 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
A Christmas Carol (1984)
- Review Date: May 12, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Classic
- 1984
Common Sense Media says
Bleak but solid adaptation of Dickens' classic.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that in this movie, the granddaddy of morality tales, Dickens' timeless material looks unglamorously at 19th century English life and shows us how wrong turns, if not righted, can lead good people astray. The music dramatically complements a finely adapted script. Delivered dryly, the humor hits its mark; you can't help laughing at Scrooge's expense. Despite the valuable message, this version may be too dark and frightening for some. There's plenty here for the entire family to enjoy, and even shed a few tears over. But the scenes are bleak. Glimpses of desperate families and sickly children. A once bitter and resentful man anguishes over the pain he's caused others. Glimpses of a tortured childhood place partial blame for Scrooge's condition on an uncaring father.
What's the story?
In A CHRISTMAS CAROL, the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner pays him a visit on Christmas Eve. Bound in the chains of greed and contempt he forged in life, Marley warns tightfisted Ebenezer that he awaits the same fate if he doesn't change his ways. "You will be visited by three spirits," Marley tells him, and at the stroke of 1 a.m., Scrooge awakens to the first of them, who leads him through his past to revisit the poor choices that made him the man he is. A second spirit shows him the present, and the dreadfully silent final spirit presents grim shadows of Christmases yet to come. At the sight of his own lonely grave, Scrooge breaks down and begs forgiveness, vowing sincerely to carry the spirit of Christmas in his heart all year round.
Is it any good?
This 1984 retelling of the Charles Dickens classic boasts an exceptional cast (among them Frank Finlay as Jacob Marley and David Warner as the put-upon Bob Cratchit), splendid costumes and backdrops, and a timelessness that comes from smart filmmaking and avoidance of gaudy effects that too soon show their age. It's perhaps the finest version yet of this often-told story, right up there with the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim, but it's not for everyone.
This is a painfully expressive movie filled with bleak, chilling imagery. Children may shudder at the sight of crutch-ridden Tiny Tim, whose pale flesh and sunken eyes make him in some ways a more disturbing apparition than the shrieking, milky-eyed ghost, Marley. Scrooge, magnificently played by George C. Scott, is a sneering, despicable tightwad who delights in his humbuggery, yet goes almost willingly with his phantom guides as only a man seeking atonement would. When he breaks down at the end and pleads for forgiveness, he's a pitiable sight, and there can be no doubt that he is truly saved.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how we make right our wrongs.
How do you recognize your wrongs?
Do you find them on your own, or do
you, like Scrooge, need someone else to help you see them?How do you
make things right?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Not Scary, but boring
hated this movie, had 2 watch it in school... i watched the first 45 minutes... my teacher turned it off because nobody wanted to watch it.
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Kid, 11 years old
January 7, 2011
AGE
good for family
i liked this movie but it was not the best movie i have seen
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Kid, 11 years old
December 31, 2010
AGE
BETTER THEN DISNEYS
Wow this is alot better then disneys i do respect disneys movies but there version was plain creepy,anyway this version
is alot better and done well plus it has people in it not CG charcters but this great,i think this well based on the book.
and fine for 7+
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Kid, 10 years old
January 28, 2011
AGE
boring...........
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Kid, 10 years old
January 3, 2011
AGE
a christmas carol
its about a grumpy old man called mr scrooge that has a dream about ghosts that teach him to be nice and caeing.
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Kid, 11 years old
January 17, 2011
AGE
hate it not a good movie
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Kid, 10 years old
January 14, 2011
AGE
it is nice but some parts are dirty and scary
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AGE
Just Like the Original Book!
I think it really captures the Dickens tale. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and the ghost of Marley are very creepy, but the movie is not scary and sends a good message about Christmas being friendly, generous, and cheerful.
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AGE
Great, but creepy
I thought this was a great film, but it was a little spooky. First, Marley was creepy. Second, the Ghost of Christmas Present was a little weird, especially when he showed Scrooge the two little kids. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future was a floating blob that made disturbing wailing noises. Great film, but might scare some kids.
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| Topics: | book characters, holidays, monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Clive Donner |
| Cast: | David Warner, Frank Finlay, George C. Scott |
| Genre: | Classic |
| Run time: | 100 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 1, 1984 |
| DVD release date: | October 5, 1999 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | thematic intensity |
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