Rating: 
Summary: No other version even comes close
Review: This version of the Christmas Carol will make you forget any other that you have seen. Alistair Sim should have won an Oscar for his astonishing performance as Scrooge. I've seen many an actor in this role, but Sim's is the classic performance. Everything about this film is movie-making at its finest. In my home this version is as much a part of Chritmas as the tree, lights and presents. Get it now...you will treasure it forever.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful acting - themes come through
Review: Dickens purists, myself among them, must admit that there are liberties taken in this presentation to which "Boz" would take great exception. For example, the home of the impoverished Bob Cratchitt is more luxurious than that of most viewers', and, miserable sort though Scrooge was, he did NOT put Fezziwig out of business. With this said, I must admit the film is generally quite delightful.Sim "fleshes out" the character of Scrooge (who, in this version, happily is allowed to be a redeemed miser - there is none of the "psychology" that would flavour some later remakes), making all aspects of the narrative highly believable. Excellent acting and a general period flavour are a delectable and enduring combination, and one even a purist finds quite addictive.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Scrooge Ever
Review: I admit I grew up with Alastair Sim as Scrooge - but I've seen many since - including George C. Scott. And all pale in comparison. This captures the look, feel and sentiment in England at the time and uplifts our spirits each and every time we see it. Please treat yourself and your family to the most wonderful Christmas movie of all time.
Rating:
Summary: A Tribute to the Great Classic
Review: Alastair Sim is the definitive characterization of the immortal Scrooge. His performance is genuinely three dimensional showing the multiple aspects of the changing Scrooge. This version also gives the very best description of his past, laying a foundation for his personality. I recommened this color version over the old black and white. It enhances the quality of the film and makes some scenes (such as the wondering spirits) much clearer. The very best version of the 25 versions that I have. A must for any " A Christmas Carol" enthusiast.
Rating:
Summary: A Christmas Treat
Review: Far and away the best movie version of Dicken's classic story. In addition to Alastair Sim's lauded performance as the definitive Scrooge, this film has a wonderful supporting cast, brilliant screenplay, and marvelous sets that perfectly recreate Victorian England. The message of positive change, and looking out for our fellow man have never been more beautifully brought home then here. Those final scenes, where Scrooge realizes that he is still alive and vows to become a better man, prove to be some of the most moving in cinamatic history. Enough talk, go buy the movie. It's a Christmas present you won't soon forget.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL - EVER
Review: This is without a doubt the best version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to date. The acting is excellent. The DVD version is good too, because you have the full original black and white version, and you can also view various scenes in colour. Just one question though, why is this film called A Christmas Carol in America, when here in the UK it is called Scrooge?
Rating: 
Summary: Quite possibly the worst DVD ever made
Review: Such a classic movie put to shame by shoddy DVD reproduction. If you are looking to build your DVD collection, avoid "VCI home video" at all costs. You cannot even read the interface, and the menu is a complete mess. Sound quality is awful, and the image quality looks like they put a 1980 video recorder on a worn porn theatre screen. I LOVE this movie, but VCI should be shot. Who in their right mind gave them the rights to such a piece of film history? Pathetic! I wish there was a "-5 star" option
Rating:
Summary: A Real Christmas Classic
Review: The Christmas Carol with Alastair Sims is the best movie for all Christmas time viewing. Mr. Sims captures the character of Scrooge in the finest way. Long before computer special effects and wizardry, Mr. Sims used acting as his medium.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor quality restoration of a truly outstanding movie
Review: (Please note that this review does NOT apply to the DVD edition of this film. I do not have a DVD player (yet), and I have not been able to view this film on DVD.) A CHRISTMAS CAROL, the 1951 classic starring Alastair Sim (originally titled SCROOGE for its release in England), is arguably the best version ever filmed of the Dickens classic. As the makers of this video edition are proud to remind us, Leonard Martin has said that this film is "too good to be shown only at Christmastime," and they're right. It's an outstanding movie, an unforgettable classic that deserves to be seen time and time again. This film was released on laserdisc in 1988 by United Entertainment, though by laserdisc standards the pressing was rather bare. In 1996, a new edition of the film was released by The Roan Group on VHS and laserdisc. The laserdisc adds chapter stops, and both it and the VHS boasted "digital sound," as well as claiming to be pressed from "an original British 35 mm negative which is the definitive material" version of the film. Some effort was made to make this disc appeal to laserdisc enthusiasts and "cineaste" movie buffs, and Roan includes an standard "introduction" and "Afterward" [sic - there are a couple of minor typos on the back cover] by Patrick Macnee, who played the role of younger Jacob Marley in the film. He doesn't say anything substantial, and other than his appreciation of the film it's obvious that his appearance is just added to entice people to buy this "new" edition. Unfortunately, the sound quality of the first ten minutes of the movie are seriously flawed on the copy I received from Roan -- so much so that I was tempted to stop right there. The digital enhancement" of the soundtrack did not work at all in stereo mode on my player; I had to change to left- or right-channel only to avoid an exceptionally annoying, tinny quality to the soundtrack. A flaw in the sound that occurs during the scene when Tiny Tim is looking wishfully at toys through the window of a store, near the beginning of the film, has not been corrected; evidently it's now a permanent part of the video edition of the film. The flawed digital sound problem is abruptly fixed at 10 mintes, 30 seconds on the laserdisc, however; it suddenly improves, and one can hear the disc in digital. However, the digital enhancement reveal many scratches and background hiss in the background. This may be an inevitable result of digital enhancement, but I found it hard to ignore; it repeatedly made me want to compare it to the older analog soundtrack. It sounds as if several different copies of the soundtrack were spliced together to create the sound of this particular print of the film: there are times when the sound is clear and very tolerable, then abruptly there are very annoying scratches and white noise. It is true that the digital enhancement *does* reveal more background music and some sound effects, as well as giving us fuller voices; but the flaws brought on by the age of the film and revealed by the enhancement work against this advantage. The video finally settled down into a decent, acceptable quality presentation by half an hour into the film; it's a pity that it takes this long before we finally get used to it. The picture quality is quite good, and very clear in most places; it's far better than most TV broadcasts of this film. Black and white film almost always appears crisp and clear on laserdisc and DVD; if you want to display the advantages of videodisc over videotape, you may want to consider using a black-and-white film as an example. (But you should probably use a better-quality video than this.) This video edition also includes several short films as a bonus: some sing-along Christmas carols, and three cartoons, all taken from the public domain. Max Fleischer's animated "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" isn't bad, but the "Little Audrey" cartoon may make older viewers wince. It does appear that an effort was made to "improve" this edition of the video, and thus make it more appealing to holiday shoppers -- especially those who already own the older edition on video or laserdisc. But given the flaws in the improvement process, I found myself sorely tempted to return the newer video and instead keep the older analog laserdisc of the film. Am I biased in favor of the older edition because I've had it for a while? Perhaps I am; or perhaps this newer edition just didn't live up to my expectations.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Christmas Classic
Review: Christmas would not be christmas without this showing of one of the best Christmas Classic around. Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol starting Alastair Sim is probably the best version that was ever produced. Each scene is brought to life by the actors that portray each character. I have watch this movie each Christmas Eve for the last 20+ years. Now I have my own copy so I can watch this movie any time. This movie is a must for each VCR or DVD Library. I highly recommend the purchase of this movie.
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