Blogger Jim Hill suggests that the footage from the Christmas Carol train has caused some offense:
Anyway ... Getting back to the Christmas Carol Train Tour ... Those who have been checking out this film's Digital 3D preview in that inflatable theatre have been coming out talking about that Jacob Marley footage. And not necessarily in a good way.
Said one tour insider:
"Yeah, we've been getting a lot of complaints about that sequence. Especially from parents who have taken small children into the theater. They say that there should have been some sort of advance warning about how intense that footage was going to be."
Truthfully, I don't quite get that -- the footage in question didn't bother me, and I scare extremely easily. (See earlier remark re: gory theme park advertisement.) Of course, I didn't have little kids with me; that probably would have made a difference in my feelings. Although I don't have children, I've spent a good deal of time with children, and I'm pretty sensitive to how things will affect them. And Hill may have a point about the way the film has been promoted in the U.S. and how audiences may not be happy when the film turns out to be "more scary than merry."
But as I've said before, it looks like they're sticking very close to the book, beefed-up action sequences notwithstanding, and Dickens wasn't exactly writing a story about fluffy bunnies and kitties here. You pays your money and you takes your chances, as my dad likes to say -- but hopefully, if you're a parent, you do a little research first, and know what your kids can handle.
Anyway, go check out Hill's piece -- there are quite a few interesting details in it, including a description of yet another movie tie-in book.
Just my two cents - how does one become a parent in this society without being at least somewhat aware of the story? (I mean, other than becoming a parent at 13, which has much bigger problems than worrying about a movie's content.) With as many movie versions of this as there have been, pretty much any semi-literate adult who is NOT aware of the spectres in the film has been ignoring it to the point that I imagine they would ignore this one as well.
Posted by: Greg | October 25, 2009 at 08:21 PM
Also, the film IS rated PG for scary scenes.
Posted by: Nibs | October 25, 2009 at 09:49 PM
Hey Gina, this is only partially related to Dickens but I thought I'd share something that can't be considered scary at all! Behold "Chuzzlewit" the squirrel:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31185161&ref=fp_feat_5
Never realized what a great name that is for a squirrel, lol.
Posted by: Nibs | October 26, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Too cute!!
Posted by: Gina | October 26, 2009 at 05:47 PM