YES! That's the first Christmas movie my wife and I watch every year.
After that, Muppets then Mickey's. I didn't mind the Jim Carrey one with the darker atmosphere, but the gags during Christmas future kind of ruined it for me.
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What is your favorite adaptation of A Christmas Carol ?
- Thread starter pjl93
- Start date
YES! That's the first Christmas movie my wife and I watch every year.
After that, Muppets then Mickey's. I didn't mind the Jim Carrey one with the darker atmosphere, but the gags during Christmas future kind of ruined it for me.
I 100% agree with this. That was way better than it had any right to be, both telling the original story and then recontextualizing it in the "modern" setting to show it's not necessarily just a story. It's definitely underappreciated.
This right here. The music is excellent, as are all of the actors.
George C. Scott is probably my favorite Scrooge
I would have loved to have had a Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life) movie but he lost the use of his legs before he could do it. He apparently did radio versions though.
I would have loved to have had a Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life) movie but he lost the use of his legs before he could do it. He apparently did radio versions though.
The '51 version starring Alastair Sim, also called "Scrooge" is far and away the best version, though I enjoy the 70s Finney musical, the Muppets one and Scrooged.
Also, if you watch the '51 version, make sure you watch it in black & white, not the godawful colourised version.
Also, if you watch the '51 version, make sure you watch it in black & white, not the godawful colourised version.
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Anyone else remember seeing this scene in school on "movie day" and everyone bursting out with laughter?
"Are you the ghost of Christmas past?"
"I am"
"Long past?"
"Very"
Scrooged, but it's not really fair because you need to have seen/read the original story at least once to fully appreciate it.
Muppet brethren!!!
Also the accompanying album with John Denver is is the best Christmas album
Also, everyone praising Albery Finney's version is good people.
I love the Muppets one, but the Finney one is an even better musical.
Far and away my favorite version. Scott is such an awesome Scrooge and the spirits are fantastic.
the 1951 Alistair Sims version
unfortunately most people these days have probably only seen mangled versions of the movie, it was often shown on TV heavily edited down to fit under an hour
Sims performance is easily one of the best in the roll
unfortunately most people these days have probably only seen mangled versions of the movie, it was often shown on TV heavily edited down to fit under an hour
Sims performance is easily one of the best in the roll
1) Muppets
2) Patrick Stewart
3) Alistair Sim
4) George C Scott
1) and 2) swap places depending on my mood. Patrick Stewart one has the best transformation scene toward the end.
I'd put Scrooged in there as well, but somehow in my head canon it's just not "Christmas Carol"; no idea why.
The Jim Carrey one can take a hike, that weird animation style freaks me out and robs it of all humanity (and yes, I also dislike Polar Express for similar reasons)
2) Patrick Stewart
3) Alistair Sim
4) George C Scott
1) and 2) swap places depending on my mood. Patrick Stewart one has the best transformation scene toward the end.
I'd put Scrooged in there as well, but somehow in my head canon it's just not "Christmas Carol"; no idea why.
The Jim Carrey one can take a hike, that weird animation style freaks me out and robs it of all humanity (and yes, I also dislike Polar Express for similar reasons)
Scrooged feels almost like a genre comedy if the genre was "christmas carol movies"
it plays directly off the expectations of the older versions while adhering to the formula at the same time
it was a brilliant move having Scrooge be a TV executive putting on a tv special version of "A Christmas Carol"
Muppets for me, I love this Michael Caine quote from the wikipedia article
Michael Caine said:
Oh yep don't get me wrong; it's one of my favourite Christmas films. It's weird, I have a kind of "tier" system that's not really to do with how good a film it is, but how "Christmas" it is, and Scrooged comes in the "watch it in early December" tier rather than "watch it on Christmas Eve". Muppets is always a Christmas Eve one, for example.
I am shocked there are only 3 of us. Y'all are sleeping on Flintstones Christmas Carol. Some of the scenes from that special are burned into my brain.
Sim's plays a slightly more sympathetic asshole Scrooge, he seems more like a man completely apathetic with life and where he is in it
he's still a prick, but the movie does a great job showing his complete loneliness and hatred of where he ended up in life, even with his wealth
you'd think it wouldn't work but Sim's pulls off the transformation in spades, you want to see him care again even before Marley shows up
I agree, his portrayal is the most human and nuanced version of Scrooge IMO. What really sells it is his behavior after he wakes up on Christmas Day. The balance of giddiness and contrition feels just right, instead of just a jarring flipped switch from "bad Scrooge" to "good Scrooge" that many other versions are guilty of IMO.
It's also the scariest version!
