|
Steve Carell Hears a Who!
By Fred Topel | Image property of 20th Century Fox.
Horton Hears a Who is an animated film based on Dr. Seuss's rhyming story. Rated G, it is appropriate for the whole family. Of course, some journalist has to put it in perspective. The story of an elephant saving a civilization living on a speck of dust seemed like a post-9/11 commentary on social responsibility. Luckily, Steve Carell was prepared to respond.
Steve Carell on Horton Hears a Who!
"I think that's valid," he said. "It's always hard when you talk about a post-9/11 world, because I honestly think the theme of this movie would have resonated before that, had it never happened. But perhaps because of that, people's general awarenesses are higher. Without getting too deep or too heavy with it, because after all, it's a family movie, it's fun, it's funny, it's exciting, it's silly, but within that, there is a very true and pure theme to it."
Perhaps it is a testament to the story that adults can think about that stuff while kids look at the funny pictures. "I don't think, as a five or six-year-old, you think about how things transcend anything. You just think about how it resonates, however much anything resonates in a five or six-year-old. This is a book that I think resonates with kids. They don't understand the metaphors, and the sort of richness to it but at the same time, it resonates. There's something very specific about the theme, that I think even a little kid can understand. That is that everyone deserves an equal footing in life. I think that's just a very basic tenet of being a creature of the world."
Horton Hears a Who!
Carell plays the mayor of Whoville, faced with their first ever crisis when Horton's discovery of their world sets in motion environmental crises. "Have the kids imagine their world where nothing goes wrong, ever. That everything is always happy, everyone always gets along, and it's always good, and the sun is always shining. Then have them imagine that something goes wrong. How you would react to that? That's kind of what being a Who is like. Especially in this story, that's what being a Who is like. This perfect world in which nothing ever goes wrong, suddenly is turned upside down."
Horton is Carell's second animated film, after Over the Hedge. Though he normally relies on his face and body for comedy, he takes well to animation. "I think there's a freedom within the limitations. I think when you are given sort of a structure and you can do anything within that structure, there's something freeing to that. As opposed to, you can do anything, any time, anywhere. Sometimes you just don't know where to focus, at least for me. Really, the heavy lifting is done by the animators. I think we provide as much as we can vocally. But then you see it, and you see where they've taken whatever you've done vocally, and it's remarkable."
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! opens to theatres on March 14th.
For the trailers, posters and more movie info, go to the Horton Hears a Who! Movie Page.
Fred Topel
Sources: Image property of 20th Century Fox.
Contact
© 2004 Minds Eye One, All Rights Reserved
The Can Magazine™ is a trademark of Minds Eye One
All movie titles, movie icons, movie stills/clips/trailers/other media... are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of stated holders
CanMag.Com banners contain movie/gaming icons that were created by individual holders
|
|
|
Add to Heffee!
