A Christmas Carol (Colorized + Black & White Edition)

A Christmas Carol (Colorized + Black & White Edition)
by Brian Desmond Hurst

List Price: $19.99
Our Price: $19.93
You Save: $0.06 (0%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.62 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases

DVD Cover Information

Movie Reviews of A Christmas Carol (Colorized + Black & White Edition)

Movie Review: "Business?!! MANKIND was my business!"
Summary: 5 Stars

effects which can be compared with the effects which the colorized version produces. To my sense perceptions, the black and white version increases the "coldness" of the feel of the film...of the snow...and the huddling of people to keep warm...and it seems to increase the perception of Scrooge as a cold person. Even in scenes where there should be a sense of warmth, such as when Scrooge is in his room huddled in his chair ready to eat some "hot" soup, the effect is still one of coldness. The black and white aspect of sets and people seems to heighten the dramatic impact, making for a solemn, lonely, spiritless feel to the characters and events...which is certainly in keeping with the intent (until the transformation). Alastair Sim's acting is so profoundly good that he does transform the tone of the black and white into a warmth of reclaimed humanity. When he goes in humility and some fear to his nephew's house, not knowing how he will be received, and asks forgiveness for his foolishness, the black and white aspect cannot dull the warmth and humanity. But, that having been said, I must also say that the moment I turned the disk over and began the film in the colorized version, I knew I was experiencing...and was going to experience...a different set of sensory impules...and different resulting feelings and aesthetic impressions. For the opening sequence is of a book being opened...in the colorized version, the book's cover is colored...but it is tastefully done...and the pages are a warm ivory color. The effect to me was enormously pleasing...then when the actual characters appear... the colorizing adds to the facial expressions...one now notices arched eyebrows, grimaces, smiles...there is a real humanity that is brought out by the color. People's personalities are not "washed out" by the black and white...the distinctiveness of individual personality seems more alive with the color. This colorized version is done well...the color is tastefully done...the inside of Scrooge's house becomes more distinctive, and one notices objects that tend to go unnoticed in the black and white version. The brown colored bannisters of the stairway are one example...as well as the statue at the bottom of the stairs. The wooden surfaces glow with a warm brown... and Scrooge's (Alastair Sim's) eyes are an interesting, mesmerizing ice-blue color. Formerly I would have said, as something of a film purist, that the black and white version of the film would be the one which I would watch...and show to others. But now, I have become a real fan of the colorized version...maybe it is the novelty because I have not seen the colorized version as many times as I have seen the black and white version...but I firmly suspect that it is something deeper and more aesthetically and psychologically compelling in relation to the use of color... at least with this film (I once saw a horrible, inept, attempt at colorizing "Miracle on 34th street"...but I do not fault this present attempt). I found nothing wrong with the sound on this disk... The most haunting moments in this film, for me, are at the beginning when Tiny Tim is looking in the shop window...and the mechanical clown is laughing...Tim laughs too, for he thinks it is in amusement...but then Tim sees someone buy the boat which he obviously wanted...the look of loss and hurt on the young actor's face is unforgettable...and yet the heartless mechanical clown continues to rock back and forth with laughter...now, as if mocking Tim...Tim looks at the clown... and still in his good-hearted spirit manages a smile and a laugh, too. My god...what an incredible piece of filmed humanity...and feeling. There are other incredibly moving moments in this filmed version. For me, it will always be the best.