The Cat in the Hat Movie Storybook
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Holiday havoc
The original 'cool cat' makes his Hollywood debut Another classic children's book is making the leap from the page to the screen. Universal Studios' adaptation of The Cat in the Hat, starring Saturday Night Live alum Mike Myers as the mysterious, mischievous feline, is expected to be one of the biggest films of the holiday season. It's a pretty safe bet, especially since Universal's 2000 adaptation of another Seuss classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which cast Jim Carrey in the title role, was a box-office smash. Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat takes the spirit of the 1957 book, which is still a bestseller today, and adds a few modern twists. Mom (Kelly Preston) is getting serious with her snake of a boyfriend, Larry Quinn (the perfectly cast Alec Baldwin), who's just waiting 'til they say "I do" to send trouble-making teenager Conrad (Spencer Breslin) to military school. Conrad's case isn't helped by his organized and ultra-obedient younger sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning of Uptown Girls), who makes notes on her Palm Pilot of his every misdeed.
The ensuing mayhem will be familiar to any Seuss fan, and it's made even more enjoyable by the stylized, fanciful scenery created by director Bo Welch and his team. Bright colors like lime green and magenta decorate the walls, and the Cat's fantasy-fulfilling machines—including the "Super Luxurious Omnidirectional Whatchamajigger," a bullet-shaped silver vehicle with a needle nose serving as the Cat's preferred mode of transportation—will capture the interest and imagination of children and adults. Myers, who last captivated children in the role of the title character in the hit movie Shrek, uses his well-honed comedic talent to create a perfectly pitched portrait of the original party animal. He's almost unrecognizable in the furry costume topped by the Cat's trademark red and white striped hat, which is the source of his special powers. For those who can't get enough of the movie's magic, it's been adapted in book form in several new releases from Random House. The Cat in the Hat Movie Storybook, with simple text intended for young children, contains dozens of stills from the film, while The Cat in the Hat Junior Novelization ($4.99, 124 pages, ISBN 0375824707) is more text-oriented (though it still contains eight pages of color photos from the film). Then there's the Little Golden Book version, ($2.99, 32 pages, ISBN 037582491X) with illustrations by Christopher Moroney that are reminiscent of those in the original Cat in the Hat. And these are just the beginning—Random House also offers activity books, coloring books and an early reader series based on the film's characters. Seuss, whose real name was Theodore Geisel, was inspired to write for children after reading an article that claimed the dreariness of children's books was leading to a decline in literacy. His first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937), was rejected by 28 publishers before being accepted by Random House. He went on to write dozens of others—Green Eggs and Ham and Hop on Pop, among them—whose repetitive vocabulary, outlandish characters and rhythmic rhymes held children's interest while teaching them reading skills. His books were immediate hits with parents and children alike, and remain among the best-selling children's books today. After Seuss' death in 1991, his second wife, Audrey Stone Geisel, gained creative control over his work and licensed the new film adaptations. Moviegoers won't want to miss this amazing story of the day one cool cat changed the lives of two bored kids. Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat is a strikingly original screen version of a classic children's tale that's sure to delight. Photo courtesy of Universal Studios.
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Mom, a real estate agent, is preparing for a party she's hosting for her most important clients. When she leaves for a last-minute appointment, she makes Conrad and Sally promise not to mess up the house. But after Mrs. Kwan, their babysitter, falls asleep watching C-SPAN, the children's bickering is broken up by the arrival of a certain felonious feline who has big plans for them.