Customer Reviews

Christmas Carol, A (Emerald Edition)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Granted, the sharpness of the picture is better then the VCI version, but there are persistent, light white scratches, that appear horizontally across the middle of the screen for great amounts of time, usually right across someone's face, that are so annoyingly distracting that watching this version is not much fun (it's kind of almost as bad as watching a cheap DVD that has a line going vertically, through the it for a nice chunk of time).

I checked out two different copies of this DVD and tried them on two different DVD players, to make sure that the scratches had nothing to do with my equipment.

The VCI version is the one to get, as though the picture may be a tad softer, there are no annoying scratches on the print (and until I actually did a side by side comparison of the two, I didn't even notice the VCI version being at all, soft)

Also, the booklet that comes with this new version has nothing of any importance, what so ever, where as the liner notes on the VCI DVD are way more informative.

The only thing that this version does have over the VCI version is the inclusion of an unremastered trailer (which isn't really all that great, as trailers go, anyway).

Hope this helps :)

I own various dvds of this DEFINITIVE production, naturally i was so excited to see a restored version of this movie. However, this EMERALD EDITION dvd is a HUGE dissapointment. The booklet claims the dvd was created from 7 different prints. That would explain why specks come and go, lines (film scrapes) appear for some scenes, sound changes through out (hissing comes and goes), and worst, imo, the tint changes when Marleys ghost enters the room (turns slightly greenish) All of this is very annoying. Keep your VCI version for now, and hope for a proper restoration by someone like CRITERION.

A Christmas Carol: Emerald Edition is a very disappointing release. A restoration should be pristine or as close to it as possible. This release is not even as good as previous releases. A waste of time and money.

" a Christmas Carol" December 12, 2003

The Alastair Sim version of Christmas Carol is
the most perfect of the all the movie versions.
In black and white, brooding, with sparse sets and music
not distracting,grim detail, the ghost story that Dickens conveyed of a cold, bleak England and one man who lived there.

Jacob Marley hoping to help Scrooge
understand the cruelty of his ways and not suffering the same
fate! The souls throwing money to trying to repent from what
they did not do in life, made me cry.
(Note: see Patrick MacNee as the young Marley)

The ghosts are not gentle in
showing Scrooge the errors of his ways.
The ghost of Christmas present
telling Scrooge that 'want(the girl) and ignorance(the boy) cling to him at this time of year.
"Beware of both
but most of all beware the boy!"
Most insightful and true to this very day.

The changes in Scrooge after his ghostly visits are not phoney.
He is elated, sorrowful, and humbled by his experience.
A wonderful movie to be shown anytime of the year.
It's just a very special movie for all the family.

Few characters are a true part of culture. Various creatures come and go, but only a few really stick around for eternity.

Ebenezer Scrooge is one of those rare characters such as George Bailey or The Terminator who are quoted or imitated or just remembered in everyday progression. How many times have you heard the word "Humbug" used to describe disgust or lack of enthusiasm?

Every Christmas, there is a handful of films I watch. The most famous holiday tale of all time, "It's a Wonderful Life," is always a first priority. I also enjoy watching Clark Griswald blunder about in "Christmas Vacation," those nasty little critters wreak havoc in "Gremlins," the bitter TV manager in "Scrooged" get taken back in time by three unconventional ghosts, Kevin McCallister defend his house in "Home Alone," and Ebenezer Scrooge say "Humbug."

"It's a Wonderful Life" is, and shall remain, the better of the two. But "Scrooge" is a close second for the most likable and good-hearted holiday film. It's the best Charles Dickens book adaptation, and having read Dickens' work, it stays very true to the original.

The story has been done with muppets and cartoon characters and even Bill Murray (a fine modern reworking, too), but this is and will remain the best version simply because everything about it is extraordinary. I think that many of the "great movies" are those that grow finer with age, and "Scrooge" gets only better and better every time I see it.

Any filmgoer or classical literature fan is familiar with the story. Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim at his cranky best) is an old man living in London, England, thriving off the fortunes of his business but not able to enjoy the splendor of his wealth due to pure greed that exists within his soul.

Scrooge is the dreaded town miser, the guy everybody moves out of the way for so they don't have to suffer the humiliation of being glared at by him. He walks through the streets of London with a scowl on his face and a look of extreme hatred. Nobody likes Scrooge, and Scrooge likes nobody, so it's a win-win situation.

One Christmas Eve, after commanding family man Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns) to come to work the following morning, he retreats to his dark manor and is visited by four ghostly figures: his old friend and business partner, Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern) is the first, warning Scrooge that he will be visited by three more fellow unearthly beings. Scrooge is indeed visited by the various ghosts, first by The Ghost of Christmas Past (Michael Dolan), who takes Ebenezer Scrooge back in time to the point in his life when money meant nothing to him and happiness and love was everywhere.

Then The Ghost of Christmas Present (Francis De Wolff) appears, showing Scrooge how other less fortunate beings such as Bob Cratchit are enjoying their Christmas, despite the fact that there is much sorrow and misery surrounding them. (Joy comes from the inside, remember?) Bob's son, Tiny Tim (another cultural icon), is a crippled boy who manages to look past the problems of life and appreciate the fine things. "God bless us, every one," he says. It's the best line in the movie because it means so much.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (C. Konarski) is the last of the spirits, giving Ebenezer a horrifying view into the future and the fate of his demise. This is Scrooge's ultimate wake up call, and the morning after (Christmas Day), Scrooge finally learns how to appreciate the fineness and pure joy of life. For greed, despite Gordon Gekko's prophecy, is not good.

Alastair Sim isn't just good as Scrooge, he completely embodies him. He's grumpy and frumpy and in a split second manages to turn Scrooge into a likable character towards the end -- a character no longer driven by hatred and malice but rather by love and kindness.

This is a universal theme as old as the days -- money isn't true happiness -- and "Scrooge" is the most clear and evident and believable example of this. It's a true classic story in the sense of the meaning, and not only does it deserve to be remembered as a fine story, the film itself deserved to be remembered as the classic it is.

Over the years, Dickens' tale has been giving some acceptable and mediocre film treatments, and "Scrooge" is without a doubt the best of the best. From acting to set design, I can't imagine that, if Dickens were alive today, he'd find a single thing wrong with the adaptation of his beloved novel.

Some movies are just fun, while other movies actually conceal important messages. "Scrooge" is, without a doubt, one of the most important and moralistic films ever made. Dickens' tale is one of the most black-and-white examples of greed vs. happiness, and the screen treatment is extraordinary: a story of learning to appreciate life instead of humbugging it. After all, nobody likes a humbugger.

I consider myself a student of "A Christmas Carol" of sorts, having sought down and seen or heard every version I know of. This tale is the most retold, in part or in whole, of any piece of literature outside of the Bible and Shakespeare. It has appeared in at least 25 film/animated versions, has been adapted to countless TV shows, and has been referenced even more than that.

Alastair Sim's Scrooge is among the very best portrayals, and the film on the whole is the best film version I've seen. I am reviewing the other versions individually, so I won't rehash them here, but this one is the best and my favorite film version.

Give me this one along with Patrick Stewart's solo performance and I'd be a very happy camper.

I've even grown fond of the errors in the film, like the stage hand that appears in the mirror reflection on Christmas morning.

A tremendous cast and a wonderful atmospheric quality make this film so memorable and re-watchable.

Viewing this particular version is a tradition in our family--my earliest memories include watching this at my grandparents' home in the 'big city' (they had a tv--we lived on a farm & had no tv). One of the interesting things is that my grandparents were Ukrainian immigrants who did indeed prosper in Canada, but never forgot their humble beginnings. Their home was always filled with scents of good food, laughter, song, and lively conversation. Christmas was a very important time for family & friends, and they did indeed 'keep Christmas well', one of the lessons I have since learned. This film has not lost its relevance in this 21st century world. While the special effects in the 1951 version may seem very simple to many, relative to the period, the film was well-done. "God bless us, everyone".

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Many people know this story written in 1843 by Charles Dickens (1812-1870). Old Ebenezer Scrooge, the meanest miser in London, overworks and underpays his clerk, Bob Cratchit, whose small son, Tiny Tim, is crippled and may soon die. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge has a vivid nightmare. He is visited by three ghosts who change his life forever.

This 1951 movie (originally filmed in black and white) that's about 88 minutes long is entitled (as the movie's opening credits indicate and despite what the DVD package states) "Scrooge in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol."

Of all similar movies made, this one stays closest to Dickens' original story. You can see this right at the beginning of the movie where we are shown a cover page from a manuscript that's written in Old English font. On this page it says: "Stave I: Marley's Ghost." Dickens divided his "Carol" into musical staves rather than chapters. Then the narrator utters one of the most famous sentences in English literature: "Old Marley was as dead as a doornail." The story then unfolds from this point on.

What really makes this story come alive (and makes the movie a classic) is Alastair Sim's performance as Scrooge (not to mention the fine supporting performances). It seems that Sim's Scrooge is not so much haunted by actual ghosts as tormented by inner demons; the ghosts are "analysts" who force him to confront his traumatic self. Once this confrontation is complete, we see Scrooge's monumental transformation into joy. (It's this transformation that Sim the actor does so well.) The emotional impact of his delirium of joy is actually cathartic for the movie viewer as well, filling the viewer with good feelings.

It should be mentioned that it's important to view this movie in black and white because this seems to aid the powerful emotional impact of Scrooge's (as played by Sim) transformation into joy. For some reason, this impact is lost when the movie is in color.

The strong background music for this movie seems to add to each scene. As well, the sets are visually stunning. They spread before us a vivid picture of nineteenth century London.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie occurs after Scrooge's transformation. He visits his nephew Fred's home where a party is underway. This scene also has great emotional impact on the movie viewer. We also get to see Scrooge's (as well as Sim's) polka dancing talent.

In conclusion, be sure to see this magical movie. By doing so, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet To Come will cast their powerful spell on you also!!

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As a big fan of this Charles Dickens classic, I have seen virtually every film version. Without question, this is the best of the lot. Alastair Sim as Scrooge gives one of the most memorable acting performances on film. Every character, no matter how small, is played by an English character actor. It's hard to imagine how the acting could be improved upon--it's that good. And although it was filmed in 1951, the use of black and white and the high quality of the photography and scenery make it easy to believe you are seeing Victorian London(avoid the colorized version). This film is underrated despite its well-deserved fame.

This is a classic version of Scrooge and the Christmas carol. The actors are fantastic in every role, the black and white is clear and crisp, the tale by CHarles Dickens will live forever in this version of the story. Mr. DeWolff as spirit of Christmas present and the two derelict children of Want are a mark on ones memory. Great Movie. ncb South Okanagan, Canada