Lorax: Hello, everybody. Thanks for coming. (reads the note) I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. And I'd like to say a few words, if you please. Regarding the story that you're about to see. It actually happened. Just take it from me. But there's more to this story than what's on the page, so please pay attention while I set the stage.
(Curtain opens to Thneedville.)
Lorax: [v.o.] We open in Thneedville, a city they say that was plastic and fake, and they liked it that way! A town without nature, not one living tree. So, what happened to them? Cue the music! Let's see.
Bee: Buzz. Buzz.
In Thneedville,
it's a brand new dawn
With brand new cars
and houses and lawns
Here in
Got-all-that-we-need-ville
In Thneedville,
we manufacture our trees
Each one is made
in factories
And uses 96 batteries
In Thneedville,
the air's not so clean
So we buy it fresh
It comes out this machine!
In Satisfaction's-
guaranteed-ville
In Thneedville,
we don't want to know
Where the smog and trash
and chemicals go
I just went swimming,
and now I glow
In Thneedville,
we have fun year round
We surf and snowboard
right in town
We thank the Lord
for all we've got
Including this
brand new parking lot!
Parking lot!
Oh, look,
it's Aloysius O'Hare
Aloysius O'Hare
The man who found
a way to sell air
And became a zillionaire
Hip-hip-hooray!
In Thneedville,
we love living this way
It's like living in paradise
It's perfect!
And that's how it will stay
Oh, yeah!
Here in
Love-the-life-we-lead-ville
Destined-to-succeed-ville
We-are-all-agreed-ville
We love it here in...
Thneedville!
Yes!
Oh, hi, Ted.
Oh, hey, Audrey. Hi.
Did your ball land
in my backyard again?
What? No.
A model airplane,
this time.
Hey, do you want to
see something cool?
Come on.
Whoa!
Did you...
Did you paint this?
Do you like it?
What?
Are you kidding?
This is amazing!
What are those?
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!
Wow! What does
that even mean?
I know, right?
Oh, yeah.
What I want more than anything
in the whole world is to see
a real living tree
growing in my backyard.
So if, say... I'm just
thinking out loud here.
If a guy somehow
got you one...
I'd probably
marry him on the spot.
I bet that sounds crazy.
Does that sound crazy?
No! Not crazy.
Not crazy at all.
Cut to Ted's family having dinner. Ted is seen poking his food, looking bored.
Ted's Mom: Ted, honey, don't play with your food. You, either, Mom.
Cut to Granny Norma bobbing her food before flicking it into her mouth.
Ted: So, Mom, do you happen to know if there's any place where I could get a real tree?
Ted's Mom: Ted, we already have a tree. It's the latest model.
Ted: Yeah, but I mean a real one that grows out of the ground or whatever. You know, a real tree.
Ted's Mom: Really? You would rather have some dirty, messy lump of wood that just sticks out of the ground? And it does what? I don't even know what it does. What's its purpose? Look at what we've got. [gestures to the Oak-amatic] It's the Oak-amatic. The only tree with its own remote. Summer, autumn, winter, and disco!
Ted: Mom?
Ted's Mom: Come on, Ted. Get into it. Dance with the tree.
Ted: Oh, it hurts, Mom. Please stop. [the music stops] So, anyway... Let's just say I need a tree. Where would I go? What do I do?
Granny Norma: Then you know what? You need to find the Once-ler. [starts slicing her food]
Ted: [stammering] The what?
Ted's Mom: Mom, it's not really the time for one of your magical fables, okay?
Granny Norma: That's right, I forgot. I'm old and can't even remember to put my teeth in.
Ted's Mom: Stand down. That's not what I meant.
Granny Norma: No, really, I forgot my teeth. Would you be a dear and go get them for me?
Ted's Mom: [sighs] Sure, Mom. [leaves the kitchen]
As soon as Ted's Mom left, Granny Norma finds her teeth and puts them in her mouth.
Granny Norma: Okay, here's the deal. The Once-ler is the man who knows what happened to the trees. You want one, you need to find him.
Ted: The Once-ler? Mmm-hmm. Okay. Grammy, is this a real thing that we're talking about now?
Granny Norma: Oh, he's real all right.
Ted: Well, where can I find him? [shrieks]
Granny Norma: Far outside of town where the grass never grows and the wind smells slow and sour when it blows. And no birds ever sing, excepting old crows.
Ted: [shrieks] Quit doing that.
That's the place where the Once-ler lives.
Wait, outside of town?
People used to say if you brought him 15 cents,
a nail
and the shell of a great,
great, great grandfather snail,
he would tell you everything.
Hmm.
Mr. O'Hare, what we've got for you is something that is going to take O'Hare Air to the next level.
Now, Mr. O'Hare, I know what you're thinking.
One, " I've gotten rich selling people air that's "fresher than the stinky stuff outside. "
Two, and here is the important one, "How can I possibly make even more money?"
We can tell you, sir!
We can tell you.
Check out this commercial, huh?
