A Christmas Carol 3D Blu-ray (2009) [Region Free]

[ilovenola2]

Originally Posted by thestrangestick

I also watched this for the first time this xmas. I thought it was utterly bizarre in a good way.

Firstly, this is NOT a kids movie. I mean, even aside from the animation, which is uncanny valley levels of horrifying at times, it's so pyschedelic, so all out, so completely off the wall and just downright creepy and even horrific. That's not a complaint because it was compelling, but I consider this to be premium nightmare fuel for kids. I know if I watched this as a child I would be having nightmares for weeks. I found it so bizarre that this is a Disney xmas movie.

I give it a lot of respect for using what I believe to be original dialogue from the book. Again, as an adult I can follow it, but I have to believe that kids would really struggle. It's Victorian Shakespeare as far as being that much different to modern English. Another marker on the 'I can't believe this is a Disney movie' scoresheet.

The animation has not aged well at all. It's interesting to think that this came out the same year as Avatar, because that holds up well, but this is so clearly dated. It's actually a crying shame, because I know I am fickle for thinking this, but it kind of ruined the movie for me a little. It's just too creepy and 'off'. Not as bad as the Polar Express, and some shots (especially at distance) looked great, but I can't help but think if this came out even 2-3 years later it would have had good enough technology behind it at that point to be kind of timeless. Or even if they had gone for a less 'realistic' style with tech that couldn't back it up. I can't imagine watching this again because the animation, to a cynic like me, is a niggling reminder that this movie could be so much more.

The 3D is definitely very good, although I didn't think it was excellent. Maybe because I was distracted by the animation, but I also felt like this movie could really have benefitted from being 16:9.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I have a lot of respect that it was ever made because it's so unique and does its own thing in a completely unapologetic way. But yeah, can't see myself watching it again.

I believe this is the best and most faithful (dialogue and all!) adaptation of the Dickens classic, followed by the 1951 Alastair Sim version. There are some other good ones to be searched out..... Stewart, Denny, Scott, etc.
But this 3D adaptation really recreates the book and, I believe, is NOT "too scary" for youngsters old enough to comprehend the story.
Oh-- and the 3-D is spectacular!