My “A Christmas Carol” marathon 2023! (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

I only had a chance to get to one version this year and I took a chance on the Kelsey Grammer made-for-TV adaptation of the musical stage show he had starred in. I always love revisiting the “Frasier” Christmas episodes so I had thought there was a good chance I’d enjoy this one. Boy, was I wrong. It was just horrendous.

The songs were all dreadfully dull, and there were so many of them.

The performers are all broadcasting to the balcony even though it was taped on sets and not in a real theater.

Makeup and costume design were clearly holdovers from the stage production and don’t hold up under television lighting.

It was just so bad, but not in a fun way. So disappointed. All Grammer had to do was deliver the classic lines in a reasonable fashion and I would have been satisfied, but this production doesn’t give him any room to do anything except cue the next musical number.

 

[Malcolm R]

As usual, I seemingly ran out of time to watch stuff prior to Christmas and only got to watch my two favorite versions: George C Scott and the Muppets. Enjoyed both. I did see part of the Patrick Stewart version on cable one day. I do have that one on disc, but I've never really warmed to it.

 

[Wayne_j]

I would suggest this:

 

[Indy Guy]

In our family with out a second thought, the go to version is Albert Finney's musical version "Scrooge"

 

[bujaki]

As usual, I seemingly ran out of time to watch stuff prior to Christmas and only got to watch my two favorite versions: George C Scott and the Muppets. Enjoyed both. I did see part of the Patrick Stewart version on cable one day. I do have that one on disc, but I've never really warmed to it.

You can still watch Christmas film during the season. The Christmas season ends on January 5 (the 12th day of Christmas).
I watched A Christmas Story last night.

 

[richardburton84]

I only had a chance to get to one version this year and I took a chance on the Kelsey Grammer made-for-TV adaptation of the musical stage show he had starred in. I always love revisiting the “Frasier” Christmas episodes so I had thought there was a good chance I’d enjoy this one. Boy, was I wrong. It was just horrendous.

The songs were all dreadfully dull, and there were so many of them.

The performers are all broadcasting to the balcony even though it was taped on sets and not in a real theater.

Makeup and costume design were clearly holdovers from the stage production and don’t hold up under television lighting.

It was just so bad, but not in a fun way. So disappointed. All Grammer had to do was deliver the classic lines in a reasonable fashion and I would have been satisfied, but this production doesn’t give him any room to do anything except cue the next musical number.

I’ve never seen this one, though your review does not sound all that encouraging.

On the subject of musical adaptations of the story, i think (with all due respect to Leslie Bricusse and the Muppets) my favorite musical adaptation is probably the Magoo version, where all the songs advance the story, plus “All Alone in the World” and “Winter Was Warm” are probably some the most heartbreaking songs ever written for a Christmas Carol adaptation. On the other hand, one adaptation I wanted to like but didn’t was also a musical, that being the 1954 Television adaptation starring Fredric March as Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as Marley. While some of the songs (by Bernard Herrmann no less) were good, they go on way too long at the expense of the story with certain parts being badly rushed (the Christmas Yet to Come portion especially suffers in this regard).

 

[Robert Saccone]

I’ve never seen this one, though your review does not sound all that encouraging.

On the subject of musical adaptations of the story, i think (with all due respect to Leslie Bricusse and the Muppets) my favorite musical adaptation is probably the Magoo version, where all the songs advance the story, plus “All Alone in the World” and “Winter Was Warm” are probably some the most heartbreaking songs ever written for a Christmas Carol adaptation. On the other hand, one adaptation I wanted to like but didn’t was also a musical, that being the 1954 Television adaptation starring Fredric March as Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as Marley. While some of the songs (by Bernard Herrmann no less) were good, they go on way too long at the expense of the story with certain parts being badly rushed (the Christmas Yet to Come portion especially suffers in this regard).

Where is that one available?

 

[davidmatychuk]

You can still watch Christmas film during the season. The Christmas season ends on January 5 (the 12th day of Christmas).
I watched A Christmas Story last night.

Speaking as a full blooded Ukrainian Canadian, don't forget Ukrainian Christmas on January 7th! Now more than ever, it is important to continue to watch Christmas movies into the new year and beyond. Do it for my ancestors!

 

[Harry-N]

I tried, years ago, to watch Albert Finney's musical version of SCROOGE. I couldn't get past about ten minutes into it. And it's not that I don't like musicals, heck, I'll watch Mr. Magoo's version all day long and sing along. No, to me there was something off about Albert Finney's acting, his odd way of tilting his mouth as he spoke. He was unconvincing as an older person. I never went back to watch it.

No, we'll stick to our pattern of:
Reginald Owen - usually after Thanksgiving in the first week of December.
Patrick Stewart - second week of December
George C. Scott - third week of December
Alastair Sim - Christmas Eve

At odd times during December, we'll usually fit in Mr. Magoo and Mickey's Christmas Carol. If time permits, we might throw in that old 1935 Seymour Hicks version.

And of course there are a bunch of other Christmas movies, non-Scrooge related.

 

[richardburton84]

Where is that one available?

I don’t know if there’s a physical release, but I found a B&W print (like the Julie Andrews Cinderella, it was originally shown in color) on YouTube, including an introduction and some Chrysler commercials featuring a pre-Sleeping Beauty Mary Costa.

 

[bujaki]

I don’t know if there’s a physical release, but I found a B&W print (like the Julie Andrews Cinderella, it was originally shown in color) on YouTube, including an introduction and some Chrysler commercials featuring a pre-Sleeping Beauty Mary Costa.

I have an ancient DVD from Timeless Media Group. I bought it in 2015.