The following is only a selection of the hundreds of versions, parodies, and adaptations of a christmas carol. A forwardlooking 1928 stage version of a christmas carol called mr. Nick murphys a christmas carol is not your community theaters version of the charles dickens classic story, and it definitely has more images of death than the muppets christmas carol. A guide to madefortv christmas carol adaptations, past. Whether its the classic story of an old rich man learning the moral cost of.
And this year is set to be a real doozy as a rendition of charles dickens classic. A christmas carol is one of the most compelling, insightful, and eerie stories ever written by charles dickens and when youre talking about the. The muppet christmas carol 1992 the muppet christmas carol was the first muppets film produced after the death of creator jim henson in 1990 and the fourth big screen offering overall, released. There are so many different takes on it, and as much as i. A christmas carol alastair sim as ebenezer scrooge. In other words, musical versions of a christmas carol are often as doomed as poor old marley himself. The tale has been adapted for the big and small screen many times, with another arriving december 19.
Just how do the many iterations of dickens classic tale of redemption stack up. Here are the versions of a christmas carol that wont make you say bah humbug. The 10 best christmas carol adaptations hellogiggles. I have spent more than a generation looking for a really good book that highlights film adaptations of a christmas carol. The best known silent adaptation of a christmas carol was the 19 version starring seymour hicks as the miserly curmudgeon. The 6 best a christmas carol movie adaptations ever. There are many, many adaptations of charles dickens a christmas carol, as i noted before. A critical examination of dickenss story and its productions on screen and television 276. Seriously, go look at the wikipedia page for adaptations of a. Charles dickens a christmas carol has seen a number of movie adaptations over the years. I have watched about a dozen adaptations of a christmas carol in the last week, and let me tell you. Charles dickens a christmas carol, the classic story of a time travelling pensioner who sees dead people, is a festive fairytale which has itself. The most popular modern day adaptations of a christmas carol. Top 10 greatest a christmas carol adaptations youtube.
I was hoping for some other good recommendations for other versions of the story. Today, a christmas carol stands among the most frequently adapted stories in the history of film and television, ranking alongside sherlock. A christmas carol, the popular 1843 novella by charles dickens 18121870, is one of the british authors bestknown works. Mickeys christmas carol 1983, an animated featurette film featuring the various walt disney characters with. In 1935, seymour hicks reprised the part he had made his own in thousands of stage versions, plus the 19 film adaptation, and played the title role in this, the first talking version of the dickens classic. Some of the best moments from other adaptations of a christmas carol come while watching scrooge act like a lighthearted boy once more, despite his advanced age and notorious reputation as a cruel. A christmas carol is a dark and gritty adaptation by.
The story is about a bitter and miserly moneylender named ebenezer scrooge, who goes through an ideological, ethical, and rather emotional transformation resulting from supernatural. Did you know that there are roughly 12 billion adaptations of a christmas carol. Ebeneezer scrooge is as iconic a christmastime character as mainstays like santa claus and the grinch, and as long as hollywoods been around, studios have been compelled to make new adaptations of his story. The charles dickens tale about a holidayhating miser who changes his ways after being confronted by three ghosts on christmas eve has been adapted dozens of times, with more movies and tv episodes dedicated to its retelling than nearly any. There have been umptydumpty film and television versions of dickenss most enduring. However, if you start to get bored by it, then we have the perfect alternative. The best film adaptations of charles dickens a christmas. Many of the theatrical versions of a christmas carol use dickens exact language. Singing is described in the novella and even in nonmusical adaptations, carollers are regularly seen, just. Binge all of the a christmas carol adaptations the. The new york times has called this the best adaptation of a christmas carol ever made, and its hard to disagree. The many adaptations of charles dickens a christmas carol ranked from worst to best, from a 1901 silent film to the 2009. This time, he soars alongside the ghost of christmas past to revisit the very best adaptations of a christmas carol.
It is the story of ebenezer scrooge, a greedy miser who hates christmas, but. The bbcs new adaptation, a threepart christmas carol miniseries airing in the runup to christmas, is certainly no exception with a younger take. The muppet christmas carol follows the story of ebenezer scrooge by. The muppet christmas carol 1992 something about a christmas carol is so fitting with music and thusly, musicals. For this list, were looking at the best tv and movies based on the famous 1843 novel. If you are like me, a christmas carol, which is based on the book by charles dickens, must be watched at least once in the lead up to christmas. Charles dickens a christmas carol is a tale that stands the test of time. Honorable mentions go to mickeys christmas carol, patrick. Im usually quite a stickler about sticking to the story when it comes to literary adaptations, but in this new version of a christmas carol the. Yes, some are the sort of story you gather with family to enjoy every year, but some are. This version is more romancefocused than past adaptations and about five times more boring.
Too many christmas carol adaptations gloss over the fact that ebenezer scrooge is an absolute dickenshead, throwing in a few halfhearted humbugs and a couple of mean stares before calling the job done. A christmas carol adaptations ranked from worst to best. One which seems to have fallen by the wayside is a tv special released in 1971, animated under the eye of none other than chuck jones, one of the guiding hands of looney tunes. Today, a christmas carol stands among the most frequently adapted stories. A new christmas carol explores the roots of scrooges. Peaky blinders writer steven knight has gone further back in time to create the latest adaptation of a christmas carol. Just about every one of them deserves to be boiled with its own pudding and buried with a stake.
But it makes for poor bedfellows with nondickens penned songs. From jim carrey to alastair sim, here are the best versions of the classic dickens tale. A critical examination of dickenss story and its productions on screen and television at. Share on facebook opens in a new tab share on twitter opens in a new tab. A bbc adaptation of a christmas carol will explain that ebenezer scrooge was damaged by traumatic events in his childhood that charles dickens was unable to detail due to the sensibilities of. Of very many film adaptations of the book, this movie is the best, due largely to sims portrayal of scrooge, whose transformation from miser to. It set me wondering about all the different film adaptations there must have been over the years, and so i decided to begin researching the various celluloid incarnations of ebenezer scrooge by compiling a list of the many adaptations of a christmas carol and, having done so, i set about watching as many of them as i could. But like any cultural touchstone, a christmas carol adaptations range from the delightful to the derivative. Scott film from 1984, but i had no idea there were so many different adaptations of this novel. Alastair sim is absolutely perfect as ebenezer scrooge, nailing each aspect of the character as he evolves from bitter and angry to frightened and regretful and finally renewed and joyful. Sorry, kids, fxs christmas carol adaptation is so dark it. Instead, this fx original movie airing in its entirety thursday, december 19 is the dark and gritty version of a holiday story that was already about a mans cruelty. A christmas carol adaptations ranked from worst to best collider.
The many adaptations of charles dickens a christmas carol ranked from worst to best, from a 1901 silent film to the 2009 computergenerated feature. This is not a very true adaptation of dickens beloved novella, but blackadders christmas carol ranks as. A christmas carol adaptations range from the delightful to the derivative. I tried ranking a christmas carol adaptations and it. Christmas is near, which means it is time to drink a cup of cocoa and watch some christmas movies. A christmas carol film adaptations best and worst movie. A complete ranking of every adaptation of a christmas carol. Scrooge christopher plummer and the familiar ghosts of christmas still. Where was the 2019 adaptation of a christmas carol filmed.
Charles dickens a christmas carol is one of the most influential novels of all time, both in terms of its place in literature and in pop culture in general. A christmas carol, an adaptation by ron severdia, premiered on 6 december 2006 at the barn theatre in ross, ca. Just how do the many iterations of dickens classic tale of redemption. The kelsey grammer musical features a hot ghost of christmas past who poledances on scrooges bedpost. The 6 best a christmas carol movie adaptations ever, ranked. The 10 best movie and tv adaptations of a christmas carol. A christmas carol, written by charles dickens and published around 1843, is a story of self awakening and redemption.
This marks the 14th time the department has presented this beloved tale of ebenezer scrooge and the true meaning of the holiday season. A christmas carol has been adapted for the screen many times. Adaptations of a christmas carol ranked from worst to best. The 10 best adaptations of a christmas carol consequence of. News politics election 2020 education housing immigration criminal justice california more. Norris and directed by cod director of theater connie canaday howard, at the mcaninch arts center mac nov. The 10 best versions ever made according to imdb nearly 200 years later, charles dickens a christmas carol is one of the most beloved stories of all time and often adapted for film and television. My favorite version of a christmas carol is the george c. Not so in eighties classic scrooged, where bill murray goes full bastard with his character frank cross subtle, an angry tv network president and modernday ebenezer who.
The muppets pull it off, but, well, theyre the muppets. We delve back into more than a century of a christmas carol movies to find the best and worst adaptations of dickens festive tale. In 2007, he toured europe with a new adaptation of the show. Here are the top 10 best adaptations of a christmas carol. The many adaptations of charles dickens a christmas carol. Of course, by the storys end, scrooge is a changed man who embraces the spirit of christmas and becomes a. The 10 best adaptations of a christmas carol consequence. The five best film adaptations of a christmas carol. We delve back into more than a century of a christmas carol movies to find. Filmmakers often look to a christmas carol for adaptation inspiration. A christmas carol 2003 a new stage adaptation by scott harrison which has been produced in both the uk and the us.
Mickeys christmas carol disney has been involved in multiple christmas carol adaptations, but this is the only that features the characters most central to the disney brand. In this adaptation of dickens a christmas carol, the scrooge figure is a miserly businessman in depressionera new england. Comedian rich little plays all of the characters, using his unique skills as an impressionist to apparently fill the cast with some of hollywoods bestknown stars. In addition to the countless theater productions, screen adaptations of a christmas carol have appeared almost as regularly as christmas itself, starting with the 1901 british silent movie. The five best adaptations of a christmas carol screenwriter. Among the bbc cast are actors guy pearce, stephen graham and charlotte.
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