Cold-hearted and penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge wishes no man a “merry Christmas” at that festive time of year. Carollers turn silent when he approaches and the already snow-filled air freezes to a new low. But when he is visited by three spirits, his eyes are opened and he discovers the true meaning of Christmas and goodwill toward men.
As an annoying marketing scheme, this version of Dickens’ classic tale has taken a year to be released on DVD. I remember it was on at the cinemas this time last year. I went to see it in 3D, which completely astounded me as the combination of the motion capture animation and the 3D made the film all the more beautiful and sometimes scary. I’m forewarning any parent who wishes to show this to their young children that it does get a little graphic and is quite grim and dark. When I went and saw it in the cinemas there was a woman in front of me with two kids: her son must have been about 6 and her daughter would only have been about 4. And after the scene where Scrooge is visited by Marley’s ghost, I heard the boy whisper to his mum, “can we go home now?” So, for any parents who have not seen this film, I recommend you either watch it with your children or view it before them and determine for yourself whether or not it’s appropriate.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a cold-hearted, greedy, tight-fisted and penny-pinching man who wishes no man a “merry Christmas” at that festive season of the year. One bitter and lonely night he is haunted by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley tells Scrooge that he must change his attitude towards the world or else, in the afterlife, his ghost will be forever chained and full of regret. After Marley’s warning, Scrooge is haunted by three Spirits of Christmas who take him on an eye-opening journey that helps him to discover the true meaning of Christmas and goodwill toward men.
Based on Charles Dickens’ classic tale of horror and festivity, A Christmas Carol was a wonderful film filled with horror, love, memorable characters, and heaps of festivity.
It was filmed using motion-capture animation, similar to The Polar Express and the character of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, which made the film all the more mind-blowing as the animated characters look quite alike to the actors providing their movements and voices. Wonderful.
I think it’s the truest version of the story that I’ve ever seen. It hasn’t been honeyed up for young children, but includes every grim and sinister scene from the book like Marley’s jaw dislocating, the skeletal children, and other such frightening and macabre scenes. Again, I say it is not for young children and parental guidance is recommended.
Starring Jim Carrey, Bob Hoskins, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth (all of whom provide multiple voices), A Christmas Carol is a wonderful film based on a classic story and filled with horror, mesmerising animation, and wonderfully festive music. It’s a really stunning visual treat, perfect for that festive time of year.
If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with “merry Christmas” on his lips would be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!
Bah! Humbug!
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