The Definitive A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951): Starring Alastair Sim (2 Viewers)

[Osato]

The digital version dropped to $5 on iTunes today.

I Picked it up. I still have the blu ray as well.

 

[Jeff F.]

The Alastair Sim version is on iTunes? I don't see it.

 

[Osato]

The Alastair Sim version is on iTunes? I don't see it.

I don’t think it is.
I was unable to find it as well.

 

[B-ROLL]

I don’t think it is.
I was unable to find it as well.

I doesn't appear to be their either even under the alternate title "Scrooge" (1951)

 

[davidmatychuk]

I just picked up from Value Village a still-sealed VHS copy of a Blockbuster Classics edition of "A Christmas Carol", which they made in 1994. It's the best VHS copy I've seen, reproduced in SP mode and made from a much better and cleaner print than the 80's tapes I've owned, but it lacks not only the "For reaching it out" part of Mrs. Dilber's line at Joe's place, but in fact that entire line is missing. The scene actually flows smoothly without it, so I think it was probably an approved edit for North America or something like that. The other interesting thing about this VHS copy is in the fine print on the back: "Program under license from Video Communications Inc.. Copyright 1951 by Renown Film Productions #LP 1341. Renewed by Renown Film Productions as #RE-32-642 on August 16, 1979. All rights reserved." I don't know my British movie copyright renewal law as well as I should, but maybe there's some hope in there that Criterion or some other company could work out some licensing deal like VCI's with Renown before their copyright runs out. Anyhow, it's always fun to find another video version of "A Christmas Carol"!

 

[Tony Bensley]

I just picked up from Value Village a still-sealed VHS copy of a Blockbuster Classics edition of "A Christmas Carol", which they made in 1994. It's the best VHS copy I've seen, reproduced in SP mode and made from a much better and cleaner print than the 80's tapes I've owned, but it lacks not only the "For reaching it out" part of Mrs. Dilber's line at Joe's place, but in fact that entire line is missing. The scene actually flows smoothly without it, so I think it was probably an approved edit for North America or something like that. The other interesting thing about this VHS copy is in the fine print on the back: "Program under license from Video Communications Inc.. Copyright 1951 by Renown Film Productions #LP 1341. Renewed by Renown Film Productions as #RE-32-642 on August 16, 1979. All rights reserved." I don't know my British movie copyright renewal law as well as I should, but maybe there's some hope in there that Criterion or some other company could work out some licensing deal like VCI's with Renown before their copyright runs out. Anyhow, it's always fun to find another video version of "A Christmas Carol"!

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Value Village gets some interesting treasures. I haven't seen a Blockbuster video for sale in ages, let alone a sealed Blockbuster VHS Tape! Good find!!

I think Criterion would be ideal for a proper Blu-ray release of the 2K "A Christmas Carol" BFI Transfer. This would definitely be on top of my Christmas wish list!!

I hope that everything is well with you, David!

CHEERS!

 

[davidmatychuk]

Again at Value Village just now, I saw this vintage hardcover book in their showcase for $49.99. I had no idea it existed, but needless to say I was not going to spend the rest of my life regretting not getting it. The text is simply the Dickens original story, with a frontispiece of the complete cast and crew of the Renown film, and the illustrations are a mix of frames from the film, posed images shot on set, and publicity photos. There are also four full colour paintings based on the film. I think any HTF people reading this thread would probably know what's so exciting about this find; I'm knocked out, let me tell you. Here are a few iPod photos, the last of which is for my buddy Tony Bensley. I may scan and post the whole thing for you later, if you folks are interested. I sure would be.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I hope a corner of an upcoming page isn't torn off (the corner that had Mrs. Dilber's oft-missing line)....

 

[davidmatychuk]

I hope a corner of an upcoming page isn't torn off (the corner that had Mrs. Dilber's oft-missing line)....

Not to worry, Mike. The fabled four words were a screenwriter's invention, and the text is unadulterated Dickens. Still, I did check.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Damn. Still missing...

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks for sharing, David.

 

[Charles Smith]

That's an amazing find -- a real movie tie-in edition from antiquity!

I grew up thinking there had been no such thing until mass market size paperbacks came along. It wasn't till I started doing a lot of secondhand bookstore haunting that I discovered hardcover tie-ins of 1940s titles like Wuthering Heights and Spellbound. Those were printed and bound using cheap materials, like book club editions (and in fact, maybe they were), but the dust jackets and photos were attractive.

This is certainly a worthy one for obvious reasons, and it looks to be very generous with the photos and all. Congrats, sir!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Again at Value Village just now, I saw this vintage hardcover book in their showcase for $49.99. I had no idea it existed, but needless to say I was not going to spend the rest of my life regretting not getting it. The text is simply the Dickens original story, with a frontispiece of the complete cast and crew of the Renown film, and the illustrations are a mix of frames from the film, posed images shot on set, and publicity photos. There are also four full colour paintings based on the film. I think any HTF people reading this thread would probably know what's so exciting about this find; I'm knocked out, let me tell you. Here are a few iPod photos, the last of which is for my buddy Tony Bensley. I may scan and post the whole thing for you later, if you folks are interested. I sure would be.


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That is an amazing find, David! Thank you so much for sharing, my friend!! CHEERS!

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Is the phrase 'with illustrations from the Renown film' just illiteracy, or was there a production company called Renown?

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Is the phrase 'with illustrations from the Renown film' just illiteracy, or was there a production company called Renown?

Renown Films/Renown Pictures Corporation is a film distributor founded by George Minter in 1938. Renown is still around today, and distribute Scrooge in the UK. https://www.renownfilms.co.uk/

 

[AnthonyClarke]

T hanks for the elucidation. I did have me wondering.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I stumbled upon the news that Teresa Derrington, the elusive actress who played Fred's maid, died earlier this year at age 89.

R.I.P., Teresa Derrington

One of the all-time most popular Dickensblog posts was my 2013 interview with Teresa Derrington Cozens-Hardy, who appeared as Fred's maid in the 1951 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Though her performance was very brief, generations of viewers have fallen...

dickensblog.typepad.com

 

[Mike Frezon]

There's a link to that wonderful print interview with Derrington about her part in the film posted in these parts. I actually have looked it up to re-read on more than one occasion.

 

[JoeDoakes]

What’s the publication date?

 

[JoeDoakes]

Again at Value Village just now, I saw this vintage hardcover book in their showcase for $49.99. I had no idea it existed, but needless to say I was not going to spend the rest of my life regretting not getting it. The text is simply the Dickens original story, with a frontispiece of the complete cast and crew of the Renown film, and the illustrations are a mix of frames from the film, posed images shot on set, and publicity photos. There are also four full colour paintings based on the film. I think any HTF people reading this thread would probably know what's so exciting about this find; I'm knocked out, let me tell you. Here are a few iPod photos, the last of which is for my buddy Tony Bensley. I may scan and post the whole thing for you later, if you folks are interested. I sure would be.


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The publication date of this book?