Dickensblog

'A Christmas Carol' with drones

This December, a drone light show will tell the story of A Christmas Carol in Nottingham and Bristol, England! Go here to read all about it, and to buy tickets if you're in the area.

'A Christmas Carol' gets a Bollywood adaptation

Director/producer/writer Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) is the latest to create a musical update of Dickens's Christmas classic. Her Bollywood version, Christmas Karma, will be set in contemporary London and star Kunal Nayyar, Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, and Hugh Bonneville. Deadline Hollywood has more.

More 'Christmas Carol' tidbits

• In The Atlantic (paywalled), columnist Tom Nichols argues that the 1984 film with George C. Scott is the best Carol adaptation. Though I disagree on that, I was touched by the poignant memories connected to the film that he shared.
• In this Arizona Daily Star article, June Lockhart shares a couple of amusing stories from her film debut in the 1938 adaptation. 
• Paging Dr. Freud! Madeleine Wood of the University of Essex has a piece in The Conversation about how the story of Scrooge prefigured the work of the legendary psychoanalyst. 
• Did Bob Cratchit actually make more than minimum wage? Brandon Lewis investigates the claim in a segment aired by WCNC Charlotte. 
• And finally, Morgan Library & Museum literary curator Philip Palmer, actor Jefferson Mays, and others are interviewed in this engaging piece about why A Christmas Carol has been so compelling to so many for 180 years. 

Happy 180th birthday to 'A Christmas Carol'!

In honor of this venerable story, the blog Letters from Gondwana has a post about what may have made the weather so foul during a Dickensian Christmas, while over in the U.K., Simon Callow debates a Guardian editorial writer over whether Scrooge's redemption was personal or social.* (My hot take: Why not both?) There's forever something new to learn about the Carol!

*You may need to register for free to read the Guardian, though I was able to see both articles without doing it. 

'Collider' ranks Dickens film adaptations

This list of the top 20 features a few films I haven't seen yet, and a couple that I don't really care for, but I'm happy to see the 1958 A Tale of Two Cities, 2019's The Personal History of David Copperfield, and the 1951 Scrooge on there. The listmaker, Jeremy Urquhart, knows his Dickens films, and has put much more thought into this than such lists usually get.

Dickens in 'The Saturday Evening Post'

The Post has a new page on its site showing the six Dickensian Christmas covers that renowned American artist Norman Rockwell created for them.

Two new 'Christmas Carol' editions

For the collectors among us, Bodleian Library Publishing has released a new luxury collector's edition with the Arthur Rackham illustrations. And for those introducing the kids in their lives to the classic story, my friends at Owl's Nest Publishers have just released a new annotated edition for teen and middle grade readers. If you or anyone you know is in the market for a new copy, check these out! (If you prefer to order from Amazon, links are here and here, respectively. Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified purchases.)

The December 2023 'Christmas Carol' schedule

Time once again for the Dickensblog annual tradition of letting you know where and when you can find the various Carol adaptations! As always, I'll add to this schedule throughout the month as I get more information. So keep checking back for updates!

• Scrooge (1935, starring Seymour Hicks; colorized version): Streaming on Prime, Plex, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Available with subscription on YouTube and the Roku Channel. Available for rent on Apple TV. 
• A Christmas Carol (1938, starring Reginald Owen): Airing on TCM, December 2, 18, and 24. Available with subscription on Max. Available with premium subscription on Prime. Available for rent on YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, Vudu, and Redbox. 
• The Christmas Carol (1949, starring Taylor Holmes and Vincent Price): Streaming on YouTube. Available with subscription on Peacock.
• Scrooge, a.k.a. A Christmas Carol (1951, starring Alastair Sim): Airing on Movies! TV Network, December 3, 9, 20, and 25. Airing on FX Movie Channel December 24, 25, and 26. Streaming on Plex. Available with premium subscription on Prime.
• Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962): Available with subscription on Peacock. Available for rent on Prime, Redbox, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, and YouTube.
• Scrooge (1970, starring Albert Finney): Streaming on Plex. Available with premium subscription on Prime and the Roku Channel. Available with primetime subscription on YouTube. Available for rent on Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, Redbox, and Vudu.
• Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983): Available with subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, and YouTube.
• A Christmas Carol (1984, starring George C. Scott): Streaming on Plex, the Roku Channel, Tubi, and Sling TV. Available with subscription on Starz. Available with premium subscription on Hulu, Prime, and Philo. Available for rent on Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Vudu.
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992, starring Michael Caine): Available with subscription on Disney+ and Hulu. Available for rent on Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu. 
• A Christmas Carol (1999, starring Patrick Stewart): Airing on TNT December 14. Available with subscription on Hulu and Sling TV. Available for rent on YouTube.
• Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009, starring Jim Carrey): Airing on Freeform, December 1, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 18, 19, 23, and 25. Available with subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Vudu.
• FX's A Christmas Carol (2019, starring Guy Pearce): Airing on FX Movie Channel December 24 and 25. Streaming on Prime and Vudu. Available with subscription on Hulu. 
•  A Christmas Carol (2020, starring Simon Russell Beale and Michael Nunn): Streaming on Prime, Vudu, Plex, and Tubi.
• Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022, starring Luke Evans): Streaming on Netflix.

'A Christmas Carol' honored with 180th anniversary magazine

Published by a360media, this commemorative magazine features a wealth of articles about A Christmas Carol and its many adaptations, along with some wonderful illustrations and movie stills. You can buy it at the link above, or look for it at your local grocery store, bookstore, or wherever else you buy magazines.

Happy 50th anniversary, Dickens on the Strand!

That's right, the annual Dickensian Christmas festival in Galveston, Texas, turns 50 this year! The Houston Chronicle reports that nine members of the Dickens family will be on hand for this year's festivities, taking place December 1-3. Go to the official Dickens on the Strand website to learn more. And here's wishing them a very happy anniversary!