Horton Hatches the Egg (Looney Tunes)

Horton Hatches the Egg (episode 362)
Before the Grinch got adapted into a cartoon, there was Horton Hatches the Egg
Directed by: Robert Clampett Written by: Michael Maltese Based on: Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss Franchise: Looney Tunes Prequel: Saps in Chaps (previous short) Sequel: Dog Tired (next short)

Horton Hatches the Egg is a 1942 Warner Brothers cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and written by Michael Maltese. The short is a adaptation of the 1940 Dr. Seuss book of the same name.

Why It Rocks

1. Unusual for a Looney Tunes short, this one-shot Looney Tunes cartoon is a straight-out adaptation rather than a parody/spoof of a pre-existing source material, and is very well-executed.
2. The cartoon stays as faithful to the original Dr. Seuss story.
3. Michael Maltese and Bob Clampett add several funny moments that weren’t in the original book such as Maizy Bird imitating Katharine Hepburn, the literal "bags beneath my eyes" gag, amongst others.
4. Like the original book it is based on, Horton is a likable and charming protagonist.
5. Amazing animation for it’s time.
6. Great music by Carl Stalling.
7. Beautiful backgrounds and colors.
8. It was the first ever cartoon that was an adaptation of a Dr. Seuss story even before Dr. Seuss became more well known to the public.
9. Great voice acting by Kent Rogers, Mel Blanc, and Sara Berner.
10. Bob Clampett's animation style blends perfectly with Dr. Seuss's style.
11. The catchy "Hut Hut song" sung by Horton (and later with his son) at both the beginning and the end of the cartoon.

Bad Qualities

1. The scene with a Peter Lorre fish committing suicide after seeing Horton on the boat can be disturbing and dark.

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