Christmas Carol: The Movie
Christmas Carol: The Movie | |
---|---|
![]() Original British quad poster
Original Americanquad poster | |
Directed by | Jimmy T. Murakami |
Produced by | Iain Harvey |
Written by |
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Based on |
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens |
Starring | |
Music by | Julian Nott |
Edited by | Taylor Grant |
Production company |
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios |
Distributed by | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 81 minutes[3] |
Country |
United States United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £6,182,526[4] |
Christmas Carol: The Movie is a 2001 British American live action/animated film based on Charles Dickens's classic novella. Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, the film features the voices of numerous actors including Simon Callow, Kate Winslet (who also sang the film's theme "What If"), Kate's sister Beth Winslet, and Nicolas Cage. This version differs from others, in that Scrooge is given another chance with the love of his life, Belle, who ended their engagement in their youth after he was corrupted by greed; they later meet again after the three spirits have reformed Scrooge and he is now kind and generous, causing Belle to love him again. Both Belle and Old Joe notably have bigger roles in the film. Unlike the book as well as other film adaptations, Belle does not marry and have children with another man. She is a nurse. Old Joe is a henchman of Scrooge who arrests or robs people who owe Scrooge debt but Scrooge fires him after mending his ways. Also in the film Marley's ghost haunts Scrooge before he goes home and Scrooge is notably younger as he has auburn hair and is middle-aged rather than being elderly.
Voice cast
- Simon Callow – Charles Dickens/Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
- Kate Winslet – Belle (voice)
- Nicolas Cage – Jacob Marley (voice)
- Jane Horrocks – Ghost of Christmas Past (voice)
- Michael Gambon – Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)
- Rhys Ifans – Bob Cratchit (voice)
- Juliet Stevenson – Emily Cratchit (voice)
- Robert Llewellyn – Old Joe (voice)
- Iain Jones – Fred (voice)
- Beth Winslet – Fan (voice)
- Colin McFarlane – Albert Fezziwig (voice)
- Arthur Cox – Dr. Lambert (voice)
- Keith Wickham – Mr. Leach/Undertaker (voices)
- Joss Sanglier – Choir Master (voice)
- Sarah Annison – Mice Voice #1 (voice)
- Rosalie MacCraig – Mice Voice #2 (voice)
Production
A Christmas Carol was directed by Jimmy Murakami, who helmed The Snowman and When the Wind Blows in the 1980s.[5] The film was produced by several companies across Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Spain and South Korea.[1][4] It is bookended by live-action sequences featuring Simon Callow as Charles Dickens, who reads his tale to Boston theatre audience.[1] However, in certain DVD releases, the live action scenes are cut. Callow would play Dickens again three years later in 2005 in the Doctor Who story The Unquiet Dead.
Release and reception
Christmas Carol was released in American cinemas by Metro Goldwyn Mayer on 7 December 2001, Christmas Carol was released in British cinemas by MGM & Pathé on 7 December 2001, though originally slated for 30 November.[1][3] Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer holds U.S. rights, and released it on Region 1 DVD on 7 October 2003.[2] Reviewers across Britain, the Republic of Ireland and the U.S. were generally dismissive towards the film.[5][4][6][7] After viewing it at the Toronto International Film Festival, Variety's Todd McCarthy wrote, "[The] character animation is dully inexpressive, and two obnoxious mute mice do more scampering and gesticulating than Harpo Marx did in his entire career."[1]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 McCarthy, Todd (25 November 2001). "Film Reviews: Christmas Carol: The Movie". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 Cling, Carol (7 October 2003). "Video Preview: Ready to Roar". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 1E. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 Majekodunmiallan Hunter, Tinu (7 December 2001). "Film: The Weekend Starts Here, Not Much Kop". The Express.
- 1 2 3 Walker, Alexander (6 December 2001). "Scrooge by name (Film)". Evening Standard. Associated Newspapers Company.
- 1 2 Marriott, John (6 December 2001). "Reviews: Christmas Carol - The Movie (U)". The Scotsman.
- ↑ Gleeson, Sinéad (13 December 2001). "Movie Review: Christmas Carol: The Movie". RTÉ Ten: The Entertainment Network. RTÉ Commercial Enterprises. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ↑ Vancheri, Barbara (12 December 2003). "New titles add to variety of holiday viewing". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. p. 40.
External links
- Christmas Carol: The Movie at the Internet Movie Database
- Christmas Carol: The Movie at AllMovie
- Christmas Carol: The Movie at Rotten Tomatoes