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frankdfleming
Reviews
A Christmas Carol (2015)
A Christmas Carol (2015) - featuring Colin Baker as Charles Dickens - can't recommend
I love A Christmas Carol and am generally easy to please when it comes to any version of the story. That said, this is among the worst I've seen. It is consistently bad in all regards.
The performers are mis-cast and bear little resemblance to your expectation. Likewise, the sets don't convey the proper time or place. And the music certainly won't put you in the Christmas spirit either.
I want to like every version of A Christmas Carol I see but that wasn't possible for this presentation (note – I had to fast forward through it while scanning for anything "good" just to see it all the way to the end).
Scrooge (1935)
Scrooge (1935 version) - solid, not spectacular
Scrooge (the 1935 version) is marked by good story-telling, a comfortable pace and workmanlike acting performances. Considering the 1935 production date, the cinematography and special effects are commendable.
I enjoyed that it included scenes that typically aren't part of other productions. For example, there is a scene involving an extravagant banquet where scraps are literally thrown out the window to the poor gathered outside the kitchen preparation area. Additionally, you'll see Tim lying dead upon his bed which likely was a surprise and shock to audiences of the day.
There were some disappointments as well including Marley's ghost and Bob Cratchit. Although Scrooge can both see and hear Marley's ghost, the viewer can only hear the ghost (who according to the cast list is The Invisible Man, Claude Rains himself in an uncredited role). The meeting between Scrooge and Marley is often one of the story's most powerful scenes and not letting the audience actually see Marley was a mistake. As for the actor playing Bob Cratchit, he seemed a bit too old for the part and failed to generate the sympathy so strongly felt for the character in other presentations.
Overall though, for those who love the story, this is a presentation that you can enjoy.