Tear Jerker / The Lorax (1972)

• The TV special has the Once-ler arguing with himself about destroying the Truffula Trees, and eventually he rationalizes that if he didn't do it someone else would.
  The Once-ler: (singing) Every once in a while, I'll sit down with myself asking, "Once-ler, why are you a Once-ler?"
  And I cringe, I don't smile as I sit there on trial asking, "Aren't you ashamed, you old Once-ler?
  You ought to be locked in a hoosegow, you should. The things that you do are completely un-good!"
  Yeah? But if I didn't do them, then someone else would!
  "That's a very good point, Mr. Once-ler!"
• All three scenes of the animals in their own right. The Barbeloots song as they leave is creepy and depressing, and the Swomee Swans leaving just takes this to a whole new level. The Humming Fish leaving isn't as sad as the first two, however it still has the impression that they are no longer able to live there.
  • But most of all, the Oncelers family leaving. The song they sing is an absolutely heartwrenching Dark Reprise of Jolly Good Onceler.
  • The Onceler's broken narration of the Lorax's departure. You can tell the man has been living with the guilt for a long time.
    "Now all that was left 'neath the bad smelling sky, was my big empty factory, the Lorax, and I. The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance. Just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance as he lifted himself by the seat of his pants and I'll never forget the grim look on his face when he heisted himself and took leave of this place through a hole in the smog without leaving a trace. And all that the Lorax left here in this mess was a small pile of rocks with one word..."
• Near the end, we hear the song the Once-ler sings to the boy, with a danger sign, crashed cars, and abandoned tires appearing as he sings.
  Boy: What's an "unless"?
  Once-ler: (singing) Just a far away word...just a far away thought...
  Boy: A thought? About what? About something I ought?
  Once-ler: Well...(singing) A thought about something that somebody ought...a thought about something that somebody ought.
  • Immediately following that: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better...it's not."

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