Sunday, December 25, 2011

The Best Scrooge... EVER!

In keeping with the Christmas holiday... my favorite cinematic portrayal of Scrooge from the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” was performed by Alastair Sim (1900 -1976). His performance as Ebenezer Scrooge is a benchmark for this character and in my opinion the best Scrooge ever! Mr. Sim’s pliable facial expressions are the stuff of legend in the actors craft. The film’s use of light and shadow are outstanding. The set design and costume are authentic and executed with subtle touches. I always thought this movie was filmed much earlier than the 1951 release date. My film buff friend mentioned the protective post centered below the arch in the final scene of the film... this would not have been there in Victorian England.  Please watch the original black and white version as the colorized version simply ruins the mood. I don’t know why they continue to colorize so many classic black and white films. It would be like someone retouching your art without your permission. There is a Blu-ray edition (progressive scanning with re-mastered audio - no annoying “hiss”) that is simply amazing in its clarity and worth ever cent, and even better when seen on a large 1080p plasma screen. Although the aspect ratio is the older proportion this does not diminish the magic of this charming fable.  The film is directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.



Imagine if Ebenezer Scrooge was an art director and you were late on a deadline..... yikes!











Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

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