A Christmas Carol (2009)

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Charles Dickens (novel)
Robert Zemeckis (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 November 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Drama | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

An animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Charles Dickens | Victorian Era | Apparition | Miser

US Showtimes:

The Bridge: CDL IMAX LA

12:00pm | 2:20 | 4:40 | 7:00 | 9:20

(personalize)

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	Scrooge / Ghost of Christmas Past / Scrooge as a Young Boy / Scrooge as a Teenage Boy / Scrooge as a Young Man / Scrooge as a Middle-Aged Man / 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 Gainey Meade	...	Tattered Caroler / Well-Dressed Caroler
Ryan Ochoa	...	Tattered Caroler / Beggar Boy / Young Cratchit Boy / Ignorance Boy / Young Boy with Sleigh / Tiny Tim
Bobbi Page	...	Tattered Caroler / Well-Dressed Caroler
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
Colin Firth	...	Fred
Cary Elwes	...	Portly Gentleman #1 / Dick Wilkins / Mad Fiddler / Guest #2 / Business Man #1
Robin Wright Penn	...	Fan / Belle
Bob Hoskins	...	Mr. Fezziwig / Old Joe

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol: An IMAX 3D Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
Disney's A Christmas Carol (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for scary sequences and images.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.44 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #45640) | UK:PG | Finland:K-11 | Norway:11 | South Korea:All | Ireland:PG | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Japan:G | Singapore:PG | Brazil:Livre | Netherlands:9 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Spain:7 | Iceland:7 | Hong Kong:IIA | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Mexico:A | Portugal:M/6 | Philippines:G (MTRCB)

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Unlike Robert Zemeckis' previous performance-capture films, animators key-framed the facial and hand animation by hand rather than relying on mo-cap data, using video reference of the performances to match and enhance the actors' facial movements and hand poses.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Scenes showing London from the air incorporate numerous anachronistic features, including the Millennium Footbridge (opened 2000), the reconstructed Globe Theatre (opened 1997) and Southwark Bridge (opened 1921).

Quotes:

[From trailer] [catching himself laughing like the Ghost of Christmas Present]
Ebenezer Scrooge: I've heard that laugh before.
[resumes laughing]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Live from Studio Five: (#1.37)" (2009)

A new twist on "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey in several roles...

From an artistic viewpoint, the new Robert Zemeckis film from the man who gave us THE POLAR EXPRESS, is another of his animated features using the motion picture capture technique that allows the actors to play several roles. The cinematography is exceptionally well done.

JIM CARREY, as miserly Ebenizer Scrooge, looks nothing like his real self. He's a perfect Scrooge, using his voice and mannerisms to great effect, never overplaying the role as you might expect he would.

The visit from three spirits is more frightening than usual, since Zemeckis decided to throw everything he could into startling special effects--sometimes with very gruesome results. The sight of Marley's Ghost with a flapping jaw that has to be realigned by Marley is just one of the "extra" touches. Some of the "spirit" scenes are too intense for small children, more likely to frighten them than anything else.

There are times when the story remains very faithful to the Dickens book, sometimes even word for word. But when Zemeckis decides to show off that the camera can do with flying aerial scenes zooming over Victorian London, it begins to stray a bit. Biggest stray is a chase scene that has a miniature Scrooge going through drain pipes to escape an oncoming coach and horses trying to run him down.

The lovely score by Alan Silvestri blends perfectly with the on screen action and includes a number of traditional Christmas favorites. GARY OLDMAN and COLIN FIRTH do well in key supporting roles but it's really Carrey's show all the way. He plays several main characters with great skill.

Not quite as festive as you might expect, it's a darker version of Scrooge, handsomely executed so that many of the scenes look like Victorian illustrations from the novel.

Warning: This is not a child's version of the tale. Parents should be advised that some of the content is too gruesome for young kids.