A Christmas Carol (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Clive Donner

Writers:

Roger O. Hirson (screenplay) and
Charles Dickens (short story)

Release Date:

17 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

A new powerful presentation of the most loved ghost story of all time!

Plot:

An old miser who makes excuses for his uncaring nature learns real compassion when 3 ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Ghost | Miser | Christmas Eve | Future

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Ebenezer Scrooge
Frank Finlay	...	Marley's Ghost
Angela Pleasence	...	Ghost of Christmas Past
Edward Woodward	...	Ghost of Christmas Present
Michael Carter	...	Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
David Warner	...	Bob Cratchit
Susannah York	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Anthony Walters	...	Tiny Tim
Roger Rees	...	Fred Holywell / Narrator
Caroline Langrishe	...	Janet Holywell
Lucy Gutteridge	...	Belle
Nigel Davenport	...	Silas Scrooge
Mark Strickson	...	Young Scrooge
Joanne Whalley	...	Fan
Timothy Bateson	...	Mr. Fezziwig
Michael Gough	...	Mr. Poole
John Quarmby	...	Mr. Harking
Peter Woodthorpe	...	Old Joe
Liz Smith	...	Mrs. Dilber
Brian Pettifer	...	Ben
Catherine Hall	...	Meg
Peter Settelen	...	Belle's husband
Pat Rose	...	Mrs. Fezziwig
Joseph Blatchley	...	George
Gavin Asher	...	Alfred
Rebecca Burrill	...	Anne
Cathryn Harrison	...	Kate
Daniel Chatto	...	William
Tim Munro	...	Mr. Topper
Alan Bodenham	...	Poulterer
Spencer Banks	...	Dick Wilkins
Louise Gasser	...	Martha
Kieron Hughes	...	Peter Cratchit
Sasha Wells	...	Belinda Cratchit
Orlando Wells	...	Little Boy Cratchit
Nancy Dodds	...	Little Girl Cratchit
Ian Giles	...	Boy who gets turkey
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Derek Francis	...	Pemberton
John Sharp	...	Tipton
Danny Davies	...	Forbush (uncredited)

Directed by
Clive Donner

Writing credits
Roger O. Hirson		(screenplay)
Charles Dickens		short story

Produced by
Robert E. Fuisz	....	executive producer
Alfred R. Kelman	....	producer
William F. Storke	....	producer

Original Music by
Nick Bicât

Cinematography by
Tony Imi

Film Editing by
Peter Tanner

Casting by
Noel Davis

Production Design by
Roger Murray-Leach

Art Direction by
Diana Charnley
Peter Childs
Harry Cordwell

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	hair designer
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup designer
Joan Hills	....	makeup artist
Mark Nelson	....	chief hair stylist
Neville Smallwood	....	chief makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ian Hickinbotham	....	second assistant director
Roger Simons	....	assistant director
Gareth Tandy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Roy Evans	....	construction manager
Brian Read	....	production buyer

Sound Department
David Crozier	....	sound mixer
Glenn Freemantle	....	assistant sound editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	dubbing mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Morris	....	sound maintenance
Ian Munro	....	boom operator
Jim Shields	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Neil Corbould	....	special effects technician
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects supervisor
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects
Graham Longhurst	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	optical cameraman (uncredited)
Charles Stoneham	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Hall	....	assistant camera
David James	....	still photographer
David James	....	still photographer
Alan Jones	....	camera focus operator
Steve Kitchen	....	best boy
Tony White	....	camera operator
Micky Wilson	....	gaffer
Micky Wilson	....	supervising electrician

Casting Department
Jeremy Zimmerman	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Baxter	....	wardrobe assistant
John Birkinshaw	....	wardrobe assistant
Min Booth	....	wardrobe assistant
Marguerite Smith	....	assistant costume designer
Patrick Wheatley	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Keith Mason	....	second assistant editor
Kant Pan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Nick Bicât	....	song music
Tony Britten	....	conductor
Michael Connell	....	music editor

Other crew
Eleanor Fazan	....	choreographer
Nigel Goldsack	....	location manager
Carolyn Hall	....	production accountant
Al Hix	....	unit publicist
Kelly Howard-Garde	....	production assistant
Nyla Lyon	....	aide to producer
Nancy McGeorge	....	aide to producer
Ian Munro	....	beam operator
Olga Pogostin	....	aide to producer
Lissa Ruben	....	continuity
Michele Tandy	....	assistant production accountant

Production Companies

• Entertainment Partners Ltd.

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Enterprised (1984) (UK) (theatrical)
• Fox Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates

Other Companies

• General Screen Enterprises  titles
• Olympic Sound Studios  music recorded at
• Optical Film Effects Ltd.  opticals
• Pinewood Studios  re-recorded at
• Samuelson Lighting  electrical equipment

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:U

Filming Locations:

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK

Company:

Entertainment Partners Ltd.

Trivia:

Scrooge's grave can still be visited at St Chad's Church graveyard, Shrewsbury, where the churchyard sequence was shot - the production team left the gravestone in place once filming was completed.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The brass cornet and tuba in the beginning were not period pieces by a century or so.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge: [Sitting under the bridge after the Ghost of Christmas Present leaves] What have I done... to be abandoned like this? What?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Queer Duck: The Movie (2006) (V)

My favourite version of a classic tale

I know many people have a special fondness for the Alistair Sim version of Dickens' story, but for me, this 1984 version is the one to beat. My wife and I own a copy of this film on VHS, and we watch it together every Christmas Eve. I often remark that we could watch it on Halloween too, because it's a very creepy ghost story.

Scott--typecast as Scrooge--is shudderingly mean and nasty, making his transformation all the more miraculous and moving. I think it's up there with his performance in Patton. The spirits are all effective, each one creepier than the last. Watching the dark, floating, skeletal form of the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come sends shivers down my spine every year. And what a supporting cast! David Warner, in particular, is in top form as Bob Cratchit, as is Susannah York as his wife.

I seem to recall that this version sticks closer to the original story than most others--but I may be mistaken, as it's been several years since I read it. Regardless, this is a terrific Christmas classic.