By Brittany Bowden
One flick, two flick, one more Seuss flick!
This time, Latter-day Saint executive producer Eric McLeod helps Universal Pictures bring Dr. Seuss'' 'The Cat in The Hat' to the big screen.
McLeod is a Southern Utah native who also produced 'Austin Powers in Goldmember.'
His associate producer and assistant director, Aldric La''Auli Porter, is known for his work in 'The Testaments: of One Shepherd and One Fold,' 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' and 'A Beautiful Mind.'
'I think it will do very well with the LDS audience because we tried to make it geared towards kids, the kids in it make it playful,' Porter said. 'This one will be pretty light and it''s a lot more playful than ''The Grinch.'''
Both LDS producers are making their mark on this remake of a Dr. Seuss classic.
Production started in October 2002 on locations in Los Angeles and throughout California and filming wrapped up in early February 2003.
The $90 million movie stars Mike Myers as the Cat and Spencer Breslin and Dakota Fanning as Conrad and Sally Walden.
Conrad and Sally Walden are left at home with their pet fish (voice of Sean Hayes) and a baby sitter.
The Cat in the Hat bursts through their front door and helps them find their imagination
-- turning their rainy day into a party. It''s mostly fun and games until things start to get out of hand.
The once clean and tidy Walden house is now turned upside down and sideways, thanks to the workings of Thing One and Thing Two. The cat must scat before their Mom gets home.
This is the second Seuss story to be adapted to the big screen by Imagine/Universal following 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas.' Imagine/Universal already has the next Seuss project in the works: 'Oh, the Places You''ll Go!'
So, how do the producers stretch these 220 word children''s stories into feature length films? By adding an assortment of new characters and situations, of course.
The Cat in the Hat will feature new characters ranging from a ballet instructor, who is intrigued by Thing One and Thing Two''s acrobatic skills, to a sushi chef, who has a run in with the Walden''s fish.
Alec Baldwin will also play the neighbor who is curious to know what is going on next door.
'Dr. Seuss'' ''The Cat in the Hat'' promises to be an unforgettable film experience,' said Beth Gross, a Universal representative.
The movie, directed by Bo Welch, was originally scheduled to open summer 2003. Universal is now releasing the movie on Nov. 21, just in time for the holiday season.