I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments.
Have you checked out what other cool bloggers are writing about during the month of October? Please feel free to click on the Cryptkeeper link on the righthand side of this blog to go to a HUGE list of other blogs. It's a Halloween blog hop! hosted by CountdowntoHalloween.com
Have you ever watched the 1970 British movie musical Scrooge? With music and lyrics written by Leslie Bricusse, both the score and the song "Thank You Very Much" from this movie were nominated for Academy Awards that year. The music and lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse, the same man who went on to write the music for the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Scrooge stars Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge and Alec Guinness as the Ghost of Jacob Marley.
Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge
I point out 1970's Scrooge at Halloween because this particular adaptation of the popular Christmas story includes an incredible scene of substantial length. During his journey with the Ghost of Christmases Yet to Come, Scrooge takes a trip to HELL!
Spirit, what is to become of me?
Ebenezer literally stumbles into his own open grave.
...falling...falling...
There's a signpost up ahead. Next stop: HELL!
Panaramic view of Hell's stalactites and stalagmites lined with sad faces.
"Help me Jacob Marley, you're my only hope!"
After falling down into the depth of Hell, Scrooge is relieved to see a familiar face: his old friend and business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley welcomes Scrooge to his final destination (mwuh--hahahaha!) and shows him his office. He's been given the job as personal clerk to Lucifer!
A new office? how shall I decorate?
Marley takes him in his office and warns him about the rats! He's also been denied heat in his office, just as he denied heat to Cratchit serving as his personal clerk. (Karma is a bitch). Next, Scrooge's chains are delivered--they took extra long to forge.
This photo is not taken from an Erasure music video. Scrooge's chains are delivered by Human Resources
Scrooge's chains in the afterlife are choking him...
Wrapped in his bed linens, Scrooge finally awakens from his nightmare!
After Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning, he finds he's had a change of heart and sets out to buy a Christmas turkey for the Cratchits before joining his nephew Fred for a meal.
I find this interpretation of Scrooge's journey an interesting one. (A trip to Hell is not in the original manuscript as written by Charles Dickens). While I find the frightening imagery and the threat of eternity spent working for Lucifer a thrilling addition to the story, I don't think it fits the point intended by Dickens. I believe Dickens created Scrooge's transformation as one to be motivated by reciprocity and a recognition that his wealth will do him no good after death. As if Scrooge learns "you can't take it with you" rather than "for the wages of sin is death." It's a more subtle turn for Scrooge to recognize and appreciate what good his money can do for others rather than change his mind about his greediness because he fears eternal damnation. Certainly, Dickens was clever enough to consider writing it that way if he so wanted. But I think he preferred the more subtle character change. I think we all do. Even if it is entertaining to see Scrooge in HELL!
Check it out: Scrooge is available on DVD and is easy to find each December airing on television.
He's so miserly, he won't buy a comb for the office!?
What's your favorite filmed adaptation of the Dickens' book 'A Christmas Carol?' Most critics quibble between the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim and the 1984 version with George C. Scott. But viewers' favorites usually depend upon which version they grew up watching.
The 1935 version entitled Scrooge starring Seymour Hicks has become more popular in recent years. For decades it was ignored by broadcasters who preferred to air either the 1938 or the 1951 versions on television. The former is a theatrical release with Reginald Owen playing Scrooge. This version was known as the first Hollywood adaptation of Dickens' book. The 1951 Sim version replaced the earlier American version on television. But in the last handful of years, the 1935 version has also become easy to find on TV schedules each December.
The actor Seymour Hicks who portrays Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1935 version had performed the role many times before--on the stage as well as in an early silent film version. In fact, this 1935 version is the first feature-length filmed adaptation produced with sound. Over the years, this film like many others, has suffered from being edited and cut down, running as short as 60 minutes. However in the last few years, the uncut 78 minute full length version has become easily accessible for viewing.
The trimmed down scenes include: ~~the two charity collectors' scene in the beginning may be entirely absent ~~there’s a significant portion of the Cratchit family Christmas dinner during Scrooge’s visit with the Ghost of Christmas Present cut short ~~the party at his nephew Fred’s house during Scrooge’s visit with the Ghost of Christmas Present may be entirely absent ~~a much longer scene depicting the sadness of the Cratchit family upon losing Tiny Tim in Christmases Yet to Come is missing ~~there are several minutes of footage from scenes of Christmas morning missing including Scrooge shaving, going to the poulterer’s shop, snow falling on his head, meeting up with the charity collectors and Scrooge joining the Cratchit family at church.
These above moments collectively amount to seventeen minutes of footage cut out. That's quite significant considering how popular and well-known this story is to the average viewer.
However, the 1935 version has its own distinctive style of storytelling and contains scenes not seen in other versions. One such is the depiction of how Scrooge spends his Christmas Eve. In this scene, he is seen alone, patronizing a very simple tavern for his evening meal that is cross-cut with a very lavish holiday party and dinner for London’s wealthiest residents. In another, the ghost of Jacob Marley is invisible and only heard by Scrooge. Another is that the Ghost of Christmas Past is seen as an ethereal spirit, a stylized special effect rather than a traditional actor in a costume. Similarly, the Ghost of Christmas Future is depicted merely as a shadow. Ebenezer has visions of his Christmases past but doesn’t physically journey to the past as he does in most other filmed versions. Scrooge’s past does not include visions of his school days and his sister Fan as it does in the original book. Rather, Scrooge's visions of his past begin with Belle ending their engagement. And, on Christmas morning, the charwoman brings Scrooge his breakfast and his excited behavior causes her to fear he’s gone mad. This scene is not in the original book. Neither is the final scene of the movie where Scrooge joins the Cratchit family at church.
TRIVIA: the great Shakespearean actor Maurice Evans appears in the small role of a poor man requesting an extension on his debt during Scrooge’s vision of his Christmas Past. TV junkies may recognize Evans as the actor who played Samantha's father on the 1960s TV series Bewitched.
Of course, watch the 1935 version yourself. Let me know what you think. Below is the uncut, full length unedited version. Or, you can watch it at Archive.org.
