When a little boy living in what appears to be a polluted brownfield pays a visit to a lonely and depressed industrialist, called the Once-ler, he tells the boy a story of how he polluted the earth cut down every last tree and drove the animals away, much to the annoyance of some sort of tree creature called the Lorax.This was made in 1972 around the time Silent Spring by Racheal Carson had come out, and around the time of the Love Canal disaster and the beginning of the environmental movement, so it's mostly a load of hippie propaganda making out businesses, factories and industry to be evil. And what's wrong with pollution, I love pollution, who cares about the planet? I litter, pour chemicals, don't ever recycle, and I'm proud of it! However, the difference between this and the 2012 animated film is that the animation was better, the voice acting is better, the characters are more planned out and rather than inserting crude humor and romance they stick to the book with this one.It is rather biased and one-sided, but it's not a bad cartoon for kids. But you know what would be nice? If nature and pollution could co-exist with none of this crazy hippie extremism.

Dr. Seuss is one of my favorite authors, the thing I love about his books are the accessibility they contain, they bring up some complex and serious issues by say a lot from the amount of satire they contain though simplicity. "The Lorax" has always been my second favorite Seuss story because to me it's the darkest, but has good messages we can hear loud and clear.The animation is great just like in the book it has that surrealistic style to it, creating an alternate world that is one step similar to our own reality but also one step away. The music is also good though not quite memorable at least in my book. And of course the writing is on the mark, all the lines and quotes from the original book are intact.But of course the strength of the film truly is in the story and the conflicting characters the Once-ler and The Lorax acted with perfection by Bob Holt who does both voices you really think two people are doing it. The conflict is intact, we are of course on the Lorax's side because we know he's right however we can't help at time emphasizes with the Once-Ler's side of things as well because even we carry those kinds of desires of progress.Just as the story was relevant to the 70's decade when pollution really started to become a major issue, it's relevant to now with the problems were having now with our resources and the rush rush counterculture we've created. I like how in the story we see how the line between needs and wants blurs because everyone from the constant advertising and what goes on around them, they've all been manipulated into thinking the Thneeds are what they need even though in reality the Thnneds really a luxury by their nature and only has so many uses mainly as clothing, other uses they present are just plain useless like using it as a toothbrush holder and we see a photo and it can barely hold it or even as some kinda soup, yuck.What disturbs me the most about the story is the behavior of the Once-Ler whom at first was like just a typical idealist whom has what seemed to be a harmless idea. But then of course as he becomes more successful we see his capitalistic pursuit has turned into a madness and addition which even his own conscious is too weak to fight against. But we also see that he's really not happy, it kinda goes with that saying how money doesn't by you happiness, from his talks with the Lorax even though he claims he's basking in glory, you can tell from his voice he's not. And when you think about it the Once-Ler really doesn't have a life, there is no friends or girlfriend (well it is a storybook story after all)all he really has is just a lifestyle, and the tragedy is like all lifestyles it's not forever because as another saying goes "business loves no one back".And I even like the sense of emotionality, you really do feel for the Lorax and all the animals as things just get worse. We see that the capitalistic ventures have became a dangerous narcotic, their so concerned with making a big fast profit they ignore how much damage they've done to the very things that not just provide the Thneeds for them but that sustain their lives. It's disheartening seeing a once beautiful and plentiful enviorment become just an ugly lifeless wasteland, but once we see that final tree get chopped off it made my heart sink because I knew their fate was sealed. The ending is sad but it has a sense of hope.The message in the story isn't to take better care of our enviorment as well as taking action now before it's too late, but that we have to exercise more responsibility in the business of providing for people's needs otherwise there will be nothing left.A beautiful health enviorment truly is what we need because it's what always gives us a better tomorrow.Rating: 4 stars

Though it is most often associated with the playfulness and innocence of youth, even the whimsical, surreal land of Dr. Seuss isn't exempt from the destruction that ruthless, money-driven big business tycoons can create, as charmingly demonstrated in the 1972 animated film, The Lorax.Our titular protagonist is a stumpy, passionate, and unmistakably Seussical creature who "speaks for the trees". He takes his job very seriously and adamantly speaks out against their depletion when an avaricious, faceless character known as the Once-ler, our antagonist whose blatant disregard for the environment is topped only by his insatiable greed, comes into the picture. Immediately upon seeing the soft, colorful tops of the Truffula trees, he starts hacking away in an attempt to turn nature into profit, but at a heavy price.After seeing just one of the trees chopped down, the Lorax springs into defensive action, only to be brushed off nonchalantly. "Look, Lorax, calm down. There's no cause for alarm. I chopped just one tree, I'm doing no harm. This thing is most useful! This thing is a "thneed." A theed, a fine something-that-all-people-need!" is the Once-ler's lethargic reply. As soon as he begins selling the odd but versatile thneeds, consumers start buying, thus beginning a voracious cycle of supply and demand that Mother Nature had apparently never prepared for.Before long, the Once-ler's business grows to the point where he cannot fulfill the demand for thneeds, leading him to call family over for assistance. They dutifully make the move over, bringing pollution and garbage with them.Meanwhile, the fantastical creatures that'd been living there find they are being forced out by the gradual but steady destruction of their habitat. The Once-ler is not as clueless about the grave situation as he would like to pretend, but he argues that if he didn't do it, "someone else would." Before long, many confrontations between the Lorax and Once-ler later, no creatures are left and the pair are sorrowed by "the sickening smack of an axe on a tree," as they "saw the tree fall... the very last truffula tree of them all." And with that, a defeated Lorax pulls himself up from the "seat of his pants", leaving behind only a small pile of rocks surrounding the word "Unless".Defying typical Seussical conventions, the film does not end on a generically happy note, but on an ambiguous one instead. The contrite Once-ler presents a young boy, presumably symbolizing the new generation, with the very last Truffula seed and the parting sentiment, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better. It's not." His words are especially powerful when one considers that throughout the film, he knew at the back of his head that what he was doing was wrong, but figured he could still take the time to "think it over" while the money rolled in. He finally realizes that things just don't get done by having people idly "think it over", and that instead action needs to be taken. While there is little evidence that suggests the boy's endeavor could be anymore successful than the Lorax's, one is still left with the possibility of hope, that even in the most dire of situations, things could always begin to turn around at least a little.It is interesting to note the direct association the characters make with progression and the devitalization of nature. The Lorax cries out at one point, "They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!" It's almost sad to note how even the Lorax instantly identifies the terror of what the Once-ler is creating as a step forward rather than a step back. The economy is often placed in higher regard than the environment, leaving even the most hard-headed environmentalist to reluctantly bow down to its magnitude. The power of a country is measured by its wealth, not how green it is. And of course, a wealthy, strong economy is nearly synonymous with big businesses, many of which unfortunately produce excessive amounts of waste and do little to give back to the environment they abuse.It's also worth mentioning how the Once-ler manages to convince the consumer of what they need, rather than what they want. In today's society, this trend continues. Through clever advertisements, the line between a person's wants and needs is often blurred. Many of the items that we once may have considered a luxury are now thought of as necessities, and even things that may be flashy and superfluous are easily thrown into the category of "needs", as today in society it is imperative to live in luxury and be up to date with the latest trends. Little Tabitha doesn't want the new Miley Cyrus CD, she needs it. After all, if she doesn't get it, how will she be able to keep up with her all of her friends? She won't; she'll be isolated and doomed to the life of a loner, or so she argues to her mother, who begrudgingly complies. And so another voracious cycle begins.I watched this movie as a project for a College Now class, and I'm glad I did. Great for giving the young ones a head start, and great for inspiring adults to start a new leaf.

Although a slightly silly film, as commented by another user, the Lorax is a revealing and relevant film. Released in the early 1970's when such issues were not publicly recognized, the film addresses perfectly the issue of the environment and natural resource depletion. The older generation feels that such a topic is not a pressing issue and needs not immediate attention. Perhaps that is why this "silly film" is aimed towards younger people, who will be impacted by its message and will not be too stubborn to make a change. The Lorax exemplifies this problem exactly, where the Once-ler feels that the economy and his own interests are more important then that of mother earth. God gave us one life, one planet. Act that way.