A Christmas Carol (TV special)
A Christmas Carol | |
---|---|
Directed by | Richard Williams[1] |
Written by | Charles Dickens |
Based on | A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens |
Produced by | Richard Williams Chuck Jones |
Starring | Alastair Sim Michael Hordern Diana Quick Joan Sims |
Narrated by | Michael Redgrave |
Music by | Tristram Cary |
Distributed by | American Broadcasting Company |
Release date |
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Running time | 25 minutes |
Countries | United States United Kingdom Canada |
Language | English |
A Christmas Carol is a British-American animated adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella.[2] The film was broadcast on U.S. television by ABC on December 21, 1971, and released theatrically soon after.[3] In 1972, it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.[4]
Plot[]
This article needs a plot summary. (January 2022) |
Cast (voices)[]
- Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge
- Michael Redgrave as Narrator
- Michael Hordern as Marley's Ghost
- Diana Quick as Ghost of Christmas Past
- Joan Sims as Mrs. Cratchit
- Paul Whitsun-Jones as Ragpicker/Fezziwig
- David Tate as Fred/Charity Man
- Felix Felton as Ghost of Christmas Present
- Annie West as Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
- Melvyn Hayes as Bob Cratchit
- Mary Ellen Ray as Mrs. Dilber
- Alexander Williams as Tiny Tim (uncredited)
Production[]
A Christmas Carol was directed by Richard Williams and its visual style is also largely due to Ken Harris, credited as "Master Animator". It starred Alastair Sim as the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge — a role Sim had previously performed in the 1951 live-action film Scrooge. Michael Hordern likewise reprised his 1951 performance as Marley's Ghost in the same film. Michael Redgrave narrated the story and veteran animator Chuck Jones served as executive producer. Williams' son Alexander Williams, then aged four, provided the voice for Tiny Tim.[5]
Visual style[]
This adaptation of A Christmas Carol has a distinctive look, created by multiple pans and zooms and by innovative, unexpected scene transitions. The visual style, which is unusually powerful, is inspired by 19th century engraved illustrations of the original story by John Leech and the pen and ink renderings by illustrator Milo Winter that graced 1930s editions of the book. The intended audience does not include young children, and the film's bleak mood and emphasis on darkness and shadows lead some to consider it the most frightening of the many dramatizations of the Dickens classic.[6]
Academy Award[]
Originally produced as a 1971 television special, A Christmas Carol was considered so well done that it was subsequently released theatrically, thereby rendering it eligible for Oscar consideration, and the film did go on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for 1972.[7] Some industry insiders took issue that a short originally shown on television was given the award, and the Academy responded by changing its policy, disqualifying any future works initially shown on television.[6]
See also[]
- List of Christmas films
- List of American films of 1971
- List of British films of 1971
- List of ghost films
- List of adaptations of A Christmas Carol
References[]
- ^ Amazon.com:A Christmas Carol Animated Version VHS
- ^ 1973 A Christmas Carol: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive
- ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 49. ISBN 9781476672939.
- ^ Short Film Winners: 1973 Oscars
- ^ Marin, Rick (24 December 2000). "Once More, with Christmas Spirit". New York Times. Vol. 150, no. 51612.
- ^ a b Hill, Jim (29 November 2006). "Scrooge U: Part VIII — Williams wins an Oscar". Jim Hill Media.
- ^ "The 45th Academy Awards - 1973". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
External links[]
- 1971 films
- English-language films
- 1971 animated films
- 1971 short films
- 1971 television specials
- 1970s American television specials
- 1970s animated short films
- 1970s fantasy films
- American films
- British films
- American animated short films
- American Broadcasting Company television specials
- American Christmas films
- British Christmas films
- Animated Christmas films
- Animated films based on novels
- 1970s animated television specials
- Best Animated Short Academy Award winners
- Films based on A Christmas Carol
- Films directed by Richard Williams
- 1970s Christmas films
- American Christmas television specials
- Animated Christmas television specials
- Films produced by Richard Williams (animator)