A Christmas Carol (2004)

PLOT:

Lyricist Lynn Ahrens wrote the teleplay, based on her and Mike Ockrent’s book for the original Madison Square Garden stage musical. The score contains 22 songs, also adapted from the stage. The opening number, “Jolly Good Time”, is a more jovial reworking of the first two numbers in the stage version, “The Years Are Passing By” and “Jolly, Rich, and Fat”. In the next number, “Nothing to Do With Me”, Scrooge first encounters the three ghosts of Christmas in their real-world guises as a lamplighter (Past), a charity show barker (Present), and a blind beggar woman (Future). We also see Scrooge’s long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit buying a Christmas chicken with his son Tiny Tim in the song “You Mean More to Me”.

As in other musical adaptations of A Christmas Carol, the visit of the ghost of Jacob Marley becomes a large-scale production number (“Link By Link”), featuring a half-dozen singing, dancing spirits presented with various levels of makeup and special effects. One of these ghosts in this version is known to be an old colleague of Scrooge and Marley’s, Mr. Haynes, who was said to be “mean to the bone,” resulting to his charred skeleton. Other puns include a headless spirit who wanted to get ahead.

The Ghost of Christmas Past, portrayed in this film by a young woman (Jane Krakowski) rather than a man, sings “The Lights of Long Ago”, a number reinforcing her signature theme of illuminating Scrooge’s worldview. One notable departure from Dickens’ novella in this portion of the film is its depiction of Ebenezer Scrooge’s father, identified as John William Scrooge, being sentenced to debtor’s prison while his horrified family looks on (a scene inspired by events from Dickens’ own childhood).

The Ghost of Christmas Present gets two numbers, “Abundance and Charity” and “Christmas Together”, in which he makes his point that Christmas is a time for celebration, generosity, and fellowship. The former takes place at a fantastical version of the charity show he was seen promoting on Christmas Eve, and the latter whisks Scrooge on a tour of London that includes the homes of his nephew Fred, his clerk Bob Cratchit, and Mr. Smythe, a recently widowed client of Scrooge’s lending house.

Unlike the faceless phantom that embodies Christmas Yet to Come in most versions of A Christmas Carol (including the book), this film features a mute sorceress figure clad in white (a transmogrification of the blind hag who appears on Christmas Eve). The entire Christmas Future sequence plays out in song (“Dancing On Your Grave”, “You Mean More to Me (Reprise)”, and “Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Today”), culminating in Scrooge’s awakening in his bedroom on Christmas morning.

“What a Day, What a Sky” serves as a musical bookend to “Nothing to Do With Me”, dramatizing Scrooge’s new outlook as he races through the streets of London making amends. The film concludes with a reprise of “Christmas Together” featuring virtually the entire cast.

REVIEW:

Yeah, I know this is the third version of A Christmas Carol I’ve reviewed in the past couple of months. The second in the last couple of days, but this one is such a 180 from all the other versions that I just had to watch it.

Usually when you see A Christmas Carol, it is a dark, dreary version of London. Even in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, this is true. However, this version brings us a bright London. As a matter of fact, if I didn’t know better, I could’ve sworn I saw the sun in some of the scenes. If you’ve ever paid attention to London in film, you never see the sun, as it is almost always portrayed as a rainy place. Having never been there, I can say whether this is true or not.

A question was raised this summer somewhere asking what movie would you like to see as a musical. There so many I could envision, but A Christmas Carol isn’t one of them. Having said that, though, if I was going to make it a musical, it wouldn’t be as happy as this.

If you’ve read previous entires, then you are more than aware that I don’t normally go for the dark stuff, unless it is necessary. A dark tone works best for this story because it exemplifies how we meet Ebenezer Scrooge. The ending was fine with the lighter tone, though, because he is a happier person.

Other than a couple of songs in this film, the music is extremely forgettable, and even those couple aren’t exactly going to leave a lasting impression in your head.

The acting is ok for what it is. The focus seems to be more on the music, except for area here and there where there are no songs anywhere.

The feeling I got from this is that the producers didn’t spend much money on this. It feels as if it is a cheap TV film, which it is, but there’s no excuse. The 1984 version is a TV film and it, as I said before, is the gold standard by which they are all measured. There is nothing spectacular about this film, but it is a different version of the classic story, but I wouldn’t recommend it other than to see it once and form your own opinion. It just isn’t that good.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

A Christmas Carol

PLOT:

In the Victorian period, Ebenezer Scrooge is a cynical and embittered old man whose greatest concern is money, and who regards compassion as a luxury he cannot afford. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley, his former business partner, who arranges for Scrooge to be visited by three spirits in an attempt to show him the errors of his ways — the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. The spirits force Scrooge to examine the failings of his own life, as well as the bravery and optimism of his loyal but ill-treated employee Bob Cratchit. Scrooge reforms, learning to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in his heart, ultimately becoming a well-loved and respected man.

REVIEW:

The first A Christmas Carol that I saw was Mickey’s Christmas Carol. I don’t need to tell you the culture shock I endured when I went from that version to this one. While they are two radically different takes on the classic tale, the story and message are still the same.

Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed by the immortal George C. Scott, who not long before this film was released had brought General Patton to life in Patton. Scott is perfect as Scrooge, what with his gruff demeanor and gravelly, raspy voice that I just assumed Scrooge would have. When playing a character as emotionally complex…or devoid of emotions, if you will…as SCrooge, ti takes a competent actor, and Scott fits the bill. On top of that, he has the chops to carry the film as the leading man.

Marley’s ghost scared me as a little boy when I first saw him. Imagine seeing this apparition walking into this rickety old house and then sit there without blinking and lets out a blood curdling scream. It freaked me out, let me tell ya! The actor that plays him had some major discipline in order to sit there and not blink. Remember, this is from 1984, way before CGI.

Another quite intimidating moment, was the ghost of Christmas yet-to-come. I’m not sure he was scary per se, as he just looked like a black cloak with an arm from a skeleton, but the music they played when he was on-screen just set the mood.

Tiny Tim is just precious, and the supporting cast, while not made of big name actors, is quite capable of…well…supporting the film.

I applaud the producers for chosing mostly British actors for this film. It brought more of a realistic feel to it, rather than having to endure people in old London sounding like they’re from the ghettos of Boston or New York City.

Other than Mickey’s Christmas Carol, this has got to most televised version of the Dickens classic. I like to refer to it as the gold standard by which all version should be measured up to. Including the newest incarnation of A Christmas Carol, none have quite been able to measure up. That just goes to show how well made this is. To top that off, this was only a television movie! Come Christmas time, there certain movies/specials that it just wouldn’t be the holidays without seeing, A Christmas Carol is one of them.

5 out of 5 stars

A Christmas Carol (Disney)

PLOT:

On Christmas Eve in Victorian England, Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter and miserly old moneylender, holds everything that embodies the joys and spirit of Christmas in contempt, refusing to visit his cheerful nephew Fred’s Christmas dinner party with his family, and forcing his underpaid employee Bob Cratchit to beg to take the day off for his own family. That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who had died seven years prior on Christmas Eve and is now forced to spend his afterlife carrying heavy chains forged from his own greedy ways. Marley warns Scrooge that he will suffer an even worse fate if he doesn’t repent, and foretells that he will be haunted by three spirits that will help guide him.

The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, shows Scrooge visions of his own past that take place on or around the Christmas season, reminding him of how he ended up the greedy man he is now. He had spent much of his childhood neglected by his father over the holidays at boarding school until he was finally brought home by his loving sister Fan, who died prematurely after giving birth to his nephew Fred. Scrooge later began a successful career in business and moneylending and became engaged to a woman named Belle, though she later called off the engagement when he began to grow obsessed with accumulating his own wealth. Unable to bear having to witness these events again, Scrooge extinguishes the spirit.

The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Scrooge the happiness of his fellow men on Christmas day. Among them are his nephew Fred, who playfully makes jokes with his family at Scrooge’s expense, and Bob Cratchit and his family, who are just barely able to make do with what little pay Scrooge gives Cratchit. The Cratchits also tend to a sickly young son, Tiny Tim, whose commitment to the spirit of Christmas touches Scrooge, who is dismayed to learn from the spirit that he may not have much longer to live. Before the spirit vanishes, it warns Scrooge about the evils of Ignorance and Want, showing them as terrifying, uncivilized children doomed to grow into savage, despicable individuals.

The third and final spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,  shows Scrooge the final consequences of his greed. Tiny Tim has died, leaving the Cratchits to mourn him on Christmas. Scrooge has also died, though there is more comfort than grief in the wake of his funeral. In addition, Fred finds benefit from inheriting his wealth, and Scrooge is even robbed by his former maid. Unwilling to let this grim future come to pass, Scrooge begs to be given a second chance as the spirit forces him into his deep and empty grave leading all the way to Hell.

Scrooge awakens to find himself in his bed on Christmas morning, the three spirits having guided him over the course of one night, and immediately sets out to atone for his sins, making donations to the poor, attending Fred’s dinner party, and giving Cratchit a raise to care for his family, allowing Tiny Tim to live. Scrooge spends the remainder of his life a new man embodying the spirit of Christmas itself.

REVIEW:

A Christmas Carol has always been one of my favorite books. I’ve seen almost every version of this immortal story, and have to say that this is one of the best that I’ve seen.

Let me say that this is by no means the perfect interpretation of the book, but it is a very entertaining version. Before I go any further, let me say that normally I’m not a fan of 3D. These days it seems as though studios are just using it to jack up the prices of tickets, but it was actually worth it to see this in 3D. I can guarantee that when I see it on DVD in a few months, the experience won’t be the same. I still don’t think that 3D is all its cracked up to be, and definitely isn’t worth the extra money, but it is a different experience.

Many of the actors in this film lend their voices to numerous characters, not to mention their likeness. THe way these characters resembled their voices was scary. If I was an actor, I’d be wary of this technology. It could put me out of work.

Jim Carey really gets to show his voicing talent as Scrooge and the 3 spirits (only two of them speak). This is the kid of thing we expect from Carey, but Gary Oldman lends his voice to 3 people, as well. Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Jacob Marley. I’ve often said that Oldman is very chameleon-like is his performances, but this takes the cake.

Speaking of Jacob Marley, his was kind of creepy at first, but once he jaw nearly fell off, it lightened the mood. Sort of in the same way Goofy does in the version with Mickey Mouse. I’ve always wondered why Marley has his jaw pulled up like that, and now I know.

The spirits are intriguing, as expected, but I would have never envisioned Christmas past as a candle, nor Christmas present as a giant who can’t stop laughing. Yes, that guy laughed the entire time he was on the screen. Every version of Christmas present has him as a jolly giant, but this one takes the cake. Its like he had some laughing gas before he came to Scrooge or something. Even when he was being serious, he was laughing. I didn’t know what to think.

It is quite obvious that studios are getting more familiar with this technology. The cinematography in this film, as well as the graphics proved that, especially in the scene with all the ghosts after Marley floats out of the window and the sequence with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Some live action films aren’t this good.

As I said before, this is one of the best version of A Christmas Carol. Personally, I prefer the George C. Scott or Mickey Mouse versions, but that could be because I grew up on them, and isn’t an indictment of this film. I’m just more comfortable with them. In time, I’m sure this film will find its place in the pantheon of Christmas films. In the meantime, with Christmas coming up, I can fully recommend this. Is it worth the extra few bucks for the 3D glasses? Yes, it is, especially since the experience you’ll get is so immensely different that what you’ll get when this is released on DVD, not to mention the fact that hey actually have parts of the 3D that could be scary to some.

4 out of 5 stars