SCROOGE (Albert Finney) is coming this October to Blu-ray! (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Just went to the Paramount press site.

It is listing SCROOGE as being 1 hour, 54 minutes

This is the same running time as the existing DVD.

 

[GMpasqua]

Paramount would have to get legal clearence for any cut material - if the elements are even any where to be found - or in any shape to be used. Chances are very good the edits are lost somewhere in a warerhouse. I've never seen these edits in any tv version, but if they are currently in use maybe they could be used. A Trailer would also be nice

 

[Eric Peterson]

I have the laserdisc. Is any of the extra footage that is being talked about present on that? I've only watched it once and am looking forward to being able to scrap it.....unless there is a reason to keep it.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Greg,

Good point.

And you know, as much as everyone else here I would have
loved to see those small sequences (if they exist) to be put
back into the film.

But I totally understand Paramount's position on not going the
extra mile to locate and include this material.

First, most of those alleged scenes were used as padding in
television showings either to fill time and/or for other sequences
(such as the "hell" scenes) that were removed. They weren't
necessarily intended to be part of the film.

And while I would be the first person to fight even for material
that wasn't intended to be part of the film, I am not certain how
big a seller "Scrooge" will be for Paramount on Blu-ray. I almost
feel as if the studio did us a personal favor in getting this release
out so fast and that there are no real expections for it to be a huge
seller. That being the case, why invest extra money in a restoration
of excised scenes?

Fortunately, we already know how great the DVD looked and
sounded, so I am certain that minimal work had to be done on
this Blu-ray release and we'll ultimately get something that should
look and sound pretty terrific. Additionally, the DVD does include
the overture and exit music, though I can't remember if there was
an intermission or not.

 

[Rob_Ray]

I don't think Scrooge was extensively roadshown on its original release. In Houston, it opened wide (by 1970 standards: three or four neighboorhood theatres) to take advantage of the 1970 Thanksgiving-Christmas window. There was never an intermission as the film is under two hours. The premiere theatre I saw it in ran a 35mm monaural print.
I think Ron underestimates the sales potential of this title. Unlike most catalog titles, Christmas-themed movies tend to be perennials and get prominent shelf space in stores every year around the holidays. If Paramount does this release properly, it will have a potential evergreen to join the ranks of It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story and White Christmas. And how many times have *those* titles been re-marketed?
Never underestimate the drawing power of possibly Dickens' most famous work. How many times has this story been remade?

 

[Matt Hough]

I saw it for the first time at Radio City Music Hall, and there was definitely no intermission there.

 

[ahollis]

I saw SCROOGE in Memphis, TN at the Paramount Theatre, which was one of those ABC Mid-South theatres that was built in1964 at The Eastgate Shopping Center. The theatre has since been demolished. It was presented as a Roadshow Attraction with the overture and exit music intact, but no Intermission. I almost remember it as yesterday for it was a Saturday night and there four of us that attended and the theatre was packed, which looked like it sat about 800. I also remember the audience almost singing and dancing out of the theatre during the Exit Music for the film left everyone in a great Holiday mood. This theatre is where THE SOUND OF MUSIC opened and played a year and a half as a Roadshow Attraction in 70mm. Pretty sure SCROOGE was not 70mm.

Latter I saw it again in Jackson, MS again a theatre named The Paramount, and it was not shown as a Roadshow as there were not assigned seats nor any Overture, but the Exit Music was there.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Paramount would have to get legal clearence for any cut material - if the elements are even any where to be found - or in any shape to be used. Chances are very good the edits are lost somewhere in a warerhouse. I've never seen these edits in any tv version, but if they are currently in use maybe they could be used. A Trailer would also be nice

I'm seriously beginning to doubt the existence of the two scenes mentioned. I truly believe that poster was recalling scenes from another version of Scrooge. I mean--I kid you not--I watched the crap out of this movie every time it aired on tv and I flat out have no idea what he's talking about. Those scenes are in other Christmas Carol movies however!! Therefore, unless by some Christmas miracle I'm flat-out wrong, I wouldn't worry about those scenes being left off of the dvd extras...
And I also disagree with those who think the movie looks spectacular on the present dvd--it doesn't. I think it needs some clean-up before a port to blu. The current dvd came out in 2003 which is practically the Stone Age for dvds. I doubt anything they used for that release could be acceptable for blu, therefore, I feel that the blu will not be a simple port. They're going to have do some remastering.
That movie always looked very milky to me--(so does "Oliver" while I'm at it. Is it just a British Cinema thing?) I'm not sure if Scrooge is supposed to look milky, but it does. If it's not supposed to, then somebody might think about cleaning that up too. And the audio was kinda weak on that dvd; some re-jiggering is order there as well.
Again--noting the problems from the older dvd release I'd have to conclude that anything they put on blu would not be a port; it'd be a new remaster. What they have at present is acceptable for an old 2003 dvd but I think it's gonna be a nightmare if they simply try to port it over. It just won't look very good anymore.

 

[Matt Hough]

I've been pleased with all of the CBS/Paramount/Cinema Center Blu-rays that I've reviewed over the past few months (Rio Lobo, Better Off Dead, Big Jake, A Man Called Horse), so I'm fairly confident that they won't mess this one up. Fingers crossed, of course.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Ethan Riley
I'm seriously beginning to doubt the existence of the two scenes mentioned. I truly believe that poster was recalling scenes from another version of Scrooge. I mean--I kid you not--I watched the crap out of this movie every time it aired on tv and I flat out have no idea what he's talking about. Those scenes are in other Christmas Carol movies however!! Therefore, unless by some Christmas miracle I'm flat-out wrong, I wouldn't worry about those scenes being left off of the dvd extras...

I agree with you on the existence of the two scenes that are thought to be additional. I have seen the film many many times since it's theatrical release, first in theatres, Television (First showing on SKM Holiday Network syndication), then VHS, Laser, DVD and soon Blu-ray. At a running time 113mins, most of the early Television showings it was cut to fit a two our time period with the famous cuts of Hell and ghosts flying while Scrooge and Marley are taking their first spin over London. In all the years of watching it, I have never seen additional content.

By the way, Scrooge was originally going to be scheduled as a CBS Television Special, such as Cinderella and Peter Pan on NBC was, but in the early stages it was bumped up to be a full fl edge Center Cinema Film. Glad they did that, for it more or less turned out to be a better film.

 

[LCD22]

Thanks, Chris. But, hmm...I'm not sure if I believe that post. I think he's recalling a scene from either the George C. Scott or Kelsey Grammer versions. He recalls, "The first scene missing, is when the ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the children of Want and Ignorance from beneath his robes. The second is during the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, where some of the townspeople are talking in the resale shop about taking Scrooge's bed curtains and such. " I'll believe it when I see it--I'd have to have some screencaps or confirmation from more members. I'd seen that movie during its original tv airing, and 1980s syndicated airings--I do not recall either of those scenes he mentions, but there's stuff like that in later remakes. Anybody else recall these scenes?

Having never caught the George C. Scott or Kelsey Grammer versions (the only other ones I have are Mickey's Christmas Carol and TNT's A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart, I can picture the second scene described in Scrooge. But let me see what I can do (it really depends on the condition, it's been put to rest for many years) and get a confirmaton for you if they are there or not.

 

[GMpasqua]

Even if tv cuts the scene in hell - it's not a very long scene (at most 5 minutes in a 2 hour film_. To fit the film in a two hour tv time slot would mean something would have to be cut - I doubt anything would need to be added.

This same topic has also been brought up with "Doctor Dolittle". At a screening a few years back, many claim they saw the cut songs during the first TV broadcast in 1973. The time slot was over 3 hours and the film only 2.5 (the film started at 8:00 the news started at 11:15) I thought for sure "Where are the Words" was there as did others, but no one knows for certain and no one can filnd these cuts either. Samatha Eaggar didn't even remember filming these songs (Yet she appears in the photos from these songs - she also seemed to believe it was her singing voice when in reality it was Diana Lee who dubbed her) She seemed to think people are only rememerbing the photos

 

[MatthewA]

Originally Posted by MattH.
I've been pleased with all of the CBS/Paramount/Cinema Center Blu-rays that I've reviewed over the past few months (Rio Lobo, Better Off Dead, Big Jake, A Man Called Horse), so I'm fairly confident that they won't mess this one up. Fingers crossed, of course.

Agreed. Hopefully we'll see more from the CBS library soon, especially the first two Peanuts films (as well as the last two which Paramount actually produced yet never actually released on DVD when they had the video rights to the specials). I also wouldn't mind seeing The Boys in the Band as long as whatever colors William Friedkin chooses are consistent throughout the film. And what I wouldn't give for I Love Lucy on Blu-Ray (sadly it won't be in time for Lucy's centennial next week).

And, of course, My Fair Lady.

 

[LCD22]

Even if tv cuts the scene in hell - it's not a very long scene (at most 5 minutes in a 2 hour film_. To fit the film in a two hour tv time slot would mean something would have to be cut - I doubt anything would need to be added.

This same topic has also been brought up with "Doctor Dolittle". At a screening a few years back, many claim they saw the cut songs during the first TV broadcast in 1973. The time slot was over 3 hours and the film only 2.5 (the film started at 8:00 the news started at 11:15) I thought for sure "Where are the Words" was there as did others, but no one knows for certain and no one can filnd these cuts either. Samatha Eaggar didn't even remember filming these songs (Yet she appears in the photos from these songs - she also seemed to believe it was her singing voice when in reality it was Diana Lee who dubbed her) She seemed to think people are only rememerbing the photos

The scene in Hell wasn't the only thing that was cut -- and I no longer have the theatrical version on my DVR to compare, but there was a lot more. For example, the first "Thank You Very Much" was considerably shortened (it didn't show Tom Jenkins kissing Scrooge's coffin and the townsfolk explicitly dancing on it) and some of the dialogue were cut between Scrooge and Bob Cratchit (I think).

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua
Even if tv cuts the scene in hell - it's not a very long scene (at most 5 minutes in a 2 hour film_. To fit the film in a two hour tv time slot would mean something would have to be cut - I doubt anything would need to be added.

This same topic has also been brought up with "Doctor Dolittle". At a screening a few years back, many claim they saw the cut songs during the first TV broadcast in 1973. The time slot was over 3 hours and the film only 2.5 (the film started at 8:00 the news started at 11:15) I thought for sure "Where are the Words" was there as did others, but no one knows for certain and no one can filnd these cuts either. Samatha Eaggar didn't even remember filming these songs (Yet she appears in the photos from these songs - she also seemed to believe it was her singing voice when in reality it was Diana Lee who dubbed her) She seemed to think people are only rememerbing the photos

Knowing that it is not quite on thread of subject, in the book THE STUDIO, there is a chapter detailing Doctor Dolittle's previews in San Fransisco and what was cut out, evidently Dick Zanuck and David Brown were not happy with the film nor the preview. The songs did exist along with Rex Harrison riding a Giraffe. It would be interesting to see those cuts, perhaps on a Blu-ray sometime.

Agreed that there were more cuts in Scrooge for TV, especially when it was a SKM Holiday Network for they also had a host for the movie so that would eat up more of the two hour time slot. Orville Reddenbacer was the host in latter years.

 

[JoHud]

Wow. I just stumbled into this thread days later to see
this news broken. Really...I had no idea!

Listen....

As far as I am aware, this wasn't on Paramount's list of Blu-ray
releases this year. At least it wasn't on the schedule at the
end of last year. For that matter, neither was Once Upon A
Time In The West (at least not domestically).

All of you should applaud yourselves for making it happen.

Remember the Paramount thread where Ron Smith was asking
what titles you guys wanted to see on Blu-ray?
Well, Scrooge was an overwhelming pick within that thread.

I also spoke to someone influential at Paramount last November
and urged them to consider Scrooge for a release.

So, it's happening! This forum was responsible for it.

I expect Paramount will do a great job with this transfer. They
have been doing remarkable work lately with their catalog products.


It is my guess we may see Little Big Man from the CBS library
sooner than later as well. I have no basis for that opinion other
than it was another heavily requested title from that same library.

Oh, and Paramount, since I know you are reading this thread....

Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!
That's the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me

Great news, indeed! Could this mean they may actually be considering One-Eyed Jacks? I recall that was one of the titles that topped that list.
Great news about Scrooge--it was always a favorite of mine!

 

[Ethan Riley]

The scene in Hell wasn't the only thing that was cut -- and I no longer have the theatrical version on my DVR to compare, but there was a lot more. For example, the first "Thank You Very Much" was considerably shortened (it didn't show Tom Jenkins kissing Scrooge's coffin and the townsfolk explicitly dancing on it) and some of the dialogue were cut between Scrooge and Bob Cratchit (I think).

During the finale medley, they would cut from when Scrooge shouts down to the charity guys "No sirs--it is I who should thank you!" and then suddenly to the dance in the town square.

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by MatthewA
Agreed. Hopefully we'll see more from the CBS library soon, especially the first two Peanuts films (as well as the last two which Paramount actually produced yet never actually released on DVD when they had the video rights to the specials). I also wouldn't mind seeing The Boys in the Band as long as whatever colors William Friedkin chooses are consistent throughout the film. And what I wouldn't give for I Love Lucy on Blu-Ray (sadly it won't be in time for Lucy's centennial next week).

And, of course, My Fair Lady.

I reviewed the DVD of The Boys in the Band, and nothing untoward had been done to it. It looked very nice overall, as I recall.

 

[ahollis]

To Paramount/CBS Films - Thank you for the Scrooge Blu-ray. It is much appreciated.

 

[trajan]

The "milky" look you refer to was intentional and was a soft focus look that that director wanted. Oswald Morris shot both Oliver and Scrooge and gave those films their "look".