Product Description

Capture the spirit of Christmas with this delightful animated classic! Based on one of the most beloved holiday tales of all time and featuring the voices of some of today's brightest stars, this enchanting, heartwarming film is a very merry treat the whole family can enjoy! "Bah humbug,"says Ebenezer Scrooge, the grumpy miser who would rather count his money than celebrate Christmas. But as Yuletide cheer spreads through all of London and two friendly mice try to change Scrooge's ill-tempered ways, Scrooge receives three unexpected visitorsthe Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Futurewho take him on a wild and wonderful journey and help him discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50029 in DVD
• Brand: MGM
• Released on: 2003-10-07
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
• Running time: 77 minutes

Amazon.com
This animated adaptation of Charles Dickens's Christmas classic retains the essence of the timeless tale while introducing some fresh interpretations. A celebrity cast provides voices for the roles of Scrooge (Simon Callow), Marley (Nicolas Cage), and Belle (Kate Winslet), yet the beauty of the film flows from its artistic usage of CG technology, such as the "painted" scenery of Scrooge's thoughts during his journey through Christmases Past, Present, and Future. The script honors the original story while proving that it is indeed possible to be moved to tears by a group of animated characters. Dickens purists may argue that few movie versions of A Christmas Carol can compete with Alastair Sim's 1951 rendition, or George C. Scott's 1984 remake, yet this film does not need to supplant, but rather complement, such predecessors. It is an especially good choice for young viewers who may find the black-and-white version too scary. (Ages 5 and older) --Lynn Gibson

Customer Reviews

Great Voice Cast, Great Kate Winslet's Song & Poor Animation
Yet another 'Carol' has traditional 2-D animations with great voice cast -- Simon Callow, Kate Winslet, Jane Horrocks, Nicholas Cage, Rhys Ifans, Micheal Gambon, and Juliet Stevenson. You also have a chance to listen to Kate's sister Beth Wislet's voice (who can be seen in a film 'Bodywork') and plus, you hear beautiful songs by Welsh singer Charlotte Church and Kate Winslet herself! And Ms Winslet is very good at that.

So, you ask, why 2 stars? OK, listen up, please. The story is a famous one, so you don't need my summery. And Scrooge is anyway going to be a good guy. But the process is the point, or the life of the story, and the film misses it very wide.

In fact, Scrooge (Simon Callow) in the first act is totally a bad guy here, feeding a mice, giving a chunk of cheese. After showing another side of him, the film is very slow in establishing his character, which should be more simple. To make it worse, Scrooge. out of the window, throws a jug of cold water (and it's winter) upon the chorus group on the street singing, among which you see the face of Tiny Tim, poor boy, drenched to the skin. And ... sorry if I'm wrong, but -- Did Dickens write that way?

There are many, many, unnecessary addtions and changes, which I do not introduce here. The real problem is, however, the animation itself. Jimmy T. Murakami is best known for 'When the Wind Blows' a quiet but very unnerving animated film about two elderly man and wife, who too innocently follows the government guidance to make a handmade shelter for the coming nuclear war. His 2-D animatiton worked at that time, but after about 14 years, it is no longer possible to grab our attention with that technique without good storyteling, character, or original designs. This 'Christmas Carol' has none of them, just making itself look like a Cliff Note of animation.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but as to this eternal classc, there are better choices out there, Alastair Simm or the Muppets (with Michael Caine, and the film is good), so why not them? The only good thing I could find about this version is Kate Winslet's wonderful yuletide song, which deserves more attention.

[VHS VERSION] lacks the opening and ending live-action sections in which Simon Callow plays Charles Dickens himself, touring in Boston, America, in 1867 (Dickens's celebrated reading performance in mind). If you want to see everything of this film, DVD is a better choice.

Lackluster production - GREAT for kids and Winslet fans....
It really wasn't all that bad!! If I had to choose between this and the Muppets version -- it would be the Muppets hand down.

What I really like about this adaptation is the dialogue. The interaction between the characters is lively, moving and very well acted. I did not pay any attention to the technical aspects mentioned in the other reviews. An animation is an animation to me -- I don't look for blowing hair or wrinkles in ones clothes. I tend to pay more attention to how well the movie is acted. That being said, I would not rate this one any higher than 3 and 1/2 stars -- simply because the supporting cast does not hold the story up too well. It seems that the film is purposely centered around the three main ("big name Holloywood) actors - Simon Callow, Nicolas Cage, and Kate Winslet. The other characters are very obviously pushed into the smoldering background.

I would recommend this as a buy if you have children, or if you are a big Winslet fan. The dialogue is very easy to follow if your kids cannot understand, or were afraid of, any other version. The cute little mice that accompany Ebenezer will surely delight them as well. They actually play a pivotal role of sorts towards the end of the movie. Winslet fans with be enamored with her singing debut on this soundtrack. She's actually very good! Her music video is also featured on the DVD extras.

New Family Favorite
My son absolutely loves this tale. He even dresses up as Scrooge and Cratchett at times. This has become our new favorite version, next to reading the original. It brings the tale closer to a child's understanding - it's the human race Scrooge has given up on, but that he still has compassion and love in his heart. This is very important for children of all ages to understand.

Sometimes, some people seem very harsh or bitter, but inside there may still be warmth and love. All it takes is a little kindness and remembering to bring it out. Not trying to be preachy, but this is actually what my 9 year-old son said after watching the movie.