No Right Answer: Best Version of A Christmas Carol Ever

[Rituro]

If the quality of any "Christmas Carol" movie hinges on the performance of Ebenezer Scrooge, there is only one winner: Alastair Sim in 1951's "Scrooge". I've watched both "Scrooge" and "Muppet Christmas Carol" multiple times and Sim still beats out Michael Caine hands down.

 

[Baldr]

"Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to.

Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.

Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

Yeah the book is awesome.

Though, the George C. Scott TV version would have to be my runner up.

 

[immortalfrieza]

My favorite version is, and probably always will be, the Disney version. Not the CGI one, but the much older cartoon one with Scrooge Mcduck and the other Disney characters in it. That was the first time I've ever seen the story, and it still remains the best.

 

[Kurt Cristal]

As I sit here twirling a replica of the 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver in my fingers, I say unto you...

"No mention of the Doctor's Christmas Carol? With the flying sharks and everything?!? SHAMEFUL!!!"

CAPTCHA: call me maybe

GAH!!! Now even the Captcha's into that song!!!

Beat me to it. That one drives me to tears. TEARS.

 

[leviadragon99]

Huh... I vaguely remember the muppets version, but Scrooged doesn't ring a bell... maybe I should look into it.

And once you're bringing the Muppets into an interpretation of a classic story, that might be the point at which we've run out of decent ways to re-interpret it.

 

[ascorbius]

Scrooged had me at "Have you tried staples?" - Really set the tone for me.

 

[loc978]

I prefer Scrooged, of the two... but my new favorite is A Prostitute Mickey Christmas on youtube. The ending is my favorite part.

 

[Hitchmeister]

If you want Muppets and Christmas look up Emmett Otter's Jug band Christmas. It's perfect. Like fruit cake or eggnog. You're either going to love it or think it's one of the worst things ever and can't imagine why anyone would want it even once a year. If you do love it, insist that everyone sit down and watch it every year in a roomful of slowly building smoldering resentment. Because that's what holiday gatherings are all about.

Ba! Humbug.

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

If you want Muppets and Christmas look up Emmett Otter's Jug band Christmas. It's perfect. Like fruit cake or eggnog. You're either going to love it or think it's one of the worst things ever and can't imagine why anyone would want it even once a year. If you do love it, insist that everyone sit down and watch it every year in a roomful of slowly building smoldering resentment. Because that's what holiday gatherings are all about.

Ba! Humbug.

Fun thing is is that I think they brought back those characters for an ad for the Minnesota State Lottery.

 

[JPArbiter]

no mention of the Patrick Stewart Rendition?

 

[TheOrb]

And this is why I love you guys...
Merry Christmas, and don't stop making these.

 

[Safaia]

My favorite version is, and probably always will be, the Disney version. Not the CGI one, but the much older cartoon one with Scrooge Mcduck and the other Disney characters in it. That was the first time I've ever seen the story, and it still remains the best.

This. There is no contest.

 

[Ashannon Blackthorn]

Honestly, I like all the versions. All of them have interesting bits they add and leave out. I love how the Ghost of Christmas Present is such a ass to Scrooge in the George Scott/Patrick Stuart version (and the Jim Carrey one) I liked how the Jim Carrey version actually used Mrs. Dilber, ditto for the Alistaire Sims version. I've seen most of them and actively seek out the remaining ones.

It's odd, certain things I look for...
1) The explantion of Fran, Belle and Fezziwig
2) The inclusion of Want and Ignorance during the Ghost of Christmas Present.
3) The full bit of Scrooges death (The businessmen talking, the scene with Old Joe, the scene with the debtor couple, with the Cratchits and the final scene in the graveyard)

 

[Tony2077]

My favorite version is, and probably always will be, the Disney version. Not the CGI one, but the much older cartoon one with Scrooge Mcduck and the other Disney characters in it. That was the first time I've ever seen the story, and it still remains the best.

This. There is no contest.

i agree as well. the new one with Jim Carrey is still runner up though

 

[Silver Patriot]

Yes, Chris went easy on Kyle by not arguing that the Muppet Christmas Carol is also the best *musical* version of A Christmas Carol.

I don't know about that. As much as I love Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooge with Albert Finney did a pretty spectacular job of it too. Take this little number as a case in point:


It's a catchy number in its own right, but at the same time it shows just how much everyone reviled Scrooge, and just how oblivious he was to that fact. More than that though, it serves to show just how much he actually craved that kind of recognition, despite actually singing earlier in the film about how much he hated people in general.

Personally that's my favorite version of A Christmas Carol, but that might just be because I love the songs. I am a sucker for musicals.