A Christmas Carol (1982 film)
Encyclopedia
A Christmas Carol is an Australian 70-minute made-for-television animated film from Burbank Films Australia
; a part of the studio's series of adaptations of Charles Dickens
' works made from 1982 through 1985. It was originally broadcast in 1982 through the Australian Nine Network Australia. The film is based on Charles Dickens
' classic English
story, A Christmas Carol
, first published in 1843, and was adapted by Alexander Buzo. It was produced by Eddy Graham and directed by Jean Tych. A second live-action, made-for-television title under the same name was produced in the same year. All copyright in this film is currently owned by HS Holding Corporation who controls the licencing of this film.
is a cruel man for whom life's only passion has become only money; he hates Christmas
, even the very mention of it, lives alone and only to work. He is very strict with his only, underpaid and overworked, employee, Bob Cratchit
, and does not believe in giving away to charity or being kind to anyone.
One Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge receives a ghostly visit from his long deceased partner Jacob Marley
, who had died exactly seven years before on that same day. In his life, Jacob Marley had been just as selfish and uncaring as Scrooge was now. He tells Ebenezer about how his soul has not had a moment's rest since his death and how his spirit has been doomed to wander the earth looking down at what might have been, had he been a different man. He tells Scrooge that he wants to spare him that same fate, and that on that night, he will receive the visits of three spirits. After Jacob departs, Scrooge heads for his bed with no intention of having his sleep be interrupted by anyone.
Still, precisely as Jacob Marley had predicted, the first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past
arrives at one o'clock. He and Scrooge depart together for the Christmases that have already been, and from the experience, Scrooge gains a painful memory of the person he was, and how he became what he is today.
The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present
, shares with Scrooge the Christmases being celebrated on that same year, especially the merriment being had at his nephew Fred's home; Fred had invited him to dinner, and Scrooge, as usual, had declined the invitation. From this experience, Scrooge also learns about Bob Cratchit's family, and how his youngest son, Tiny Tim
, is a fragile creature supported by a crutch
who may be doomed to die unless he receives better nourishment, more than his father can provide.
Finally, Scrooge receives the last of the visits, from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
, and Scrooge finds himself a changed man after he learns of the cruel fate in store for Tiny Tim, as well as the even crueler fate reserved for himself. Tiny Tim will die and be mourned by his loving family, while Ebenezer Scrooge will die alone, being no one's concern.
Spared by the spirit, Ebenezer Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day determined to keep the promise he had made to the spirits the night before, and before setting off to accept his nephew's invitation and join them for dinner, he has a priced turkey
delivered to Mr. Cratchit's door. From that day, no one in London knows how to celebrate the Christmas spirit better than Ebenezer Scrooge, and Tiny Tim could wish for no more caring a friend.
Burbank Films Australia
Burbank Films Australia was an Australian animation-production company that in a span of eight years produced over thirty different animated films...
; a part of the studio's series of adaptations of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' works made from 1982 through 1985. It was originally broadcast in 1982 through the Australian Nine Network Australia. The film is based on Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' classic English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
story, A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
, first published in 1843, and was adapted by Alexander Buzo. It was produced by Eddy Graham and directed by Jean Tych. A second live-action, made-for-television title under the same name was produced in the same year. All copyright in this film is currently owned by HS Holding Corporation who controls the licencing of this film.
Plot
Old Ebenezer ScroogeEbenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
is a cruel man for whom life's only passion has become only money; he hates Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, even the very mention of it, lives alone and only to work. He is very strict with his only, underpaid and overworked, employee, Bob Cratchit
Bob Cratchit
Robert "Bob" Cratchit is a fictional character who is the abused, underpaid clerk of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol...
, and does not believe in giving away to charity or being kind to anyone.
One Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge receives a ghostly visit from his long deceased partner Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley is a fictional character who appears in Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol.- Relationship with Scrooge:In life, Marley was the business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge. As teenagers, both men had been apprenticed in business and met as clerks in another business...
, who had died exactly seven years before on that same day. In his life, Jacob Marley had been just as selfish and uncaring as Scrooge was now. He tells Ebenezer about how his soul has not had a moment's rest since his death and how his spirit has been doomed to wander the earth looking down at what might have been, had he been a different man. He tells Scrooge that he wants to spare him that same fate, and that on that night, he will receive the visits of three spirits. After Jacob departs, Scrooge heads for his bed with no intention of having his sleep be interrupted by anyone.
Still, precisely as Jacob Marley had predicted, the first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past
Ghost of Christmas Past
The Ghost of Christmas Past is a character in the well-known work of the English novelist Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.The Ghost of Christmas Past was the first of the three spirits that haunted the miser. Ebenezer Scrooge in order to prompt him to repent...
arrives at one o'clock. He and Scrooge depart together for the Christmases that have already been, and from the experience, Scrooge gains a painful memory of the person he was, and how he became what he is today.
The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present
Ghost of Christmas Present
The Ghost of Christmas Present is a character in one of the best-known works of the English novelist Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. The Spirit closely resembles Father Christmas from local folklore....
, shares with Scrooge the Christmases being celebrated on that same year, especially the merriment being had at his nephew Fred's home; Fred had invited him to dinner, and Scrooge, as usual, had declined the invitation. From this experience, Scrooge also learns about Bob Cratchit's family, and how his youngest son, Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim (A Christmas Carol)
Timothy Cratchit, called "Tiny Tim", is a fictional character from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. He is a minor character, the young son of Bob Cratchit, and is seen only briefly, but serves as an important symbol of the consequences of the protagonist's choices...
, is a fragile creature supported by a crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
who may be doomed to die unless he receives better nourishment, more than his father can provide.
Finally, Scrooge receives the last of the visits, from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, A.K.A., The Ghost of Christmas Future, is a fictional character in English novelist Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is the ghost that haunts the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, in order to prompt him to adopt a more caring attitude in life and avoid the horrid...
, and Scrooge finds himself a changed man after he learns of the cruel fate in store for Tiny Tim, as well as the even crueler fate reserved for himself. Tiny Tim will die and be mourned by his loving family, while Ebenezer Scrooge will die alone, being no one's concern.
Spared by the spirit, Ebenezer Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day determined to keep the promise he had made to the spirits the night before, and before setting off to accept his nephew's invitation and join them for dinner, he has a priced turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
delivered to Mr. Cratchit's door. From that day, no one in London knows how to celebrate the Christmas spirit better than Ebenezer Scrooge, and Tiny Tim could wish for no more caring a friend.
External links
- A Christmas Carol at the Big Cartoon Database