A Christmas Carol (TV Mini Series) The Human Beast (2019) User Reviews

It looks amazing, takes a bit of time to open up, worth it when it does.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 26 December 2019]

I had reservations about watching this, however after a pretty slow start, it opened up very nicely.

Anyone that has read the text will appreciate that it isn't meant to be a fast paced, action thriller, that it is a meandering, gothic tale.

It picks up the pace half way through when Marley appears, it takes on a much darker tone.

Guy Pearce is fantastic, as is Stephen Graham. It looks incredible, although you may need to turn the brightness up on your set. 7/10

Great Version Of A Classic

[ogb-85578 · 8/10 · 23 December 2019]

I loved this episode and thought it was one of the best variations of the classic good job BBC

Disturbing Beginning

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 22 December 2019]

This is an ugly telling of the Dickens classic. It would seem that the screenwriter took major parts of the original and conjured up the most depressing, sordid stuff imaginable. In this first part, we find the focus on Scrooge and Cratchitt in the offices. We then meet Marley, who comes back from the dead, offered a chance to repent.

Perfect gritty and gothic

[garybulmer-32925 · 10/10 · 22 December 2019]

Everything I need in a Christmas carol adaption, guy Pearce was incredible and the writing was smart and dark at the same time

Very different approach, but I love it

[billsoccer · 9/10 · 26 December 2020]

All the main elements are there - Scrooges meanness, the economic bleakness, but with updated dialogue and scenes. Marley concious in his grave and must help convert SCROOGE - GREAT VERSION.

Yay

[garybulmer-32925 · 10/10 · 22 December 2019]

I was so happy with this adaption I had high hopes and was not let down

Episode 1

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 23 December 2019]

It is Christmas so the viewer can look forward to seven different adaptations of the Scrooge stories on various television channels.

Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol is a short book which is adapted to a three part serial.

Steven Knight has gone for a gritty and dark tone. There is swearing and the episode opens with someone urinating on Jacob Marley's tombstone.

Guy Pearce has gone for a psychologically tormented portrayal of Scrooge. Bob Cratchit is cynical and even Scrooge's nephew lacks the bonhomie of the character as written on the page.

The longer running time gives more of a backstory on Marley who wants Scrooge saved so he can escape purgatory.

However it is clear this serial will have pacing issues. I found the scenes with Scrooge and Bob Cratchit at the office just dragged.

the details

[Kirpianuscus · 25 December 2019]

It seems more a Gothic story than the adaptation of the familiar novel. Inspired cinematography, dark nuances, cold Bob Cratchit , not the expected nephew, a Scrooge of demons . At first sigh, surprising, because, after so many adaptations, after the splendid gift of Alastair Sim, all is said, the new film can be only a remember and victim of comparaison with better, no doubt, older versions. In this case, "I know" seems not working. Because the perspective is different. Because the nice Cratchit is performed by Joe Alwyn who, in realistic manner, give enter bitterness, frustration, sadness of his character , because Guy Pearce gives a petrified Scrooge , because Andy Serkis who gives , in high manner, his the best as Christmas Past Spirit and because the details , so new, so strange, so dark, are spices for a not so comfortable version but good ingredients for a precise, almost cruel exploration of our reality. So, premises of a great serie.