Product Details

• Actors: Alastair Sim, Michael Redgrave, Michael Hordern, Diana Quick, Joan Sims
• Directors: Richard Williams
• Writers: Charles Dickens
• Producers: Richard Williams, Chuck Jones
• Format: Animated, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: July 7, 1998
• Run Time: 28 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305107645
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,728 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rediscovered After 30 Years!, January 11, 2000

By 

W M Parsons (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Animated Version) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Come Christmas 1971, the infamous New England Green Christmas, ABC aired a strange 1/2 hour animated version of 1951's "A Christmas Carol". Directed by famed master animator Richard Williams and Produced by veteran master animator Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, The Grinch) with narration by Sir Michael Redgrave and Alastair Sim himself reprising his role as Scrooge, this "Christmas Carol" is as faithful and stylistic as any filmed version. In fact, the atmosphere evoked by the double-vision animation itself makes it the spookiest version told; indeed, some scenes may be too intense for children under five. The artists' unique use of lighting adds to the spectral effects, this film "Being a Ghost Story of Christmas" as the subtitle reminds us. The artwork is stunning: the backgrounds recall the bleakness of mid-19th century England and the characterizations remind one of the pen and ink renderings that graced 1930s editions of the novella by illustrator Milo Winter. Important details often overlooked by films three times the length are included. The narration itself mirrors the classic 1951 film version and Sim himself lends all his charm to this remarkable picture. Why this was aired so little then disappeared altogether is as mysterious as the story it tells; perhaps a new generation will enjoy this as I did going thirty years on (Cartoon Network, are you reading this?). My only regret is that it isn't longer. Don't let the video cover art fool you, this is THE animated version that we lost too many years ago, the one that the Academy awarded for best animated short in 1972. It deserves no less recognition than that.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Animated Christmas classic... but not for the little ones, December 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Animated Version) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

As others have pointed out, this should not be confused with the live action version of "Carol" filmed in 1951. This is the animated version of "A Christmas Carol" that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film for 1972. It aired on TV a few years later and has not been seen on televsion since.

It was produced by Chuck Jones (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and directed by Richard Williams (Raggedy Ann and Andy). But don't be fooled into thinking that this is a cartoon for the little ones. This is a serious animated 30 minute film that *will* scare small children. Believe me, I know. I first saw this version when I was six or seven years old and the sequence with Jacob Marley in particular scared the you-know-what out of me.

Bottom line: if your kids get spooked easily, you're better off buying them a Disney video for Christmas instead. But older children and adults should enjoy this intelligent, well-animated film immensely.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Christmas Carol versions, August 6, 2003

By 

J. Smith "JThree" (Williston, North Dakota United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Animated Version) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

All the comments made by the other reviewers are true. This twenty-three of so minute classic is, in my humble opinion, in the top four or five versions of Dicken's Christmas Tale. The first being the other Alastair Sim Christmas Version (1954). This ranks up there with either two or three as the "BEST."

It is sad that like so many other fine versions of A Christmas Carol, this hasn't been shown very regularly on any network or cable channel in recent years. This makes it all the more imperative that it come out on DVD.

So Goodtimes Video (or whoever owns the rights). Please put it out on DVD. It's worthy of DVD release.

Sincerely,

JThree

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