A Christmas Carol

Very few literary works are foolproof, though Charles Dickens' perennial Christmas classic comes very close. Lackluster animation and the utterly superfluous addition of a dog named Debit who's ornery like his master, the skinflint miser Ebeneezer Scrooge, can't squelch the main message of the story which is today encapsulated on many a bumber sticker; to wit: mean people suck. Tim Curry voices literature's supreme grouch, who is visited on Christmas Eve by the scary ghost of his former partner, and three spirits of Christmas past, present, and future, who whisk the nightgown-wearing Scrooge to sad, happy, and frightful scenes from his life (both previous and yet to come). Eight original tunes offer fairly sprightly entertainment, from the touchy-feely "Random Acts of Kindness" to the boisterous "Santa's Sooty Suit." Not my favorite rendition by a long shot--that distinction belongs to the 1984 George C. Scott version, with the Michael Caine Muppet Christmas Carol a close second. Even for an animated production, this one lags behind the Mr. Magoo classic and (to be honest) even A Flintstone's Christmas Carol. But enough (I'm beginning to sound like a humbug!); Curry is snivelingly fun, and Whoopi Goldberg--as the Ghost of Christmas Present--is a treat. Recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review--November 16, 2004--Fox, 107 min., PG, $14.98--Making its debut on DVD, 1997's A Christmas Carol is presented in a solid digital transfer with Dolby Digital stereo and no extras. Bottom line: not the best version of Dickens' classic by a long shot, but this is still worth the watch, especially for kids. Recommended.]