Christmas Carol, A (DVD)

Alastair Sim - 1951 version - The best and most critically acclaimed version of them all! Loaded with Special Features

Alastair Sim's tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens' story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Some of Britain's best filmmakers united behind Sim, who was joined by a delightful cast of accomplished and acclaimed English actors; creating what many today believe to be the best and most faithful production of Dickens' immortal tale. Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. Special Features: Commentaries by Marcus Hearn and George Cole; Introduction by Leonard Maltin; "Dead to Begin With: The Darker Side of A Classic"- Explores the movies bleaker themes and how they rivaled London of the 1950's - features film historian and culturalist Sir Christopher Frayling; "Scrooge by Another Name: Distributing 'A Christmas Carol'" - Details the American release of this British holiday classic as told by distributor Richard Gordon; "The Human Blarney Stone: Life and Times of Brian Desmond Hurst"; "The Alastair Sim Version: Too Good To Be Shown Only At Christmastime - video narrative by Fred Guida, author of 'A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations'; and A collection of early silent versions of Dickens on film.

Bonus Materials

• Commentary Tracks By Marcus Hearn and George Cole
• INTRODUCTION BY LEONARD MALTIN
• 'DEAD TO BEGIN WITH: The Darker Side of A Classic'- An all-new documentary exploring the films bleaker themes and how they rivaled London of the 1950's.
• Featuring British film historian and culturalist Sir Christopher Frayling. (25 mins)
• 'SCROOGE BY ANOTHER NAME: Distributing A Christmas Carol'- An all-new featurette detailing the American release of this British holiday classic. Featuring US distributor Richard Gordon. (10 mins)
• 'THE HUMAN BLARNEY STONE: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurst'-An all-new documentary chronicling the awe-inspiring life of Ireland's most prolific filmmaker. Featuring Allan Esler Smith, the great, great nephew and biographer of Hurst. (40 mins)
• ALASTAIR SIM VERSION ': Too Good To Be Shown Only At Christmastime - video narrative by Fred Guida, author of A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations (33 mins)
• SILENT DICKENS a collection of early examples of Dickens on film. (Scrooge -1922, Bleak House 20 mins)