Line #33 WesternAnimation/TheGrinchGrinchesTheCatInTheHat


1	[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_grinch_grinches_the_cat_in_the_hat.jpg]]
2	What happens when Creator/DrSeuss's [[{{Crossover}} two most popular characters]] [[LetsYouAndHimFight square off against one another]]? The answer appears in this 1982 animated television special, ''The [[Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas Grinch]] Grinches Literature/TheCatInTheHat'' (aka ''The Cat in the Hat Gets Grinched'').
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4	Things start out on a typical day in the lives of the two title characters. The Grinch, under orders from his own reflection in the mirror, is out making people's lives miserable when he suddenly crosses paths with the Cat in the Hat, who is out trying to have a picnic. The Cat unwittingly incurs the wrath of the Grinch, who then proceeds to make the Cat's day miserable by building devices with which to warp the sounds of the Cat's voice, and those of other animals, and darken the Cat's surroundings. The Cat grows upset with the Grinch's hijinks and tries to figure out how to put a stop to it all.
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6	This was the final Dr. Seuss television special to be produced by Creator/DePatieFrelengEnterprises, shortly before they became Marvel Productions Ltd. and the second-to-last produced during Seuss's lifetime.
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8	!!Tropes:
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10	* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Grinch's reflection urges him to recite an oath that, apparently, all Grinches need to keep in mind. Said oath is basically this trope.
11	-->Grinch's Oath: "A Grinch is unhelpful, unfriendly, unkind; with ungracious thoughts in an unhealthy mind. A Grinch is uncheerful, uncouth, and unclean. Now say this together! I'm ''frightfully'' mean! My eyes are both shifty. My fingers are thrifty. My mouth will not smile - not half of an inch! I'm a Grinch. I am a Grinch. I'm a Grinch!"
12	* AnimationBump: The animation isn't quite up to where it was in ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas'', but it's significantly better than the very cheap-looking animation that made up most of ''Halloween Is Grinch Night'' and about on par with the first ''Cat in the Hat'' animated special.
13	** Similar to how Creator/ChuckJones added his own recognizable charm to the first special, Creator/FrizFreleng's influence is very obvious in some parts of the animation.
14	* BerserkButton: The Grinch doesn't take kindly to being called "Mr. Greenface".
15	* BookEnds: The special starts with the Grinch talking to his reflection who reminds him to be his mean Grinchy self. At the end of the special when he turns back to good, his reflection tries to make him mean again, only to be stopped by Max using the Vacusound Sweeper.
16	* {{Bowdlerise}}: Some VHS releases cut out the second half of the car chase.
17	* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: The Grinch's YellowEyesOfSneakiness light up in the balcony door after messing up the Cat's SelfSoothingSong with the Vacusound Sweeper.
18	* CardCarryingVillain: After a look in the mirror, the Grinch is very adamant in proving how Grinch-like he is.
19	* CastingAShadow: The Grinch makes a darkhouse to cast darkness on the Cat.
20	-->'''Grinch:''' A lighthouse makes light, so just for a lark, I built me a darkhouse. A darkhouse makes dark.
21	* ChekhovsGun: The picture of The Grinch's mother seen near the start might seem like a throwaway gag at first, but it ultimately turns out to be an important plot point.
22	* CoolCar: The Grinch's car. The Cat in the Hat also drives one.
23	* TheConscience: The Grinch's mother; her reflection appears just in time to get him to clean up his act.
24	* TheCorrupter: The Grinch's reflection.
25	* {{Crossover}}: Of two of Dr. Seuss' most iconic works.
26	* DisneyAcidSequence: The Grinch inflicts one of these on the Cat and the other patrons of the restaurant he is visiting.
27	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: After using the Vacusound Sweeper on the Cat, the Grinch tells him, "From now on, you will hear what I want you to hear."
28	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: [[spoiler: How The Cat ultimately foils The Grinch.]]
29	* EvilBrit: [[WesternAnimation/TheGreatGrapeApe Bob Holt]] gives the Grinch a deep, sophisticated English voice.
30	* EvilIsPetty: The Grinch obsessively harasses the Cat in the Hat the entire cartoon for blocking his car and calling him "Mr. Greenface". Justified, as that is just the thing to prove how Grinch-like he is.
31	* EvilLaugh: The Grinch pulls one as he torments the Cat on several occasions.
32	* FantasticRacism: "Mr. Green Face" could be considered a racist comment.
33	* FauxAffablyEvil: The Grinch rather cordially presents to the Cat in the Hat his device with which he intends to relentlessly torment the Cat for the rest of the cartoon.
34	* {{Foreshadowing}}: During the Cat in the Hat's imaginary psychoanalysis of The Grinch, said villain has a startled reaction when the Cat mentions [[spoiler: the Grinch's mother. Reawakening the ''real'' Grinch's memories of his mother turns out to be the key to making him good (again)]].
35	* FreudianExcuse: While imaginarily psychoanalyzing the Grinch, the Cat thinks he has one of these. Whether or not the Grinch ''actually'' has one is left ambiguous.
36	* [[{{Gasshole}} Gassholes]]: Thanks to the Vacusound Sweeper, the love birds (actual birds) become this.
37	-->'''Grinch:''' ''[singing]'' And as for your love birds, I can't stand their chirping. So I just push my button—your love birds start burping!
38	* GratuitousGerman: The Grinch taunts the Cat, after using the darkhouse on the latter, "Are you feeling pretty ''gut'', Mister Cat in the ''Hut''?"
39	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: The Grinch starts out just as pleasant as he was at the end of his [[WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas original appearance]], but one conversation with his reflection in the mirror turns him evil again. The Cat manages to redeem him again and when his reflection tries to talk him back into evil, The Grinch (or more specifically, Max) more or less [[ShutUpHannibal tells him where to stick it]].
40	* HollywoodDarkness: When the Grinch turns on his "Darkhouse", the darkness it creates is such that the Cat "can't see my mitten in front of my face", yet the audience can still see what's happening.
41	* InnocentlyInsensitive: The Cat in the Hat probably didn't mean anything bad when he called the Grinch Mr. Greenface, but it pressed the Grinch's BerserkButton.
42	* {{Irony}}: [[spoiler:After undergoing a HeelFaceTurn, the Grinch (though it's actually his dog Max) uses the Vacusound Sweeper on his reflection.]]
43	* ListSong: The "Psychiatry Song" has the Cat list various incidents with the Grinch as he tries to rehabilitate him during the imaginary psychiatry session.
44	* LostMyAppetite: Happens to the Cat, after the Grinch uses his device on the Cat's order at the restaurant.
45	* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: He corrupts the Grinch, though a reflection of the Grinch's mother appears in the end to redeem him.
46	* ManlyTears: [[spoiler: The Grinch as a result of the Cat's moving song.]]
47	* OhCrap:
48	** Max is utterly worried when he sees the Grinch revert to his mean ways by his reflection.
49	** When the Cat sees the Grinch mess up everything with his Vacusound Sweeper and construct the darkhouse, he is completely shocked.
50	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: It is rather odd (even by Dr. Seuss's standards) to see the Cat in the Hat getting angry at the Grinch, even going as far as to call him a psychopath (a word that you normally wouldn't expect from Dr. Seuss).
51	* PersonAsVerb: Apparently "Grinches" is a verb now.
52	* ThePollyanna: The Cat in the Hat, as always. He does get exceptionally frustrated from having to put up with the Grinch's nastiness, but his kind and empathetic approach prevails.
53	* ProtagonistTitle: With both protagonists!
54	* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The restaurant scene features Music/AntoninDvorak's "Humoresque Opus 101 No. 7", followed by Jazz and Dixieland arrangements of it.
55	* RedOniBlueOni: The Cat and The Grinch, respectively. The former is friendly and fun-loving while the latter is melancholy and intelligent.
56	* SelfSoothingSong: "Relaxification", sung by the Cat as he calms down after returning home from his first encounter with the Grinch. It gets [[MusicalisInterruptus rudely interrupted]] by the Vacusound Sweeper messing up one of the lines.
57	* {{Troll}}: How the Grinch ultimately acts, particularly while operating his machine to torment the Cat.
58	* VillainDecay: Whereas previously the Grinch [[WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas tried to ruin the holiday season for everyone]] and then [[WesternAnimation/HalloweenIsGrinchNight terrify everyone with freaky monsters]], here he is little more than a {{Troll}} (see above). Justified, as he had only just reverted to his wicked ways at the beginning of this special.
59	* VillainSong: The Grinch gets two original ones - "The Master of Everyone's Ears" and "This is the Liggle-Gear".

Context WesternAnimation / TheGrinchGrinchesTheCatInTheHat