Katrina Selby

(2013-06-19 03:18:22)

My personal favorite version of Dicken's classic tale.

In response to the other comment posted, I can agree. This version is notsuitable for ALL ages. Parents should be advised to monitor their smallchildren and perhaps omit the more dramatic scenes involving the Ghost ofChristmas Future. When I share this movie with little friends under 12, Itake care to either distract them from those sections, or omit them,thanksto the power of the fast-forward button. (But really, today's kids 8-9andup see way more violent & scary stuff these days!)However, having said that, I own a copy and have watched it faithfullyeveryChristmas Eve or Christmas Day for nigh onto 20 years. It renews myspiritand reminds me of my responsibilities as a human being.At the tender age of 12, my Dad took me to see "Scrooge" in the theaterwhenit was released for Christmas. At only 12 years of age, the scenes of theGhost of Christmas Future were quite vivid.However, the movie made such an impression on me that it influenced myentire Life philosophy. "Mankind is our business" says Dickens throughtheGhost of Christmas Present. This joyful movie filled with wonderful songsthat bring me the Christmas Spirit every year. It also imparts the valueofstaying connected to matters of the spirit and heart, and illustrates thedifficulties that arise when ones focus becomes only the material or themonetary. That is a valuable lesson to us all, not just at Christmas, butthe whole year through.I recommend this movie to everyone. Personally, I find it much moreengagingand inspiring, not to mention, colorful, than any other version. Theperformances of all the actors are very entertaining. If you're thesentimental type, keep a hankie close by when Tiny Tim sings for hisfamilyat Christmas. What an angel!Just my 2 cents worth!

rbirds1

(2013-06-18 12:15:58)

An Imaginative and Colorful Retelling of Dickens

I've never understood why this version of Dicken" Christmas Storywasn't popular. The acting is sound, the sets attractive, the storyemphasizes all the primary points of the story. The music is theslightest bit one-dimensional, as the New York Times mentioned at its'release, but the lyrics are wonderfully clever.While clever, imaginative, and true to the spirit of the story, it doeshave a dark side and I wonder if the darkness drives people toward moreuniformly cheerful versions.I recommend this to anyone who enjoys good acting, a faithful renditionof the storyline, good sets and a nice rendition of the characters.Who can resist Dame Edith Evans, portraying the Ghost of ChristmasPast, responding to Scrooge's observation that her resplendent dress asnot looking as if she were a ghost, saying "Thank you."The best telling of the story, I think.

(2013-06-17 16:55:29)

Great film, outdated format

This review is from: Scrooge [VHS] (VHS Tape) This film is probably overall the most underrated version of "A Christmas Carol" but paradoxically it has become a Yuletide classic over the last 30 years. Like many others, I cannot understand why this film is not yet available on DVD. There must be some legal entanglement involved. (A new contract has to be negotiated with the copyright holder in order to reissue a music recording or a film in a different format)"Scrooge" gets better with each passing year (I guess that says something about the times) and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a spirited (pun intended) Christmas treat. Let's hope the Ghost of Christmas Future will gift us with the DVD next year.

(2013-06-17 11:02:53)

Scrooge with Albert Finney

This review is from: Scrooge (DVD) I have searched high and low for this one. I have seen pretty much all of the adaptations of Charles Dickens Christmas Carol and besides the classic one with Alistair Sims, this is my all time favorite. The music in this one is great as well as the way Finney delights us with his intepretation of the old miser. I especially love when he's in the future and everyone is singing Thank You Very Much and he has no idea why he's being thanked. You'll have to get this movie to find out the answer to that puzzle. As I said, after having seen many of the Dickens' interpretations of this classic, this one for some reason always delights me and I'm thrilled to have been able to finally replace the one I had lost. Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone

(2013-06-17 02:36:26)

Scrooge -- A holiday classic

This review is from: Scrooge [VHS] (VHS Tape) I grew up watching the classic 1951 Alastair Sim version of A Christmas Carol, and at first I didn't like Scrooge, the Albert Finney musical version. After repeated watchings, however, it has grown on me and I have come to really love it. In its own way it is very true to the spirit of Dickens' tale. This past Christmas season it wasn't on TV and we couldn't find our tape, and I really started getting upset. Is Scrooge "great cinema"? It doesn't have to be and it doesn't try to be. It is perfect just the way it is. It is a holiday classic your family can watch every year, like The Wizzard of Oz, the Peanuts movies and It's a Wonderful Life.

Tracy_Winters_2

(2013-06-16 13:09:17)

Old HAM-den Town

Albert Finney is stuffed with cloves in this musical version of theDickens holiday classic.Finney plays Scrooge with gnarled hands and dirty fingernails,stumbling about the greater township collecting debts and singingcrappy songs like 'I Hate People'. Deviations from the book include theGhost of Christmas Past appearing in the form of an old spinster(!) andScrooge's former love having the personality of a junkyard dog.... nowonder Scrooge dumped her. All the songs suck except the openingcredits theme and 'Father Christmas'.And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God bless us, this movie shows up ontelevision only once a year."

Mark

(2013-06-15 23:48:55)

PERFECT

MY GREATEST MEMORY OF MY CHILDHOOD WAS SEEING THIS MOVIE WITH MY MOTHER. I OWN AT LEAST 30 DVD'S AND VHS OF THIS FILM. THEY ARE PUT AWAY FOR MY CHILDREN AND MY CHILDRENS CHILDREN. WHENEVER I SEE MR. FINNEY IN ANYTHING I START TO CRY. HIS PERFORMANCE WAS PERFECT.

Plumpkin

(2013-06-15 09:21:16)

The best of the bunch

This is the best re-telling of A Christmas Carol, in my opinion. If youlike musicals, you won't be able to resist "father Christmas" or "I hateChristmas" or any of the other wonderful, wonderful songs. Albert Finneygives a pathos to Scrooge that I find lacking in many of the otherversions,and you find yourself rooting for him, hoping he'll change (even thoughyouknow he will).

(2013-06-14 23:50:39)

Let's remember that this is supposed to be Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"...

Being a passionate lover of the original Dickens novel and an ardent fan of musical theater, I honestly wish I could say something good about this movie, which has for some unknown reason become a beloved classic and required Christmas viewing for many families, some of which have probably never read the original novel and rely on movie adaptations for all of their knowledge of the piece.Unfortunately, while it actually has a better score than the other "Christmas Carol" film musical (the one with Kelsey Grammer), it succeeds much less well at capturing the tone and emotional content of the novel, and when you're musicalizing what is hands-down and indisputably one of the very best books ever written, that ultimately matters more than the workmanship of the piece itself, which, let's face it, isn't going to upstage its source material no matter how well-done it is."Scrooge" is just the standard cliche movie adaptation of the novel that we've seen over and over, halted for fine, sometimes gorgeous songs that nonetheless are barely integrated at all and usually have nothing to do with the story beyond the fact that some of them have a Christmas theme. And because literally everyone who watches this or any other movie already knows not just the basic story, but every single plot event from beginning to end, by heart, any movie that fails to bring to life the emotional heat of the original novel, as this one does, will actually tend to be rather boring.This dull, formulaic rehash transforms near the end into a truly infuriating travesty, bordering on deliberate parody. Not only do they play the story's most deadly serious moment for out-of-place and almost sacriligious (considering the immense importance of Dickens' book) comedy, but they make it seem as if Scrooge is only changing his ways under the threat of death. This is far from the intent of the novel, but is the case in many other poorly-thought-out adaptations, and it utterly kills the effectiveness of the piece, cheapening the emotional content and making the entire story unconvincing, artificial, even pointless.On a final note, while Finney, despite his terrible singing voice, gives a highly amusing performance, the part of Scrooge simply does not call for a comedian. It requires a dramatic actor capable of moving the audience and bringing the character to life and sympathy, none of which Finney's caricature manages to do. In fact, everyone in this movie, even Alec Guinness in his commendable performance as Marley, seems to think they're performing in a comedy. This is a serious work, one of the most moving and inspiring stories ever told, and almost none of that emotional power comes through in this mildly amusing but vastly disappointing film.

BenKenobisGirl-2

(2013-06-14 07:43:51)

A delightful holiday musical!

When Christmas rolls around, there's always a glut of adaptions of CharlesDickens' "A Christmas Carol". This wonderful film is not one to bedismissedwhen the other twelve overwhelm you! Full of great songs that will staywithyou long after the movie is over ("December the 25th", "Happiness", "FatherChristmas") and impressive dancing, this will easily become your favouriteholiday movie. Made in 1970 with a young Albert Finney taking on both rollsof the ancient Scrooge and the young man before he changed. The film isfullof great actors (Alec Guiness as Jacob Marley's Ghost!) and fun moments.Take a moment in the hectic Christmas season to watch it. You'll neverregret it.

(2013-06-14 18:07:21)

It will forever remain in my heart

I saw this movie when I was in juniour high. I was going through a tough time growing up, and our family was having a hard time, also. This movie gave me hope and made me believe in 'the goodness' of mankind. It is based on a classic novel by Dickens, yet it is unique with the beautiful numbers, from the sad 'Beutiful Morning' to my favorite 'Thank You Very Much'(which won best song at the oscars). My family has drift apart since the first time we saw this movie, yet whenever 'Scrooge' is playing on the video everyone can't help but look at it and smile and before we know it, we are seated together watching the movie. It will remain forever in my heart.

mfgarr

(2013-06-14 02:20:54)

Thank you very much !!

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. This rendition ofDickens's A Christmas Carol is absolutely marvelous. Albert Finneyplays old Scrooge perfectly. There are so many great moments in thisfilm....when Scrooge yells at himself and calls himself a "fool" whenhe lets his fiancГѓВ©e walk away...when he drinks the "milk of humankindness" and gets all giddy...when he participates in the game hisnephew and friends are playing (obviously forgetting that they can'tsee him), and so on and so on. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come isparticularly ominous. I believe God himself would be smiling to seeScrooge's joyous transformation. This movie is not to be missed.

(2013-06-12 23:13:58)

I NEVER GET TIRED OF IT

I agree with the other reviewers...where's the DVD? I've played this tape year after year every christmas and I never get tired of it...unfortunately it's beginning to wear out and I need another copy! The songs are the kind you keep humming every day during the holidays (although I have a little trouble understanding all the words to "Thank You Very Much") and it's a christmas lover's classic. The choreography is excellently done, especially at the end with the recorder players, and the story itself...well, there's a reason more films have been made out of this classic Dickens tale than any other story...and critically, I'd call this one the best version. Certainly it is on par with anything Disney could come up with, even after 32 years. I'm sure that the only reason there is no DVD yet is one or both reasons: Either there is some legal red tape to get through with copyright laws, or the producers just can't think of any "extras" to put on the DVD...probably because many of the actors are already dead.

todd-matthews

(2013-06-12 13:17:45)

The Best Christmas Carol of them all!

I stumbled on to this gem of a movie as a child. It became increasinglydifficult to find as I grew older. While I was in the Army I happenedacross a copy on VHS and was thrilled. It has become a tradition in myhousehold to watch every Christmas, quote the lines and sing the songs.Albert Finney is without a doubt the definitive Scrooge. Hisperformance is exemplary. The casting in this movie is flawless. Unlikea great many musicals, the songs are both memorable and enjoyable. Inmy opinion it is the best representation of Dicken's classic tale. Ifyou are a fan of the timeless story of Scrooge or a fan of well-mademusicals, you must not miss out on this holiday treat!

(2013-06-12 05:10:01)

Absolutely a Christmas Must

When I first saw this movie at about 8 years old, I fell in love with it. Christmas isn't christmas without it. My father and I often watch it at other times of year too. The review on this homepage which states that the music isn't all that good is sorely wrong. The whole movie is put together with the music to tell a tale that captivates even an 8 year old. Now at 31 I am ecstatic to know I can now get it on dvd!!!!!! Thank You Very Much!!!!!!!!!

(2013-06-11 23:45:59)

Widescreen is a MUST for Scrooge!

This review is from: Scrooge (DVD) When I bought and watched this DVD it was the first time I have seen ALL of the movie! It is a joy to be able to see the whole movie now.I have a video of this movie I got back in the 80's. I compared it to the DVD and I must say you miss a great deal of this movie watching the pan and scan version. It is so broken and disjointed the P&S way; in parts you can't see whom a person is talking to.The first scene with the boys singing and Scrooge comes out, one of the boys speaks but you can't see him. In the DVD you can see him and all the other boys as well!In the scene with Scrooge, his nephew, and Bob C, so much is lost, when Bob C agreed with a comment Scrooge's nephew makes, you could not see everyone's expression with P&S. In the DVD widescreen you can see EVERYONE. It makes a BIG difference in portraying the scene. The scene with the ghost of Christmas past, where they are out side and the children are coming by in the wagons, it is so much clearer on the DVD, you see Scrooge and the ghost to the side as the wagons past them by. You just see the wagons in the P&S. Scrooge and the ghost are completely cut out. In the scene at the party in the past, Scrooge sees himself and states, "I was a good looking chap". In the P&S you can only see young Scrooge, but in the beautiful widescreen format you can see young Scrooge, old Scrooge and the ghost!In the scene with Christmas present, at Bob's house when young Tim is singing, instead of the panning back and forth unable to really get a feel of the house, you see the whole family standing listening to Tim, you get a real sense of the love and the warmth of the family.I could go on and on the things that were missed with P&S, the scene at the nephew's party, the scene in the future with Tom the hot soup man.The picture is so clear and able to see the whole movie I wondered what was the deal with Scrooge's house? It was hard to get a good sense of the place with P&S, but it is really run down! What a dump!There are certain movies that should never be shown in P&S and this is definitely one of them!Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing this movie to DVD in its original theatrical format!Folks if you buy a copy of Scrooge for Christmas this year make sure it is in WIDESCREEN FORMAT! You won't believe how much of the picture is missing in P&S or how much more you will enjoy seeing the WHOLE film.Merry Christmas!

(2013-06-11 14:25:35)

One of the best...

Scrooge is the best Christmas Carol adaptation in my opinion. My family has watched this version every year since 1985 and there are none better for conveying the spirit of Dickens' work, even if liberties are taken in telling the story. This one grows on you more and more each year.

(2013-06-11 04:42:14)

The best version of "A Christmas Carol!"

This is my all time favorite Christmas movie! I have been watching it every Christmas season since I was a child, and I never tire of it. What was the Amazon reviewer thinking?? I have seen most of the versions of "A Christmas Carol," and while I enjoy all of them, "Scrooge" is the very best as far as I am concerned. Paramount, I want it on DVD!

Athene19

(2013-06-10 10:47:45)

The classic Christmas film

Scrooge is one of those films where you can sit down and let it wash allover you. Finney is the perfect Scrooge: despicable, mean, sarcastic and alot better than others who have portrayed the miserly character. Scrooge'slove and loss of Isabelle is touching as is Tiny Tim's song about his dreamof Christmas. The depth of feeling, character and love combines into thisabsolutely wonderful musical which, while showing the horrific differencesbetween the two classes of society, shows how they can be combined with alittle Christmas cheer. By the end of the film, you might just find thatthere is a little more to Christmas than you thought. I dare you to watch itand sing along to all those catchy numbers!

drosse67

(2013-06-10 05:51:10)

Frightening

The movie scared me to death when I saw it as a young child. I spent moretime in the movie theater turning my head, looking at the projector insteadof what was onscreen. What I remembered were the ghosts--I was too young (4years old) to get what the story is really about.Watching it as an adult, it's frightening in another way: The songs! A few are acceptable, while most of them are horrible. The same thing thatplagued Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (which I also saw at a veryyoung age and scared me just as much). A few of the songs in Willy Wonkahave become standards in spite of themselves, but most still make me cringe. For Scrooge, Albert Finney is the main reason to see this movie. No onedoes the "grumpy transformation" better than Finney. Just don't take your 4year old (or 5, or 6 year old) child to see it. They will be traumatizedfor years, like I was.