title. butter battle book

date. 1989

story.

Dr. Seuss: The Butter Battle Book

Director, Producer (TNT)

This was an animated TV special directed by Ralph Bakshi, narrated by Charles Durning and produced by and aired on TNT on November 13, 1989. The special followed the book closely, notably in its preservation of its original cliffhanger ending, with the title card "The end... maybe" at the conclusion of the story. Seuss himself called the short the most faithful adaptation of his work.

 

The Butter Battle Book – a New York Times Notable Book of the Year – is an anti-war story; a parable about mutually assured destruction and nuclear weapons. This book was written during the Cold War era, and reflects the concerns of the time, especially the perceived possibility that all life on earth could be destroyed in a nuclear war. It can also be seen as a satirical work, with its depiction of a deadly war based on a senseless conflict over something as trivial as a breakfast food.