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In Reply to: Now, it is definitively Christmas time: What is your favorite film for this season? posted by patrickU on December 06, 2003 at 04:40:26:
"A Christmas Carol" starring Allistair Sim, without a doubt. You must obtain the complete original version (where he gives the best cry in film history upon seeing his gravestone). I have actually seen broadcast copies where that scene has been heavily cropped -- why?? And do NOT see the colorized version; to me nothing, destroys the overall mood and impact more than colorizing a great film, such as this. Also, I have seen a broadcast copy where the sound has been 'enhanced' by digitization -- now, this may have removed the background hiss, but it made the actors sound as if the film was shot in silence and they added in their lines later from an anechoic chamber. I had to watch something else. Fortunately, years ago I video taped an uncut broadcast of the original from a PBS station; needless to say, I consider that tape somewhat valuable.
Follow Ups:
The actual name of the film is "Scrooge." The DVD is a good transfer, better than the laserdisc.
This has recently (?) been an issue of controvery; what is the correct title of the film in question? I just took my original copy and previewed the opening. Here's what I found:1) The book taken off the shelf is titled "A Christmas Carol" on its spine.
2) When opened, the titles go . . . Alistair Sim (now correctly spelled) as Scrooge in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".
3) All of the above is not done by super-imposing titles over the film; this is printed on and in the book that is removed from the shelf.
Now, given that twice in the opening credits the wording "A Christmas Carol" is used (original British style text - it was, of course, made over the pond) and that the Charles Dickens' novel is "A Christmas Carol", I would argue that that is the correct title. Now, the film was releasd here in the US under a different title -- "Scrooge". Why? Probably (and somewhat rightly so) because they felt that the American public would recognize the title character more than the actual novel's title -- as most of the movie going population was (and probably still is) not that well read, at least of British novels. This is still done to this day in its marketing. If you go to the end of the film, you will see the US insertion of the ending titles use "Scrooge" (this IS done by super-imposing) -- I guess that way people couldn't demand their money back for not seeing the film as titled here.
The actual name of the film is "Scrooge"
The original release title of the Alistair Sim version, in America was "A Christmas Carol." "Scrooge" was the release title of the 1935 version which starred Seymour Hicks and the British release of the Sim version. When the Sim version was rereleased in the 1960s it was "A Christmas Carol", probably to avoid confusion with the Hicks version.The 1938 version, which starred Reginald Owen, and the 1984 George C. Scott version were also titled "A Christmas Carol." The one that starred Albert Finney was titled "Scrooge." The one that starred Mr. Magoo was "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol." The one with Mickey Mouse was "Mickey's Christmas Carol." AND ETC>
There have been dozens of remakes of that wonderful Dicken's story. My favorite is the Sims version, followed by the Scott version. The Hicks and Owen versions are similar and very good, although somewhat short. The Finney version is excellent, if you like musicals, and has a wonderful scene where Scrooge descends into Hell (cut from many tv prints). Finney was only in his 30s in 1970 but made a very convincing Scrooge.
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