If you’ve been to the movies the last two or three months (and especially, if you’ve seen anything in 3D), chances are you’ve already seen the trailer for Disney’s A Christmas Carol, featuring Jim Carrey as not just Scrooge, but all three of the ghosts. It’s a slightly more impressive trailer in 3D, but the impressive visual display (if you could even call it that) of Zemeckis’ animation technique, doesn’t make up for the fact that it’s an otherwise dull trailer. With almost no exception, dull trailers tend to make for dull movies. And at this point, the Dickens’ tale needs a hook besides 3D technology to sell it. It’s too well worn to do a straight-up adaptation, which is what this appears to be.
It’s a Christmas movie, though. So it’ll do gangbusters at the box office, especially with a huge lead into Christmas (it opens November 6th). During the holiday season, people will see anything that has a little tinsel in it. How else could one explain the $120 million success of last years’ Four Christmases?
Whatever, I watch Scrooged during the holiday season. Ain't nothing better than Carol Kane as a fairy who sucker punches people in the jaw with a toaster.
Nothing can beat that, 3D or not.
Posted by: Guess Who! at September 14, 2009 9:39 AM
I just want to know how Jim Carrey thinks he can beat A Muppet Christmas Carol as the best kid adaption of this story. Michael Caine and Kermit the Frog sing. Together. Nothing will ever be more awesome than that.
Posted by: ladydi at September 14, 2009 9:47 AM
I'm an Alastair Sim fan myself. Then again, I'm old. Nothing says "A Christmas Carol" like 2-D black and white film.
Posted by: BWeaves at September 14, 2009 9:52 AM
BWeaves: I'll see your Alatair Sim and raise you a George C. Scott.
-Ralphie
Posted by: Ralphie at September 14, 2009 9:55 AM
ALASTAIR!!
Why can't we edit these after they are already posted?
-Ralphie
Posted by: Ralphie at September 14, 2009 9:57 AM
The original 1938 version with Reginald Owen is damn good, too. It rivals the 1951 version with Alastair Sim.
Posted by: BWeaves at September 14, 2009 10:01 AM
This looks just as creepy as the old black and white version I had to watch in the 5th grade.
In Victorian England, there were no TVs or video games, or computers. Christmas wasn't that big a deal. Gifts were small, perhaps an orange or a book.
What did people do to entertain themselves on Christmas Eve? They drank spiked punch and told each other ghost stories until midnight. It was about the same as today when you're sitting around a campfire and you're out of cell phone tower range.
Posted by: BWeaves at September 14, 2009 10:11 AM
Should be repeated:
Nothing tops the Muppets.
Also--did the intro music make anyone else feel like they were about to watch Harry Potter and the Christmas Carol?
Mr. Magoo and Bill Murray already perfected this formula, anything else just feels kind of takcy.
Posted by: George at September 14, 2009 11:02 AM
Umm..no. Agree with the Scrooged love, and Alistair Sim love...don't forget Albert Finney!!!
But, seriously..this just looks..meh. Like a piece of warmed over dog shit served on a piece of dry white stale toast. Meh.
No thanks
Posted by: dammitjanet at September 14, 2009 11:02 AM
Dustin, you didn't even mention the worst part about this movie....Gary Oldman is doing the voices of Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, and Bob Cratchet. (I believe. Can't be arsed to look it up on IMDB since posting here from my iPhone is a big enough pain in the ass.). Why Gary do you insist on spurning my affections by appearing in shit movies? You were in both new Batman movies and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, for God's sake! Take White Boy Day off and contemplate your career!
No one has mentioned it but I really like the Patrick Stewart version as well. Between it, the George C. Scott version (my favorite), Muppets, and Scrooged we have really got the Christmas Carol bases covered for quality adaptations. It can take some time off I think. Not excited about this at all but I appear to be drawn to this story in all forms so doubtless I will see it at home NEXT Christmas. Bah humbug. (Had to say it.)
Posted by: TylerDFC at September 14, 2009 11:36 AM
Really ?lol.........Just heard that he is ho-oking up with a nice gi-rl on the inter-esting cl-ub called: ____Tallconnect Co M____, really ? Sounds it is a famoaus on-line service.
Posted by: Shirley at September 14, 2009 11:49 AM
Dull. Not Dull. Quality. Not Quality. None of it matters if Zemekis continues to use that creepy motion capture animation technology he used in Polar Express. That damn movie should be repurposed to Halloween where it's more appropriate.
Posted by: ed newman at September 14, 2009 12:10 PM
Seems the spambot knows more about your plans THIS Christmas than you'd like to share, TylerDFC.
Posted by: The Gemeinderat at September 14, 2009 12:11 PM
No love for the Albert Finney musical "Scrooge"? It was developed for Rex Harrison (can you imagine?). "Thank you very much! Thank you very much! That's the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me!"
Posted by: Ned at September 14, 2009 12:34 PM
My favorite has to be the Patrick Stewart version. I watch that every Christmas.
Posted by: giovanni at September 14, 2009 12:37 PM
Do they know it's Christmas time in the uncanny valley at all?
Posted by: branded at September 14, 2009 1:02 PM
Sorry, but I don't like the Albert Finney version. The musical numbers just are too big and go on too long. Besides, it's not the sort of story that lends itself to be a musical. It's supposed to be a ghost story.
However, A Christmas Carol does lend credit to my theory that short stories make better movies than novels. You can fit the whole thing into 2 hours or less.
Posted by: BWeaves at September 14, 2009 3:17 PM
"That damn movie should be repurposed to Halloween where it's more appropriate."
Polar Express is one of the creepiest movies I have ever seen in my life. Yikes!
Thomas the Train creeps me out too, but that is another story. Actually, the only time I have ever seen either of these monstrosities was in the company of my now 7 year old nephew, who also creeps me out a little. Weird little kid.
Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at September 14, 2009 5:06 PM
The George C Scott version is the best!! He does all of Scrooge's snarky comments so well, and the village they filmed in was lovely.
Posted by: Empress of All the Russias at September 14, 2009 7:35 PM
I always liked the Henry Winkler version of A Christmas Carol. Sort of a guilty pleasure.
Posted by: surreysam at September 15, 2009 12:36 AM
Whatever, I watch Scrooged during the holiday season. Ain't nothing better than Carol Kane as a fairy who sucker punches people in the jaw with a toaster.
Nothing can beat that, 3D or not.