The Lorax (TV special)
| The Lorax | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Based on |
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss |
| Written by | Dr. Seuss |
| Directed by | Hawley Pratt |
| Voices of |
|
| Narrated by | Eddie Albert (opening only) |
| Composer(s) | Dean Elliott |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | David H. DePatie |
| Producer(s) | |
| Running time | 24 mins. |
| Production company(s) | |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | February 14, 1972 |
The Lorax is a 1972 animated musical television special produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. It first aired on CBS on February 14, 1972 based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss.
One night, a young boy living in a polluted, grim world wanders down 'the street of the lifted Lorax.' Along the dark street, he comes to the residence of a creature named The Once-ler, a dark green-colored being whose face is never seen. He takes up an audience with the boy, and begins to explain the tale regarding the Lorax.
The land once thrived with truffula trees when the Once-ler first came to the area in a horse-drawn cart. Living among the foliage are the brown Bar-ba-Loots, who eat truffula fruit from the local trees. In the nearby pond live the Humming Fish, and overhead fly the Swomee Swans. The trees amaze the Once-ler with their texture and scent, and he soon builds a small shop in the area. After cutting down a truffula tree, the Lorax pops out of its stump. The Lorax claims to speak for the trees, and demands to know what the Once-ler is doing. The Once-ler explains that he is using the truffula tree's tufts to make something called a "Thneed... a fine thing that all people need." The multi-purpose item soon attracts the attention of many customers, and the Once-ler continues to cut down more truffula trees. When it seems that the business is growing too big for just one Once-ler, he calls his relatives to help him with his thriving business.
As the Lorax protests against the Once-ler's actions, he is eventually standing under a truffula tree that was planted in the new developments that appear over time, when a bulldozer picks up the truffula tree and the Lorax and the Lorax is thrown into a truck with the truffula tree and hauled to a factory, where the Lorax is put in a box.
Then everybody reminisces about how Thneeds, Inc. started and how famous the Once-ler has become and popular the company has gotten, showing "Once-ler Cones", "Once-ler Burgers", "Once-lermobile" and a blimp advertising Thneeds, then a stone with Thneed carved in it. Shortly after Thneeds, Inc. has produced its millionth product, the Lorax gets out of the box and despite his protest, falls back into the box to be shipped off with more finished Thneeds.
Soon the once beautiful area becomes choked with pollution and as the Once-ler is trying to find out how his company is doing in the Scandinavian market (by this point Thneeds, Inc. has expanded outside the USA), the Lorax comes into the Once-Ler's office to protest that the Brown Bar-ba-loots, which fed on Truffula fruits, are nearing starvation. The Lorax starts sending the fauna off to more hospitable habitats. After this, the Once-ler's conscience tells him he is doing a lot of bad things, to which the Once-ler responds, "But if I didn't do them, then someone else would." When his conscience agrees, the Once-ler says progress has to get bigger. As the Once-ler is thinking about how successful Thneeds are selling all over the country, the Lorax protests that the "smogulous smoke" fills the Swomee Swans' throats with smog, preventing them from singing. Finally, the pond that was home to the Humming Fish is filled with toxic waste called "Gluppity-Glupp" and "Schloppity-Schlopp" that clogs their gills.) Confronted by the Lorax, the Once-ler appears to be ready to listen, until his secretary explains that the company's stock report has come in, and 'Thneeds, Inc' is doing exceptionally well. The Once-ler then scoffs at the Lorax, claiming that he will keep on making Thneeds, regardless of the consequences. As he finishes his taunt, the sound of an ax is heard, and the two are witness to the leveling of the last truffula tree. With no more trees, the factory shuts down, and the Once-ler's relatives pack up and leave. The Lorax sadly glances at the Once-ler, before lifting himself by the seat of his pants, and disappearing through a hole in the smog. On the spot where the Lorax last stood, sits a small pile of rocks, with a word carved into one: "Unless."
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