The Lorax (2012 film)

Dr. Seuss's The Lorax is a 2012 American computer-animated 3D musical comedy film about a 12-year-old boy who searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
 * Directed by Chris Renaud. Co-directed by Kyle Balda. Written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, based on The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.

Meet the original force of nature.

Ted

 * [referring to Audrey; to The Once-ler] Hey, she is not some girlǃ She's a woman in high school, and she loves trees. And I'm gonna get her one.
 * I am Ted Wiggins, and I speak for the trees. And the fact is, things aren't perfect here in Thneedville! And they're only gonna get worse unless we do something about it! Unless we change our ways, we can start by planting this! [holds up the truffula seed]

Audrey

 * [Referring to her mural] Those are trees. Real ones. They used to grow all around here. And people said that the touch of their tufts was softer than anything, even silk. And they smelled like butterfly milk.
 * I want more than anything in the whole world is to see a real living tree, growing in my backyard.

The Once-ler

 * [He puts on a pair of work gloves and grabs a large axe] Alright, here we go. About to make a Thneed, about to change the world.
 * Check it out, guys. [looks around, noticing all of the animals are gone] Where did everybody go? [shrugs, then grabs the tree by the trunk and drags it away toward his cottage]
 * Little did I know that by chopping down that tree I had just summoned a mystical creature as old as time itself. The legendary, slightly annoying, guardian of the forest. The Lorax.
 * [admiring his first thneed] Now that's a thneed! Nothing unmanly about knitting. No sir!
 * Oh, yeah! We're in business, baby! [closing Everybody Needs a Thneed] Mom? Hey, it's me! I told you I was going to be a success! You need to bring the whole family here right now. We're going to be rich! [notices the Lorax looking at him] What? I'm going to need all the help I can get. Don't worry.
 * [closing How Bad Can I Be] All the customers are buying, and the money's multiplying, and the PR people are lying, [a Thneed is thrown on the Lorax as a picture is taken. A billboard featuring the picture reads "Lorax Approved"] and the lawyers are denying. Who cares if a few trees are dying? This is all so gratifying! How bad, how bad can this possibly be?!
 * [To Ted] Because Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better...It's not.
 * [To Ted; referring to the last Truffula seed] Plant the seed in the middle of town where everyone can see! Change the way things are. I know it may seem small and insignificant, but it's not about what it is, it's about what it can become. That's not just a seed...any more than you're just a boy.
 * [opens the window for the first time as he hears the city singing "Let it Grow" and is on the verge of tears] Thank you, Ted.

Mr. O'Hare

 * You've got a beautiful town here, lots of fun stuff to occupy your short attention span. I can't think of any reason, you'd ever wanna go outside of town ever again.
 * Nobody beats Aloysius O'Hare! [the elevator shuts] What?!
 * Bring it on, Teddy! You don't have the guts!
 * [going after Ted and Audrey and Grammy Norma, who have the Truffula seed, through a megaphone] YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS, BOY! BANG!
 * [last words as he sings "Let It Die"] C'mon, who's with me, huh?

Dialogue

 * Ted: So, anyway, let's just say, I need a tree. Where would I go? What do I do?
 * Grammy Norma: Oh, then you know what? You'd need to find the Once-ler.
 * Ted: The what?
 * Mrs. Wiggins: Mom, it's not really the time for one of your, you know, magical fables, OK?
 * Grammy Norma: [laughs] That's right, I forgot. I'm old, and can't even remember to put my teeth in!
 * Mrs. Wiggins: Stand down. That's not what I meant.
 * Grammy Norma: No, really, I forgot my teeth. Would you be a dear and go get them for me? [showing her empty teeth]
 * Mrs. Wiggins: [sighs] Sure, Mom.
 * Grammy Norma: [puts on her retainer in secret] OK, here's the deal. The Once-ler's the man who knows what happened to the trees. If you want one, you need to find him.


 * [Ted gets pulled up by a rope and pulley to the second floor window where the Once-ler confronts him angrily]
 * Once-ler: Who are you? Who are you and what are you doing here?!
 * Ted: I'm Ted. I'm Ted. Oh, I can't breathe. Are you the Once-ler? Oh, man.
 * Once-ler: Didn't you read the signs? No one is supposed to come here. Get out of here and leave me alone! And don't let the boot hit you on the way out.
 * Ted: The boot? [gets kicked by said boot from behind] Whoa, hello! Ow! Listen! People say that if someone brings you this stuff that you will tell them about trees. [gets grabbed again] No, no, no!
 * Once-ler: Trees?
 * Ted: Yeah, real ones. You know, that grow out of the ground? [pause] Hello?
 * Once-ler: Sorry, it's just...Well, I didn't think anyone still cared about trees.
 * Ted: Well, that's me. The guy who still cares. I'm here. [gets put back down] Hey, hey! What? Whoa!
 * The Once-ler: You wanna know about trees, about what happened to them, and why they're all gone? [softly] It's because of me.
 * Ted: Wait, what?
 * [A Whisper-ma-Phone chutes down to him. He leans in to hear]
 * Once-ler: [shouts] IT'S BECAUSE OF ME! [Ted coughs] And my invention, the Thneed. It was an amazing product that could do the job of a thousand.
 * Ted: All right. Sounds ridiculous, but I mean, that's cool.
 * Once-ler: You're darn right it was cool! [starting to explain what happened to the trees] It all started a long time ago.
 * Ted: Can we start not so long ago, maybe?
 * Once-ler: Do you want a tree?
 * Ted: Yes, yes.
 * Once-ler: Then it all started a long, long time ago. [scene flashes back to the Once-ler as a young man] I was a young man leaving home.


 * Ted: [interrupting the story] Hey, hey, hey, hey, wait. Wait a minute.
 * Once-ler: Excuse me?
 * Ted: [chuckles] Yeah. That's awesome. You know, feeding junk food to forest animals? That's great. But, uh, is there a musical number where you show me how to get a tree? 'Cause I'd love to hear that one.
 * Once-ler: [sarcastically] Oh, yes. Right after the musical number about the kid who kept interrupting the story and was never heard from ever again. Mm-hmm.
 * Ted: Right. Got it. Proceed.


 * The Lorax: [first meeting the Once-ler] Hey! [the Once-ler shrieks and falls backwards] Did you chop down this tree?
 * Once-ler: Uh, no. Who did it? [gasps] What's that?! [the Lorax looks back and Once-ler drops his axe on Pipsqueak the Bar-ba-loot, blaming him] I think he did it.
 * The Lorax: [growls] Leave! Vacate the premises! Take your axe and get out!
 * The Once-ler: And who are you? [pokes the Lorax]
 * The Lorax: Hey, hey! I'm the Lorax, guardian of the forest. I speak for the trees. [the Once-ler stares at him] So you're telling me that you didn't see me magically appear out of that stump, with all the lightning and thunder and stuff. You didn't see any of that?
 * The Once-ler: No, but that sounds amazing. Can I see some of that?
 * The Lorax: Uh, yeah. I could show you, but that's not how it works.
 * The Once-ler: [condescending] Okay, um...Didn't really happen. Oh, I know what you want! [pokes Lorax's nose, He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Marshmallow. Holds it out] [baby talk] I've got one of these for the cutest little guy I ever saw. Yummy-yummy-yummy...
 * The Lorax: [stares at the marshmallow] How dare you! Give me that! [grabs the marshmallow. Sniffs it. It smells good] Mmm. I'm going to eat this, but I am highly offended by it. [plops it into his mouth, then makes his way over to the Once-ler’s tent-house which is being supported by stakes and ropes. He kicks out a stake and the canvas starts to sag]
 * The Once-ler: Whoa! What are you...Hey, Mustache! Will you stop that? [the Lorax continues circling around the tent-house pulling up stakes. He grabs his hammer and follows, pounding them back in] What's your deal, man?
 * The Lorax: [they circle faster and faster around the tent-houses he pull up each stake and the Once-ler pounding them back in] Time for you to go, Beanpole!
 * The Once-ler: Pull them right out. Just going to put them right back in. We can do this all day. [turns a corner, and is about to bring his hammer down on Pipsqueak, whom the Lorax has placed right where the stake would have been]
 * The Lorax: [holds up his hand to the Once-Ler] Stop right there! Stop it! So you would hammer one of nature's innocent creatures? [pats Pipsqueak on the head and he happily runs offscreen]
 * The Once-ler: What? No! I would never hit this little guy. You, on the other hand, I would gladly pound you and your mustache into the ground!
 * The Lorax: [turns to all of the watching animals] Behold! The intruder and his violent ways. [to Once-Ler] Shame on you. For shame!
 * The Once-ler: [drops the hammer and hides it behind his feet. Then he sees all of the animals nodding their heads in agreement. He's had it] All right, you know what? That's it! [points at Lorax] You listen to me, you furry meatloaf. I'm going to chop down as many trees as I need. Okay? Newsflash! Not going anywhere! End of story. [turns and enters his cottage. His sticks his tongue out and does Raspberries to the Lorax before slamming the door behind him! He sighs heavily, shaking his head]
 * The Lorax: Then you leave me no choice. [startled, the Once-ler turns and sees that the Lorax is somehow inside with him. He points a threatening finger at the Once-ler and speaks in a spooky voice as if he's casting a spell] If you're not gone by the time the sun sets on this valley, all the forces of nature will be unleashed upon you and curse you until the end of your days! You have been warned. [turns to make a dramatic exit, but can't reach the doorknob of Once-ler's door. He hops a couple of times. Finally, the Once-ler lets him out] Thanks.
 * The Once-ler: Yeah, okay.
 * The Lorax: You have been warned. [storms out and slams the door, leaving the Once-ler alone in his cottage]


 * The Once-ler: Why are you so interested in trees anyway? Why aren't you like other kids? Break-dancing and wearing bell-bottoms and playing the Donkey Kongs?
 * Ted: [laughs] Yeah. Right, right. I don't know. Uh, I just thought it might be kinda cool to have one, you know.
 * The Once-ler: [knowingly] Aaah, it's a girl, isn't it?
 * Ted: [scoffs] What? No!
 * The Once-ler: Really? 'Cause when a guy does something stupid once, well, that's because he's a guy, but if he does the same stupid thing twice, that's usually to impress some girl.
 * Ted: [about Audrey] Hey, she is not some girlǃ She's a woman...in high school...and she loves trees, and I'm gonna get her one.
 * The Once-ler: Aww. How nice to see someone so undeterred by things like reality.
 * Ted: [sincerely] Thank you.


 * The Once-ler: [has just been revived by the Lorax] I was heading into the light, and you pulled me right back, and here I am! [hugs the Lorax] You saved my life!
 * The Lorax: Yeah, I did, but you know, it's not that big a deal.
 * The Once-ler: It is a big deal! Look, I almost went over that waterfall! [realizes] Wait...On my bed. How did my bed get in the river?
 * The Lorax: Uh, about that, uh...actually, um... [mumbles] I put your bed in the water. [the Once-ler drops him in shock] I didn't mean you any harm. I just wanted to calmly float you away. Look, everyone here needs the trees and you're chopping them down! So, we've got a big problem.
 * The Once-ler: [Pipsqueak nuzzling at Once-Ler's feet, to the Lorax] Alright, look. I hereby swear that I will never chop down another tree. I promise.
 * The Lorax: Thank you, but I'm going to keep my eye on you.
 * The Once-ler: Good. [stretches] Now, I've got a big day tomorrow, and I'm gonna get some sleep. [walks away, then comes back] Right after I find my bed.


 * [The Once-Ler screams and wakes up to find the Lorax sleeping in his bed, the Lorax also screams and wakes up, accidentally punching the Once-ler's nose in the process]
 * The Once-ler: Ow! Okay, uh, what are you...? [stops upon noticing that the Bar-ba-loots, Humming Fish, and Swommee-Swans are also sleeping in his house] Question, what are they doing here? And, uh, follow up if I may, what are you doing here?!
 * The Lorax: [chuckles embarrassingly] Well, after the incident last night, we found one of your socks and came here to return it, but when we got here, you were asleep.
 * The Once-ler: What? [looks up to see a sleeping Bar-ba-loot drooling down on him] Eww! Exactly, and sleeping is the body's way of telling other people to go away.
 * The Lorax: I know, but you looked so cozy. And it was cold outside, and we just fell asleep. No harm done.
 * The Once-ler: "No harm done", "no harm done"? Ugh, okay. [sees Humming Fish bathing in soap] Okay, I put my lips on those. Well, I used to, anyway. [sees Swommee-Swan laying an egg] Ew. Did you just...in my bowl?!
 * The Lorax: [uses the Once-ler's toothbrush to comb his mustache] Why do you even own this? You don't have a mustache.
 * The Once-ler: [disgusted and angry] Ugh! Okay, that's it!
 * The Lorax: What? I thought we made a deal last night.
 * The Once-ler: Yes, we did. And I said I wouldn't chop down any more trees.
 * The Lorax: And I said I was going to keep an eye on you. I'm starving! What's for breakfast? [looks into the fridge to find the big Bar-ba-loot eating entire cubes of butter] Breakfast is overrated. [closes the fridge door]
 * The Once-ler: [strains] You know what? I got work to do. [quickly changes outfit] Yep! I got to go into town and sell my Thneed!
 * The Lorax: [when the Once-ler shows the Thneed to him; laughs] You chopped down one of my trees to make that piece of garbage?
 * The Once-ler: "Garbage"? Oh, no. Oh, no! You do not get it. This is a revolutionary product that will change the world as we know it. [walks over to the Bar-ba-loots sleeping on the table and brushes them all off] It has a million uses! [reaches under the table and pulls up Lou who is now wearing the Thneed as underwear] Look at this. It's a swimsuit! [then points to the muddy animal tracks on the floor] Mud tracked all over your floor by uninvited guests? Well, the Thneed sure comes in handy for that! [uses it to wipe up the mud tracks] But wait, there's more! Thanks to its all-natural microfibers, the Thneed is super-absorbent! [then goes to the fish swimming a glass filled with water. Shoves the Thneed into the glass. SLUUUURP! It instantly soaks up all the water, leaving the irritated fish standing in the dry glass] It also works as a hat. [plops the Thneed onto Lorax's head. SPLURCH! It's sopping wet and drips all over him. The Lorax gives the Once-ler a look] Of course, you probably want to wring it out first.
 * The Lorax: [takes the Thneed off his head and throws it at the Once-ler] Go ahead. Knock yourself out, but nobody is going to buy that thing.
 * The Once-ler: Good to know. Well, fortunately, you are not the target market, weirdo. [strums his guitar]
 * The Lorax: You're bringing a guitar?
 * The Once-ler: Oh, yeah. I got a little jingle. I'm gonna blow some minds, gonna sell some Thneeds! [holds up the Thneed defiantly] Yeah. [slams the door, waking up a Swommee-Swan, who HONKS]


 * [The Man tosses the Thneed which lands on a nerdy teen girl's head, knocking her glasses off and letting her hair down. She slowly flips her hair with the Thneed on her head as if there was supposed to be a dramatic change to her appearance]
 * Teen Boy: Hey. Cool hat.
 * Teen Girl 1: Oh, my gosh. I totally want one.
 * Teen Girl 2: That thing makes me like you more.


 * Grizelda: [referring to the Lorax] So, who invited the giant furry peanut?
 * The Lorax: You callin' me a peanut, huh?! I'll go right up your nose!
 * Grizelda: Ha! [advances on him]
 * The Once-ler: Whoa, whoa, whoa! You wouldn't hit a woman.
 * The Lorax: [gasps] That's a woman?


 * The Lorax: So how are things?
 * The Once-ler: What are you doing here?
 * The Lorax: Happy yet? You filled that hole deep down inside you, or do you still need more?
 * The Once-ler: Look, if you've got a problem with what I'm doing, why haven't you used your quote-unquote "powers" to stop me?
 * The Lorax: I told you, that's not how it works.
 * The Once-ler: Right, I forgot - you're a fraud! I need you to get out! Now!
 * The Lorax: Why? Do I make you uncomfortable? Remind you of the promises you made? The man you used to be?
 * The Once-ler: You know what? You can just shut your moustache! [begins inching towards the Lorax, who backs away] My conscience is clear. I have done nothing illegal, I have my rights, and I intend to keep on biggering and biggering, and turning more Truffula trees into Thneeds! [the Lorax falls backwards and hits the ground] And nothing is going to stop me!
 * [In the distance, a loud motor is heard. The Once-ler and Lorax both look and see the VERY LAST TRUFFULA TREE being chopped down by a Super Axe-Hacker]
 * The Lorax: Well, that's it. The very last one. That may stop you.
 * [Now the Once-ler sadly realized what he had done horribly]


 * Mrs. Wiggins: Ted, I would like you to meet Mr. O'Hare, the most powerful man in town.
 * [Ted's eyes widen in shock and surprise]
 * Mr. O'Hare: There he is! Hello, Ted.
 * Ted: [nervously] Uh...Hi.
 * Mrs. Wiggins: Isn't he clever, Mr. O'Hare? He knows his own name and everything.
 * Mr. O'Hare: You know what I would love right now, Mrs. Wiggins? A delicious cookie. Wonderful. Teddy and I'll stay here and talk.
 * Mrs. Wiggins: Sure, why don't you go ahead and adopt him? I'm just kidding. That was a joke. I was just joking. I'll get your cookie.[leaves]
 * Mr. O'Hare: I know you have it, Ted. So, let's put an end to this nonsense, shall we? [Ted angrily faces him] Hand it over.
 * Ted: I'm sorry...I don't know what you're talking about.
 * Mr. O'Hare: Really? Well, then...I guess you wouldn't mind us checking your room.
 * Ted: No, no, no!
 * Mr. O'Hare: Morty! McGurk! Find the seed!
 * Ted: No, you can't go up there! Guys, this is ridiculous. Stop! Hey! No, you can't come in my room!
 * Mr. O'Hare: Find it! [barges into Ted's room trying to find and destroy the Truffula seed] Find it!
 * Mrs. Wiggins: [appears] What is going on here?
 * Mr. O'Hare: [to Bernice, after she comes up stairs and stares on in shock] THIS DOESN'T INVOLVE YOU! Get back downstairs!
 * Mrs. Wiggins: [to O'Hare] Excuse me, down there! I don't care who you are, you little crazy baby-man! Get out of my house now. This is outrageous.
 * Mr. O'Hare: Fine. Sorry. [chuckles] Must have been a misunderstanding. We'll be leaving now. And my apologies, Ted. You be safe. [takes a plate of cookies that Mrs. Wiggins is holding, then leaves]
 * Mrs. Wiggins: [sputters] Mind telling me what's going on here?
 * Ted: The seed! Where is it?
 * Mrs. Wiggins: Seed?
 * Ted: [finds Grammy Norma's cane] Where's Grammy?


 * Audrey: [to Ted] I could just kiss you right now!
 * [Ted and Audrey lean in to kiss]
 * Mrs. Wiggins: [stops them] Oop! We don't have time for that!
 * Ted: I dunno, we have a little time. [Audrey and Bernice stare at him] You know what? Let's just go. Let's go. Forget about it.


 * [Last lines; the Once-ler, now elderly with a white mustache, reunites with the Lorax, laughing]
 * The Lorax: You done good, Beanpole. You done good. [short pause as he hugs his old friend for a moment, then chuckles] By the way, nice mustache.

About

 * One of the funny things that we discovered was that because they don't look like trees or animals that we understand or relate to directly, you have to create, based on Seuss' illustrations, something that's believable. Because the Truffula trees are beautiful -- they look like cotton candy. But, by the same token, you have to create something that the audience feels something for. So it can't just feel like Candy Land; you have to buy it as a real forest. So we looked at Birch trees and then figured out how to make those wonderful illustrations work in a 3-D movie. It's a real fantasy forest that you could relate to when it's being chopped down.
 * We had a design that was very city-like and very dense, which wasn't quite working. But we went back and looked at a little drawing in the upper corner of the page when the little boy is first coming to look at the Lorax. And we sort of used that as our basis: it's got these big, curvy roads and a couple of building shapes. In some ways, the easier choice would've been to create a Blade Runner-like dystopian future with smog. But of course we wanted to create something that was fun and entertaining, but in some way relates a little more about where we are today, with inflatable bushes and plastic flowers and fake nature that still has a sense of fun, much like Disneyland or Las Vegas or Dubai. So, in the movie that felt like a great way to go but also suggesting that you have to be careful to maintain balance with nature so it can be sustained.
 * Chris Renaud "Chris Renaud Talks 'The Lorax'", as interviewed by Bill Desowitz, Animation World Network, Friday, March 2, 2012.

Cast

 * Danny DeVito — The Lorax
 * Ed Helms — The Once-ler
 * Zac Efron — Ted
 * Taylor Swift — Audrey
 * Rob Riggle — Mr. O'Hare
 * Jenny Slate — Mrs. Wiggins (credited as "Ted's Mom")
 * Betty White — Grammy Norma
 * Jeff Glen Bennett — Morty
 * Nasim Pedrad — Isabella (credited as "Once-ler's Mom")
 * Elmarie Wendel — Aunt Grizelda
 * Stephen Tobolowsky — Uncle Ubb
 * Danny Cooksey — Brett & Chet