20 December 2009

A Dickens exception

Some of you may recall that I really don't like Charles Dickens (or most of his contemporaries) but there is one notable exception and that is his novella, A Christmas Carol. Earlier this year, I did go to see the filmed-for-3D version starring Jim Carrey. I was expecting utter crap (like, say, Jim Carrey as the Grinch) but was pleasantly surprised -- aside from one ridiculous sequence, it kept close to the original text. Very close, actually. I would recommend seeing it (3D is not necessary to the experience, though.)

Tonight, we've been watching the George C. Scott version (from 1984) and to answer a question (how specific Dickens was in his description of the Ghost of Christmas Past), I looked up the original text on the internet archive (here's a very nice Putnam edition you can read online). Kiddo was reading it over my shoulder and asked to read the whole thing -- so I found a Project Gutenberg edition through Stanza and downloaded it to my iPod. She's now curled up on her bed reading Dickens. How awesome is that?

Of course, my favourite version is probably the Muppet Christmas Carol ("Light the lamp, not the rat!!") which I will watch sometime before the 25th.

3 comments:

Amy said...

haha ha. I forgotten how much I L-O-V-E muppet xmas carol. I used to own it, as the video said, on VHS. sadly, I don't own it now. I will put it on my wish list to rent this season. And good to know the the Jim Carrey one is worth watching. I usually don't bother.

Star said...

I still contend that the old B&W Allistair Sims version of A Christmas CArol is the best one. Although I so love the Muppets version. I have to speak up for my my man Chuck though. I think Dickens is my favorite author.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Star. There is only on Christmas Carol movie, and that is the one with Alastair Sim.