Dickensblog

New trailer for 'The King of Kings'

The upcoming animated film inspired by The Life of Our Lord has released its first trailer!

(H/T Dark Horizons)

'A Christmas Carol' roundup

I've been too busy this month to update the blog much, and yet, as always in December, the Christmas Carol news keeps rolling in! Here's a list to get us all caught up:

• Lucinda Dickens Hawksley wrote an interesting piece for the Royal Literary Fund about her ancestor's famous Christmas story in the context of his times. 
• Will Noble at The Londonist has a piece up about the 1901 silent film Scrooge, or Marley's Ghost, and the cinematic techniques it pioneered. At the link, you can see the 3 1/2 surviving minutes of the originally six-minute film.
• In the Washington Post, Sophia Solano interviews actor Michael Russotto and his colleagues about what it was like for him to step into Olney Theatre Center's one-man Carol after Paul Morella, who had played the role since 2009, became too ill to go on. (Link is gifted.)
• In Collider, Logan Kelly writes about some of the challenges that director Brian Henson and voice actor Steve Whitmire faced in making A Muppet Christmas Carol. 
• George Petras and Jennifer Borresen have a story in USA Today exploring modern books and stories that focus on the character of Jacob Marley.

A 'bah, humbug' to Scrooge's grave

In what surely must be one of the most bizarre Christmas Carol-related crimes ever committed, the gravestone of Ebenezer Scrooge from the 1984 film adaptation was found smashed in the graveyard at St. Chad's Church in Shrewsbury, England. Does someone still bear a grudge against old Ebenezer?

(I was surprised to learn, while reading about the crime, that the stone had actually belonged to another grave before being used in the filming, with an inscription faded enough that the filmmakers were able to repurpose it. To be honest, that feels a little like a desecration too.) 

The December 2024 'Christmas Carol' schedule

Time has flown -- I could hardly believe it when I spotted an airing of Scrooge (1951) on this morning's TV schedule! So it's time once again (past time, given that there's already been one airing!) to let you know when and where you can find your favorite Christmas Carol adaptations this year. Keep checking back for updates.

• A Christmas Carol (1910, starring Marc McDermott): This airs as part of Christmas Past (1925), a compilation of silent short films, which will air December 22 on TCM.
• Scrooge (1935, starring Seymour Hicks): Colorized version free on Prime, Tubi, Plex, and Pluto TV, and available for rent on Apple TV. Black and white version free on Xumo Play, available with subscription on PBS Passport, and available with premium subscription on YouTube. Also available (I'm not sure which version) with premium subscription on YouTube TV and the Roku Channel. 
• A Christmas Carol (1938, starring Reginald Owen): Airing on TCM December 8. Available with subscription on Max. Available with premium subscription on Prime, Hulu, YouTube TV, and the Roku Channel. Available with primetime subscription on YouTube. Available for rent on Google Play Movies & TV, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV. 
• 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, 22, and 25. Airing on Fox Movie Channel December 24 and 25. Free on Tubi and Plex. Available with premium subscription on Prime and Sling TV.
• Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962): Available with subscription on Peacock. Available for rent on Prime, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, and YouTube.
• Scrooge (1970, starring Albert Finney): Free on Pluto TV, Plex, and Sling TV. Available with subscription on fuboTV, MGM+, and Paramount+. Available with premium subscription on Prime, YouTube TV, Philo, and the Roku Channel. Available for rent on Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
• Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983): Available with subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, Fandango at Home, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, and YouTube.
• A Christmas Carol (1984, starring George C. Scott): Airing on Flix December 9 and 14. Free on Tubi, Sling TV, Plex, Xumo Play, and the Roku Channel. Available with subscription on Hulu. Available with premium subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992, starring Michael Caine): Available with subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Fandango at Home.
• A Christmas Carol (1999, starring Patrick Stewart): Airing on TNT December 5 and 6. Also free on TNT's streaming service for those with cable TV. Available with subscription on Paramount+. Available with premium subscription on Prime, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and the Roku Channel. Available for rent on Prime, YouTube, Apple TV, and Google Play Movies & TV.
• Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009, starring Jim Carrey): Airing on Freeform, December 3, 5, 6, 10, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Airing on Fox Movie Channel December 25. Available with subscription on Disney+. Available for rent on Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Sling TV, and Fandango at Home.
• FX's A Christmas Carol (2019, starring Guy Pearce): Airing on Fox Movie Channel December 24 and 25. Free on Fandango at Home. Available with subscription on Hulu and Apple TV. Available with premium subscription on Disney+ and Sling TV. Available for rent on Prime.
•  A Christmas Carol (2020, starring Simon Russell Beale and Michael Nunn): Free on Prime, Fandango at Home, Plex, and Tubi.
• Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022, starring Luke Evans): Available with subscription on Netflix.

As always, if you spot any mistakes or know of any I've missed, please let me know in the comments section!

R.I.P., Timothy West

The beloved British actor played John Dickens in the 2002 miniseries Dickens, Sir Leicester Dedlock in the 2005 Bleak House, and Josiah Bounderby in the 1977 Hard Times. He passed away on Tuesday, November 12, at the age of 90. 

TCM alert

A Tale of Two Cities (1935) airs on the channel at 7:45 this morning.

TCM alert

Oliver Twist (1948) airs on the channel at 11:30 Eastern this morning.

'King of Kings' has a distributor and a release date

Blue Harbor will be releasing the animated adaptation of The Life of Our Lord next Easter. Go here to learn more.

Still more 'King of Kings' casting news

The cast list for the animated film based on The Life of Our Lord continues to grow: Pierce Brosnan, Mark Hamill, and Ben Kingsley will all be voicing villains (Pontius Pilate, King Herod, and High Priest Caiaphas, respectively).

TCM alert

Oliver Twist (1948) airs at 3:30 p.m. Eastern today, as part of a day of British productions.