Of all the possible movies based on A Christmas Carol I had to pick one of the more recent ones, the animated Disney version from 2009. I had already seen the one with Alistair Sims which is absolutely great and wanted to watch a modern one this time.
I suppose this intro has already told you what you wanted to know, namely whether I liked it or not. Obviously I didn’t and that’s actually quite sad because it had such a lot of potential. The beginning of this movie is stunning. It really gets you into a white Christmas mood, is atmospherical and appealing. I liked the way they showed the streets of London, up close and from above. The first half is equally good but as soon as the second spirit appears it wasn’t good anymore but extremely annoying. The second spirit is a jovial, bulky man, sitting on the top of a Christmas tree and laughing the most annoying laugh in movie history. It even made the cat run. I tell you, nothing makes that cat run once she is installed on my lap, on top of that, nothing usually scares her. Not even the Hoover. But that mad laugh did it. She fled to her basket behind the TV, far away from the speakers and half an hour later, when there was wild screaming and drama in the final moments of the movie, I had to go see what was happening as the poor little thing was having the mother of all nightmares and squeaking like a piglet.
The cat, I’m happy to report, has recovered but she is a bit grumpy.
I hope others were luckier in their choices or found a more kitty friendly version of A Christmas Carol. I would have watched Great Expectations but I have still 250 pages left to read and will not watch it before I finished the book.
Beauty is a Sleeping Cat 
Definitely sounds worth avoiding! I love the Alistair Sim one myself – don’t think you can better it!
I can’t recommend it. The Alistair Sims is really something else. So well acted too.
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience with the “kitty scare” version of “A Christmas Carol”; I suppose all I can do is to recommend the version that always makes my inner “kitty” purr, and that’s the version with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge (using his marvelous resonant voice in all of its register to produce effects).
I have to look that up. Thanks for recommending it. I’ve never seen my cat react like that. It’s a really nervous movie and that laugh. So annoying.
I haven’t seen this version but I have read the book (many times). A Christmas Carol is not all joy and happy times. Dickens was very aware of the suffering of the poor at all times, including the Christmas season. The contrast between reality and what could be is what gives the book its power.
I’ve read the book too, it’s really great and I’m looking forward to read it again. The problem with this version is that it’s over the top. The Alistair Sims is quite dark but not frantic like this one.
Oh, I feel better now, Caroline. The Jim Carrey version came on the other night and I tried to watch, but just didn’t like it. Sometimes brilliant animation isn’t nearly enough.
Glad you liked the Alistair Sims version–it’s my favorite.
Love the pic of your cat. 🙂
Thanks. No bag is safe from her. 🙂 The movie did shock her and she is really fearless normally.
I liked the beginning but then very soon found it just awful. It’s noisy and nervous.
Your poor cat!
I think that the only animated version of A Christmas Carol that I remember seeing is Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol, which I love.
Yes, she was not happy. It had potential but then it went into a silly direction which was really annoying. I’m not going to watch anothr one right now but I’ll keep it in mind.
Oh I hope your cat is doing well. I haven’t seen this version. My favorite version of the Christmas Carol is the Disney animated one with Mickey Mouse. That brings back fond childhood memories–I grew up next to Disneyland in California. I’m about halfway done with Great Expectations–unfortunately I won’t have much time to read this weekend, but I hope to finish it before Christmas.
There are such a lot of versions of this tale.
She freaked out completely. I don’t think she ever had a nightmare. He does occasionally but she never. After I woke her, she still ran around squeaking. Odd.
I have 200 pages left. Why did I think it was a slim book? It has 600 pages too.
It’s slim for a Dickens book. I think A Tale of Two Cities is smaller, followed by Hard Times. Atticus has started making sounds while he sleeps and I’ve wondered if he’s having nightmares. The sounds are pretty cute though.
He does that but they are still nightmares most of the time. She didn’t sound cute, I was really shocked it sounded as if she was in great pain. Must have been an awful dream. I think it was the movie because she slept so deeply and there was screaming and drama…
Poor thing. I hate seeing animals in distress.
Me too, that’s why I always wake them.
Ah, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like this version. I’m planning of watching this one as well, it will be my second time. The first time I liked it, let’s see if it stays that way.
I liked the beginning and the whole scene with Marley’s ghost is so well done but spirit 2 annoyed me so. It spoilt the movie for me.
I enjoyed this but can’t beat the classic Sim version ,all the best stu
No, it didn’t work for me. There are so many other versions, I’ll try another one next year.
Sorry to know that you didn’t like this movie version much, Caroline. Especially when you liked the start of the movie very much. Hope you like ‘Great Expectations’ more.
I know I will because I’ve seen it before. 🙂 It’s not a purit’s version as it is set nowadays I think.
Jim Carrey is enough to put me off the film; I was safe from the start, contrary to you. Sorry for the dreadful moment.
And sorry for the cat. Maybe you could sue the director for cruelty to animals?
Hehe. That’s a good one. If I was in the US, I could.
Jim Carrey is awful, I agree but it was animated and he looked very different.
Interesting review Caroline.
I Wonder about the laugh as it can make your cat scared like that.
out of curiosity, how many Christmas Carol have you seen so far?
your review reminds me to review the comic version of CC…too much to share this week, I will do it next week
You can hear him laugh briefly in the the trailer.
She really hated it.
I’ve only seen two so far and might watch another one before the month is over.
The cat does not look amused! That’s a dead give away that this is a movie to pass on (actually I am not a fan of Jim Carrey so I would have avoided this one anyway I think). I am hoping to watch the version with Patrick Stewart–it is at the top of my Netflix queue).
She is a grumpy cat I any case. The Patrick Stewart movie has been mentioned a few time. I should watch it some day.
Well when the cat’s terrified, something much be wrong! (Our cat really dislikes my son’s girlfriend’s laugh, which is quite high-pitched. He gets a manic look in his eyes and dives for cover. I keep hoping he’ll get used to her!). I’m not a huge fan of Jim Carrey myself – not that big a fan of crazy excess, as you would probably have guessed! 🙂
I think this wouldn’t be a version for you.
Cats are good indicators. I’m quite similar to them, there is a lot I my ears find painful…I’d be diving for cover right behind your cat.:)
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Sorry you didn’t like it! I haven’t seen any of them (except this one) recently, so this is the only one I remember. I, too, was impressed by the first half of the movie. I was annoyed by the second ghost (but he WAS jovial in the story!) and they took a bit of dramatic license from then on. Still, I liked it well enough. 🙂
I’m glad to hear the second ghost annyoed you as well. He is jovial in the book too but there was just something so nervous about him. After that the movie was dead for me but I liked the beginning.