Bunuel1976 Review of A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol (1971 TV Short)

A Christmas CAROL (Richard Williams, 1971; TV) ***

[7/10 · 24 January 2010]

I was not aware of this 24-minute animated version of the Charles Dickens classic/Yuletide perennial but was obviously drawn to the film given Williams' stature in the field. Its biggest coup – that is, apart from the rigorous yet effective compression of the source material (thanks to extremely fast transitions between one scene and the next, characterized by admirably mobile tracking shots!), while maintaining the essence of the tale (abetted by the narration of Sir Michael Redgrave) – is to have Alastair Sim and Michael Hordern reprise their roles of Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley respectively from the definitive screen adaptation of 20 years previously!! Indeed, the whole seems to draw upon the 1951 SCROOGE above all: from the script, which it sometimes quotes verbatim, to the style of animation, deliberately evoking the remarkable detail of Dickensian London – not forgetting the superbly-realized fantasy sequences – which was that particular production's trump card! And, herein, lies perhaps this film's ultimate dilemma: while certainly not a perfunctory or redundant effort, one is not likely to forsake the earlier cinematic rendition because of it