[4][56] Ferguson said that the first part of Scrooged featured Murray at "his sour faced best". Donner said that Murray was always in a working mindset on set, believing it made him tired, so the crew would do "silly things" to improve morale. [49] Empire also called the ending embarrassing and beyond Murray's capabilities. [16] Kane herself said "I hit Bill Murray with a toaster, and with my wings, and I kicked him in areas that weren't pleasant for him. Suggest an update to this review. Humbug! [52][57] Benson said that watching her fragile, winged character pummel Murray was "strangely satisfying", although the joke eventually wore out. The release featured a 1080p resolution transfer of the original film and DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 quality sound. Scrooged is one of the few times in the history of cinema we see faeries as the complicated, cruel, monstrous, (and sometimes funny) creatures they are — David Bowie’s The Labyrinth being another rare example. SCROOGED (1988) **** Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Glover, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, David Johansen, and Alfre Woodard Director: Richard Donner Running time: 101 minutes Rated PG-13 (for violence, language, and sexual references) By Blake French: "Scrooged" is one of the top ten holiday comedies ever produced on the big screen. His performance is a mere caricature. [15] Murray worked with scriptwriters, Michael O'Donoghue and Mitch Glazer (whom Murray had previously worked with on Saturday Night Live) until Murray was confident enough to begin filming. The Ghost of Christmas Present arrives as a clumsy yet volatile fairy. [23] Donner had not worked with an improvisational comedian like Murray before, who ad-libbed many of his lines, saying "you don't direct [Murray], you pull him back". Format Cover Release Date(s) Publisher Notes VHS November 9, 1989 Paramount Home Video Our ratings are based on child development best practices. [55] Ebert and Empire concurred about the ending. As always you can subscribe to the show on iTunes or follow the links to social media in the podcast show notes. The film also stars Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Michael J. Pollard, and Alfre Woodard. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Less forgivable are the songs, which slow the whole production down. Based on the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Scrooged is a modern retelling that follows Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television … Sure, it's funny to see Scrooge's death foreshadowed as a funeral parade with joyous crowds singing "Thank You Very Much," but that's as good as the musical numbers get. "[25], The film also features Murray's three brothers; Joel Murray cameos as a party guest, Brian Doyle-Murray as Frank's father, and John Murray as his on-screen brother James,[26] and the final appearance of the Solid Gold Dancers. [51], Carol Kane was praised for her performance, with The Hollywood Reporter referring to her as a "certified hoot", and Entertainment Weekly's Sara Vilkomerson saying that she "steals the show" from Murray. The Ghost then shows him James, who still respects Frank as his brother despite declining his invitations to Christmas celebrations and Frank's cheap gifts. Benson said that the film is a "mass of sharp, well-deserved paper cuts" to the entertainment industry, citing Murray's character whose life knowledge is based on the Golden Age of Television, and Mitchum's character who wants to add elements to the network shows that attract pet audiences, but Benson lamented that these details were never expanded upon. edition with images of a custom DVD case and a retail price as late as September that year, it missed its release date and it remains unreleased. He [Donner] kept telling me to do things louder, louder, louder. She takes him to Grace's apartment, showing his assistant's struggles to support her large family, including her youngest son Calvin who has remained mute since witnessing his father's murder. [10] He described the success of that film as a phenomenon that would forever be his biggest success, compounded by the failure of The Razor's Edge (1984) made him feel "radioactive" and resulted in him avoiding making movies temporarily. Common Sense Media [Charles Cassady Jr.] Corn Flicks Movies [Scott Hanis] Crazy for Cinema Review; Critics Den [Pat Emmel] Death Ensemble [Phil Fasso] Deluxe Video Online [Neil Worcester] derekwinnert.com [Derek Winnert] Die Kinotagesstätte [Christian Neffe, Benjamin Weizenegger, Marius Rösch] (Podcast/German) Die-besten-Horrorfilme.de (German) This is a powerfully moralistic tale demonstrating not only how greed can overshadow love, but how even a seemingly hopeless man can turn his life around. Frank fires executive Eliot Loudermilk for disagreeing with him, and sends cheap IBC-monogrammed towels to all on his Christmas list, including his personal assistant Grace and his brother James. The film grossed $40 million overseas[44] for a worldwide total of $100.3 million. This entire production seems to be in dire need of visits from the ghosts of Christmas. He takes Frank to see his past: how he found solace in television after his mother left his father, and how he had fallen in love with Claire but lost her favor when he prioritized his television career over her. Using real-life inspiration and his vivid imagination, author Charles Dickens brings Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters to life in "A Christmas Carol," forever changing the holiday season into the celebration known today. [50][51] The Hollywood Reporter said that Elfman's music is "full blast with holiday spirit", and singled out J. Michael Riva's production design, calling it "dead on the mark funny". Common Sense Media Family and kid-oriented reviews with recommendations of age appropriateness. Majors was given a real minigun to hold, which he found difficult due to its weight. Video reviews with voiceovers explain some of the content of movies and provide a brief overview of the movie for those who dislike reading. It was obviously intended as a comedy, but there is little comic about it, and indeed the movie’s overriding emotions seem to be pain and anger. I don't think it was as fun for Bill, because he was the victim! It includes all the fun and whimsy of the Muppets, but also has Michael Caine taking on the role of Scrooge, so even the grown ups can get in on the fun. Based on the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Scrooged is a modern retelling that follows Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television executive, who is visited by a succession of ghosts on Christmas Eve intent on helping him regain his Christmas spirit. It has appeared on various lists of the best Christmas films. [61][62] In 2012, Den of Geek! Common Sense Note Parents need to know that this movie includes jokes about incest, pornography, and marijuana. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Frank has found great success and wealth but only by becoming cold-hearted and arrogant. [52] The Radio Times' John Ferguson appreciated the film, calling it a "joyously black Christmas treat", but once the "sentimentality starts seeping in", it seems like a misstep. [51], The Hollywood Reporter said that the story was uproarious and sometimes vitriolic, labeling it a scathing satire of the entertainment industry, that was a "wild and wooly holiday feast that should scrape off the competition". The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come part is not... good movie just when scrooge goes to hell is a little scary but not violent when you see the face of the ghost of christmas yet to come might scare little kids... A gentle, fuzzy version of the Dickens classic. [19] The final cut of the film runs for 97 minutes. Ebenezer Scrooge (Albert Finney) is the definition of a miser. Welcome to today’s show, Scrooged (1988), my name is John. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and many more of your favorite characters join the cast in this adaptation of a classic holiday tale. The long-winded ending takes a bizarre detour from Dickens's classic source material. As Frank and Claire reunite, Calvin comes up to Frank and speaks for the first time, reminding him to say the words "God bless us, everyone", much to Grace's elation. Scrooged was filmed on a $32 million budget over three months in Hollywood. [9] Murray considered himself "rusty" after having left acting for four years following the release of Ghostbusters. [51] Benson was more positive on Woodard, saying that she offered the film's one completely persuasive performance. Don’t be surprised to see Tiny Tim looking unrealistically healthy and cherubic, as is humorously pointed out by my friends at Common Sense Media. I had fun. See something that needs to be addressed? Preston directs Brice to take over rehearsals to give Frank some time off. Scrooged features a number of cameos including: Lee Majors as himself,[1] Miles Davis, Paul Shaffer, Larry Carlton,[2] and David Sanborn as the Street Musicians, John Houseman as himself, Robert Goulet as himself, the Solid Gold Dancers as the Scroogettes, Buddy Hackett as Ebenezer Scrooge (TV),[3] Mary Lou Retton as "Tiny Tim" Cratchit (TV),[4] Jamie Farr as Jacob Marley (TV),[5] Pat McCormick as the Ghost of Christmas Present (TV), Chaz Conner Jr. as the Ghost of Christmas Future (TV), and Anne Ramsey and her husband Logan Ramsey as two people in a shelter. IBC Television president Frank Cross is pushing his company to broadcast an extravagant live production of A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, making the staff work throughout the holiday. List of Highly Rated films appropriate for a 10-year old. I should mention that there are many more movies which I think someone should have seen by the age of 10 (Like 'Star Wars' or 'The Lion King'), but which are not on here because they are rated for a lower age bracket. [50] The Washington Post's Joe Brown said that it was a "sprawling mess", but that he liked it. In the present, Frank goes to see Claire, hoping to make amends. Evil Dead, Elvis Presley, and The Six Million Dollar Man", "Twenty-five years ago ... 'Scrooged' was released", "Six Iconic Locations In New York Featured In Christmas Movies", "56 Facts You May Not Know About Your Favorite Holiday Films", "Carol Kane on Scrooged, Andy Kaufman, and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt", "Top Ten Reasons We Can't Get Enough Scrooged", "Annie Lennox And Al Green - Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Dan Hartman And Denise Lopez - The Love You Take", "Natalie Cole - The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)", "Miles Davis, Larry Carlton, David Sanborn & Paul Shaffer - We Three Kings Of Orient Are", "Robbie Robertson - Christmas Must Be Tonight", "The Hot 100 - The week of January 14, 1989", "Images for Scrooged - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", "November 23 In Sci-Fi History: Scrooged And Doctor Who", "The 25 Highest-Grossing Christmas Movies Of All Time At The U.S. The Ghost takes him to the future where Calvin is catatonic and has been institutionalized. Lew warns him three more ghosts will appear to him over the next day to help Frank avoid the same fate. Scrooge is too greedy to understand that Christmas is the time for kindness and generosity. With Eliot's help, Frank returns to the production set, secures Brice in the control room, and breaks the show's live broadcast to speak of his new appreciation for life. [5] Scrooged premiered in Los Angeles, California on November 17, 1988,[37] followed by its public release on November 23, 1988. Seven of the songs were released as singles: Put a Little Love in Your Heart (October 1988),[27] "The Love You Take" (December 1988),[28] "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" December 1988[29] "We Three Kings of Orient Are",[30] A Wonderful Life,[31] Families can talk about how one man's miserliness contributes to others' poverty and misery and how family members' greediness or generosity affects others. [1], In 1989, A&M Records released the soundtrack to Scrooged, which features nine songs. The film received a positive response from test audiences, but was met with a mixed response upon its release from critics who found the film too mean spirited or too sentimental. They settled on the example of Christmas Eve in New York, where people are nice to each other for one night, believing it to be a "miracle we could live with". He estimated that only 40% of his and Glazer's original script made it into the final film and the surviving content was "twisted". [14], On release, reviews were similarly mixed. We wrote a story that could make you laugh and cry. Claire sees this at the shelter and makes for the network with the help of the Ghost of Christmas Past. He described his challenge as having an edge but then completing Cross' transformation into a decent person at the end. described it as the "finest Christmas comedy of all time". Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. [66], In 2015, IGN named it the 11th-best holiday movie of all time. Frank desperately tries to escape, breaking through a boarded-up door to end back up on the set of the production. After he was finished, the crew applauded Murray, but O'Donoghue remarked "What was that? [6] The film left theaters after eight weeks with a total gross of $60.3 million, making it the 13th highest-grossing film of 1988.[43][42]. So, with the help of some wise ghosts, and the examples set by his clerk Bob Cratchit and nephew Fred, Scrooge learns how to embrace the true spirit of the season. The songs, while unmemorable, provide a cushion for young ones who might be intimidated by scarier versions. Common Sense Media Like Jodie Foster's hopeful space voyager in the picture, "Contact" may not travel quite as far as it hopes to go, but the trip is worth taking nonetheless. There's comic peril and violence, including smacking someone with a shovel. Unlike George C. Scott in the 1984 film version, or Alastair Sim in the 1951 classic, Albert Finney doesn't contribute much to the role. [49] Benson said that Murray imbued Frank Cross' worst attributes with sincerity, making his redemption difficult to accept. Terms of Activation By activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access your Xfinity Stream subscription on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well as the TV connected to your set-top DVR via Comcast's network. There's a gag that ends with one person's pouring a malted milkshake over the head of another, and a gag in which the fat boy's trousers are hoisted on … [53] A 2007 review by Den of Geek agreed, saying that the film and Murray are at their best before the redemption begins, and that the only film to come close to capturing Murray's vitriol was Bad Santa (2003). "[23] Carol Kane's ghost was intended to have a body double for ballet scenes until set designer saw Kane rehearsing the dance and convinced Donner that the resulting scene would be funnier with Kane's "horrible" dancing. The production was tumultuous, as Murray and Donner had different visions for the film. 99 to rent. The star rating reflects overall quality. It was the highest earning film that weekend, ahead of The Land Before Time ($8.1 million) and Oliver & Company ($6.3 million), both in their second weekend,[40][41] and made Scrooged the fourth highest-opening weekend of the year. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. Go to Common Sense Review Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. What rewards did he receive? Find Scrooged at Amazon.com Movies & TV, home of thousands of titles on DVD and Blu-ray. The movie's worth seeing for Guinness alone, and for the weird ending in which Scrooge falls into his own grave and winds up in hell, where Marley offers to show him to his quarters. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Rosenbaum cited the ending in particular, wherein Frank gives his Christmas message, causing Karen to leave the needy homeless to come to his side, and both are watched over approvingly by Herman, a homeless man who froze to death. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. Wanting a central acting moment, however, Murray gave an emotional and manic performance, deviating from his marked positions and improvising his speech. Robert Mitchum cameos as Frank's boss Preston Rhinelander; the actor was not interested in the small role, but Donner asked him to meet with Murray, who convinced him to take the part. [14], Murray wanted several changes to the script once he joined the project; among other changes, the romantic plot with Karen Allen's Claire was expanded, and the family scenes were reworked as Murray felt they were "off". When he did feel a desire to return to acting, he said the "scripts were just not that good", and he returned to the Scrooged project as he found the idea of making a funny Scrooge appealing. The Ghost leaves him in a utility space under a sidewalk with Herman, now frozen to death. [3] Roger Ebert called it one of the most "disquieting, unsettling films to come along in quite some time", saying that it portrays pain and anger more than comedy. Their review said that his deadpan, cutting style was hilarious, but that he layers the character's histrionics with inner sensibility that makes his eventual redemption believable and uplifting. Retiring to his office, Frank finds Eliot waiting for him with a shotgun, ready to kill Frank for the loss of his job and family. A meatier version might be in order for teens and adults. Why did Scrooge eventually change? The DVD version was scheduled for re-release on October 31, 2006 as the "Yule Love It!" [18], In a 1989 interview, Murray said "we shot a big, long, sloppy movie", describing how a lot of filmed content was not present in the film's final cut. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. In the years since its release, Scrooged has become a regular television Christmastime feature, with some critics calling it an alternative to traditional Christmas films, and others arguing that Scrooged was ahead of its time, making it relevant in the modern day. “Scrooged” is one of the most disquieting, unsettling films to come along in quite some time. The release was criticized for only including the film's theatrical trailer, with Collider's Phil Brown saying "there must be some incredible behind-the-scenes stories to tell. Scrooged (1988) There’s something so 1980s about making over A Christmas Carol with a Ghostbusters twist. [42] The second weekend saw an over 40% drop, taking $7.5 million,[43] and over the Christmas holiday period itself, the film had fallen to ninth place, behind The Land Before Time and Oliver & Company. Incorrigible skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge gets the musical treatment in this 1970 adaptation of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Along with Murray's three brothers, Brian, John, and Joel, Scrooged features numerous celebrity cameos.

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