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Charles Dickens ’ Hellenic morality taleA Christmas Carolwas adapted for the screen for the first prison term in 1901 , just thirty years after the famous writer ’s death . In the ensuing decades , thousands of hr of television and movie have been dedicate to the re - telling of the story - from gritty TV movies to sleek Hollywood productions .
In some of the more notable example , Victorian England is substituted with present - twenty-four hours New York , Scrooge is played to perfection by a grumpy toon duck , and the most iconic literary character of all meter are embodied byMuppets . But this lean wo n’t be looking at just those favorites . After all , we need no reminding of adjustment that will be toy on almost - constant rotation during the festive menses . or else , we oppose the staples of Christmas viewing against the bad and sometimes , the downright baffling .
Worst: A Diva’s Christmas Carol, 2000
The graphic symbol of Scrooge is selfish , cranky , and demanding ; in other Logos , he ’s a entire diva . That seems to be the underlying system of logic behindA Diva ’s Christmas Carol , anyway . Made for VH1 in 2000 , this version star Vanessa Williams ofUgly Bettyfame as Ebony Scrooge , a pop - star and ' diva ' who overworks and underpays her staff , include her close manager Bob Crachit .
Ebony ’s trajectory to fame , told via an awkward cameo from Kathy Griffin as the Ghost of Christmas Past , might be a insidious nod to pop - acculturation , as Ebony emerges from a Destiny’s - tyke style young lady - radical as the only successful solo artist ( à la Beyonce).Divais laughable enough to warrant a watch , and it does feature some moments where it seems almost self - cognizant . However , it features many more involving lazy patch points , cringy characterizations and frightful playing ( guess they blew their budget on Kathy ) .
Best: Scrooged, 1998
Upon its release in 1988,Scroogedwas met with a sundry critical answer and only moderate commercial success , perhaps owe to its dark , post - modernist overtone . Its regard as a mainstay of Christmas viewing would be cemented only over the subsequent age .
It ’s aChristmas Caroladaptation about a New York TV executive overseeing aChristmas Caroladaptation , with Bill Murray play Frank Cross , the image of the unpitying , ratings - obsessed web political boss whose vocation unravels further with the reaching of each new shade . Though the film hangs on Murray ’s carrying into action and ad - libbed plus to the script , it ’s Carol Kane ’s adorable - yet - violent Ghost of Christmas Present who steals the show , lead to perhaps the greatest line of all Christmas movies ; “ b*tch hit me with a toaster ! ”
Worst: Ebeneezer, 1998
Another uncanny , TV motion-picture show addition to theChristmas Carol canon places the familiar plot and characters in the Wild West . A Canadian product release in 1998,Ebeneezeris elevate by the presence of Western genre - veteran Jack Palance - portraying Scrooge as a sordid saloon owner and visiting card cheat , who give the axe his Seth Rogan - look - alike helper on Christmas Eve .
If it was n’t for the factEbeneezerwas uploaded on YouTube in 2017 , this unnoticeable adaption would be all but forget . Which would be a shame ; after all , there are n’t many versions of Dickens ’ prissy - era classic that end in a shooter - fighting or have the job “ do n’t you ever dare call me lizard lickin ’ again , or lounge lizard - lips or lizard - face or lounge lizard - anything , you discover ? ”
Best: The Muppets Christmas Carol, 1992
Dark and serious themes lie at the core of Dickens ’ Hellenic novella : Poverty , human indifference , and man ’s capacity for repurchase . Yet , one of the adaptation that do the most justice to this telling tale is narrated by a fuzzy dispirited aardvark and a talking stinkpot .
The Muppets Christmas Carolsucceeds in lightening its source cloth for afamily audience , whilst still retaining its power to warm the heart and inspire hope . Particularly upon the arrival of the bombastic , infectiously sunny touch of Christmas Present - that he is a man in a full - soundbox Muppet wooing notwithstanding . Released in 1992 and star Micheal Caine as Scrooge , for many , this 1992 musical comedy remain the pinnacle of essential Christmas screening , long past childhood years .
Worst: A Christmas Carol: The Musical, 2002
Though this 2002 TV - picture show starring Kelsey Grammar as Scrooge is not without its fans , it is a decidedly rocky gain to theChristmas Carolgenre . With a total of 21 original songs that ofttimes have you make for the fast - forward button , this adaptation also includes some off - kilter play , featherbrained period costumes , and a set that scream ‘ made for TV . ’
The most notable of the dodgy costume is that ofSeinfield’sJacob Alexander , who at best , resemble The Cure wind singer Robert Smith in his Jacob Marley get - up , and at worst , looks like Danny Devito as the Penguin .
Best: Blackadder’s Christmas Carol, 1998
Delightfully giddy and mean - spirited , Blackadder ’s Christmas Carolis more of a pasquinade than an adaptation . It is a 1998 Christmas special of the classic BBC seriesBlackadder , which stars Rowan Atkinson as the titular theatrical role during various historic flow .
In this 43 - mo episode , the usually villainous Blackadder is transformed into a tolerant - hearted Victorian workshop - owner , who , in joyful rebelliousness of Dickens ’ fable comes to substantiate that greed and selfishness pave the agency to a better life . Featuring narration from Hugh Laurie in pre - Houseyears and a fit in which Rowan Atkinson wears nothing but some petite knickers , it is well deserving a watch .
Worst: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, 2009
Okay , so it ’s not fix at Christmas time . But this 2009 motion-picture show starring Matthew McConaughey deserves a dishonorable quotation for transforming a richly - layered fable about class , inequality , and the human spirit into a charmless , disposable rom - com .
It ’s a tale of redemption not about a unblushing man of affairs but a shameless philanderer , with McConaughey ’s admirer force to contemplate on his romantic account on the eve of his brother ’s wedding , to totally mediocre consequence .
Best: Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 1983
Another kinsperson - friendly plus to the list is the 1983DisneyspecialMickey ’s Christmas Carol . Featuring attractively deal - paint invigoration and a soundtrack that will give even the most hardened millennial ’s marrow a nostalgic tug , this adaptation was nominated for an Academy Award for the best short film in 1984 .
It also gives Scrooge McDuck the opportunity to act the character that he was based on . Of course , he does an excellent job of it .
Worst: A Christmas Carol, 2009
Although this inclination has repeatedly jab play at television receiver - flick renderings of Dickens ' classic , Robert Zemeckis’A Christmas Carolis proof that even a multi - million dollar budget ca n’t salvage some moving-picture show from averageness .
give that this is a Disney yield with a high - caliber mould , include Jim Carrey as Scrooge , Gary Oldman , and Bob Hoskins , this 3-D figurer - animated offering simply falls short of prospect , never able to elevate itself above a ' mixed bag ' variety of movie . Visuals deviate between impressive and uncanny valley creepy , and the drab , sometimes truly shivery shade of the film fails to mousse with the goofy - slapstick humor interpose into Carrey ’s role .
Best: Scrooge, 1951
Though it received a lukewarm receipt in 1951 , Alistair Sims ’ portraying of Scrooge in this other dim - and - white adaptation has become cement in the cultural awareness , undoubtedly influencing the many adaptations that stick with .
SimsisScrooge and habituate a perfect balance of pitilessness , wit , and exposure to offer the audience sixth sense into his case ’s wretched intimate life . Only in Dickens ’ novella and in this imagining of it do we see the extent that Scrooge ’s own sadness leads him to sow unhappiness in others . Though the black - and - lily-white visuals and somber atmosphere may put off some modern viewers , Scroogemay be the high - point for trueA Christmas Carolconnoisseur .
NEXT:10 of the Most Memorable Christmas Movie Quotes of All Time , Ranked
