So Many Christmas Carols!: RANKIN/BASS's Stingiest Man in Town (1956 & 1978)

[@ColinLooksBack]

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[@forrestdupre87]

The animated version is better

[@racheljackson4428]

The Rankin/Bass Powerhouse are Offically no longer with us with Jules Bass passing away recently.

[@quietchap]

Hope you have a merry Christmas, Colin ^^

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Basil Rathbone I think is one of those wildly underappreciated actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood, yes people do know him mainly for Sherlock Holmes, as they should, and yet his character actor as the villain in a lot of swashbuckling movies is fantastic, like he could have played Captain Hook in a live action Peter Pan. Check out his performance against Errol Flynn in both The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood. Or as the bad guy in Zorro, dude was awesome.

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

Or when he played Mr. Murdstone in the 1935 film version of Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield," with Freddie Bartholomew as the younger version of the title character. I don't remember who played David as an adult though. Comedian W.C. Fields also appeared in the film as Wilkins Micawber.

[@Sandlot1992]

that clip from Revenge of the Sith at the end is totally the icing on the cake! (I remember seeing this back on Fox Family back then!)

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

Yes, but what does it have to do with "A Christmas Carol"?

[@samwill7259]

Some people have pointed out how awkward the Rankin/Bass specials are, how odd the stop motion looks sometimes, how cheesy they are, how sappy and mushy they are And all of those are true I simply do not care, they're so cozy and heartfelt and lovely I could watch them every year happily until I'm dead

[@kyliethelittlespider-mangirl94]

I’m totally with you! I don’t care what people say, their animation is great either stop motion or 2D animated

[@headofcosmospictures1232]

It's great that you're covering this oddity. This is one of my personal favourite christmas carols and the songs are great too. Something i've noticed in various christmas carol adaptions is that they always give a romantic ballade to belle and scrooge. My three favourites are ''I might have been'' from The stingiest man in town, ''When love is gone'' from muppets christmas carol and ''Winter was warm'' from Mr Magoos Christmas carol.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

The double-act of "You" and "Happiness" from Scrooge (1970) is great too.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

You know, musical adaptations of A Christmas Carol do seem to have general categories of songs that they may or may not include. A song about how awful Scrooge is, a cheerful song for the Fezziwigs' party, a love song and/or breakup song for Ebenezer and Belle, a joyful number (sometimes a huge ensemble) for The Ghost Of Christmas Present, a song for the Cratchits (sometimes reprised at Tiny Tim's death), a song of joy and relief for Scrooge as he awakens on Christmas morning, and a joyous finale for the ensemble.

[@caroldefender4144]

@@jenniferschillig3768 And, less frequently, a warning song for Marley. (I say "less frequently" because I've only seen- or rather heard, since one was a recording- four versions where he does get one.)

[@LeBasfondMusic]

Mr. Bass' passing really hit me in my core because the 40th anniversary of the last unicorn was just a few weeks later. 😭😭😭😭

[@maxordman4100]

Thank you for covering this special Christmas cartoon in honor of Joules Bass’s passing! Very good job! Please cover more Rankin and Bass Christmas specials! Definitely enjoy your Christmas Carol cartoon comparisons!

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Rankin/Bass made 18 Christmas specials...18! both in that jerky puppet stop-motion style and this hyper detailed animation from Topcraft, which later led to animators from that becoming Studio Ghibli. Rankin/Bass must have realized the "Christmas Special" market was wide open for the taking.

[@AuraOfANobody]

Topcraft's work is really interesting to revisit once you're familiar with their later work as Ghibli! While it technically predates Ghibli as a studio, I swear, there are some shots in Nausicaä where her eyes look just like Amalthea's in The Last Unicorn. Really cool stuff.

[@pablocasas5906]

It's pretty noticeable that the animation was done in part in Japan. It reminds me a lot of the World Masterpiece Theater shows by Nippon Animation, in which Miyazaki and Takahata worked, it also reminds me of some Tatsunoko shows from that time as well

[@garycarpenter2980]

Rankin/Bass was the Kings of Christmas ⛄🎄 plus the other holidays,Basil Rathbone was great as well as Holmes and I didn't know he had played Scrooge and Marley s ghost 👻 but he's a great talent actor

[@boscott6438]

I saw this when I was 12 years old in 1959. Have loved it ever since. I have the album and listen to it every year. I was so pleased to find the "movie" on youtube two years ago. The music and the singers are amazing!

[@hoosierwood]

The songs are great. "Mankind should be my business." makes me tear up.

[@WillScarlet16]

A hell of a lot better than Netflix's Christmas Carol.

[@80sDisneyFan]

I wonder if the Rankin-Bass special is on that new DVD set. Also congrats on getting a sponsor.

[@Ireton06]

I’m impressed with this special, might check it out

[@ChickenGeorgeClooney]

Really love that you have this series. I'm also doing my own personal watch of as many Christmas Carol adaptations as I can, currently at 85 seen!

[@SeasideDetective2]

I found the animation style of the 1978 special grotesque, but in a charming sort of way. The Ghost of Christmas Present, however, came out looking more terrifying than I think the animators intended.

[@michaelsanchez440]

I like Christmas specials made of stop-motion.

[@Nightman221k]

I think this is the very first adaptation of A Christmas Carol I’ve watched. After having watched a multitude of versions… unfortunately this one doesn’t hold up as well even though I like a lot of what it did. The Cratchits resorting to painting clothespins in place of presents for Tiny Tim was sweet and sad and I liked the character designs even if Tiny Tim is dead-eyed. It is the only version I know of that depicts a tragic ending for Belle since during the song it shows she ended up lonely and poor. It’s interesting to see a version where Scrooge’s selfishness had an adverse effect on her, but I always liked Belle in the story so it just felt a bit mean for no reason. Especially since Scrooge is jovial and makes it up to everyone BUT her. I wasn’t fond of the cricket in this either. I do still have a soft spot for the version overall but it’s definitely not the best or closest to Dickens in terms of storytelling.

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

In the original story, after the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge how Belle broke up with him because of his greed, he then shows the old miser how, years later, Belle is happily married to a man who's neither selfish nor materialistic like Scrooge. They also have children.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

@@michaelpalmieri7335 "...and when [Scrooge] thought that such another creature [as Belle's teenage daughter], quite as graceful and as full of promise, might have called him father, and been a spring-time in the haggard winter of his life, his sight grew very dim indeed."

[@heymanwhatsgoingon]

unintentionally saved this watch for christmas day, perfect time to watch now i guess even tho it’s 3am lol

[@MisterSynyster]

RIP Herr Rankin, Herr Bass & Herr Rathbone

[@natethefighter]

That stinger at the end is * chef's kiss *

[@juliamavroidi8601]

The cricket narrator in the animated version is probably inspired by the similar character in Rankin-Bass' Cricket on the Hearth. Another Dickens' adaptation and one of their earliest Christmas specials (the first hand drwan animated one iirc)

[@robynwolph3836]

RIP Rankin Bass.

[@racheljackson4428]

yeah very sad but not as sad as the passing of Kevin Conroy.

[@80sDisneyFan]

@@racheljackson4428 That's disrespectful. BOTH deaths are equally as sad.

[@AnAverageGoblin]

@@racheljackson4428 Piss off with that shit dude. losing two people who were both important to their industries is sad.

[@frogglen6350]

it is amazing hiw this classic story is Ober 100 years old

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

I think it's more than just over 100 years old. The novel was written sometime in the 1840s, so that would make it about 180 years old.

[@aidanhever3369]

Man, kinda like Hanna-Barbera. The one who started it all died first, while his partner died a couple of years later.

[@BuckarooBanzai84]

Fun-Fact; this particular production is, as far back as I can recall, the first piece of media to directly make the connection between Christmas Present and Santa Claus! =)

[@itzorin600]

Oh yeah I've been waiting for this one

[@user-no5hs2wc2t]

Basil was and is great!

[@MagillanicaLouM]

Ohhh these are the Frosty and Rudolph special makers? And those are just a few under their name, impressive

[@natsmith303]

Gonna be honest, I actively hated the animated version the one time I've seen it. I think it was the bit early on when Scrooge laughs when he causes someone misfortune that put me off for the rest of it, because that's just not Scrooge. He's apathetic to the point of cruelty, not intentionally malicious.

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

*actually

[@jenniferschillig3768]

Which is why that awful 2019 BBC adaptation with Guy Pearce missed the mark by a million miles, making Scrooge actively evil. And taking out any warmth or joy and piling on tons of grimdarkness that wasn't there in the original because this is 2019, Game of Thrones is popular, and all the cool kids are nihilistic.

[@dylanpietz7855]

Funniest thing, I was actually going to suggest this particular version of A Christmas Carol, specifically the Rankin/Bass version. But I guess you found out about it before I could suggest it. Anyway, since Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules bass are sadly no longer with us, after this video, I don't suppose you could do videos covering their other films, specials and shows perhaps?

[@perrilewis180]

You have another disney one. It's Spring time with Roo. Yes it's winnie the pooh and it's Easter in it's non secular form but it's still a Christmas Carol in a sense.

[@TylerRakstis]

Funny you mention the detail in the live TV version because that's what I thought was happening as a kid when watching Scrooge McDuck or the Muppets. 6:09-6:46

[@tylerdiggs9174]

Nice vid. Didn't get a notification on this for some reason though

[@Rubberman202]

This feels appropriate, given the recent passing of Jules Bass. I've watched Rankin-Bass's "Stingiest Man in Town" a couple times in the past, I like the music, but it's kind of lacking in terms of an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The part that sticks out to me is when the Ghost of Christmas Present tries to do the whole "decrease the surplus population" ironic echo to Scrooge, but the special forgot to include Scrooge saying that line earlier. Also, the Ghost of Christmas Future is a bit rushed, and it doesn't have quite the same emotional pay-off as other Christmas Carol adaptations. My grandma is a HUGE Christmas Carol fan, and she was sorely disappointed with this version, but I just think it's alright.

[@mightyfilm]

I should start off by saying there's a MUCH worse anime version of A Christmas Carol: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mF7Hp6p7oN6dhZI Anyway, this is a very interesting case. All if not most of Rankin Bass's projects were animated in Japan (yes, the stop motion ones too), but I remember reading in an old Anime encyclopedia that this was actually the only one that was considered a co-production (as a special, the King Kong cartoon was intended as one as well). This being between Rankin Bass and TMS animation (the studio behind such classics as Lupin II, Detective Conan, and outsourced animation for Ducktales and Tiny Toons among others). Now, I've never seen this entire thing, but what I have seen looks just beautifully colored and framed and very atmospheric. This is almost theatrical quality. Now, I forget the exact Japanese name of this special, and only one clip of the Japanese language version exists. Still, shame that Walter Mathau doesn't seem to be in top form here. I'm a BIG fan of the guy's work, and I really think it's a shame they didn't cast Jack Lemmon as someone to play off of Scrooge, be it the Hum Bug, a ghost, Jacob Marley or Cratchet himself. I'd think if they got those two together in the recording studio, there would have been a stronger chemistry that could have coaxed a better performance out of Mathau.

[@OrganizedChaos1117]

11:55 If nothing else, this had the creepiest "door knocker becomes Marley's face " scene ever.

[@memethyst]

im a big fan of rankin bass but this is one of them that i've never actually seen

[@KyleRDent]

That "Noooooo" needs to become a meme.

[@katiehickey4539]

Wait a minute, New Dream Stingiest Man in Town Collection; 1956's Stingiest Man in Town Movie in VHS and 1978's Stingiest Man in Town Movie in DVD-Video.

[@garycarpenter2980]

The 1978 version is better than a live action show

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

I haven’t still seen that many Christmas Carols, but I watched today the new Netflix one and I did like it. But I assume you find it pretty standard since you have watched so many.

[@g-forcefgt323]

11:22 it should be mentioned Paul sadly passed away in July.

[@jennifermoy272]

You should do a "So Many Christmas Carols" review on the "Real Ghostbusters" Christmas episode, "X Mas Marks the Spot".

[@lilyfultz9702]

As Well As The Bravestarr Christmas Episode Tex's Terrible Night The Animaniacs Christmas Episode A Christmas Plotz & The Littlest Pet Shop Christmas Episode Who Scrooged McRude?

[@Perrosiutico]

I'm so sorry you can't appreciate the vocal performance of Basil Rathbone ,which I find impeccable. For me, he achieves the perfect vocal quality for this character and infuses the songs "One Little Boy" and "Mankind Should Be My Business" with all the emotional depth of a great actor. And Rathbone even dances! If you want more polished vocalism there is always the ringing tones of Met veterans Robert Weede and Patrice Munsel. Rathbone, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Dante Alighieri, tourist in Hell, is totally convincing in his transformation. I have searched for the video of this 1956 memory of my childhood for most of my life. After being told repeatedly by the folks at the Paley Museum of Broadcasting that this was lost forever, a lone copy of the original kinescope in the effects of a deceased Alcoa executive. I have very little use for the later animated version. A few years ago I stumbled on a copy of the piano/vocal score in an old music shop. Someday I hope to produce my own live version.

[@kiwikenobi]

Me mid-video: Aha, I know exactly what joke I'll make in the comments! Me at the very end of the video: Ah. Glad I waited, he beat me to it. XD

[@ILikeSoup2013]

Walter Matthau voiced the grinch once

[@Magicghost23]

🎄🎄🎄

[@gstone8255]

Walter Matthau sang well in Hello Dolly.

[@garycarpenter2980]

Yeah he sure did

[@tristanbray2184]

This wasn't Matthau's only voiceover credit. He narrated "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" for Dr. Seuss Video Classics.

[@garycarpenter2980]

That I didn't know

[@matthewander2241]

Still waiting for spirited

[@seanking8427]

12:55 I didn’t like the grave morphing into the devil

[@belleroseelizabethsmith8148]

Did u see the new scrooge movie?

[@pacoramon9468]

Too early for this kind of videos.

[@memelessnaiki]

early?

[@aranbuzzas8000]

You're pretty harsh on this. It's without a doubt the original with Rathbone is the BEST version of A Christmas Carol. I was excited to see it get some attention on KZbin, but this video was a big disappointment.

[@erikbihari3625]

Yeah, starts to get boring after a while.

[@AnInkStick]

Ooooh boy. My least favorite Christmas carol adaptation.

[@thundertits]

which one?

[@AnInkStick]

@@thundertits the rankin bass version.

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

@@thundertits What do you think this video is about?

[@thundertits]

@@michaelpalmieri7335 he's talking about TWO movies I wanted to know which one inkstick was talking about

[@garycarpenter2980]

@@AnInkStick You must be a new scrooge yourself....any toon from R&B is great