I'm rather a fan of this story, I've read the book though well after I've seen the movies, many movies. So far this year I haven't watched too many, notably I haven't been real interested in an American Christmas Carol for whatever reason this year, though I have caught both Patrick Stewart's and George C Scott's versions, and will likely catch a few more. I've also seen more than a few Muppet Christmas Carol reaction videos.

So, let's start there, the Muppets. What's there to say about this one? It's sorta an acquired taste, it's kinda weird what with muppets and humans coexisting, I mean more than a little of the food is sentient for example. They also make some interesting choices, although they do stay fairly true to the book. Nothing wrong with it, but it's definitely on the weird side.

The Patrick Stewart version, well acted, but the most overtly Christian version, what with adding a Christmas morning church visit to the story, along with everyone him and Present visit singing Silent Night, although I think that's been the standard carol in the few versions that do the visit. Then there's the fact that he threatens to beat a caroler at his office door with his walking stick. Say what you will about Scrooge, he's not violent, just willfully ignorant about the suffering of the working class and poor. The only other even remotely Christian version I can recall is the Alistair Simms version I think, one of them ends with Scrooge going to Hell and getting a taste of what his afterlife will be

George C Scott remains my favorite of the traditional versions, and it's tweaks are really down to the performances, I can't think of anything that jumps out at me as being added. Obviously a very expensive production, from the cast to the setting, a preserved piece of London that doesn't normally allow any film productions in. Of course an ABC TV (US) production financed by IBM can get access to places like that, and they hew close to the book, most notably in having Marley's funeral coach pass Scrooge on his way home. Notable in the performances is Scrooge's glee at described what he thinks should happen to those who go about with Merry Christmas on their lips, along with Present's very, very blunt assessment of Scrooge, Edward Woodward is an absolute joy in that role.

Will I watch more? Perhaps, maybe give Kelsey Grammer's version a look, I recall thinking it was alright, though the actor reuse for the ghosts really feels far more forced than the stage versions I've seen as well as An American Christmas Carol. It is odd as IIRC it's a musical, and Kelsey is not really a great musical performer.

Speaking of An American Christmas Carol, I really love the idea, but the execution is definitely lacking, though that's really to be expected from a low budget TV movie of the late 70's. Setting it in a Great Depression New England quarry town is a great choice, and they do a job of keeping the same message while tweaking 'Scrooge' to better fit the setting. It'd be nice to see someone redo this with a better budget and fix the flaws, the biggest being how he gets the truck loaded up Christmas morning when the unloading took both his clerk and his driver.

#christmas #christmascarol