Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Chuck Jones' A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1971)



OK, it's the Holiday season. Let's go watch an Oscar-award-winning adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, executive produced by Chuck Jones with the voice of Alastair Sim as Scrooge! For now, there's only one -- just one place -- to see this: YouTube.

It's not on DVD. Ands that's crummy. This show has some serious pedigree; the guy who brought us THE GRINCH (the cartoon, not the Jim Carrey monster) is the executive producer and it's directed by the animation director of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. I remember seeing it in 1971, and once or twice since then -- but only by chance. It's not a holiday TV tradition ala CHARLIE BROWN or those Rankin Bass puppet specials or the MISTER MAGOO special. Go figure!

YouTube's rules means a 28 minute vid has to be sliced up into smaller segments. Here are the links if you have the time to watch.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Stave One

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Stave Two

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Stave Three

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Stave Four

Thanks to Grant Miehm for reminding me of this special, which I had forgotten about until now!

6 comments:

richardcthompson said...

Yes! Pass this one around! I remember when it was on TV, I even cut an article with pictures from it out of TV guide. This should be on DVD already, for crying out loud. It's spooky, too.

Mike Lynch said...

When Marley's ghost unties that cloth and his mouth hangs open -- wailing -- that, my friend, is the stuff of nightmares.

I wonder that because it has zero "cute factor" and no licensing appeal (ala FROSTY, CHARLIE BROWN, RUDOLPH) that that is why it languishes.

Bucky Jones said...

Mike, thanks so much for sharing this. I never forgot this program but always wondered what happened to it. The first time I saw it I was 10. That was 36 years ago.__It made an impression.

Johnny C said...

I too had forgotten about it until the Marley jaw hanging bit, then it all came rushing back. What a wonderful version. According to imdb.com, it was the only made for tv special to win an Academy Award.

Let's bring back the tradition of ghost stories at Christmas.

Mark Anderson said...

I'm gonna watch this and them Magoo Review it! That's right, "Magoo Review" is the new "swift boat!"

williamsmuse said...

THANK YOU! I have been wanting to see this version for 20 years. I have up looking a long time ago and just thought to look for it again this evening. It is by far my favorite version and I really like the hand drawn work in this adaptation. I will show it to my kids come Christmas. Thanks so much.