Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › Various versions of A Christmas Carol....
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

post #1 of 53
12/1/08 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 
This is not a thread to say which is your favorite. But, to discuss what each movie shows that the others don't. For example if I remember correctly the version with Patrick Stewart seemed to show more with Scrooge's nephew after he is repentant. So fans of each version what does those versions add to the story?

Oh and by the way. I love the Alistar Sim version.
Reply
post #2 of 53
12/2/08 at 3:44pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

I'm not all that familiar with all the versions, so I can't say how much this version adds to the story, but the TV version with George C. Scott is a favorite of my wife and myself.

I find Scrooge's transformation very well done and the three spirits all well cast. The only negative is the child playing Tiny Tim is not very good.
Reply
post #3 of 53
12/2/08 at 4:42pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

I'll second the vote for the George C. Scott version. The production values are first rate. The casting was exceptional. Great effort was placed in replicating the images of the book; this film did the best job of presenting the ghost of Christmas Past of any film I've seen. I was especially moved by the performances of Scott and David Warner (as Bob Cratchet). Warner so often plays villains and here he is the sweetest fellow. In Scrooges vision of the future, when Cratchet shares his sadness in remembering the now-absent Tiny Tim I get teary every time. Scott is by far the best Scrooge in my opinion because he underplays the part and plays it naturally. He isn't a snarling cartoon villain, just a self-satisfied, deeply cynical man. His transformation is joyous and childlike ( I love when he kicks his slipper into the air, and confronts Cratchet on the day after Christmas, all pseudo-bluster while barely containing the joke)
Reply
post #4 of 53
12/2/08 at 5:46pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

the 1970 version shows Scrooge's decent into hell (complete with Leather clad henchmen) Doubt those scenes are in any other version
Reply
post #5 of 53
12/2/08 at 6:28pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s
This is not a thread to say which is your favorite.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Angell
I'm not all that familiar with all the versions, so I can't say how much this version adds to the story, but the TV version with George C. Scott is a favorite of my wife and myself.

Fastest thread drift, ever.
Reply
post #6 of 53
12/3/08 at 8:16am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s in post #1
This is not a thread to say which is your favorite. ....... Oh and by the way. I love the Alistar Sim version.

Agreed. Fastest drift ever.
Reply
post #7 of 53
12/3/08 at 8:38am
Thread Starter 

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian D H
Agreed. Fastest drift ever.

I win!!!


Maybe, someone else remembers this. But, didn't the Patrick Stewart version have him go find his fiance when he comes back?
Reply
post #8 of 53
12/3/08 at 9:57am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

The Muppet Christmas Carol has the best music.
Reply
post #9 of 53
12/3/08 at 10:28am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

I don't believe the Stewart version has him go back to find his fiance, but it is the only one with that guy from "The Wire"

Muppets is the only one with Marley brothers-- Jacob and Robert (get it, Bob Marley?).

Maybe it doesn't count for your criteria, but I find the Patrick Stewart audio version to be the most book-accurate. This was a one man play that he narrated and acted in.

Black Adder's Christmas Carol is the only one I know of where the Scrooge character starts off good and turns evil.

One pet peeve of mine is when Marley's ghost tells Scrooge that the ghosts will visit him at one hour intervals (1am, 2am). In the book, and in several movie versions, Marley tells him that the first ghost is coming when the bell tolls one, the second on the next night at one am, and the third at the stroke of midnight. One of the biggest surprises is that the ghosts "did it all in one night", which isn't as big a deal if the ghosts were already scheduled to come in a 3 hour span. Scrooge wakes up and he thinks he missed Christmas, so he is even more delighted when the boy tells him, "Why, it's Christmas Day!" I can't remember which versions do it "the right way". It's a small point, but it's important to me-- it takes me out of the story when I hear it "the wrong way".

We used to call the Sim version "the bad-teeth Christmas Carol" until the Stewart version, which has its fair share of dental nightmares (but period-accurate, probably).
Reply
post #10 of 53
12/3/08 at 10:30am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

The 1935 version of Scrooge starring Sir Seymour Hicks begins with the Lord Mayor's Christmas Eve ball. If I remember correctly, it's not in Dickens, but it is an interesting opening. Hicks is my second favourite Scrooge and Donald Calthrop is a very able Cratchit.
Reply
post #11 of 53
12/3/08 at 2:13pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Alistar sims is great, But for a movie that was made in 1955, The film quality is crap. Movies made in 1930's look better than that. I wish they could clean it up.
Reply
post #12 of 53
12/4/08 at 6:46am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Bell
One pet peeve of mine is when Marley's ghost tells Scrooge that the ghosts will visit him at one hour intervals (1am, 2am). In the book, and in several movie versions, Marley tells him that the first ghost is coming when the bell tolls one, the second on the next night at one am, and the third at the stroke of midnight. One of the biggest surprises is that the ghosts "did it all in one night", which isn't as big a deal if the ghosts were already scheduled to come in a 3 hour span. Scrooge wakes up and he thinks he missed Christmas, so he is even more delighted when the boy tells him, "Why, it's Christmas Day!" I can't remember which versions do it "the right way". It's a small point, but it's important to me-- it takes me out of the story when I hear it "the wrong way".
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding it, but the way you wrote your post, in the original story the ghosts are scheduled to come on 3 consecutive nights, is that right?
Reply
post #13 of 53
12/4/08 at 9:03am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

How about Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol??

Actually I love the George C Scott Version.
Reply
post #14 of 53
12/4/08 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

How much different is the book compared to the various theatrical versions?

On a side note. One thing that always bothered me. Was poor Marley. Scrooge gets a chance at redemption..While poor Marley is condemned to walk the Earth as a tormented spirit. WTF?
Reply
post #15 of 53
12/4/08 at 8:37pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Even as a kid I always thought Marley got the short end of the stick.
Reply
post #16 of 53
12/5/08 at 12:00am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

A MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL!
For all the humorous banter between the narrators(rizzo and gonzo).
I still crack up when rizzo reaches through the fence they just climbed and gonzo calls him an idiot.
Somehow, that movie got it right. It was touching, sad, funny and it had real heart.
I'm ready to have my lashings...
Reply
post #17 of 53
12/5/08 at 5:06am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

How much different is the book compared to the various theatrical versions?
One thing that's rather surprising is the whole - "take care of my son, Ebeneezer" arc, which really makes great sense, tying in his childhood treatment, with how and why he treated his nephew - isn't part of the book. It's certainly a big part of the 1951 Sim version, though I don't know if it predates that or originates there. In any case, a very worthwhile addition IMO.
Reply
post #18 of 53
12/5/08 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by george kaplan
How much different is the book compared to the various theatrical versions?
One thing that's rather surprising is the whole - "take care of my son, Ebeneezer" arc, which really makes great sense, tying in his childhood treatment, with how and why he treated his nephew - isn't part of the book. It's certainly a big part of the 1951 Sim version, though I don't know if it predates that or originates there. In any case, a very worthwhile addition IMO.

That scene is very powerful. Scrooge was the one person who he never stopped loving. And when he finally hears her last request to take care of her son...It devestates him.
Reply
post #19 of 53
12/5/08 at 9:57am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Since the thread has already drifted...

The thing that the BBC version adds is the marvelous Michael Hordern as Scrooge. As it's not available on DVD and my tape is broken I haven't seen it recently enough to remember how it adheres to or strays from the book, but I'm still in hopes that this version will be added to a final Dickens box with the upcoming version of Little Dorrit and some version of Tale of Two Cities.
Reply
post #20 of 53
12/6/08 at 1:01am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Count me in as loving the George C. Scott version above all others and what sets it apart for me, in addition to what has already been said, is that they took the time to film it in beautiful Shrewsbury England and that adds a touch of realism and elegance to this version that is simply lacking from all the others.

Plus it has some of the most frightening ghosts of any version, Jacob Marley scares the poop out of me in this one as does the ghost of xmas future, it's that loud piercing sound he makes while pointing his bony fingers that gets me.

Scrooge breaking down in the graveyard at the end declaring that he is a changed man is extremely dramatic and is superior to any past Scrooge, he doesn't just say it, he CRIES it and that sets it apart IMO, he makes me believe that what he has been through altered him in a profound way.
Reply
post #21 of 53
12/6/08 at 12:45pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Hammer!
Count me in as loving the George C. Scott version above all others...Scrooge breaking down in the graveyard at the end declaring that he is a changed man is extremely dramatic and is superior to any past Scrooge, he doesn't just say it, he CRIES it and that sets it apart IMO, he makes me believe that what he has been through altered him in a profound way.
Yes, exactly, you believe that Scrooge is a transformed man.
Reply
post #22 of 53
12/6/08 at 2:23pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

I saw "Scrooge" on TCM last night, and the twists it put on the story were great fun. (Including the aforementioned hell sequence.) Poor Ebenezer thinking all the people who owed him money are honoring him, when they are actually dancing around his coffin is morbidly funny! The scene also implies he died at work.

The George C. Scott version is the only one where I recall the Ghost of Christmas revealing "Ignorance" and "Want" to Scrooge. That scene really creeped me out when it first aired.
Was this also the version where Scrooge meets former fiancée again?

Does anyone remember the "American Christmas Carol" with Henry Winkler, or the old West version with Jack Palance?
Reply
post #23 of 53
12/7/08 at 7:30pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

George C. Scott version is simply the best...

However, I must admit a weakness for the Patrick Stewart one. Wish I'd seen his one-man stage version! The man is brilliant.
Reply
post #24 of 53
12/7/08 at 7:38pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

It's great to see all these shows of hands for the Scott version. I never felt that it got the attention that it deserves.
Reply
post #25 of 53
12/7/08 at 11:46pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Hammer!
Count me in as loving the George C. Scott version above all others and what sets it apart for me, in addition to what has already been said, is that they took the time to film it in beautiful Shrewsbury England and that adds a touch of realism and elegance to this version that is simply lacking from all the others.
me believe that what he has been through altered him in a profound way.

I'm pretty sure that the Alistair version was filmed in England as well. Many exteriors in it. While I love Scott's version too he is the only Scrooge without an english accent. It's interesting to compare/contrast the different versions. I try to watch, Finney, Scott, Sim, Magoo, Bill Murray every year.

AND, has anyone else seen the animated version done in the early 70's with Sim reprising the character via voice?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hA5T1G7rxg




Really amazing. There are 4 parts. I sat glued to my computer watching these.
Reply
post #26 of 53
12/8/08 at 4:19am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

The Rich Little version has the best line delivered by Truman Capote ("I aaam standing" ). I mean, the rest didn't even bother with that!












:p
Reply
post #27 of 53
12/8/08 at 7:19am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Johnny Angell-- sorry for the slow reply-- yes, in the book, the ghosts are "scheduled" to appear on three consecutive nights.

Silver Wook-- "Ignorance and Want" also appear in the Stewart version as skinny, creepy kids.
Reply
post #28 of 53
12/8/08 at 3:28pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Bell
Johnny Angell-- sorry for the slow reply-- yes, in the book, the ghosts are "scheduled" to appear on three consecutive nights.

The Academy Award Winning animated version by Chuck Jones (also voiced by Alister Sim) has the three night visit schedule.

It's also spectacular to watch.
Reply
post #29 of 53
12/9/08 at 10:12pm

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

It's also why Scrooge says come morning,

"The spirits did it all in one night.."
which interestingly is in most versions even though they usually change it to one evening.

here's one MAJOR difference.

Albert Finney was a young man when he did his SCROOGE so in the flashbacks, he is first, younger than his actual age and then it goes through the years during the Christmas past segment. He does an AMAZING job "aging" When you see him as the old Scrooge and younger in the same shot, it is astounding. Not just the makeup but the physical differences in posture, gestures. Makes the connection to the Scrooge of the past about the best.
While I love the Scott and Sim versions, they don't achieve this nearly as well. Finney also really shows the vulnerability and pain underneath the meanness in old Scrooge about the best IMHO. A real knockout performance.
Reply
post #30 of 53
12/10/08 at 1:31am

Re: Various versions of A Christmas Carol....

Over at Jim Hill Media a couple of years ago, they ran a series in which Jim watched 40 different versions of A Christmas Carol and commented on each one. It might interest you.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Movies (Theatrical)
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › Various versions of A Christmas Carol....