Scrooged
1988 Directed by Richard Donner
Synopsis
The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways.
Frank Cross runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Frank's childhood wasn't a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn't really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realizes he must change.
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Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.86
Late, late night viewing and I'm glad as I always watch this at some point during Christmas and was afraid I wasn't going to get to it this year.
And I just realized it's my 25th anniversary. From the first time I saw it in '88 till now it has been twenty-five viewings, one each year.
I just love it and not because it's a Christmas movie as I don't really care much for the holiday. No, I love it because it is hilarious. It has one of film's most unique comedians doing what he does best, being a complete and utter bastard. Murray's dead pan delivery of insults matched with his absurd…
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I couldn't think of a better way to kick off my Christmas film viewing than with this 1988 holiday classic featuring the wonderful Bill Murray. A hilarious take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," that still holds up for me after all this time.
Oh, and I'm still waiting for the release of "the Night the Reindeer Died." It's gonna be badass.
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Around Christmas time I tried watching it on a DVD copy I owned, but half way into it the movie froze and wouldn't play beyond a certain point. Turns out it was scratched to hell. I'm pretty sure this was one of the DVDs I bought at one of the Blockbusters that was shutting down a few years ago.
I was surprised to see yesterday that it was streaming on Netflix and happily watched it even it was well past Christmas time. Bill Murray is king and put a little love in my heart.
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Two of my favourite things in life, Christmas and Bill Murray.
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First time watch for me, and I never knew what I was missing. I loved it! Bill Murray is outstanding. I loved that it was funny, touching and dark all together. I think ghost of Christmas present is my favorite. I have to admit, I got a little misty when the kid finally spoke, which proves that this is a film that works. Definitely going in my collection.
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Film #12 of The December Project and Day #4 of The Letterboxd Advent Calendar.
Bill Murray once was in a modern adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Sometimes you just gotta take a moment to stop and think about the good things in life.
There's plenty of poor or lackluster adaptations of the classic Christmas story out there, but thankfully Richard Donner and Murray's take on the material isn't one of this.
The film's carried by great performances from Murray, Karen Allen, and Bobcat Goldthwait who's continuously unlucky Eliot Loudermilk almost steals the film from its star. It does take a while to get going (some of the pre-ghosts gags don't hold up as well), but once the first ghost arrive, the film kicks into high gear.
Scrooged is a holiday film that I'm sure I'll find myself returning to each Christmas.
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One of Murray's best performances.
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Not exactly sure why I chose to rewatch this tonight. I had wanted to watch it again over the holidays but missed the opportunity. But with Bill Murray in the lead there is not much that can wrong in way of choosing a film.
In fact watching this again after many years of just catching bits and pieces on television allowed for a much better and clear view of the movie. And my conclusion is that Bill Murray single handedly makes this film work.
No other aspect in the film is really noteworthy or its just so much overshadowed by Murray's presence. The movie is funny only because Murray makes it that way. The man can do the most mundane…
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Fantastic version of a Christmas carol with Murray perfect as the complete arsehole learning the error of his ways. Getting great laughs out of very little at times and as quick witted as always he also handles the emotional impact on the character to great effect to prove how good he is.
Bobcat Goldthwait and especially David Johanson as the brilliant ghost of Christmas Past add for an hilarious christmas gem which still holds up wonderfully. Also Murray's closing words to the "audience" blew my mind as a kid being my first experience with the fourth wall.
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Around Christmas time I tried watching it on a DVD copy I owned, but half way into it the movie froze and wouldn't play beyond a certain point. Turns out it was scratched to hell. I'm pretty sure this was one of the DVDs I bought at one of the Blockbusters that was shutting down a few years ago.
I was surprised to see yesterday that it was streaming on Netflix and happily watched it even it was well past Christmas time. Bill Murray is king and put a little love in my heart.
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A holiday staple that I tend to watch year round. Being a Bill Murray fan I may be a bit biased, but this is my favorite adaptation of the original Christmas Carol. I love the take on it and Bill Murray is sublime. If you haven't seen this movie yet, I feel it's a MUST SEE.
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It's been well over a decade since I last saw it. And when I was 10, I watched it several times in a row.
Jesus.... you could NEVER make that movie today. It's got to be the darkest studio comedy I've ever seen. The script by Mitch Glazer Michael O'Donoghue is pitch black dark. But man, is it good.
One of the best and funniest films about TV, as well.
And of course Bill Murray dominates, playing a modern-day Scrooge, a role he was BORN to play. I picture a pitch meeting going like this:
"We want to do A Chirstmas Carol with Bill Murray."
"Well, there's no way anyone would buy him in London in the 1800s."
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Frank is a wealthy TV executive who got ahead by being cruel to everyone he knows. Over Christmas his station is putting on a live rendition of 'A Christmas Carol', which is also unfolding in Frank's life. As the story goes, he learns the error of his ways.
It's been years upon years since I've seen this. I remember it being better but it's still good all the same. I did enjoy an extremely brief, yet surprising Miles Davis cameo too.
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Really like this one and had many genuine laugh out loud moments and has really aged well. Thanks Jay Cheel and the whole of Film Junk for speaking so glowingly about this one. Glad I finally caught one that escaped my childhood.