Reviews

Out of all the popular adaptations of Scrooge I've seen, I must go forth and say this is by far the strangest. I just watched it this afternoon for the heck of it and it has been a while since I've returned from something with such mixed feelings.

It is beautifully shot. There is an element of soft focus here that makes this world seem claustrophobic, surreal, and immersive. The beginning had me hooked. The build up was brilliant, as was the interaction between characters and Albert Finney's repulsive yet empathic performance. There was a subtlety here that I felt lacked a little later on in the film.

The songs at first were slow and haunting, and so fitted in wonderfully with this enchanted universe dipped in whimsy. They seemed to heighten atmosphere as opposed to be toe tapping, which worked with the mood of the film. This is a lush production, and the pacing of the first quarter is excellent.

Alec Guinness's Marley is unlike any Jacob Marley I've seen before. His take on the character is of a weary old demon, swaying with a coy malevolence. His affection for Scrooge exists, but it is frustrated and borders on condescending. For his small screen time, he makes a definite impression. He isn't frightening, but there is a sense of unnerving, quiet temper about him, which slots into this otherworldly picture.

Then the first ghost arrives, and things get...weird.

The past segment lacks in weight, and we are treated to an oddly choreographed courting scene with a blank eyed Scrooge and a lively Isabelle. For the record, the actress portrays her with spirit and serene steel. But this scene is strange. It doesn't seem to fit, and the humour (Fezziwig following them on their date) is bizarre. However, Finney's small ballad "You" and his hankerings back to Isabelle are touching, especially when he becomes caught in his thoughts at Fred's party and thinks of her.

The Present segment, despite fantastic set design, is botched by sloppy pacing and too much focus on drunken jokes. At this point, I don't actually know what Finney is doing. He jostles among the crowds with no sense of reservation and it is jarring to the character. This Scrooge is so self deluded about his scruples that, although it makes for a interesting character study (G. C. Scott perfected this in his version) it is pushed so far out here that it just makes Scrooge look...well, frankly, not very bright. The severity of other's plight isn't made clear enough here ether.

The Future piece gives rise to the well done show tune number "Thank You Very Much" and the scene of Scrooge dancing with the people celebrating his death is pretty uncomfortable, to say the least. This is a GOOD scene. However, we move too fast into the graveyard. We are given a thought provoking shot of snow covered graves with Tim's earlier song "The beautiful day" drifting breathlessly on the wind. This is a lovely interlude, until Scrooge sees the face of death and plummets into hell.

This scene has the most discussion, and it is easy to see why. However, I don't think it is that different from the rest of the production, seeing the general oddness of the whole thing. It is an amusing scene, with a smug, devilish Jacob Marley mincing through Hell and Scrooge being wrapped in an enormous chain by sweaty demons. Yeah.

Of course, when he wakes, everything is fine. We are then subjected to a nice number of him dancing through the streets, which then turns ridiculous when he dresses up like Father Christmas (was he even popular back then?) There isn't the sense of pure, simple goodwill here, and seems to be lost in a bit of a materialist spree. The choreography is amazing however, and it is uplifting, if simply by the sheer energy of everyone.

However, it closes on a sweet little scene, with Scrooge and the old spooky door knocker. He speaks to Marley, thanking him, and places on the knocker his Santa Hat and beard. He then says; "I have to leave you now, for I am going to have Christmas Dinner with my family." Considering his loneliness and isolation brought on by his misanthropic views and sense of higher moral ground, this is a bit of a heart string ending, and is a nice low key subtlety to end on.

So, what to say? In areas it is weak (the ghost visits aren't up to much) yet in other places it shines, such as the fantastic magic of the beginning and Jacob Marley's memorable performance. It is very watchable however, and I suggest Christmas Carol fanatics to watch it at least once. The surrealistic feel of the photography is beautiful, and some of the sets...wonderful. It is a vast departure from the book, and it is a loose adaptation as opposed to a word by scene retelling. But in a world full of Scrooge adaptations, fresh takes on the story are always welcome.

It's just very, very weird. But enjoyable enough. I gave it 7/10 because really, I had no idea where to put this.

There are some things that work here, and some that...don't. Some of the music is formulaic, with shades of Menken's older work (Beauty and the Beast, anyone?) And the lyrics can go from clever to damn dreadful in a blink of an eye, depending on the song. The music doesn't hold up here, but the story, and character interaction, does handsomely.

A good example is Scrooge's past. Jacob Marley is a key player in Scrooge's development, something what has been left out in previous adaptations, which works wonderfully here. The story has been changed quite drastically from the book, but it gives a fresh take on Scrooge's relationship with his past. Emily (this version's Belle) sorrowfully rejects Scrooge in his own office, not even allowing Marley to escape her attentions. Scrooge allows Fezziwig to fall into debt by refusing him in a loan in case of a small risk to his business. Despite the softer and lighter feel of this version, his past is bitter and sad. He alienates all that once loved him, excluding Marley. And when Jason Alexander, in a lovely, subtle scene, mumbles about not feeling well, and collapses in the office, the clipped yet urgent concern of Scrooge is truly heartbreaking. This is by far the most poignant rendition of Past's visit, and despite this is far from my most cherished version, this segment is my favourite depiction of Scrooge's past.

It is sickly in places, and not afraid to load on the schmaltz. But it has some effective scenes (the depiction of Scrooge's future is a dark little number, and well done.) A special mention goes to Jason's Alexander's Marley, and the spirited and macabre "Link by Link" which is elevated to a greater level by lively performances and some chilling imagery. And the acting of young Scrooge and Marley is believable in their growing coldness. If only the whole of the film had been as emotionally raw as those ones in the office! Apart from that, pretty safe stuff. Light enough for a watch on Christmas Eve with the family. But I warn you; some of those lyrics will haunt you beyond the grave. And the typical cod accents.

Overall, not a bad adaptation.

This is a quiet, quirky gem of a short film. All the performances are solid, especially Newlander, whose silently tormented protagonist is a delight to watch, perfecting the art of subtle body language, snarky attitude and a great sense of comedic timing.

This isn't exactly laugh out loud funny. (Though it does have one or two moments; the ending presented in the credits is nothing short of hysterical.) Its the portrait of a troubled man, just recently broken up with his girlfriend whose family hated him, and how something perfectly absurd....the presence of a noisy rooster, for example, becomes the manifestation of all his angst. It is amusing and witty, portraying a brilliant downbeat comedy, but if one observes Alexander's life enough, it borders on the depressing in brief moments (his loneliness, for instance; his isolation from all the crazy characters he encounters.) But these are obviously fleeting, and everything seems to end well (save the beatings of the gangster group that the dreaded rooster actually belonged to.) Its a great solo number for Newlander, who should work more; he's a talented actor who co-wrote this film, to boot. Its a small, thoughtful, strange black comedy, although short, holds up in all respects and should definitely be watched at least once (by anyone who is at least, a Newlander fan.)

This is a brilliant adaptation in some ways, and a strange one in others. The acting is extremely strong, though not always subtle; but then again, this is STAGE acting, though it takes a while for one to get used to how it translates on screen.

The setting is great. Claustrophobic, dark, imperfect. It gives a real feeling of entrapment and suspense, that works wonder with this more Gothic re-visioning. The visuals are great; themes are explored with complexity and style. And this telling has one thing; buckets and buckets of style. It takes risks, and not all pay off, but do well.

Glenn Carter gives a touching performance as Jesus, portraying the steely quiet of the divine and the hidden passion of his human side in a delightful mix. His voice is good, though squeaky at times, and his decline is heartbreaking.

Reene Castle is sweet, feisty, and sort of helpless as Mary, Jesus's love interest and Judas's rival. Castle fleshes out her tense emotions with a un polished, vocal warmth that is pleasing and fitting to the character. She does a great job, overall.

Judas was, well, bloody fantastic. He is loathsome, relatable, poignant, complex, and crazy with love all at the same time. Jerome's voice does take a lot of getting used to; the strange tonality and rough vocals add, as opposed to take away, from his character, and his deeply felt acting is just wonderful to watch. Even more interesting to observe is his relationship with Jesus that seems to border on the homoerotic; jealous of Mary and frustrated with Jesus's mixed teachings, but the subtext echoes frustration for not acknowledging his feelings. The best scenes are between Judas and Jesus; they crackle with chemistry, tension, and sadness.

Simon is played with youthful, lively zeal, but it does feel a bit generic in voice and portrayal. Pilate gives a surprisingly tortured, touching, pained performance; his vocals are distinctive, being able to convey militant bravado and fragile uncertainty with great flair. Though at times melodramatic, his performance is sublime, and possibly one of my favourites. Herod has great moments, catching a double sided, prickly personality, but at times seems childish and his voice really wasn't up to scratch.

Yeah. This takes risks, and it has its flaws, but is a fresh look at a powerful rock musical, and is worth a watch. Be warned though; this is like Marmite. You ether love it or hate it.

This was just down right, side clenching hilarious. Corey Feldman had me gagging with joy at the end, as he throws his hat away in a "sexual" manner and drawls the line; "Start by taking your clothes off."

This film is cliché, badly done, and poorly acted. I'm sure the three main leads did the best with the sex scene driven drivel they had to contend with, but boy, is this a complete stinker. It is also, awfully unintentionally funny. I found none of the characters sensually enticing or believable, and the plot became too overstretched, unrealistic, and ambitious for the film to continue on a passable level.

If you want to laugh at the sappy, wannabe porn dialogue, or the eye-rolling,overdone sex scenes, or Corey Feldman just attempting that passes for erotic....go ahead. There is a small part of me that loves it for that horrendous fact.

Get drunk, switch this on, and let the mocking commence.

I came to this film expecting clichés, perhaps slight jumps later overtaken with fuzzy warmth and overt joy which is present in the majority of Scrooge adaptations.

However, what I found was a bleak portrayal of Victorian London seated in compromising realism, with a bleakness and grim nature which was both enthralling and quietly disturbing. As the movie continued, it moved into uneasy territory with the three ghosts, whose presences were both comforting and fearful.

I guess I should talk about the Marley scene. This was terrifying, with it's lingering silences and intense anticipation of his visit. The door knocker was a definite jumper, making me literally leap out of my seat. The guy's actual appearance was creepy, with his slowly decomposing corpse and dragging chains wound around his body. In a specifically disturbing scene, his jaw unhinges itself, cracking open his cheeks and his hands act like a flapper so he can speak.

Yuck.

All humour displayed in this piece is pitch black, with no cutesy critters or double edged one liners. The first ghost, usually predicated as the gentlest, is strange, with his flickering head and discerningly humorous face. One of the more shocking scenes is where all the faces of the past flicker on his features in a grotesque morphing session. Despite his pathos, he is not without his darker side.

Things get worse with Present. He's less of a jovial, benevolent spirit but more a commanding judge with a harsh kindness, dripping with malice in later scenes and having the most haunting death I've seen in a while. And an interesting take on Ignorance and Want, as we actually see what is to become of them in adult life. One of the more disturbing scenes, due to it's truth not just in Victorian London but in society today. On a side note, Present's booming, musical laughter is turned upside down in this version, transforming it into something manic and unnatural.

The scenes with Future are scary, and laced with an unpredictable edge. Though yes, we have chase scenes and miniature adventure, but the threat is still very much there and these scenes meld effortlessly into the story, merely adding another abstract element to the picture. Future is portrayed as the traditional grim reaper, but his "shadow form" is frightening on a subconsciousness level, and his bony, coal coloured pointer he has for a finger is something that caused shudders for myself.

Jim Carrey plays a brilliant Scrooge, portraying him for the nasty miser that he is (this Scrooge is absolutely detestable) but with pathos and humanity, whilst also being a mixed batch with the ghosts. Past is a breathy Irish which locks in nicely with the ghosts otherworldly state, but Present....I'm not exactly sure what Present is, but hey, it works well.

Gary Oldman does a mediocre Crachit, but really shines as Jacob Marley, from his bizarre manner to his varied, ghastly voice. The other gifted cast perform their roles effectively. The setting and animation is magnificent, the location of London captured with full flair. Scrooge is brilliantly animated, so much that the other characters suffer in comparison, but it is not really noticeable. Motion Capture is a mixed bag, but it works wonderfully with the mood here, adding a sub human quality which frankly I enjoyed.

People complain about the lack of emotional fuzziness this story lacked, but I felt it did it well, though differently. The sorrow of Scrooge's past was subtle and underplayed, to the cracking in the old school house's walls to Scrooge's vast isolation in the world, as everything is large and ominous around him. Frightening, but poignant as well.

The abstract nature of this film gathers the idea of a dreamlike, supernatural journey which I absolutely love. Scrooge's fear is our fear; his journey our journey, and whilst others didn't feel the "emotional attachment" it was though the experience of travelling with Scrooge could the audience form an connection and sympathy with the old skinflint.

A stylistic, beautiful, dark piece of art. Sad, profound and terrifying, tackling human themes with no compromising coziness. I love it for that reason, and personally, I thought it was fantastic. Not without flaws, but that depends on how you take it.

*DO NOT SHOW THIS TO YOUNG CHILDREN.* It is bluntly horrifying and disturbing in parts, and the whole mood of the film will not appeal to HSM obsessed youngsters. For its themes and imagery, it should have really be a 12. But for those who fancy a unique, challenging take on an old classic, I highly recommend this.

A marvellous film, with stunning acting and heart wrenching scenes. Everyone was excellent, and the scene at the end when Geroge had to shoot Lennie tore at the heart strings. A LOT. My teacher was in a puddle.

A fantastic script, very well done and compulsive make this a real must see. Lennie is portrayed awfully well, with Geroge giving a believable performance as his long suffering partner. WATCH THIS FILM. There is much more to it then can ever meet the eye, and this film is a true work of art...so is the book, which I suggest reading first. A real emotional ride, and some scenes...such as the ending scene, where we are given a glimpse of their past happiness together...and Lennie reaching up to touch Geroge's clothes. I think I was gone.

This film really got me where it hurt. The animation was wonderful, and I loved the way that they combined computer graphics and animation while creating John Silver, who was one of the best, and complex characters I have ever seen in Disney. The growing relationship with Jim and Silver was the highlight of the film and wasn't too sappy. The hug scene to me was a bit pulling at the old heart strings. I personally loved it and it has wiggled its way into my top 5 favourite Disney films. The humour was well done, but Captain Amelia stole the show along with Silver, with her sparkling vocab and Emma Thompson's lovely British accent! Jim is my favourite Disney hero seeing as he is portrayed in a very realistic fashion, as the rebel who is really, just a lost little boy.

The Robot is....annoying, yet he does have his moments. Morph is sweet, never being too cutesy. However, Silver is the real highlight.He is first introduced to us as a charming, if slightly swarmy cook who cracks somewhat bad jokes. Later on, we really start to see his dark side...and it scared me. Really. The Jim/Silver moments were the best along with the top notch soundtrack, and Bill Murry as Silver!