So Many Christmas Carols!: Scrooged (1988)

[@doctorbjones2283]

I think this is my favorite 'Re-Imagining' of A Christmas Carol. It's funny, it can be dark, it's great. And during Frank's big speech at the end, he had a line I think is poignant: "For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be."

[@christopherwall2121]

There's a particularly effective bit in the Christmas Future scene, when Frank looks in on Calvin in a padded cell, and Calvin just turns and _glares_ right at him, unnoticed by anyone else in the room. You rarely see adaptations hinting that the visions might be able to see Scrooge after all, but it's effective here.

[@mightyfilm]

That would be my second favorite Bill Murray related Christmas Carol. My actual favorite, even though it's only based off a Murray character, is The Real Ghostbusters episode where they somehow manage to be transported to Dickensian England and bust the three ghosts haunting Scrooge. Of course, Venkman is very much the bitter character that doesn't like Christmas here. Ever think of covering that one? I think it's one of the most brilliant variations of the story, and it's just an episode of a cartoon series. Granted, a very GOOD cartoon series that's a better sequel to the movie than the actual movie's sequel.

[@Dimensioneer88]

There's also a Ghostbusters comic called Past, Present, and Future where Venkman is the Scrooge type. Linkara's done a review of it.

[@Dimensioneer88]

-Frank's dad is played by Bill Murray's brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, who the following year played another Scrooge-type named Frank in Christmas Vacation. -I also JUST recently learned that Christmas Past is played by Buster Poindexter!

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

John and Joel Murray are in there too, as Frank's brother and another party guest. Maybe that's why this version is so good, it's a real family production

[@Adamguy2003]

I thought in Christmas vacation, he played a character named fred, not frank.

[@Dimensioneer88]

@@Adamguy2003 No, his name was Frank Shirley.

[@muppetsretrofan8873]

I never saw Scrooged, but this review is making me want to watch it so badly! I think it's fun when a story is in the public domain, because we get to see some very unique and creative takes on said story. Case in point: Treasure Island. Whether it be the Muppets Treasure Island, Treasure Planet, the 1988 Treasure Island, or the Long John Silver restaurant's 1970s commercials, the story of Treasure Island is arguably just as iconic as A Christmas Carol.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Sam Kinision was originally tapped for the Ghost of Christmas Past in this feature

[@andrewthomas8888]

I just rewatched Scrooged!! It came out the year that i was born as a big Bill Murray fan from Ghostbusters!! I still really enjoy this movie!!

[@Dimensioneer88]

Same year I was born too!

[@adamjlozano2454]

I love Scrooged it's my favorite version of a Christmas Carol. it's such a unique version of the story by it taking place in modern time.

[@NebLleb]

Hands down, my favourite of the Christmas Carol adaptations.

[@lizgranado4239]

This movie is a holiday staple with my family, we watch it every year

[@Sandlot1992]

R.I.P. Richard Donner, I hope we get to see a Special/Deluxe Edition DVD/Blu-ray of this movie with Interviews and Behind the Scenes of the film now that the director of this film is no longer with us!

[@Dimensioneer88]

The end song Put a Little Love In Your Heart is on my Christmas playlist.

[@sirmojo4537]

Annie Lennox and Al Green did a perfect 80's update on the 60's Jackie DeShannon hit. Unfortunately since then, it's only heard around Christmas time. Just like Dolly Parton's "Hard candy Christmas", it was never meant to be a Christmas song- only to get radio airplay during the yuletide season.

[@TylerRakstis]

Definately one of the few that take place in modern times and is a dark comedy.

[@Rubberman202]

It's that time of year again! You know, last year, my mom and I wanted to make it a yearly tradition to watch as many Christmas Carol adaptations as possible, but it feels like this year, things are took hectic and busy to really do more than what we're familiar with. Maybe I'll show her this series instead.

[@moonstoneuniverse8516]

Again like the Flinstones another Christmas Carol movie where Scrooge and Belle get back together.

[@maldon3659]

For a guy raised on TV, you'd think Frank would've watched Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol or the Albert Finney musical at least

[@MsDisneylandlover]

The scrooge that u r speaking of I have it on dvd. I love this movie. N the lady who is playing his asst she is a great actress n bill. I love danny..n it is funny seeing Regina as a lil girl n this movie lol ❤❤❤❤❤..

[@nicholassims9837]

Have they made a Christmas Carol with 2 greedy misers the usual Ebeziner Scooge and a business rival. The business rival could serve as a dark reflection on how worse Scooge could have become just before his death in the bad future.

[@christopherwall2121]

Sort of; there was a modernized adaptation/sequel last year with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds that contrasted Scrooge with a modern counterpart.

[@MovieFan1912]

@@christopherwall2121You must talking about Spirited. I actually like that one, not as much Scrooged, but it’s a close second in my favorite adaptations of A Christmas Carol.

[@christopherwall2121]

@@MovieFan1912 That's the one

[@NicklasNN]

My family and I love this movie! It’s practically a tradition to watch it while decorating the tree! Thank you for covering it! Your reviews are the best!

[@mikeshirleyforever]

What a wonderful analysis and review on one of my favourite Christmas films from the late great Richard Donner. Whilst it is very dark in places, but retaining a wonderful sense of humour, it is a inspired piece of Cinema that does make you appreciate what you have but also sympathising to Frank Cross for his sad upbringing as a child and how he wanted to build his career. The film really touched me. Back when I was in my first real relationship and lived with this lady, I set a fun tradition of having a gift opened for one another on Christmas Eve like Claire did. You pointed out many great moments, especially why the relationship between Claire and Frank took a turn for the worst when he was invited to dinner on Christmas Eve by Lew Hayward, a rare opportunity for a prospected career in the industry. One scene I particularly enjoy is the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Future via the TV screens, each TV scene filmed seperately to make one image, which is so well done for only a few seconds of screen time. So glad you picked this as the video's thumbnail. The cast are top notch and the effects still hold up well today. The only scene I never found funny was the Richard Pryor joke in the restaurant. Even when I was younger and found out what it referred to, I thought it was in terrible taste. Later I saw it as a dig by Donner for Pryor being involved in Superman III. The scene I find the most disturbing, and still do, is when the casket is set on fire and we see the flames inside with Frank trying to get out. Thank you for this great retrospective on a Christmas movie classic from 1988.

[@therewillbefudd]

Never actually seen this one, didn't realize it was so visually inventive! Great vid, as always

[@babyrodent]

Of the Christmas Carol reimaginings, this is one that my family and I enjoy the most with the Ghost of Christmas Present being our favorite part- heck, any time I see a barking dog, I just go "Oh! Hello, Cujo!" Mom's favorite part, though, is Robert Goulet's cameo at the beginning, though that's a long story as to why.

[@behindthescenesphotos5133]

Opening over a miniature, Danny Elfman score, scenes with a stylized black and white color scheme... I can see how people think it's a Tim Burton movie.

[@kawaiiconcept7479]

I love this movie, I look forward to watching this and the muppet christmas carrol on my chat site every year

[@Buffaloguy1991]

I really like this version. wish there were more major setting change adaptations.

[@sirmojo4537]

In the late 90's, VH-1 made their own adaptation starring Vanessa Williams called "A Diva's Christmas carol". SPOILER ALERT: in kind of a funny ironic twist, "Behind the music" was the ghost of Christmas future as Ebony Scrooge was being sucked into her TV right before she wakes up on Christmas morning.😂

[@aidanhever3369]

Can you imagine Scuttle as Ebenezer Scrooge instead of Scrooge McDuck ? Yeah, I know that The Little Mermaid came out 6 years after Mickey's Christmas Carol was made. But that would be hilarious 😄

[@collinmurr3207]

I always thought the joke was that they were calling it Scrooge because they were focused on making a lavish production but didn't actually know the story.

[@amojmarr]

Nice job as always! I wonder what the next, “another Christmas Carol” will be…and BTW, I know we still have a few more villains left before we get to the little mermaid villains, retrospective, but can I show you some stuff I found, that I would like you to include in that upcoming retrospective? PS: Thanks for all the great content you’ve uploaded. My personal favorite videos you uploaded so far is the retrospective about Maleficent, and the Script-Screen of Casper!

[@JinxProductions]

Just watched this movie a few days ago. My favorite scene is absolutely when Frank runs into what he thinks is the Ghost of Christmas Future. I’m glad they didn’t include that scene of the ghost being the real Ghost. I think it’s funnier if it’s some poor guy that Frank is freaking out at for no reason

[@charlesbennett7484]

Scrooged has the creepiest version of the Ghost Of Christmas Future I've ever seen.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

This is one of those movies I saw at too young an age, yet was what got me started on my love of horror movies

[@ThePonderer]

I’ve always dug Scrooged. The other night I watched a Roku movie called a Christmas Karen which feels directly influenced by Scrooged in a lot of ways.

[@androognoix1685]

My favorite version not because it’s dark but because everything aspect of the story is refined and optimized, and additional details like how the Mc truly shows he isn’t doing goodwill for himself cause he’ll get fired for it

[@maldon3659]

I hope you look at the George C Scott version next

[@AlfredoPuente8]

In Disney+ there are more than 20 in the front page.

[@DrRichardEw]

0:08 hold on, is that Jamie Farr? :D

[@MusicMan922]

Sure is!!

[@DrRichardEw]

@@MusicMan922 Awesome! Now I really need to check this movie out lol

[@christopherwall2121]

@@DrRichardEw he only has a tiny role in the movie, he's playing Bob Cratchitt in the in-universe TV special, as another joke about the blatant miscasting, same as Buddy Hackett and Mary Lou Retton

[@MusicMan922]

@@christopherwall2121 He was actually Jacob Marley, as referenced in the credits. He appears on a monitor during rehearsal for the special, asking Buddy, "Now where were we?"

[@jasonkingsley9134]

What’s the concept of 2 Christmas Carols at the same time ? Like for example , Scrooged is like Jacob Marley in the show is best described as Lew Heyward behind the scenes . I may have to call this film a Behind the scenes Carol .

[@MsDisneylandlover]

Jim H xmas Carol movie can u do that next..❤

[@MsDisneylandlover]

Bill looks good in that black n white pic he was young n pic..

[@PhilBowes]

Hey I read that in who framned Rodger rabbit there is a scrapped weasel namned twichy part of the toon patroll who was scrapped and only two scrapped weasels made it into the final film

[@Tbone680]

I look forward to you talking about the Jim Carrey Christmas Carol

[@BuckarooBanzai84]

My sentiments EXACTLY, and I'm glad I'm not the only one! But I disagree about the criticism of the ending; I think it makes complete sense for Franks character. After days of being tormented mentally, emotionally, and physically, (not to mention an attempt on his life) Frank finally has a "mental breakdown" in the form of a sudden and dramatic change of heart. it makes perfect sense for his character, and considering how kooky the film's setting already is, it's not out of place at all to have a big, flash finale. =)

[@nicholassims9837]

Since you talked about Bill Murry could you do a script to screen on Osmosis Jones ?

[@Christian1999DK]

so this movie is not a Fever dream i had. i watched this movie so many years ago as a kid and i just rememeber the scene with the Ghost of christmas future and the cab ghost of the past. Honestly i liked the movie and well the interbritations are kinda neat, mainly i like the ghost of christmas yet to come and just how scary they can be. especialy due to how ive seen some interibritations being with this ghost talking to scrooge. Now that the future ghost is speaking or well responding to the questions, it all kinda seems abit bad. cause i think that why the future ghost does not talk, it is for scrooge to find out and his will to change the future, that they show what will happen if they do not change their ways. Cause things are never really set in stone and why should this ghost be talking, as anything it says might influence the future

[@benjaminfeld6388]

I believe what they were going for when they made Scrooged was maybe something of a black comedy. So it's probably only natural that everything would be so over the top.

[@matthewflugstad8023]

My money is the other carol he does is spirited

[@mathieuleader8601]

this is pure speculation on my part but in that earlier darker draft of Scrooged much like in the book where we see Scrooge see Belle and her family we see Calvin's father get shot and Cross attempting to pickup Calvin's dad only for the cabbie ghost to say that he cannot change the past.

[@MovieFan1912]

I was wondering when you were going to cover this movie, and let me say, I was not disappointed. Out of all the versions of A Christmas Carol, this one has to be my favorite.

[@theadaptationstationmaster]

I'm pretty meh on this one. Some of the jokes are really funny. Some of them, I think, are just dumb. I do love when Frank yells at the actress playing Scrooge's lost love and I love that when he thinks he's met the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Frank says, "I'll come quietly," since that's a short version of what Scrooge says at that point in the book. (Or did they change that in the finale movie? I remember it was in the script available to read online. If they changed it, that was a mistake.)

[@animationfanatic2133]

I wish "the night the reindeer died" was real. Yes I'm aware violent night is a similar idea but did that movie have a goth elf

[@johnlauracave8169]

You should cover The Christmas Karen. It’s one of the worst Christmas movies I’ve ever seen.

[@Garrettk41]

This was a well meaning variation, but in the final analysis, it didn't really do that much for me.

[@MsDisneylandlover]

#DisneyDiva ❤

[@SgtMatter]

does anyone else think Bryce Cummings looks like Jerma or is it just me?

[@elmasterdezoologia6641]

I hope Colin NEVER reviews 'Boozoo's Ghosts'

[@nicholassims9837]

What's that ?

[@elmasterdezoologia6641]

@@nicholassims9837 An analog horror take on A Christmas Carol with the Walten Files' characters. I don't want Colin to review it because I don't think he would like it

[@leonkfox3606]

I can’t say I particularly enjoyed this one. It could have been great but it’s just so…noisy constantly besides maybe the Ghost of Christmas Future segment.