Tag Archives: Christmas

SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 7

     Looking back now on the six surviving silent movie versions of A Christmas Carol (there are at least three lost versions), while remembering that two of the six are fragments AND that we are seeing them on a small screen, what did we see? SETTINGS:   The 1913 version does the most with exterior scenes.Continue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 7”

SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 6

     There is occasional confusion online between the 1922 “Scrooge” and the 1923 “A Christmas Carol”.  Each was made in England, and each was part of a longer series of films based on literature.  The Gems of Literature series ranged farther afield in its sources, including Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe.  If you go huntingContinue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 6”

FICTION FRIDAY: The Christmas Clown

     Beth swept snow from the top of the last box and threw herself onto a chair.  She was immediately sorry she’d done this: her soaking wet gloves and sodden stocking cap were right under her.  It didn’t really matter.  The last of the snow was disappearing into her coat, turned into ice water toContinue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: The Christmas Clown”

SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 5

     The 1922 version of A Christmas Carol, starring H.V. Esmond, is incomplete as we know it.  Part of a series which presented excerpts from great literature (the four known films are all from Dickens) it ran seventeen minutes or thereabouts, but when it was brought to America in 1929, the distributors cut it downContinue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 5”

SANTA BLOGS XLIV

Dear Santa Blogs:      I have a niece who sends me entertaining emails and who really deserves to get a present this year in exchange for all the gloomy Goth humor she sends my way.  But I’ve never shopped for a Goth before and, anyway, I don’t have any idea what kids want for ChristmasContinue reading “SANTA BLOGS XLIV”

SANTA BLOGS XLIII

Dear Santa Blogs:      What are you doing this year to provide us with a really good Christmas cong controversy?  I rely on this every year as a chaser for all the good will and cheer being tossed at me, and so far, I haven’t heard a peep from you about it.                                                                                              Grumpy InContinue reading “SANTA BLOGS XLIII”

SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 4

     Much as the previous silent Scrooges interested me, I am fascinated by the 1914 version.  It runs to 22 minutes (some cuts are abrupt enough to suggest something is missing) and although Charles Rock makes a lively Scrooge, this is decidedly a Cratchit movie.      We open with Bob Cratchit putting up holiday greeneryContinue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 4”

SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 3

     “Scrooge”, rereleased later as “Old Scrooge” for no apparent reason, appeared in 1913 and was the longest (known) version of the story up to that time, clocking in at some forty minutes.  It opens with a little pseudo-documentary beginning with shots of Charles Dickens’s birthplace (with people pointing at it in part so weContinue reading “SCREEN SCROOGES: Silent Supplement 3”

FICTION FRIDAY: Knit Wit

     “Who goes there?”      “A friend.  Winky sent me.”      “What’s the password?”      “More is more.”      “Enter, friend.  But remember, no telling people….”      “Oh, jingles!  Owwwww!”      “Winky should’ve warned you to put these dark glasses on.”      “The colors!  The….  Thank you, that’s better.”      “Yes, we wear ‘em allContinue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Knit Wit”