included the ‘unless’ message that the Lorax left with in the book: “Unless someone like you cares an awful lot nothing is going to get better, its not.” These wise words of the orange mustache were included in the film but they left out the beautiful haunting image of the pile of rocks as the symbolic grave for the Lorax.

            Instead the end of the film was another useless dance number and the Once-ler’s curse had been forgiven. The ironic twist was the face of the Once-ler was once again revealed and he had a mustache similar to the Lorax: “Nice mustache.” Very unnecessary.

            It is true that the environmental movement to plant a tree and change the world is exactly what modern children need to subliminally take from a movie. But the moral message missed the mark in this film, leaving Seuss fan’s disappointed that the movie became exactly what it represented against. The Dr. said it the best, “But, business is business and business must grow.”