• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Willem Dafoe to Star in Robert Eggers "A Christmas Carol" Adaptation

How many adaptions for film and television is that now? I'd wager over a hundred.

Charlie Dickens'll still be in third place after WIlly Shakespeare and Arthur Conan Doyle with the most English language stories adapted for film and telly.
 
A few years ago, I think during Covid, for whatever reason that Christmas season the only Christmas shows I watched were different versions of "A Christmas Carol". After a while I felt like I was traveling through the multiverse watching the same basic events play out the same way. Surreal really. One thing I noticed is the tendency to make Scrooge an ever meaner asshole. I suppose the thinking is that the meaner the asshole, the bigger the turnaround at the end will be for the people around Scrooge and us, the audience. Scott and Stewart fall into this area, I think Stewart raises a cane at someone at one point. I don't care for that aspect. Sim is the most sympathetic for me.

This version adds in elements to the story that are the rare instance of original material being inserted that make the story better. The most notable being when he and the Spirit of Christmas Past visit Fan on her deathbed. Scrooge watches her die, so we see yet another reason why he's hardened his heart.

We then watches as young Scrooge leaves the room distraught. As old Scrooge implores the Spirit to leave, Scrooge hears a faint voice. Fan had in fact not died yet. In her delirium, and not knowing that Ebenezer is not there, she implores a promise from him to take care of her boy Fred and then she dies. Scrooge is horrified as the realization that he's failed Fan by pushing Fred away all his life and all he can do is implore Fan to forgive him. Get's me everytime. I also love the added backstory in this version. I enjoy them all, but this one is a cut above for me.

Relevant scene at 31:36


To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
Last edited:
I think making Scrooge more and more of an arsehole is a double edged sword, yes it makes the turnaround more pronounced but in making the turnaround more pronounced it therefore becomes somewhat less believable. I'd agree with you about Sim and I think there should aways be a hint of humanity about Scrooge, am ember of decency that the visit of the ghosts fans into a raging fire.

I'm conscious and slightly ashamed that, outside of Steven Knight's 2019 miniseries it's been an age since I saw any version. Maybe I should commit to my own multiverse next Christmas!

Re Eggers one thing we can be sure of is that Victorian London is likely to be very well realised.
 
I am a admitted "A Christmas Carol" fanatic. Every year, the missus and I watch different versions of it, but our favorite is Patrick Stewart's. I couldn't finish the 2019 mini-series with Guy Pearce. It was just too out in left field for me. I hope that DeFoe's version is a bit more traditional.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Danja
Alex Kurtzman on streaming movies and the future of Trek
14 15 16
Replies
315
Views
21K
Turtletrekker
Turtletrekker
Starscape
Contest: ENTER August 2025 Art Challenge - Suggest Your Themes!
Replies
8
Views
444
Starscape
Starscape
Starscape
  • Sticky
  • Poll
Contest: VOTE August 2025 Art Challenge - Vote for Your Theme!
Replies
2
Views
229
Starscape
Starscape
Starscape
  • Poll
Contest: VOTE July 2025 Art Challenge - Vote for Your Theme!
Replies
2
Views
360
Starscape
Starscape
Starscape
Contest: ENTER July 2025 Art Challenge - Suggest Your Themes!
Replies
2
Views
586
Starscape
Starscape
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top