Escape to the Movies: A Christmas Carol

[Garfy]

In answer to the earlier question, Moviebob is right about Alastair Sim being the best Scrooge, you should definately see that one.

 

[MBE]

The only thing that could have made the movie worse would have been if Michael Bay was directing it.

LOL, literally! It's funny because it's true. Plus it would have Megan Fox in it but how they'd be able to find an excuse for a Victorian era character to show us her t*ts would be a stretch.

However, for me, the George C. Scott version is the timeless classic. However, I do enjoy the Bill Murray version.

 

[Angron]

probably is crap, i did like the 3d in the preview tho, im really impressed with this new 3D

 

[Skreeee]

My assumptions that the whole resurgence of 3D is just a gimmick to keep the cinemas economically afloat a little longer have never seemed more justified. Granted, I don't think there was a time when 3D glasses weren't a gimmick at the heart of the operation, but now it's just getting more and more clear (then again, the re-release of Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D a few years back should have made that abundantly obvious to anyone with half a brain).

Loved the NPR reference, by the way.

 

[BlueInkAlchemist]

As soon as I heard it was shot in 3-D and featured Jim Carrey, I suspected it'd be crap.

And Moviebob, Branagh's Hamlet was great because it was unabridged.

Seconded.

 

[crotalidian]

If one's biggest problem with foreign adaptations on one's culture's stories is the accent, one needs to apply some reason. First, foreign adaptation is just about the highest form of praise one can give a culture; parroting accents comes dangerously close to an insult regardless of how well it's done and with what sincerity. Second, Victorian English (Dickens), Middle English (Robin Hood and Shakespeare), and Old or not even English (Arther) sound regressively less like modern, true English (what they speak in London). Nobody is ever going to get the accent right, neither you nor me. Repeat after me: "Thank you for the presumed compliment of my culture."

And Moviebob, Branagh's Hamlet was great because it was unabridged.

I dont consider throwing an american into a lead role of an english story an 'adaptation' Scrooged is an adaptation and it worked becaus the story was applied to modern day new yourk and turned into a half decent black comedy. Setting the film where its meant to be set london/sherwood forest whatever but casting an american to boost the US appeal feels like butchering the Original. I agree that teh language should be somewhat adapted to the modern audience but at least keep it in the same country!

 

[Lilani]

I never really liked th sotry int he first place. I wish movies would stop being in 3D. Its ruining cinema with a cheap gimmick

Indeed it is. Ever since Fly Me to the Moon, 3D has been the flavor of the month for animated movies, just like how vampires have been the flavor of the month for books and TV shows ever since Twilight.

It's the new principle of making lucrative franchises nowadays: take an easily exploitable element from a successful franchise, shoehorn it into your project somehow, and voila. Instant money.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

My assumptions that the whole resurgence of 3D is just a gimmick to keep the cinemas economically afloat a little longer have never seemed more justified. Granted, I don't think there was a time when 3D glasses weren't a gimmick at the heart of the operation, but now it's just getting more and more clear (then again, the re-release of Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D a few years back should have made that abundantly obvious to anyone with half a brain).

It was still around, but at the moment everyone wants a piece of it. Even TV, Channel 4 in the UK are having a 3D week of programs and I know the series Chuck had a random 3D episode. Why? At least games dropped the '3D' bit a long time ago...

 

[oppp7]

I preferred the Albert Finny version... ("I hate people...")
OT: Why are there so many versions of the Scrooge? I'm so tired of that movie.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

Has Morning Zoo become a generalization for 'crappy radio morning show' or it is mostly in reference to the syndicated program carried by Clear Channel? Because I used to intern at the same station that Jimmy Jam and all those douchebags work at and I've been listening to that crap since I was a little kid and never before have I heard it referred to as 'morning zoo' unless people were talking specifically about the WNCI Morning Zoo, and now I've heard it pop up a number of places just in the last couple weeks, including here and on The Daily Show.

In either case, thanks a lot for making Columbus famous for giving the world douchebag crappy radio, Zoo crew. And no, I'm never coming back there to work. I hated that place, they always made me work in the prize closet stuffing bags.

OT Surprising to hear that it's ultra-literal, not surprising to hear that it was done without appropriate context. I figured it would just be a 3D wank fest framed around the Scrooge McDuck approach to the Dickens tale.

 

[dekkarax]

I liked the one with Patrick Stewart, though my memory of it is a bit hazy.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

3D Movies = Slasher/Disaster/Chase.
Dickens = Pondering (not ponderous) Social Commentary.

The mere idea of this film is like...uh... The 2 'Ben 10's of Verona, Megan Fox as Jane Eyre, Kramer vs. Gremlins, Star Trek versus Vampires...

Just why?

 

[Brockyman]

George C Scott was the best Scrooge. Hands down!!!

 

[Fellwarden]

I love the muppets version. I think I've seen three other versions, but I have no idea which versions they were, with the exception of Scrooge McDuck.

 

[ninjajoeman]

so this movie is like making friends with one person in the whole world and kicking him in the balls and swearing at him in spanish....?

 

[Littaly]

Hmmm, wonder how it's like dubbed...

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Whew... Just tore that one down before it had a chance to get started, huh Bob? I haven't seen it yet, and I probably will still see it despite the lashing it just received. I can't remember if it was George C. Scott, but the best Christmas Carol adaptation I saw was one in black and white, probably some time in the 40s or 50s.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

That may be the finest one yet, great job.

Muppet's Christmas is my favorite take on the Scrooge story. How can anyone be mean to Kermit?

 

[HobbesMkii]

Hey! I liked Kenneth Brannagh's super-literal Hamlet. Not as good as his Henry V, but still pretty damn good.

Am I the only one who hates A Christmas Carol to begin with? I mean, the whole thing is so goddamned preachy. That's actually my real trouble with Dickens: the man loves to fucking talk. He was clearly being paid by the word. And he had a social message too, which is fine, that's what art's about, but Jesus, Dickens will pack eight or nine social messages into one tome, and tell it to you straight like he's writing an essay. If he has poor but hard-working boy obtaining financial success, we'd all see the moral in that. But that wouldn't be enough for Dickens to let us go with a message based on plot and characterization, oh no. He'd need to specifically point out to us, in three pages or more, that the only reason the kid succeeded at all was because he had the moral fortitude to do so.