Best version of A Christmas Carol?

[martryn]

My father and I agree that it's probably the Alastair Sim classic. There are other classics, though, from George C Scott to Captain Picard to the Muppets. Scrooged is fantastic. I think Disney had one with Mickey Mouse that was actually pretty good. Kinda wanted to gauge opinions here, since you guys are all pretentious pricks which actually lends some weight to a discussion like this.

Also wanted to know if there were some other non-traditional versions of the story (like in Scrooged) that are passable that I might not have heard of.

[Toxic Fletch]

since you guys are all pretentious pricks which actually lends some weight to a discussion like this

I'm so looking for a karma or thumbs up button, but can't find one.


My favorite version is the one with Alastair Sim as well. Sometimes I would catch a presentation of it on TV that is hosted by Patrick Macnee as he shares anecdotes during commercial breaks. Haven't seen that presentation in a while.

[ShogunRua]

My father and I agree that it's probably the Alastair Sim classic. There are other classics, though, from George C Scott to Captain Picard to the Muppets. Scrooged is fantastic. I think Disney had one with Mickey Mouse that was actually pretty good. Kinda wanted to gauge opinions here, since you guys are all pretentious pricks which actually lends some weight to a discussion like this.

Also wanted to know if there were some other non-traditional versions of the story (like in Scrooged) that are passable that I might not have heard of.

My all-time favorite version, although it's certainly non-traditional, is Blackadder's Christmas Carol. In it, Ebenezer Blackadder is a wonderful, giving, and generous man taken advantage of by all his vicious neighbors, Tiny Tim included. However, after seeing visions of his ancestors and descendants, he decides to become a cruel, bullying miser.

[saudade]

This needed a collection, so I made one

My favorite is Scrooge (1970), but I'm 2/3 away from committing to that pick & Blackadder's Christmas Carol sounds like the best version of anything ever.

[Stewball]

Never heard of Blackadder's Christmas Carol before but it's entered in Amazon for me to watch tonight. Couldn't be a more appropriate time. Seems to be right up my alley. Looks like the only film version that doesn't take Dicken's class warfare bleeding heart and spread it all over the screen, with Oliver Twist getting it on with Annie in the background while singing "I'll love you tomorrow.....etc.". (I tell ya, Hollywood's missin' the boat not giving me a call for my concept creativity.)

What Dicken's did with Scrooge is sort of what the socialists did with Robin Hood, what with the class warfare propaganda of robbing from the rich to give to the poor, instead of what it was originally, returning the poor's money taken back from the government--which was why they were poor. Oddly enough, Disney made the most honest version of the legend with the live action movie back in the early 50s, before the company became one of the leaders pushing a leftist agenda.

Continuing my diversion, speaking of Disney, Scrooge McDuck is a great property they've been sitting on for decades, except for Mickey's Christmas Carol , and the Ducktales abomination. Yes Scrooge was a skinflint, but he was an honorable one. Better to an honorable miser than a corrupt "hero". God knows they aren't about to glorify capitalism even if that's what put them where they are.



Compare that with this modern version of that portrait--simple, stark, and note the evil smirk:



Very few have seen the Scrooge comics (swamped not so ironically by superheroes in the golden age of "graphic novels"), with his satirical 3 cubic acres of money, and the interesting adventures he had, like this in the jungles of Borneo, "The City of Golden Roofs".


"?"......"I made a sale!"

So.....What?.....Merry Christmas??? Scrooge wouldn't say, "Bah Humbug". Free markets are what made America the economic powerhouse it is, which is spreading around the world and making other populations economically successful as well, against all the best efforts of the ever lurking fascist socialists out there. So yeah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or whatever. Cynical, not in the least (in this instance). Sure, I love money, but there's so much else out there that I want more, like Truth, love and justice, and as in this case, following where my promising diversions take me....the same old things on every New Year's resolution list.

[Stewball]

Well, I got sucked into that one. Didn't notice The Blackadder starred Rowan Atkinson, and then the obnoxious laugh track and the absent plot had me dumping it after about 5 min., which was 5 min. too long.

[ShogunRua]

What Dicken's did with Scrooge is sort of what the socialists did with Robin Hood, what with the class warfare propaganda of robbing from the rich to give to the poor, instead of what it was originally, returning the poor's money taken back from the government--which was why they were poor. Oddly enough, Disney made the most honest version of the legend with the live action movie back in the early 50s, before the company became one of the leaders pushing a leftist agenda.

That's a very interesting point. I wonder what Robin Hood was closer to reality; the robber who spread some of his wealth around to enhance his reputation among the local villagers and keep from being lynched? Or the more high-minded robber that robbed from members of a predatory government? Unfortunately, as with most history from so long ago, it's exceedingly difficult to know.

Well, I got sucked into that one. Didn't notice The Blackadder starred Rowan Atkinson, and then the obnoxious laugh track and the absent plot had me dumping it after about 5 min., which was 5 min. too long.

Some people just don't like British humor!

[martryn]

Stewball, I..... I think I love you.

I actually liked the Uncle Scrooge version of A Christmas Carol as well.

I did watch Blackadder last year. I'd rank it really high for it's concept. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I been more familiar with the series. My wife was telling me a little bit about it, and I got the impression that some knowledge of the series would have made the entire experience... more enjoyable? More coherent? *shrug* I'll get around to watching Blackadder eventually.

[Stewball]

That's a very interesting point. I wonder what Robin Hood was closer to reality; the robber who spread some of his wealth around to enhance his reputation among the local villagers and keep from being lynched? Or the more high-minded robber that robbed from members of a predatory government? Unfortunately, as with most history from so long ago, it's exceedingly difficult to know.

True but irrelevant. The issue is which version of the legend emerged first, and which is used today....and why.

Well, I got sucked into that one. Didn't notice The Blackadder starred Rowan Atkinson, and then the obnoxious laugh track and the absent plot had me dumping it after about 5 min., which was 5 min. too long.

Some people just don't like British humor!

But I do like dry British humor/satire (early ex. Chaucer and Lewis Carrol; modern In Bruges, Death at a Funeral), which this is not. It's slapstick and silly, and poorly done at that.

Stewball, I..... I think I love you.

I actually liked the Uncle Scrooge version of A Christmas Carol as well.

Yeah, been a long time, I need to watch it again.

I did watch Blackadder last year. I'd rank it really high for it's concept. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I been more familiar with the series. My wife was telling me a little bit about it, and I got the impression that some knowledge of the series would have made the entire experience... more enjoyable? More coherent? *shrug* I'll get around to watching Blackadder eventually.

I just couldn't get Jerry Lewis out of my head.

[lisa-]

rowan atkinson is a tryhard, especially in blackadder.

anyway, by coincidence i just saw my first christmas carol movie, the disney animated one. it was shit.