|  | Actors: Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley
Studio: VCI Entertainment
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $9.75
as of 11/22/2009 03:14 CST details
You Save: $10.24 (51%)
New (25) Used (5) Collectible (1) from $9.75
Seller: digitaleyes_dvdplanet
Rating:  169 reviews
Sales Rank: 104
Format: Black & White, Color, Digital Sound, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 5 x 4 x 1
MPN: 8500
UPC: 089859850028
EAN: 0089859850028
ASIN: B000SR0DDE
Theatrical Release Date: 1951
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Five Star Seller!!! New, factory sealed US Region 1 DVD. Item is 100% guaranteed not to be a bootleg or import. Item is shipped directly from our warehouse. Easy exchange if item defective or damaged in shipped.
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Showing reviews 161-165 of 169
 Re-mastered Old Classic September 24, 2007
C. Brigden (Minot, ND)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the 1951 British movie of the Christmas Carol. It has been re-mastered from the orginal and WOW it is so clear. The last time a saw this movie was on TV and it was so grainy and difficult to hear one was great. It has all the old charm but with today's quality of film. In this package you get to orginal B&W and a color version.
My whole family (9 year old, 6 year old, my husband and I) all watched the movie. This was first time for my daughter and she was so happy with the ending - seeing it for the first time.
A great addition to your Christmas Collection - Enjoy!
 "I must stand on my head... I must stand on my head!" September 24, 2007
H. Bala (Carson - hey, we have an IKEA store! - CA USA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
"Old Marley was as dead as a doornail. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I'm going to relate."
And so begins A CHRISTMAS CAROL, an atmospheric tale of morality and ghosts. It's a bit weird viewing this film when it's not even Christmas yet; it seems near sacrilegious somehow. But there's no denying its quality and longevity. It's a movie for the ages and the definitive version of Charles Dicken's enduring holiday fable. Wait - I wasn't the first to say this? Cor!
Nevertheless, bulgy-eyed and crooked-of-teeth Scottish actor Alistair Sim, with this celebrated performance, attains cinematic immortality even as he exiles onto a lower tier all other portrayals of Ebenezer Scrooge. Other adaptations boast the likes of George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, Albert Finney, Michael Caine, and even Bill Murray. Sim leaves them in his dust, their heads hanging low. Sim invests his character with such an aura of petty vitriol and resolute bitterness. Scrooge's treatment of his fellow men couldn't be more coldhearted and dismissive. That we speedily come to long for such a soured man to discover penitence and thus regain his soul is a nod to Sim's acting.
Assuming that everyone knows the story, this then is the briefest of recaps: Old miserly sinner Ebenezer Scrooge starts out by gruffly proclaiming "And Christmas, sir, is a humbug!" But, after four unsettling haunts are visited upon him - in which moments he is shown the horrific tapestry that was/is/and will be his life - he remorsefully declares, "I'm not the man I was." And then, in an exhibition of spontaneous glee, he stands on his head. As an astounded little boy, I had marked that scene as the clear turning point which indicated that the codgery reprobate had indeed reformed. The transformation of Ebenezer from despicable humbug to merry Uncle Scrooge is a startling thing, and Sim pulls it off with aplomb.
Suffice to say, this 1951 version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (a film that's sometimes called SCROOGE), along with other classic holiday fare such as It's a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition), Miracle on 34th Street (Special Edition), and Holiday Inn (Special Edition), is a must-see in my household come each December. But Alistair Sim is not the sole reason to see this piece of celluloid; his is not the only brilliance manifested here. The rest of the cast perform remarkably. Pile on to the superlative acting the wonderful adaptation with its delicious supernatural elements, the moody, nerve-jangling score, the elegant, beautifully remastered black and white cinematography (delightfully evoking Victorian England), and the excellent pacing of the film...and, well, all these factors combine to make this picture an essential and unforgettable movie experience.
Let's get into the bonus stuff. A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION is a lush and handsome 2-disc dvd product. Disc 1 offers restored B & W versions of this film in two specs (in the original 4 x 3 and also in 16 x 9, enhanced for widescreen monitors), along with film commentary by Marcus Hearn and actor George Cole, who both provide insights and reminiscences. Extras feature subtitle options in English or Spanish, audio options including an English narrative for the blind (very cool, and also applies to Disc 2), and cast bios.
Going to Disc 2, we can opt for the same A CHRISTMAS CAROL, but in color, or the solid 1935 version with Seymour Hicks as Scrooge. Further extras include trailers for SCROOGE and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (both the same movies). Video featurettes are "Spirit of Christmas Past" - 15 minutes of Marcus Hearn interviewing actor George Cole, who played Scrooge as a young man in the 1951 version; "Richard Gordon Remembers George Minter and Renown Pictures" - a 20 minute interview with Richard Gordon, who helped to fund and distribute the film; "Charles Dickens - His Life and Times"; "Before and After Restoration"; and a photo gallery. But, while I dug the various permutations in format of the 1951 film (the original, the widescreen, the colored) and even thought the 1935 movie interesting, I couldn't get into the featurettes, finding the interviews a bit too stodgy and dry. Doubtless, others will find them interesting enough.
Alistair Sim was a great character actor who made other noteworthy films. It's just that he was so good in A CHRISTMAS CAROL that this role now overshadows his other works. But if you liked what you saw here and are curious to see more of Alistair Sim, I definitely recommend the excellent wartime thriller Green for Danger - Criterion Collection, Hitchcock's Stage Fright, and the comedy The Belles Of St. Trinian's (wherein Sim is part time in drag).
The Classic Film Wonderfully Restored September 22, 2007
Brandon J. Smith (Philadelphia, PA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I don't think there's any question as to whether this movie deserves a high star rating. After all, this is THE classic rendition of A Christmas Carol, featuring Alastair Sim as the definitive Scrooge. A perennially aired film in the holiday season, the only question is: Is it worth owning? While one can only answer that for oneself, I can say this: If your answer is yes, this is the edition worth owning.
A great dvd package begins with a great movie, then ads special features worth viewing, and then tops it off with smart packaging. This "ultimate collector's edition" does all three perfectly. First of all, this is a two-disc set, giving the viewer the option to view the film in any of a number of forms: restored 4x3, restored 16x9 for widescreen viewing, the colorized version, or the 1935 version of the tale ("Scrooge," starring Sir Seymour Hicks). The special features include commentary, a featurette on Dickens, and a before and after restoration comparison, to name a few.
The packaging is expertly done, as well, with a nice plastic case within a cardboard slip-cover, so you know the discs are well protected (unlike some multi-disc packages that feature overlapping disc-holders, which drive me batty).
The picture looks fantastic, and the sound is crisp and clear. The one thing I would fault this dvd for is the look of the subtitles. Perhaps it was only due to my dvd player, but, when testing them out, they were a strange red that came out fuzzy and hard to read (like when a television is getting bad reception), even given the black-and-white background. Overall, though, this is an outstanding restoration and repackaging of the classic film.
Classic version of a classic September 21, 2007
bernie (Arlington, Texas)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Due to the circumstances and choices in the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, he has chosen money over mankind. His partner now seven years dead comes back to warn Ebenezer of his afterlife fate if he does not change his ways. To assist in this task are three spirits, Christmas past (his past), Christmas present, and Christmas of things to come. Can or will Ebenezer change his ways? Why should he?
There are many versions of this tale floating around out there including study books and animated movies. Of all these versions a few stand out. This is one of the versions that come to mind.
Made in the era of black and white, one can not help but shun any attempt to colorize it. The Alastair Sim version is a product of its day and he does a very good job of portraying Ebenezer Scrooge. He comes across as mean in his speech of "are there no work houses?" and stingy, displayed during his meal, upon hearing that more bread will cost he says, "No more bread."
On Christmas morning he goes overboard with the maniacal laughter. This is probably emphasized to show his change of heart and to allow him to scare the maid. However it does distract from the story. The story is modified a bit but unless you have been reading the book you will not notice this. To tie his childhood memories of his sister to his present day nephew, they play "Barbra Allen" in the back ground (nice touch.)
All in all this will make a nice addition to you Christmas collection
A Christmas Story (Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
A Christmas Carol
"THE" Classic Christmas Tale September 18, 2007
Kort Kramer (South Florida, USA)
2 out of 9 found this review helpful
While it is nice to have the colorized version, the B&W is the best way to enjoy this timeless classic. This movie is my favorite of all the Christmas Carol variants produced over the years. The engaging story of redemption is one that made a huge impact on my as youth. Fully restored, it now sparkles on my TV, looking better than I rember it from when it was on broadcast television so many years ago. Of course, TVs are a lot better too these days, hahaha.
I was impressed by the wealth of features included, colorized version included. The bio of Dickens was particularly interesting for me, and the Hearn and Cole commentary insightful.
If you want to give a real gift to someone you care about this holiday season, you could do worse than this wonderful movie. Introduce your children or grandchildren to the cinema version of Dicken's story the right way. 5 stars well deserved!
Showing reviews 161-165 of 169
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