A Christmas Carol (2009)

An animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel), Robert Zemeckis (screenplay)

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Steve Valentine, Gary Oldman

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Scrooge / Ghost of Christmas Past / Scrooge as a Young Boy / Scrooge as a Teenage Boy / Scrooge as a Young Man / Scrooge as a Middle-Aged Man / Ghost of Christmas Present / Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Steve Valentine	...	Funerary Undertaker / Topper
Daryl Sabara	...	Undertaker's Apprentice / Tattered Caroler / Beggar Boy / Peter Cratchit / Well-Dressed Caroler
Sage Ryan	...	Tattered Caroler
Amber Gainey Meade	...	Tattered Caroler / Well-Dressed Caroler
Ryan Ochoa	...	Tattered Caroler / Beggar Boy / Young Cratchit Boy / Ignorance Boy / Young Boy with Sleigh
Bobbi Page	...	Tattered Caroler / Well-Dressed Caroler
Ron Bottitta	...	Tattered Caroler / Well-Dressed Caroler
Sammi Hanratty	...	Beggar Boy / Young Cratchit Girl / Want Girl
Julian Holloway	...	Fat Cook / Portly Gentleman #2 / Business Man #3
Gary Oldman	...	Bob Cratchit / Marley / Tiny Tim
Colin Firth	...	Fred
Cary Elwes	...	Portly Gentleman #1 / Dick Wilkins / Mad Fiddler / Guest #2 / Business Man #1
Robin Wright	...	Fan / Belle (as Robin Wright Penn)
Bob Hoskins	...	Fezziwig / Old Joe

Storyline

Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | christmas eve | scrooge | victorian era | miser | 

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Taglines:

Christmas comes but once a year, but for one man, that's once too often.

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for scary sequences and images

Details

Official Sites:

Disney [us] Official site [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol: An IMAX 3D Experience

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,917,539 (UK) (6 November 2009)

Gross:

£20,371,281 (UK) (10 December 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, ImageMovers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Sonics-DDP (IMAX version) SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jim Carrey's first project with Walt Disney Pictures.

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Goofs

When the first spirit visits Scrooge, servants' bells are shown mysteriously jingling in his bedroom. Bells tell the servants which room of the mansion is calling for them, and weren't normally placed in the master's bedroom. They were usually installed in the kitchen, the pantry, or the servants' chambers. However, Charles Dickens explained that Scrooge's large house had been subdivided and let out as office space except for a "suite of rooms" that Scrooge kept to himself as living quarters. Dickens states that there was but one single disused bell in Scrooge's chambers - which "communicated for a forgotten purpose" with another chamber higher in the building. Dickens notes other bells in the house also began to ring. Disney chose to put all the bells in the room with Scrooge, which is inaccurate according to the Dickens work and contrary to the way servants' bells were normally placed.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ebenezer Scrooge: [upon viewing Marley in casket] Yes, quite dead. As a doornail.

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Connections

Version of Bah Humduck!: A Looney Tunes Christmas (2006)

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Soundtracks

"God Bless Us Everyone"
Written and Produced by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri
Performed by 'Andrea Bocelli'
Courtesy of Sugar s.r.l.

User Reviews

Fine Interpretation for Adults: Not for Children

What would Christmas be without a visit to Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', a story that dates back to 1843 and has been loved and read every year at this time? There have been other films, stage productions, musicals, and family readings galore and it still holds the magic of what the spirit of Christmas is all about. Doubtless there will be flocks of naysayers who don't buy into this adaptation by Robert Zemekis, but given the ghost story magic Dickens' created, this film takes it one step further and makes the ghostly three spirits very much alive and beautiful fanciful.

Combining the actors with animation (animating the actors might be a better way of describing the magic) makes each of the many very well known actors who portray the characters that much more credible. Jim Carrey is at his peak as an actor in his ability to become the illusions his mind creates: he portrays all three ghosts as well a Scrooge at every level of his history. Other actors who are transformed by Zemekis and staff include Gary Oldman as the trio of Cratchit, Marley's Ghost, and Tiny Tim, Colin Firth as the jovial nephew, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, Bob Hoskins, Fionnula Flanagan and a host of others. The costumes and scenery are brilliantly executed.

One problem with the film that may require parental judgment is the fact that the ghosts are truly scary and children might not be able to get past the fear they instill. But they will grow into the film as it is likely a work that will be resurrected every Christmas season as a tradition. It is 'excellent, my good fellows'.

Grady Harp