It is no coincidence that the premiere of the fantastic family comedy “The Grinch - The Christmas Thief” took place in the last two months of the past 2000, as the project of director Ron Howard is a real Christmas fairy tale. The film’s script was based on a magical story, which was written in 1957 by the famous children's writer Theodor Geisel, who worked under the literary mask “Doctor Seuss”.
Superhit co-production
“The Grinch - The Christmas Thief” (front-end actors D. Kerry and T. Momsen) is a joint production of the United States and Germany. In the original, the project has a slightly different name, containing a reference to the literary original and its author, Dr. Seuss. His work was already filmed in 1966.
After almost four decades, the creation became an obsession with Howard - the director of the "baby boom" generation, who actively began to film their favorite comics and fairy tales from their childhood. The director was so inspired by the idea that on one of the days of shooting he put on the costume of the main character and worked in makeup all day. The entire crew of the film “The Grinch - The Christmas Thief”: actors, decorators, cameramen and others — were extremely surprised to see a green monster and Jim Carrey in front of them at the same time. The leading actor and he was furious, but when he discovered who had tried on the image of his hero, he could not curb his emotions and was imbued with reverence for Ron.
The ups and downs of the filming process
It is worth mentioning in what a tense atmosphere the casting of the film “The Grinch - The Thief of Christmas” took place. Actors and roles were matched to each other through fierce disputes between the creators. This fate did not pass and candidates for the leading role. Eddie Murphy or Jack Nicholson could transform into the image of the Grinch . Also, producer Brian Grazer invited Christopher Lloyd to audition , but the performer did not participate in the casting, citing malaise.
As a result, the well-known comedian of our time Jim Carrey was approved for such an ambiguous role of the unfortunate antagonist . He brilliantly managed to embody on the screen the central image of the comedy "The Grinch - The Thief of Christmas." Actors - colleagues on the set - were delighted with his grimaces and antics. In order to make up, the actor had to stay in the make-up tent every day for more than three hours. The real master of makeup Rick Baker worked on the image. For his professionalism and skill over the twenty-year period he was awarded the Oscar gilded figurine six times.
Mockingbird in the shower
The famous Hollywood comedian during the production of the picture tried his best, although every movement and tweak was given to him with difficulty because of the complicated special makeup. The grinch performed by Kerry is terrible, spiteful and even disgusting, but at the same time defenseless and sweet. Even in those episodes when the character was doing frank dirty tricks, he looked pretty defenseless, so the viewer involuntarily was imbued with sympathy for the hero. During the filming, in addition to a hot suit and several kilograms of makeup, Jim had to wear yellow lenses. By the end of the production of the painting, he openly hated them, since they were terribly uncomfortable. Separate scenes had to be shot without them, and then apply computer graphics so that the character's eyes acquired the necessary shade. However, in the comedy "The Grinch - The Thief of Christmas", the actors involved in the filming process often experienced inconvenience, which was offset by their significant fees.
Interestingly, nine years later, the actor played the role of yet another opponent of Christmas - the fierce greedy Ebenezer Scrooge in Robert Zemeckis's project entitled "Christmas Story."
Cast
Not all actors in the film The Grinch - The Christmas Thief have had the same experience. For example, in the incarnation of the narrator, never once lit up in the frame, an actor of the first magnitude, known in the image of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a serial cannibal killer, Anthony Hopkins, spoke.
And one of the main roles of cutie Cindy Lou Who was played by the now popular American guitarist, singer, fashion model and actress Taylor Momsen. At the time of filming, the girl had only two works in her films: “Tomorrow Comes Today” and “The Prophet of Death”, where Dennis Hopper was her on-screen partner.
Cindy's parents are Bill Irwin (a clown and a comedian) and Molly Shannon (a regular participant in the musical and humorous television program Saturday Night Live).
The role of Mayor Augustus Makto was played by the American television and film actor engaged in voice acting, Jeffrey Tambor.
The image of Martha May Ktovye was perfectly revealed by the famous actress Kristin Jane Baransky - winner of several awards “Tony”, “Guilds of film actors of the USA”, “Emmy” and “Golden Globe”.
For the future
The film “The Grinch - The Thief of Christmas”, the actors and roles of which are listed in this publication, will acquire a kind of animated variation of the same name in 2018. Currently, a creative tandem of directors Peter Candeland and Yarro Cheney is working on its production.