We Almost Had Berkley Breathed's Grinch, Got Jim Carrey Instead

[Karloff]

We Almost Had Berkley Breathed's Grinch, Got Jim Carrey Instead

Jack Nicholson voicing the Grinch? Come on, how could that not be a winner?

"Dr Seuss' widow Audrey Geisel enjoyed our vision," says Berkley Breathed, but she enjoyed Ron Howard's vision, and Universal's option money, a little bit more, so we ended up with Jim Carrey's live action version instead. Kinda like asking for a Red Ryder BB gun and getting a lump of coal instead, but at least thanks to this concept art we can get an idea of what Bloom County, Outland and Opus creator Breathed had in mind for Dr Seuss' infamous stink, stank, stunk Grinch.

[gallery=2005]

Breathed's version would have had Jack Nicholson voicing the title character - you can see the resemblance - which, on its own, would have been an improvement on Carrey [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/no-right-answer/6890-Comedian-Who-Was-Funny].

Breathed has switched to writing children's books, two of which - Mars Needs Moms! and Edward Fudwupper Fibbed Big - have been made into movies.

Source: io9 [http://io9.com/berkeley-breatheds-concept-art-for-a-grinch-movie-with-1498154774]


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[AnthrSolidSnake]

Kay. I get it. I'm the only person who enjoyed Jim Carrey as the Grinch apparently.

Anyway, I love the concept art. Would have been very interesting to see in full motion.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Am I the only one... who finds it very hard to pronounce 'Breathed's'?

 

[Quiet Stranger]

Kay. I get it. I'm the only person who enjoyed Jim Carrey as the Grinch apparently.

Anyway, I love the concept art. Would have been very interesting to see in full motion.

I loved it to, no idea why so many people have such hate for him, I thought it was a lovely performance and brought more life to the character than the original animated film ever did.

 

[Tortilla the Hun]

Really? Comparing Jim Carrey's Grinch to a lump of coal? His animated manner of acting was perfect. He filled those crooked shoes much better than a CGI Jack Nicholson would have, no offense to the man.

 

[medv4380]

Jim Carrey as the Grinch was good. He's has done great work as Horton as well.

It was Mike Myres as the Cat in the Hat that kill live actor Dr. Seuss. Audrey wont approve another live actor film because of his oversexed portrayal. It's the idiots who think kids films need adult humor in them for them to be enjoyed by the parents who let those things into the film. People who think that way need to stop watching kids shows, and never become a parent. The Doctors Widow wont approve another live actor film solely because of Myres.

 

[Callate]

I don't spite anyone for disliking the Carrey grinch or thinking that Breathed's would be better (Yes, those illustrations were awesome), but I don't think Carrey was the problem. He definitely gave it his all, right down to apparently using Navy SEAL torture resistance techniques to endure wearing those awful contact lenses.

 

[vid87]

I'm going to be honest - this version looks terrifying. Like, almost "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" terrifying. I don't want to sound critical of new concepts or interpretations, and Jim Carrey's version, much as I enjoyed it, reeked of selling out, but this would've absolutely killed Seuss adaptations.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

I don't spite anyone for disliking the Carrey grinch or thinking that Breathed's would be better (Yes, those illustrations were awesome), but I don't think Carrey was the problem. He definitely gave it his all, right down to apparently using Navy SEAL torture resistance techniques to endure wearing those awful contact lenses.

The actor is almost never the problem. Or even the director, in most cases. It's the idiots who write the scripts and the producers who approve them. Except in the rare cases where it's the director himself who writes the script.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I loved Carrey's version. Maybe the scripting and editing could have been better, but it was good enough for me. Not like you could recapture the magic of the original cartoon though.
And seriously the Lorax was wayyyyyyy worse as was Cat in the Hat.
So, yeah I'm totally not bummed on missing out on this version.

 

[Andrew Barela]

Jim Carrey makes everything 5 star!!! #KeepCalmAndJimCarreyOn

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Am I the only one... who finds it very hard to pronounce 'Breathed's'?

It depends on how it's pronounced. I find it very easy a number of ways, but have no idea which is the correct way.

 

[Brockyman]

Never actually seen the Carrey version, but this concept art is... well...horrible. So glad we didn't get this screwed up looking version of the Grinch!

 

[Chester Rabbit]

Huh, for some reason that concept art reminds me of Killer Clowns From Outer Space...

Anyway yeah can't say I think we didn't come out on top with who we ended up getting to play the Grinch. I don't like the movie but I love watching Jim Carry in it...so maybe I do like the movie seeing how he's the title character but at the same time it has all that unnecessary heavy handed social commentary...

 

[busterkeatonrules]

Kay. I get it. I'm the only person who enjoyed Jim Carrey as the Grinch apparently.

Anyway, I love the concept art. Would have been very interesting to see in full motion.

I loved it to, no idea why so many people have such hate for him, I thought it was a lovely performance and brought more life to the character than the original animated film ever did.

Me three. The movie did take certain liberties with the source material, not always successfully, but I say the good bits just about outweigh the bad - and that's BEFORE Carrey shows up in his toxic-green body-wig, steals the show and runs for the hills with it!

I don't think anyone else could have pulled off the Grinch half as well as the guy who brought to life The Mask, and I honestly have NO idea why this whimsical and energetic Christmas movie gets treated like a trainwreck.