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Disney's A Christmas Carol is an animated 3D film adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story of the same title. Presented by Walt Disney Pictures and ImageMovers Digital, it was released in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D on November 6, 2009.

Background[]

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Promotional poster for the film.

In July 2007, it was announced that director Robert Zemeckis had written a screen adaptation of Dickens' 1843 story. The film utilizes the same kinds of motion capture techniques used previously by Zemeckis in The Polar Express.

Zemeckis wrote the screenplay with Jim Carrey in mind, and Carrey signed on to the project. Similar to Tom Hanks in The Polar Express, Carrey plays a multitude of roles in the film, including Ebenezer Scrooge (both young and old) and all three of the Christmas spirits that haunt him.

The cast also includes Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman, Darryl Sabara (from the Spy Kids films) and Robin Wright Penn. Zemeckis, director of the Back to the Future trilogy, has previously stated that A Christmas Carol is one of his favourite stories dealing with time travel.

The film is the third theatrical film adaptation of A Christmas Carol released by Disney, the previous two being the 1983 animated featurette Mickey's Christmas Carol and the 1992 film The Muppet Christmas Carol (released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, over a decade before Disney officially bought the Muppets). Other previous adaptations by Disney included the 1974 record album An Adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol, Performed by The Walt Disney Players (which became the basis for Mickey's Christmas Carol), the 101 Dalmatians: The Series episode "A Christmas Cruella" in 1997, the "Ebenezer Daring" sketch in The Replacements episode "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular 5" in 2008, and The Suite Life on Deck episode "A London Carol" in 2010.

Synopsis[]

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The film opens on Christmas Eve, in London, 1836, with Ebenezer Scrooge signing for the burial of his partner Jacob Marley. Seven Christmas Eves later, in 1843, Scrooge, a bitter and miserly old moneylender works at his counting-house, holds everything that embodies the joys and spirit of Christmas in contempt, refusing to visit his cheerful nephew Fred's Christmas dinner party with his family, and forcing his underpaid employee Bob Cratchit to beg to take the day off for his own family. That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who is now forced to spend his afterlife carrying heavy chains forged from his own greedy ways. Marley warns Scrooge that he will suffer an even worse fate if he doesn't repent, and foretells that he will be haunted by three spirits that will help guide him.

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The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, shows Scrooge visions of his own past that take place on or around the Christmas season, reminding him of how he ended up the avaricious man he is now. He had spent much of his childhood neglected by his father over the holidays at boarding school until he was finally brought home by his loving sister Fan, who died prematurely after giving birth to his nephew, Fred. Scrooge later began a successful career in business and money-lending and became engaged to a woman named Belle, though she later called off the engagement when he began to grow obsessed with accumulating his own wealth. Unable to bear having to witness these events again, Scrooge extinguishes the spirit.

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The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Scrooge the happiness of his fellow men on Christmas Day. Among them are his nephew, Fred, who playfully makes jokes with his family at Scrooge's expense, and Bob Cratchit and his family, who are just barely able to make do with what little pay Scrooge gives Cratchit. The Cratchits also tend to a sickly young son, Tiny Tim, whose commitment to the spirit of Christmas touches Scrooge, who is dismayed to learn from the spirit that he may not have much longer to live. The spirit warns Scrooge about the evils of Ignorance and Want, which manifest themselves before Scrooge as snarling, wretched, beastly children. The ghost disintegrates into a skeleton and vanishes.

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The third and final spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, shows Scrooge the final consequences of his greed and even toys with him a few times. Scrooge sees in this future that he has died, though there is more comfort than grief in the wake of his death, the men attending his funeral, only going for a free lunch. In addition, Fred is glad to be inheriting his wealth, and Scrooge is even robbed by his former maid, even stripping the clothes he was buried in. Tiny Tim is also shown to have died, leaving Bob Cratchit and his family to mourn him on Christmas. Unwilling to let this grim future come to pass, Scrooge begs to be given a second chance as the spirit throws him into his deep and empty grave to fall into his coffin, which sits atop the fires of Hell.

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Scrooge awakens to find himself in his bed on Christmas morning, the three spirits having guided him over the course of one night, and immediately sets out to atone for his sins, making donations to the poor, attending Fred's dinner party, and giving Cratchit a raise to care for his family, allowing Tiny Tim to live. Scrooge spends the remainder of his life a new man embodying the spirit of Christmas itself.

Music[]

The film's score was composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri.

Songs[]

Soundtrack[]

# Track title Length
1 "A Christmas Carol (Main Title)" 4:21
2 "Scrooge Counts Money" 0:48
3 "Marley's Ghost Visits Scrooge" 6:12
4 "The Ghost of Christmas Past" 4:58
5 "Let Us See Another Christmas" 1:18
6 "Flight To Fezziwigs" 1:27
7 "First Waltz" 0:59
8 "Another Idol Has Replaced Me" 1:40
9 "Touch My Robe" 3:41
10 "The Clock Tower" 1:50
11 "Carriage Chase" 3:24
12 "Old Joe And Mrs. Dilber" 2:28
13 "This Dark Chamber" 1:56
14 "None of Us Will Ever Forget" 1:33
15 "Who Was That Lying Dead?" 3:08
16 "I'm Still Here" 1:26
17 "Ride on My Good Man" 1:04
18 "God Bless Us Everyone"
(Andrea Bocelli)
3:15

Home video releases[]

Disney released the film on November 16, 2010 as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc 2D Blu-ray/DVD combo, and a four-disc combo pack that included a 3-D Blu-ray, a 2-D Blu-ray, a DVD, and a Digital Copy. This marked the first time that a movie was released in both a standard Blu-ray and 3-D Blu-ray on the same date, as well as one of Disney's first two releases in the 3-D Blu-ray market, alongside Alice in Wonderland (2010). The DVD contained deleted scenes and two features called "On Set with Sammi" and "Capturing a Christmas Carol". The Blu-ray also had a "Digital Advent Calendar" and the featurette "Behind the Carol: The Full Capture Motion Experience".

Notes[]

Differences from the book[]

Although this is one of the most faithful adaptions of A Christmas Carol brought to the screen, it does include several notable differences:

  • In the book, the Ghost of Christmas Present simply disappears from view. In the movie, they show him dying at length.
  • Scrooge falls into his own grave (similar to Mickey's Christmas Carol).
  • The whole "future" scene with the horse chase and Scrooge becoming smaller is not in the novel. In fact, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in the novel is nearly immobile except for the pointing finger.
  • Old Joe chases a shrunken Ebenezer Scrooge, as well as a nearby rat, with a fire poker. He has a much smaller role in the novel.
  • At the end of the Ghost of Christmas Past sequence; as in the book, an emotional Scrooge snuffs out the spirit with his own cap, but then, unlike the text, the old miser is jetted skyward.
  • Like most screen adaptations, this movie doesn't show Belle with her family.
  • In the book, Scrooge encounters a ghost riding a phantom hearse before his visit with Jacob Marley. In the movie, the phantom hearse is moved up to the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come's segment.

Cast[]

Voice actor/actress Character(s)
Jim Carrey Scrooge
Ghost of Christmas Past
Ghost of Christmas Present
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Steve Valentine Funerary Undertaker
Topper
Daryl Sabara Undertaker's Apprentice
Tattered Caroler
Beggar Boy
Peter Cratchit
Well-Dressed Caroler
Sage Ryan Tattered Caroler
Amber Meade Tattered Caroler
Well Dressed Caroler
Ryan Ochoa Tattered Caroler
Beggar Boy
Young Cratchit Boy
Ignorance Boy
Young Boy with Sleigh
Bobbi Page
Ron Bottitta
Tattered Caroler
Well-Dressed Caroler
Sammi Hanratty Beggar Boy
Young Cratchit Girl
Want Girl
Julian Holloway Fat Cook
Portly Gentleman #2
Business Man #3
Gary Oldman Bob Cratchit
Marley
Tiny Tim (voice)
Colin Firth Fred
Cary Elwes Portly Gentleman #1
Dick Wilkins
Mad Fiddler
Guest #2
Business Man #1
Robin Wright Penn Fan (voice)
Belle (voice)
Bob Hoskins Mr. Fezziwig
Old Joe
Jacquie Barnbrook Mrs. Fezziwig
Fred's Sister-In-Law
Well-Dressed Caroler
Lesley Manville Mrs. Cratchit
Molly Quinn Belinda Cratchit (voice)
Fay Masterson Martha Cratchit (voice)
Guest #1
Caroline
Leslie Zemeckis Fred's Wife
Paul Blackthorne Guest #3
Business Man #2
Michael Hyland Guest #4
Kerry Hoyt Adult Ignorance
Julene Renee Adult Want
Fionnula Flanagan Mrs. Dilber
Raymond Ochoa Caroline's Child
Callum Blue Caroline's Husband
Matthew Henerson Poulterer
Aaron Rapke Well-Dressed Caroler
Sonje Fortag Well-Dressed Caroler
Fred's Housemaid
Aliane Baquerot
Seth Belliston
Troy Bowles
Sam Cahn
Kelly Connolly
John Corella
Kelly Crandall
Sheri Griffith
Beckie King
Keith Kühl
Allison Leo
Tarah Paige
John J. Todd
Patrick Wetzel
Karen Dyer
Jacquelyn Dowsett (uncredited)
Dancers
Suzanne Robertson
(Skin [uncredited])
Belle
Fan
Tiny Tim
Cratchit Children

See also[]

External links[]

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The Walt Disney Company
Animated shorts
Empty SocksMickey's OrphansSanta's WorkshopMickey's Good DeedThe Night Before ChristmasBroken ToysToy TinkersPluto's Christmas TreeThe Small OneMickey's Christmas Carol • "Jingle Bells, Something Smells" • "The Nutcracker" • "Mickey's Mixed Nuts" • "Mickey's Christmas Chaos" • Operation: Secret Santa • "Oh, Christmas Tree!" • Olaf's Frozen Adventure • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Tinsle Tussle" • Mickey's Christmas Tales
Movies
Animated Christmas JollitiesThe Nightmare Before ChristmasBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasMickey's Once Upon a ChristmasWinnie the Pooh: Seasons of GivingMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseRecess Christmas: Miracle on Third StreetA Very Merry Pooh YearMickey's Twice Upon a Christmas . Disney Princess: A Christmas of EnchantmentMy Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Sleuth Christmas MovieA Christmas CarolMarvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!
Live-action Babes in ToylandOne Magic ChristmasThe Christmas StarErnest Saves ChristmasA Mom For ChristmasIn the Nick of TimeThe Muppet Christmas CarolThe RefThe Santa ClauseThe Preacher's WifeThe Christmas TreeI'll Be Home For ChristmasThe Ultimate Christmas Present 'Twas the NightThe Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseSanta BuddiesThe Search for Santa PawsGood Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!Santa Paws 2: The Santa PupsThe Nutcracker and the Four RealmsNoelleGodmotheredMarley
Television specials and episodes
Animated
Television specials "A Present for Donald" • "From All of Us to All of You" • A Disney Christmas GiftA Disney Channel ChristmasWinnie the Pooh and Christmas TooA Goof Troop ChristmasPhineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!Prep & LandingMickey's Christmas SpecialPrep & Landing: Naughty vs. NiceToy Story That Time ForgotDuck the HallsLEGO Star Wars: Holiday SpecialMickey and Minnie Wish Upon a ChristmasMickey Saves ChristmasShortsmas with Big City Greens
Television episodes Disney Television Animation "Jolly Molly Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Leaf" • "Miracle at the 34th Precinct" • "Doug's Secret Christmas" • "A Christmas Cruella" • "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" • "Don't Be Elfish" • "A Kosher Christmas" • "A Dog for All Seasons" • "The Worst Holiday Ever" • "Holiday Time" • "Cheery Theerlap, Lloyd" • "The Blight Before Christmas" • "Pete's Christmas Caper" • "Clarabelle's Christmas List" • "Happy Holidays, Mr. Gruff!" • "A Very Possible Christmas" • "Topper" • "On Whiskers, On Lola, On Cheryl and Meryl" • "Hairy Christmas" • "A Giftmas Story" • "Season's Beatings" • "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular 5" • "Stitch and Santa" • "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" • "A Cousin Kyle Christmas" • "Merry Fishmas, Milo" • "The Gift" • "Gingersnaps and Grumpy Snaps" / "Jollybells" • "Future-Worm and the 54 Days of Snordfest" • "Stump Day" / "Holiday Spellcial" • "A Christmas Peril" • "Tree Lighting" • "A Merry Mocap Musical" • "Last Christmas!" • "The Present" • "Green Christmas" • "How Santa Stole Christmas!" • "Froggy Little Christmas" • "Saving Christmas" • "Virtually Christmas" • "White Christmess" • "We Wish You a Merry Chaos-Mas"
Playhouse Disney /
Disney Junior
"The Wishing Tree" • "Little Dog Lost" • "A Circus Town Christmas" • "Twinkle's Wish" • "The Christmas Wish " • "A Very Handy Holiday" • "The Wind-Up Toy Prince" • "Mickey Saves Santa" • "The Night Before Zipsmas / A Gift For Zooter" • "Flicker Saves Christmas" • "The Ayalas' Christmas Extravaganza" • "The Living Holiday Lights" • "It's a Winter Never Land!" • "A Very McStuffins Christmas" • "Holiday in Enchancia" • "Captain Scrooge" • "Winter's Gift" • "Toby's Christmas Critter" / "A Very Tricky Christmas" • " Navidad" • "The Mystic Isles: A Very Mystic Wassailia" • "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • "Happy Hot Diggity Dog Holiday!" • "Happy Holiday Helpers" • "A Very Pug Christmas" • "The Latke Kerfuffle" • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" • "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "A Santa for Bob" • The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special • "Nanpire and Grandpop the Greats" • "Snow Place Like Home" • "Nancy and the Nice List" • "A Gargoyle Carol" • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Elves for a Day/The Dreidel Dilemma" • "Festival of Lights" • "Tinsle Tussle" • "Santa Baby" • "The Fright Before Christmas" • "Merry Chickmas" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "A Christmas Mission in Toyland / Nine Lights Tonight" • "The Christmas Car-Sled Race" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "Jingle Bog Rock" • "Wrap Party Pups" / "Fixing Santa's Sleigh" • "Jingle Birds" • "Blizzard Buds" • "Pupstruction Saves Christmas" • "Merry Mousemas" • "Santa’s Crash Landing"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "How the Super Stole Christmas" • "A Very Special Clone High Snowflake Day Special"
Marvel Animation (post-2009) "Nightmare on Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Smash" • "Jingle Bell Rock" • "The Moon Knight Before Christmas" • "A Very Spidey Christmas" • "Halted Holiday" / "Merry Spidey Christmas"
Lucasfilm, Ltd. LEGO Star Wars: Holiday Special • "Life Day"
Hyperion Films "Who Stole Santa? • "Christmas in Oz" • "Seven Days of Kwanzaa"
Live-action
Television specials The Walt Disney Christmas ShowChristmas at Pooh CornerA Magic Kingdom Yuletide SpecialThe Disney Christmas SpecialMickey's NutcrackerDisney's Christmas Fantasy on IceA Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaGood Luck Jessie: NYC ChristmasJessie's Aloha Holidays with Parker & JoeyDisney Channel Fa-La-La-Lidays Celebrates a Radio Disney Family HolidayDisney Holiday Magic QuestDisney Channel's Epic Holiday ShowdownDisney Channel Holiday House Party" • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Television episodes Walt Disney Television "Christmas at the Circus" • "Christmas in Wonderland" • "Refrigerator Day" • "A Roman Holiday" • "Fountain" • "Happy Holidays" • "Heck of a Hanukkah" • "Xtreme Xmas" • "Escape Claus" • "Christmas at the Tipton" • "Christmas Break" • "Killing Me Softly With His Height" • "Present Problem" • "Happy Ha-Ha Holidays" • "A So Random! Holiday Special" • "A London Carol" • "Bro Ho Ho" • "So Random! Episode 18" • "Pair of Santas" • "sANTa's Little Helpers" • "Christmas Story" • "Jingle It Up" • "A Little Elf Esteem" • "A Duncan Christmas" • "Bark! The Herald Angels Sing" • "Merry Merry It Up" • "Oh, Christmas Nuts!" • "Big Dreams & Big Apples" • "Nanny in Miami" • "Fa La La La-A-Rooney" • "Mix-Ups & Mistletoes" • "Twas the Mission Before Christmas" • "silANT night" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays" • "Stan Steals Christmas" • "Merry Miss Sis" • "Secret Santa" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "The Girls of Christmas Past" • "Santas & Surprises" • "Joy-to-a-Rooney" • "Single All the Way" • "Cali Christmas-A-Rooney" • "Girl Meets a Christmas Maya" • "How the Griff Stole Christmas" • "Holly Holly Not So Jolly" • "The Christmas Curse" • "Agh, Humbug" • "Stuck at Christmas" • "A Killer Robot Christmas" • "Would You Wrather Get a Moose Angry?" • "Holiday Video Sketchtacular " • "Bah Humbugged " • "Merry Christmas Mr. Gooch " • "It's Christmas, Gabby Duran " • "Would You Wrather Lose Your Presents? " • "Summer Winter Wonderland " • "How the Syd Stole Christmas" • "Mad About Yuletide" • "Jolly Holidance" • "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" • "Holiday" • "How the Villains Stole Christmas" • "A Very Villain Christmas" • "Friends in Snow Places"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "It's a Marginal Life" • "Yule Better Watch Out" • "I'm Scheming of a White Christmas" • "Santa's Little Helper" • "'Twas the Blight Before Christmas" • "Some Like It Hot Rod" • "'Twas the Night Before Chaos" • "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas" • "Easy Street" • "Bright Christmas" • "A Very Topanga Christmas" • "Home for the Holidays" • "An According to Jiminy Christmas" • "Spirit" • "One Office Party Too Many" • "The Christmas Party" • "Secret Santa" • "Silent Night, Opening Night" • "Stalking Santa" • "Aru-Bah Humbug" • "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" • "The Gift of Maggie" • "Christmas Time" • "Light the Lights" • "The Miracle Song" • "Fake Plastic Snow" • "The Nutcracker" • "Two for the Money" • "Holidaze" • "Boom Crunch" • "Cold Turkey"
Albums
30 Favorite Songs of Christmas with Chimes and ChorusA Family ChristmasDisney's Merry Christmas CarolsMickey's Christmas Around the WorldAriel's Christmas Under the SeaA Pooh ChristmasThe Twelve Days of ChristmasDisney's Christmas CollectionDisney's Christmas Collection IIDisney's Family Christmas CollectionDisney's Snowy Christmas . Disney Santa Sing-AlongDisney's Princess Christmas AlbumDisney's Merry Little ChristmasA Green and Red ChristmasDisney's Holiday Celebration 2007Disney Channel HolidayDisney Holiday Magic 2009Disney Winter Wonderland 2010Phineas and Ferb Holiday FavoritesMickey's Magical Holiday 2011Disney Channel Holiday PlaylistHolidays UnwrappedA Very Merry Disney ChristmasDisney Junior Holiday HitsICON: Disney HolidayDisney Junior Holiday Hits 2Disney Christmas Magic
Other
Disney Parks Christmas Day ParadeThe Magic of Christmas at DisneylandThe Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney WorldFa-La-La-Lidays25 Days of ChristmasThe Santa Clauses
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