Best Christmas Carol Films

It's Christmas time again!  Oh how I love this time of year, even with all the consumerism and the weather that could make it easy to get my tongue frozen to flagpole, I freaking love it! There's just a magical feeling in the air that can't be duplicated.

I was originally going to make a list of my favorite Christmas specials but as I went through the list I realized that the list was really cliched. I mean I had films and specials that everybody lists: A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, etc. etc.

And I felt like I couldn't add anything else to it that hasn't been said before. So I've decided to move on to my other list idea: Top Christmas Carol Adaptations. The reason I'm making a separate list for this is because the regular Christmas list would just be a bunch of Christmas Carol films, and there's enough adaptations to warrant its own list.

Before I begin the actual list here are some honorable mentions:

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962, dir. Abe Levitow). This is my Dad's personal favorite. It does have a lot of charm to it and it has some good musical numbers, including the sad and easily relatable All Alone in the World. And yes that's Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island, Jim Backus, voicing Mr. Magoo. While it has a lot of charm I can't think of a lot of things it does REALLY well or special. It's just Mr. Magoo as Scrooge. It is something I recommend though.

Scrooge (1970, dir. Ronald Neame) A version that has a really nice atmosphere and feel to it and even has some good songs like I Hate People, I Like Life, and the Oscar nominated song Thank You Very Much. Also, Kenneth More is spectacular as the Ghost of Christmas Present. But what kills it for me is a rather bizarre scene where Scrooge goes to hell (no I'm not kidding this happens) and Albert Finney as Scrooge. Don't get me wrong, Finney is a really good actor but he seems to be trying too hard to sound and act like a old man. Also, Tiny Tim's song, A Beautiful Day, that song is just WAY to cute and 'pwecious'. But this film does have some good aspects in it and if you dig it that's fine.

Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988, dir. Richard Boden) Anyone who is a fan of the classic British tv show Blackadder (or British comedy in general) will dig this. It's a very different kind of Christmas Carol where a man goes from being very charitable to very cruel and cynical. The Scrooge in question is Ebenezer Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) who is very different from his long line of smart but cynical ancestors, he's kind but is constantly taken advantage of. After a visit from the Spirit of Christmas (Robbie Coltrane) and seeing some visions of past and future relatives, he decides to be cynical and mean spirited. It's fantastic especially if you want something a little different.

Disney's Christmas Carol (2009, dir. Robert Zemeckis). I'm still not sure if I really love this version of it or if I just think it's okay. I mean it has plenty of great quiet moments, a great atmosphere, an awesome interpretation of the Ghost of Christmas Future, Jim Carrey is surprisingly good as Scrooge, and of course you've got Gary Oldman being awesome as always. But there are some moments that get way to intense in the scares and then some really silly moments that ruin it for me. Mainly when they shrunk Scrooge and had him talking in a high pitch voice. It does have good stuff none the less, and a song that has become a holiday staple of mine.

Epic Rap Battles of History: Donald Trump vs Ebenezer Scrooge (2013) Here's a VERY different version of the tale. It's just interesting how they do it and they always have great verses. My words won't do it justice. Just check it out for yourself.

I also recommend Atop the Fourth Wall's riffing of Scrooge (1935, dir. Henry Edwards), the first sound version of the tale. Linkara and company give a great and funny riff of this version.  You can find it here at this website: http://atopthefourthwall.com/linkara-riffs-scrooge-1935/

But onto the actual list, I'll be listing them in chronological order:

Scrooge (1951, dir. Brian Desmond Hurst). This in my book is the definitive version. For me Alastair Sims is the best Scrooge. That's not to discredit the other Scrooges out there but Sims to me has the proper amount of grumpiness, cynicism, and despair. But when he becomes joyful and happy in the end you totally by it. He's redemption scene in the end is probably the best I've seen in any version. 

The black & white cinematography adds a lot to the atmosphere in both the joyful and creepy parts, DO NOT GET A COLORIZED VERSION! It just looks wrong to me. As for the ghosts and other cast members, they do a good job. This is a very traditional telling of the story but the atmosphere and Sims make this more than worthy film to watch every Christmas. 

Also is it more or did Sims serve as an inspiration of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons? I don't know it could just be me.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983, dir. Burny Mattinson) Yep, this 26 minute version with Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, and Donald Duck is a pretty good version. It's true that a lot of stuff is cut out (mainly a lot of stuff involving the nephew, Fred) but it still has a lot of what made the story great. Is anyone really surprised that they picked the one Disney character with Scrooge in his name as Ebenezer Scrooge? But Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young) is great in the role. McDuck is a great character that is capable of being both a miser and a happy-go-lucky man in the end. Also having Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer makes it easier to pick a character for Fred, Donald Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash in his final film as Donald). This film also manages to pack in a lot of emotional stuff in just a few seconds of animation. The best example is the reveal of Tiny Tim's death. It's probably my favorite version of it. I would give a spoiler warning but you've all seen this story it isn't a surprise. 

I also love how their selection for the Ghosts. Goofy as Jacob Marley is... odd, but having Jiminy Cricket as Christmas Past, Willie the Giant as Christmas Present, and a cigar chomping Pete as Christmas Future is great. It's a more than worthy viewing. 

A Christmas Carol (1984, dir. Clive Donner) When you hear that American actor George C. Scott is going to be playing the very British Ebenezer Scrooge I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Really? The guy who won an Oscar for playing an American army general? Really?" But, the Scott is considered an acting legend for a reason. The guy take the character of Ebenezer Scrooge and makes it his own. He doesn't just make him extremely grumpy or mean spirited but as a man who has just had enough of the world. To the point where he just scoffs at the ideal of a Merry Christmas, and laughs away at other prospects. Probably the best thing about this version of the story, outside of Scott, is that the story takes a little extra time and expands on events that happened to Scrooge. 

The greatest example is with Scrooge and his father (Nigel Davenport). In a lot of versions they just have Scrooge's sister say, "Father is so much kinder now." But in this film we see young Scrooge interacting with his father and we get to see older Scrooge showing disgust towards his father. It's little touches like this that really add a lot. 

This film also has one of the best supporting casts in any adaptations. Oscar Nominee Frank Finlay as Jacob Marley, Edward Woodward as the Ghost of Christmas Present, David Warner as Bob Crachit, and the then-future Alfred Pennyworth Michael Gough as one of the charity gentleman. 

It's really amazing for a television production. 

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992, dir. Brian Henson) The first Muppet production made after Jim Henson's death (the film was made in his and Muppeteer Richard Hunt's memory) and I think he would be proud. 

I'm willing to admit that most of my love for this is centered around my obsession with the Muppets.  But there are still plenty of good things about the film. Michael Caine is of course very good as Scrooge, having a very dead pan Scrooge (with random out bursts) in the beginning and a more humble man in the end, I love it. But to me this film does the best version of the three Ghosts. They don't take the Mickey route and just have already existing characters as the ghosts (that was the original idea but they scrapped it). Instead they created three unique and amazing puppets for each Ghost.

This film also has probably the most Christmas-y feeling of all of these Christmas Carols. It just oozes Christmas to me. Just look at this shot! 

I also love the songs written by Oscar nominee and frequent Muppet collaborator Paul Williams. If this doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit I don't know what will. 

It's all just wonderful. Again, this could be my undying love for the Muppets speaking or the nostalgia but I love it none the less. 

That's my list. Do you agree? Disagree? Share you thoughts in the comment section.

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And thank you for reading and have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, and just a Happy Season overall.

P.S.: I just realized that this is pretty much parallels the selections in my Long John Silver list. One from the 50s, an animated Disney one, one with an unlikely American actor, and one with the Muppets. This was by accident I assure you.