Perhaps some of the most influential works of literature for children, Dr. Seuss' adaptations face the same problems as Disney's remakes. With a questionable past and inevitable future, many wonder what lies ahead for the stories they grew up with. Whether it's The Cat in the Hat or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, times are changing, and concerns are raised as classic tales see modern adaptations.
The mind behind beloved stories such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and Green Eggs and Ham, Theodor Geisel, or, as he's better known, Dr. Seuss, is one of the most influential names in literature. Over the years, Dr. Seuss' works have seen countless adaptations, including movies, TV shows and numerous other mediums, placing him among noted authors such as Roald Dahl, Judy Blume and R.L. Stine. However, now over eight decades old, while many of Dr. Seuss' stories came and went, his legacy carries on with The Cat in the Hat remake and Oh, the Places You'll Go!, which is slated for development as a movie. But just like with Disney, adapting iconic stories always comes with a set of challenges.
The Struggles of Modern Dr. Seuss and Disney
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Disney's catalog contains films the company has recognized as problematic or questionable. While some movies, such as Dumbo, Peter Pan or Pinocchio, come with a warning about their outdated content, others have been locked in the vault permanently. Arguments surrounding Disney's live-action remakes raise questions about whether rewriting past movies for modern times dilutes their classic essence and whether any version of these films should exist today. Dr. Seuss' works seem fated for the same discussion as Disney's live-action remakes, while some of his past works disappear from shelves and others set their course for the big screen.
Dr. Seuss' stories always had their share of controversy, which didn't all begin and end with books taken out of publication. While some of Dr. Seuss' works, such as The Cat in the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, are innocuous, some of Geisel's artistic works address serious topics such as politics, environmentalism and existence. Both Disney's and Dr. Seuss' stories have faced criticism for potentially losing their identity with modernization. It was the case with films like The Lorax, which oversimplified Dr. Seuss' complex insights into environmental issues, and Disney+'s Peter Pan & Wendy, which seemed to recontextualize the story's original morals beyond recognition for a more modern audience.
Similar criticisms against Peter Pan & Wendy, Dumbo, Pinocchio and Pete's Dragon aren't unheard of, but ultimately what it amounts to is what comes out on the other end of modernity. As exemplified in films such as Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and 2015's Cinderella, what matters is preserving the author's iconic elements or reimagining them to create something that builds upon the past rather than rewriting it, using classic trappings to address shortcomings in a new story that feels like an extension of the original.
Why Dr. Seuss Will Always Be Timeless
Books such as And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo are among six Dr. Seuss titles removed from publication. With many media outlets citing outdated portrayals of people, cultures and ideas, the controversy raised challenged Dr. Seuss' relevancy and whether or not his stories have a place in modern culture similar to author J.K. Rowling. However, looking back on the majority of content he produced, the legacy he left behind and the countless titles that encouraged young readers, it's clear, as a whole, he brought more good into this world than scandal. While works like Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham may evolve as more storytellers adapt them, what matters is keeping his timeless lessons, engaging prose and bizarre sense of whimsy, bringing educational insights and needed reading skills for a better world.
Stories change for better or worse, for some reason or another, and whether the world is ready for them or not. It's a fact Disney embraced by dramatically reimagining fairy tales such as Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and Pinocchio with varying results. What matters in the case of Dr. Seuss and Disney is whether the world is better for their works because tradition and progress aren't always in conflict. It is possible for both past and present to coexist, reinforcing timeless values and classic characters established by the original stories while also carrying them on for a new generation.