A jaw-dropping performance by Jacob Marley. A reminder that A Christmas Carol is a ghost story.

A jaw-dropping performance by Jacob Marley.
A reminder that A Christmas Carol is a ghost story.

No Christmas viewing is complete without watching at least one version of a Christmas Carol.

We’ll be watching at least two – the 1951 film with Alastair Sim as Scrooge and the 1971 made for TV animated adaptation featuring… Alastair Sim voicing Scrooge.

I’ve written this week about A Christmas Carol and its deep relevance today.

I have to confess, I wasn’t sure about this adaptation when I rediscovered it a few years ago. I was so used to the super and hyper realistic versions that the animation struck me as being odd, even uncomfortable.

But after a couple of more viewings, I’ve come to appreciate the power and complexity of the animation. That legendary animator Chuck Jones was executive producer should come as no surprise – here’s a great article on the background to this version of A Christmas Carol.

The adaptation was not without its controversy, however. A Christmas Carol was originally screened on TV before getting a cinema release, thereby rendering it eligible for an Academy Award which it deservedly won in 1972 for best short film.  They changed the rules after that…

 

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