听 User Rating 
Whether you're a child or adult, the packed DVD release of "The Grinch" should keep everyone very busy.
Even home cinema fans will be kept happy with the sensational picture quality, and the rare option - for UK Region 2 dwellers - of a Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 sound mix. Both are busy with subwoofer underpinned directional effects, but the DTS wins in terms of enveloping you in the mood of the film.
The Grinch himself would be most upset with the massive stocking load of special features included on this disc.
There's a 'Hey Kids, Click Here' icon on the main menu page. Select that, and you'll enter Max's playhouse, which divides into 'Fun and Games' and 'Music Time'. In 'Fun and Games' you'll find:
- 'Rhyme Time': Four Grinch riddles, all of which rhyme!
- 'How Do I Find Things?': A patronising guide for kids (adults may find this helpful, though) on how to use your DVD player with the help of a horse, dog, cat, and monkey.
- 'Dress the Grinch': Dress the green one in a variety of creepy outfits, including Lederhosen and pyjamas.
- 'The Care and Feeding of a Grinch': A rhyming story to read either by yourself or with Max's help.
In 'Music Time' you'll find:
- Faith Hill music video.
- Two singalong songs: actual footage from the music but with karaoke-style captions at the bottom so you can warble along.
The other extra features are:
- 'Spotlight on Location': Interviews with the cast and crew with the standard chat about story and characters.
- Deleted scenes: Six in total, including unfinished blue screen process shots.
- Outtakes: Also doubles as a counting game really as Jim Carrey utters "I'm sorry, can I start again?" umpteen times. Quite an amusing gag reel, but it doesn't contain many major howlers.
- 'Who School': A featurette on how the Whos of Whoville were choreographed to create this strange race of beings.
- 'Makeup Application and Design': Rick Baker is interviewed as he takes us through the different make-up designs, including some very scary early tests that were rejected for being plain creepy.
- 'Seussian Set Decoration': A featurette with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage on the set construction and design.
- Visual Effects: More behind the scenes footage here, this time concentrating on the interesting concept of turning intrinsically 2D artwork into a 3D environment.
- Theatrical trailer.
- 'Wholiday Recipes': A set of fun recipes that adults will need the excuse of having kids present if they want to make them.
- 'By the Numbers': Facts and figures on the massive production scale of this movie.
- Production Notes: These are worth reading as it reveals Theodor S Geisel's (Dr Seuss) wish that a movie action movie should not be made of the book. Finally his wife authorised the making of "The Grinch", but only because she was convinced that her late husband's work could finally be realised with the aid of modern technology.
- DVD ROM content: More interactive games here, along with screensavers, wallpapers, more background information on the movie and weblinks.
- "The Grinch" game trailer.
- Faith Hill music video: The cheek! Here's the same video from Max's playhouse.
Columbia Tristar has assembled one mean " DVD package. And despite the quantity, there's a fairly good standard of entertainment throughout all the special features on this disc.
Region: 2
Chapters: 20
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, animated menus, and multiple languages and subtitles.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
