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!
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6 comments:

  1. richardcthompson10:37 PM

    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.

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  2. Mike Lynch8:14 AM

    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.

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  3. Bucky Jones4:05 PM

    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.

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  4. Johnny C9:06 AM

    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.

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  5. Mark Anderson7:01 AM

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

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  6. williamsmuse10:09 PM

    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.

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