A Christmas Carol

For a film about a miserly man, Disney’s A Christmas Carol is mighty rich. This lavish holiday spectacular is so well executed and lovingly reproduced that I found myself getting goosebumps on more than one occasion. When the first ghost appears to Ebenezer Scrooge, I actually held my breath with him as the ghost of his friend Jacob Marley approaches the locked door. You hear him before you see him, and the anticipation is so great that when he finally bursts through the door, it is truly frightening.

When Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, it was so popular that he did an American concert tour where he stood on stage next to a red velvet podium and read out loud from the book. He loved acting out the parts and creating different voices. He was an cognoscente performer and even acted for a time. This book was written to be performed.

In the great Dicksonian tradition, Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, and several other actors played multiple parts. It works because it is both traditional and inspired. When each ghostly apparition is really an extension of Ebenezer Scrooge’s persona, it is only makes sense that Jim Carrey would play all the parts, and he does it brilliantly. Director and producer Robert Zemeckis chose his actors for their versatility. And he chose this story because he felt that the new technologies of Motion Capture could tell the story in a new and exciting way. With all the many versions of Christmas Carol out there over the years, what really impressed me, were some of the innovations. I loved the flying room sequence and I also like the part when Scrooge was made really small. It added some comic relief which was sorely appreciated after all the scary ghosts.

If I have any criticism of this film, it’s that some of the supporting players were not as lovingly rendered as Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is so detailed and so expressive that when he shares the screen with other characters you can tell the difference. But this minor slight is my only complaint. From the script by Robert Zemeckis, to the score by Alan Silvestri, and with delightful performances by an excellent cast, this Christmas Carol is a wonderful family film that everyone may enjoy. It is no mistake that Dicken’s story is popular and has been adapted so many times. It is a classic redemption story that carries a universal message of good will. This version is faithful to the source and put me in the holiday mood with enough substance to carry me through the New Year. It is truly a wonderful cinematic gift and will be treasured for a long time to come.

Rating: Must See A wonderful addition to the legacy of Dickens