Customer Reviews

Diva's Christmas Carol [VHS]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

A witty, musical new twist on the old classic, this VH1 production casts Vanessa Williams as a miserly and grinchy "Ebony Scrooge,". Ebony was once part of a popular 80s singing trio, but after one of the trio is killed in an auto accident, Ebony embarks on a solo career characterized by extreme narcissism and greed. While in New York for a "charity" concert, designed to benefit no one but herself, Ebony is visited by four spirits who want to make her change her wicked ways.

Suddenly Susan's Kathy Griffin gives a noteworthy performance as the sarcastic, tongue and cheek spirit of Christmas Past. Also making appearances are TLC's Chilli, John Taylor from Duran Duran, Brian McKnight and Nile Rogers.

Williams acting isn't the most fluid but her singing is superb. Her articulate vocals in the Christmas songs she sings in this movie provide some great "built in" holiday music videos. The "Sleigh Ride" sequence will quickly get you into the holiday spirit and the "Heartquake" sequence provides some humorous musical 80's nostaligia.

Vanessa Williams holiday musical numbers from this movie would make a great Christmas soundtrack and I'm very surprised VH 1 hasn't already released and marketed it.

Overall, those who love music, Christmas and/or the vocals of Vanessa Williams, will enjoy this fun remake of a treasured holiday classic.

I thoroughly enjoyed this version of "A Christmas Carol" for many different reasons. The main reason being that I own several versions of "A Christmas Carol" and I find that this is the ONLY one that allows characters to act like real people.

Bob Cractchett DOES stand up for himself, though in a caring manner....Mrs. Cratchett is NOT happy that her husband spends so much time at work and lets him know this...Tim Cratchett is an ill child without being so saintly sweet that's he's unbelievable.

Many of the lines are gems...."Who the Dickens are you calling boy?" is my favorite, as it pays homage to Charles Dickens, and the tiresome "God Bless Us, Every One" isn't spoken by Tim but by a member of the band in a completely new way. I think that "A Diva's Christmas Carol" has some of the sharpest writing for a Christmas movie to come along in awhile.

While Vanessa Williams is good as Ebony Scrooge, the best member of the cast is Brian McNamara as Bob Cratchett. For the first time, you see Bob Cratchett as a real man, torn between his job and his family. McNamara's scene during "Christmas Future" almost brings a tear to your eye because he's superb at showing the depth of the character, without making it so syrupy that you don't care.

The cast is rounded out by various "Music Industry" personalities, none of whom are major stand-outs but play their parts adequately.

I gave this a 4 star rating rather than a 5 star for two reasons: The lack of special effects (when Marley removes her face, you're shown this from the back), and a heavy scene from Ebony's past showing her abusive father. If shooting Marley's face removal from the back was to shield children from a potentially gross scene, it was incongruous along with all of the "*itch" comments. If it was due to budget constraints, it's a shame.

Even with these notes, I highly recommend "A Diva's Christmas Carol" mainly for Brian McNamara, for the great script, for Vanessa Williams, and for some good singing and cute tunes. I wore out my VHS tape, and replaced it with the DVD.

If you like the old version of Scrooge, you'll love "A Diva's Christmas Carol"! Vanessa Williams is excellent as "Ebony" Scrooge. The story this movie tells is heartwarming, sad, happy and all emotions in between. The music in the movie also rocks! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie when it first premiered on television a few years ago, and am estatic to own the DVD version! The picture quality and sound on the DVD is great! Thanks so much for getting this out on DVD....I've been waiting for this for two years!!

I like Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol story and I like all of the different movie adaptations of the story and I have several of them on DVD which includes about three that were modern takes on the tale and I must say that out of all the modernized versions this is my favorite and I think this movie was very good and had some scenes and lines that were very humorous and the special effects were pretty good too. Vanessa Williams was very good as Ebony Scrooge a pop star who has become a major diva prone to temper tantrums and treats her staff and everyone else with disrespect and has become greedy and miserly but on Christmas Eve night she is visited by the ghost of Marley her childhood friend and former member of her old singing group who had died a year earlier and has come back to warn her that unless she changes her ways she will be doomed just like she is and later on she is visited by the sassy Spirit of Christmas Past played by Kathy Griffin from the sitcom Suddenly Susan and then from the Spirit of Christmas Present played by John Taylor from the 80's rock band Duran Duran and then by the Spirit of Christmas yet to come which is actually depicted as a very humorous episodes of VH1's Behind the Music. This was originally shown on VH1 and I recommend this to any fan of the Christmas Carol story who is open to different interpitations of it and is not a diehard purist who can only enjoy a Christmas Carol movie if it's exactly like the book so if you are open to something different then I highly recommend this DVD! Also if you enjoyed this movie check out for TV listings for amovie called Ebbie starring Susan Lucci from the Soap Opera All My Children. Ebbie isn't as good as A Diva's Christmas Carol but Susan Lucci also plays a female Scrooge and it's pretty good. Unfortunately that version doesn't seem to be available on DVD or video so you would have to check for TV listings!

I think this is a great Christmas movie and adaptation of a Christmas Carol. Vanessa Williams does a great job in it and so does the rest of the cast. I remember when this movie was made that they atually took real events that happened with real diva-esque people and the music was inspired to be lke 1988 and like groups like Expose. They did a great job on this movie and Iam glad it is on DVD!

I am a HUGE Christmas Carol and Scrooge fan. I collect all versions and I'm very particular with current adaptations. Many of them I go in not expecting much. With this, I was expecting the worse. The is before Vanessa's career revival in Ugly Betty, and before Dreamgirls as a movie was even in the works. And Kathy Griffin was extremely D-List at the time. Griffin starting things off as Ghost of Christmas past was quite humorous. You never really remember the first ghost, but there is no escaping this welcomed thorn in Ebony Scrooge's side. Throw in a little TLC and Duran Duran, and the stellar appearance of Future in the form of a "Behind The Music" episode where she is forced to see how people really thought of her.

The entire script was clever, witty and unpredictable. And that is hard to say with a story that has been twisted so many times through the years. And, my lord, the fictitious 1980's music video for the group "Desire" of which she was lead, is just so spot on. Williams was perfect for this role, and honestly, I am sure she got the Betty gig due to this performance.

The entire scenario sounds horrid, absurd and sacrilegious, I know. But if you are a die-hard Scrooge fan like me, you will find this refreshing. It still stirs the right emotions at the right times, and it is in fact very touching, with a great ending. Who knew this could be possible from a VH1 production?!

This DVD is a fabulous version on the traditional "A Christmas Carol." Vanessa Williams makes a strong presence on the screen and plays "scrooge" beautifully. It is a must have for all lovers of Christmas movies.

Now with the purchase of this DVD my family and I can watch the movie as our yearly tradition (without having to wait for it on TV). Another great version of A Christmas Carol is EBBIE with Susan Lucci. Wish it was on DVD.

I have seen this movie probably 50 times. I watch it every year. This last year, I think I may have watched it a few too many times, annoying my family. What can I say ? I love the movie and will watch it whenever I have the chance. The only bad thing about this dvd is the lack of any extras. I would have loved to have had a commentary with Vanessa Williams.

The movie was great! It held true to the story of A Christmas Carol, only updated. Vanessa Williams was perfect in the roll of Ebony. The story has a nice moral to it and all ages can watch it.