This may possibly be my favorite animated movie from the famous Dr. Seuss. It has the usual witty rhymes and it has one actor I really like, Eddie Albert, already in his sixties when this was made, and prolific voice actor who does a good job here in portraying the Lorax as well as his antagonist, The Once-ler. Also, it's a topic that appeals to me more than for example the one in the Grinch.
At the beginning we see baboons and fish dancing happily though the forests and the green nature, but with the arrival of the Once-ler everything goes south. He starts building an industry at the expense of the nature and thus the Lorax, described as an an old forest creature that looks like the mix between walrus and hamster, is called into action to talk reason into the businessman. Sadly all attempts and neat rhymes from the little thing fail and more and more trees fall. Consequently, also the baboons and fish suffer and, eventually, leave for good. Growth and pollution increase rapidly and more and more trees fall until finally the very last one hits the ground, in what is really a sad moment and well displayed by the makers of the film. As there's no more raw materials left, the people leave the place and leave back an environmentally ruined area. The result is the Once-ler being equally ruined.
It's a good morale and it's a story that can teach something to all of us. I guess that's also what is implied by the fact that we never see the Once-ler clearly identified, only his arms and hands creating destruction. It could be anybody. I very much recommend this short film. Not too long ago, a full feature with Danny DeVito was made based on this 25-minute short. I haven't seen that version, but as animation draws audiences in masses to theaters these days, I'm sure many have and I hope they took something from it or maybe get inspired to watch the original from the early 1970s.
At the beginning we see baboons and fish dancing happily though the forests and the green nature, but with the arrival of the Once-ler everything goes south. He starts building an industry at the expense of the nature and thus the Lorax, described as an an old forest creature that looks like the mix between walrus and hamster, is called into action to talk reason into the businessman. Sadly all attempts and neat rhymes from the little thing fail and more and more trees fall. Consequently, also the baboons and fish suffer and, eventually, leave for good. Growth and pollution increase rapidly and more and more trees fall until finally the very last one hits the ground, in what is really a sad moment and well displayed by the makers of the film. As there's no more raw materials left, the people leave the place and leave back an environmentally ruined area. The result is the Once-ler being equally ruined.
It's a good morale and it's a story that can teach something to all of us. I guess that's also what is implied by the fact that we never see the Once-ler clearly identified, only his arms and hands creating destruction. It could be anybody. I very much recommend this short film. Not too long ago, a full feature with Danny DeVito was made based on this 25-minute short. I haven't seen that version, but as animation draws audiences in masses to theaters these days, I'm sure many have and I hope they took something from it or maybe get inspired to watch the original from the early 1970s.