Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales: Review by William Mortensen Vaughan

 

Title(s):  "Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales"

Adaptation:  Featuring the voice of Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam (the Scrooge), Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe le Pew, Tweety, Sylvester, Tasmanian Devil, Light Company Man, Airplane Pilots, Santa Claus, and Elmer Fudd; and the voice of  June Foray as Clyde Rabbit and Mrs. Claus

Dates and Places of Earliest Release:  

TUE, 27 NOV 1979 U.S.A.

 

My Rating:  ***(Offensive Favorite)

Format Reviewed:  animated comedy, on VHS

 

Runtime:  22 minutes 

 

Availability:  

As of December 4, 2021, copies of this film, on VHS, are available, online, for approximately $30 U.S. Dollars.

Does this adaptation include the phrase "God bless us...?" 

No.

Is this adaptation reverent? 

No, this adaptation is not particularly reverent.

Does this adaptation mention "God" or "Christ"?

No.

What does my wife think of this adaptation?
She thinks it's "silly" and "nostalgic."

Where and when does this adaptation take place?

Contemporary U.S.A.  Yosemite Sam has a four-poster bed and clawfoot bathtub, but there is nothing to indicate with certainty what decade or century is depicted.  Wile E. Coyote uses electronic devices to try to catch the Roadrunner, but electronics such as the wireless telegraph existed in the 1800's.

 
What language and/or dialects are used?  

American English.

How closely does this adaptation follow the original novel, by Charles Dickens?

(Give specific examples of departures...)

Is this adaptation a prequel or a sequel?  

No.

Is this adaptation supernatural? 

No, Bugs Bunny only pretends to be "the Ghost of Christmas."

Is this adaptation "framed"?  

Yes.  Yosemite Sam admits at Christmas dinner that his generosity is just an act, and demands his money back.

Is this adaptation a musical?  

No.

 

What songs and/or dances are included?  

Bugs Bunny tries to teach Foghorn "the Rooster" J. Leghorn, Pepe "the Skunk" Le Pew, Elmer J. Fudd, Porky Pig, and Yosemite Sam to sing "Deck the Halls." Pepe starts singing "Alouette" instead of "Deck the Halls."

How attractive and effective is the visual art?  

The art is well done for two-dimensional animation, and, for me, very nostalgic.

How creative and intense are the transitions, especially when "the Scrooge" is taken from one time and/or place to another?

The transitions are hilarious and believable, albeit unrealistic, as is typical in excellent cartoons.

 

What aerial and/or nap-of-the-earth footage is included?  

N/A  

 

What use is made of background extras?  

N/A

What is the most remarkable thing about this adaptation? 

The most remarkable thing about this adaptation is, perhaps, how Bugs Bunny, in spite of being merely "the Fred" in this adaptation, serves as the primary character, becoming the Narrator and a combination of all three Ghosts of Christmas (Past, Present, and Future) in one fantastic personage, controlling, remolding, and adding a uniquely humorous flavor to the entire story.
 
What bonus material is included on the tape or DVD? 

Other tales are included on this VHS tape, as Christmas dinner segues into a series of encounters between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

Test your knowledge of this adaptation by taking these quizzes:

Quiz  1 of T.B.D.

Quiz  2 of T.B.D.

 

Quiz  3 of T.B.D.

 

Quiz  4 of T.B.D.

    

Review and quizzes by William Mortensen Vaughan

The Honeymooners Christmas Carol (1977): Review by William Mortensen Vaughan

 

Title:  The Honeymooners Christmas Carol

Adaptation:  Starring Art Carney as Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim; and Jackie Gleason as Bob Cratchit

Dates and Places of Earliest Release:  

MON, 28 NOV 1977

 

My Rating:  ***(Offensive Favorite)

Format Reviewed:  live-action film, on DVD

 

Runtime:  49 minutes

 

Availability:  

As of November 9, 2021, copies of this film, on DVD, are available, online, for approximately $15 U.S. Dollars.

Is this adaptation reverent? 

No, this adaptation is not particularly reverent.

Does this adaptation mention "God" or "Christ"?

No.

 

Does this adaptation include the phrase "God bless us...?" 

No.

What does my wife think of this adaptation?
She thinks it's "not that great."

Where and when does this adaptation take place?

Brooklyn, New York, circa 1975.

 
What language and/or dialects are used?  

American English.

How closely does this adaptation follow the original novel, by Charles Dickens?

This adaptation does not follow the original novel very closely. It's framed as a play put on by two married couples (Ralph and Alice Kramden, and Ed and Trixie Norton), for charity, to feed New York City's stray cats, because Ralph's boss' wife is fond of cats. Ralph directs the play, as a favor for his boss, hoping that his boss will reward him with a promotion.

Ralph and his wife play Bob Cratchit and his wife; Mrs. Norton plays their thirteen-year-old daughter; Mr. Norton plays their ten-year-old son, Tiny Tim, as well as eighty-year-old Ebenezer Scrooge.

A town crier and a half dozen Christmas carolers also make appearances.

There are no ghosts.

Is this adaptation a prequel or a sequel?  

No.

Is this adaptation supernatural? 

No.

Is this adaptation "framed"?  

Yes.  (See above.)

Is this adaptation a musical?  

No.

 

What songs and/or dances are included?  

Carolers sing "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen!"

How attractive and effective is the visual art?  

The visual art is adequate.

How creative and intense are the transitions, especially when "the Scrooge" is taken from one time and/or place to another?

The transitions are adequate.

 

What aerial and/or nap-of-the-earth footage is included?  

N/A

 

What use is made of background extras?  

The first scene opens in a locker room with four men in it. A half dozen carolers sing "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen!" in the play.

What is the most remarkable thing about this adaptation? 

The most remarkable thing about this adaptation is, perhaps, that there are no ghosts in it.
 
What bonus material is included on the tape or DVD? 

The DVD has optional, English subtitles. It also includes an additional episode of "The Honeymooners," and an interview with Jane Kean, who plays Trixie Norton as Mrs. Cratchit.

Test your knowledge of this adaptation by taking these quizzes:

Quiz  1 of 11

Quiz  2 of 11

 

Quiz  3 of 11

 

Quiz  4 of 11

 

Quiz  5 of 11

 

Quiz  6 of 11

 

Quiz  7 of 11

 

Quiz  8 of 11 

 

Quiz  9 of 11

 

Quiz 10 of 11 

 

Quiz 11 of 11 

   

Review and quizzes by William Mortensen Vaughan

Dr. Who: A Christmas Carol (2010): Review by William Mortensen Vaughan

 Title:  Dr. Who:  A Christmas Carol

Adaptation:  Starring Michael Gambon as Kazran Sardick (the Scrooge) and Elliot Sardick; Matt Smith as The Doctor

Dates and Places of Earliest Release:  

SAT, 25 DEC 2010 U.K. & U.S.A.

 

My Rating:  ***(Offensive Favorite)

Format Reviewed:  live-action film, on DVD

 

Runtime:  1 hour 2 minutes

 

Availability:  

As of November 9, 2021, copies of this film, on DVD, are available, online, for approximately $15 U.S. Dollars.

Is this adaptation reverent? 

This adaptation is somewhat reverent, in that it seems to focus on the importance of human lives, and even the life of a potentially man-woman-and-child-eating shark.

Does this adaptation mention "God" or "Christ"?

[T.B.D.]

 

Does this adaptation include the phrase "God bless us...?" 

[T.B.D.]

What does my wife think of this adaptation?
She thinks "it's weird."

Where and when does this adaptation take place?

On a futuristic planet, owned and operated by a Scrooge-like despot named Kazran Sardick, who is capable of freezing family members as collateral for debts, and reviving them years later.  He is also unimpressed by (and unconcerned with) Earthling spaceships entering his planet's atmosphere, and crashing and burning on its surface.

 
What language and/or dialects are used?  

British English.

How closely does this adaptation follow the original novel, by Charles Dickens?

This adaptation does not follow the original novel very closely.  Kazran Sardick is "the Scrooge."  A spaceship from Earth enters the angry fish filled cloud cover he maintains over the planet he rules.  The spaceship is about to crash, and several people beg for his assistance, but he insists on letting the Earthlings crash and die.  Dr. Who (Matt Smith) arrives and, in addition to begging for the Earthlings' lives, plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past, showing Kazran why he became the way he is.  By traveling through time, he meets Kazran as a boy (Laurence Belcher), and, returning every Christmas Eve for years, cultivates a friendship, and a romance between a young, adult Kazran (Danny Horn) and one of the people, Abigail (Katherine Jenkins) he kept frozen as collateral against her family's debt.  Dr. Who and Kazran unfreeze Abigail each Christmas Eve, and party together, then refreeze her.

Eventually, Kazran discovers that Abigail has a set number of days to live, and the next day Abigail is released, she will die.  This makes him a bitter man again, and he refuses to release Abigail again, and takes his frustration out on everyone else on his planet.

But Dr. Who needs Kazran to release Abigail to sing, soothe the angry sky fish, and save the Earthlings' spaceship.  Somehow, he persuades Kazran to release Abigail, let her sing, and enjoy her last Christmas Eve with him as best she can.

Is this adaptation a prequel or a sequel?  

No.

Is this adaptation supernatural? 

No, it's more science fictional than supernatural.

Is this adaptation "framed"?  

No.

Is this adaptation a musical?  

No.

 

What songs and/or dances are included?  

Music by Murray Gold. Abigail sings what sounds like opera music, which soothes the angry sky fish.

How attractive and effective is the visual art?  

The sets, wardrobe, and special effects are good.

How creative and intense are the transitions, especially when "the Scrooge" is taken from one time and/or place to another?

The transitions are creative, startling, and intense.  Dr. Who turns up in startling places.  It's easy to understand why Kazran becomes frustrated with him after ordering his henchmen to remove him from his home office, only to discover removing him is virtually impossible.

 

What aerial and/or nap-of-the-earth footage is included?  

The Doctor takes Kazran and Abigail on an aerial sleigh ride.  

 

What use is made of background extras?  

Adequate use is made of background extras.

What is the most remarkable thing about this adaptation? 

This is perhaps the most complicated adaptation of A Christmas Carol I've ever seen.  It requires its viewers to pay close attention in order to follow what's going on.
 
What bonus material is included on the tape or DVD? 

Scene selection and optional, English subtitles are available.  Two featurettes are included:  "Dr. Who Confidential Christmas Special 2010" and "Dr. Who at the Proms 2010."

Ebenezer, Starring Jack Palance: Review by William Mortensen Vaughan

 Title:  Ebenezer

Adaptation:  (Starring Jack Palance  as  Ebenezer Scrooge

Dates and Places of Earliest Release:  

TUE, 13 OCT 1998

 

My Rating:  *** (Offensive favorite)

Format Reviewed:  live-action film, on DVD

 

Runtime:  1 hour 29 minutes

 

Availability:  

As of November 8, 2021, copies of this film, on DVD, are available, online, for approximately $15 U.S. Dollars.

Is this adaptation reverent? 

Yes, this adaptation is reverent; however, it shows Scrooge having dinner at a house of ill repute, cheating at poker, and fist and gun fighting.

Does this adaptation mention "God" or "Christ"?

[T.B.D.]

 

Does this adaptation include the phrase "God bless us...?" 

[T.B.D.]

What does my wife think of this adaptation?
She thinks it's "unique."

Where and when does this adaptation take place?

Canada when the horse was the primary means of transportation.

 
What language and/or dialects are used?  

Plain English.

How closely does this adaptation follow the original novel, by Charles Dickens?

This adaptation takes place in a Canadian version of the wild, wild west, featuring Jack Palance as Ebenezer Scrooge, perhaps the most evil Scrooge ever portrayed.  Ebenezer is a gun man, who frequents a house of ill repute.

Albert Schultz plays Bob Cratchitt, Scrooge's bar tender, at his saloon.

Daryl Shuttleworth plays Fred, Scrooge's nephew, the local constable, who dresses like an organ-grinding monkey.
           
Ricky Schroder plays a young man named Samuel Benson, who loses his money, ranch, and horse to Scrooge, playing poker and getting into a fist fight with him.  Scrooge beats him at poker, then, when the young man starts a fight with Scrooge, after losing all of his money and the deed to all of his land to him, Scrooge beats him up with his bare hands, and takes his horse as payment for the damage done to his saloon during the fight.

I'm not sure which character this young man is supposed to correspond to, in the novel.  He is of no relation to Scrooge or Cratchitt.  He is the fiance of Jacob Marlowe's daughter, Erica Marlowe, played by Amy Locane.  Jacob, played by Richard Halliday, is Scrooge's deceased partner, surnamed Marlowe instead of Marley.

When Jacob dies, he leaves his saloon to Erica, but Scrooge keeps it for himself, and gets Erica a job as a cleaning lady in Martha's house of ill repute.  The Martha in this version, played by Darcy Dunlop, is the proprietor at the house of ill repute, instead of Bob Cratchitt's eldest daughter.

Bob has two boys and a girl, but nothing seems to be wrong with any of them.

Samuel Benson is the youngster with the health problem:  bad eyesight.  Due to his poor eyesight, he misses when he shoots at Scrooge in a gun fight, but, by then, Scrooge has been visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and not only spares the boy's life, but admits he cheated at poker, and gives him back his property, and promises to buy him some eyeglasses.  He also apologizes to his fiancee, Erica, and gives her the saloon which her father had intended for her to have when he died.

In this version, Scrooge got married, but his wife left him for a Royal Canadian Mountie (Richard Comar), who appears as the Ghost of Christmas Present.  A squaw (Michelle Thrush) serves as the Ghost of Christmas Past, and a cloaked phantom (Morris Chapdelaine) the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Is this adaptation a prequel or a sequel?  

No.

Is this adaptation supernatural? 

Yes, this film features ghosts and time travel.

Is this adaptation "framed"?  

No.

Is this adaptation a musical?  

No.

 

What songs and/or dances are included?  

Music by Bruce Leitl. At least two musical numbers are included.  Scrooge throws Cratchitt's boots at carolers outside his saloon, and sings with his fellow entertainers and the audience during the grand finale.  For the grand finale, Scrooge appears on horseback at the town Christmas pageant, in the role of Father Christmas, and the children and their parents join him in singing an unusual carol.

How attractive and effective is the visual art?  

This adaptation was filmed on a ranch in Canada, and captures the feel of a typical Western movie, with open spaces, horses, and six-shooters.  While playing poker, the players don't even bother with chips, but use cash, and the bartering system (bags of gold and deeds to land).

How creative and intense are the transitions, especially when "the Scrooge" is taken from one time and/or place to another?

The special effects used during the transitions are acceptable.

 

What aerial and/or nap-of-the-earth footage is included?  

N/A  

 

What use is made of background extras?  

Adequate use is made of background extras.

What is the most remarkable thing about this adaptation? 

As I mention above, Jack Palance's Ebenezer is perhaps the most evil version of Scrooge ever portrayed.  Although Scrooge threatens a child with a ruler in the original version, there is no indication he ever physically assaulted anyone.  In this version's future, Scrooge shoots a young man dead during a duel, over the poker game in which he cheated - not to mention beating the boy up with his bare hands, before receiving his ghostly visitations.  Also, while the original version of Scrooge was unfamiliar with the red light district in London, this Scrooge frequented a house of ill repute on a regular basis.
 
What bonus material is included on the tape or DVD? 

No extras are available on the DVD.  My DVD copy has no extras; I just press [Enter] on my DVD player's remote control to play the movie from the splash screen.

A Christmas Carol (1994), Featuring the Northern Ballet: Review by William Mortensen Vaughan

 Title:  A Christmas Carol

Adaptation:  Starring Jeremy Kerridge as  Ebenezer Scrooge, and featuring the Northern Ballet

Dates and Places of Earliest Release:  

THU, 8 DEC 1994 U.S.A

(NOTE:  The film indicates that it was produced in 1992.)

 

My Rating:  *** (Viewer Discretion Advised)

Format Reviewed:  live-action film, on DVD

 

Runtime:  131 minutes

 

Availability:  

As of February 9, 2021, copies of this film, on DVD, are available, online, for approximately $35 U.S. Dollars.

Is this adaptation reverent? 

Yes, this adaptation is reverent; it includes the hymn "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen!"

Does this adaptation mention "God" or "Christ"?

Yes. (See above.)

 

Does this adaptation include the phrase "God bless us...?"  No.

What does my wife think of this adaptation?
She refuses to watch it.

Where and when does this adaptation take place?

Victorian England

 
What language and/or dialects are used?  

British English

How closely does this adaptation follow the original novel, by Charles Dickens?

This adaptation follows the original novel fairly well, but with obvious changes:

The opening scene is Marley's funeral procession.

Instead of two portly gentlemen entering Scrooge's office to ask him for a donation, a crowd of picketers appear outside his office, where Bob Cratchit joins them in asking for "Christmas Comfort for the Poor," and for people to "Feed the Hungry."

Fred apparently brings a woman (presumably, his wife) to visit Scrooge at his office.

An odd musical number is inserted, in which a line of dirty children, dressed in rags, file past a stern-looking man, while a variation of the song "Four Pence a Day" is heard in the background.

Instead of sliding on his feet across ice, Bob Cratchit (Rocco Vitalia) slides on his bottom, down a slippery slide used to lower burlap bags full of some product from an upper level to a lower level, on the stage.

Fred's residence is never shown.  Bob plays Blind Man's Buff with his family after Tiny Tim's death.

Only four children appear at Bob's residence.

When the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his bedroom in the future, after his death, four hags fight over his belongings.

On Christmas Day, Scrooge throws a block party in front of his office, to which Fred, Fred's wife, and Bob come to celebrate.
 
The grand finale, at Scrooge's office, features an encore appearance by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

Is this adaptation a prequel or a sequel?  No.

Is this adaptation supernatural? 

Yes, this film features ghosts and time travel.

Is this adaptation "framed"?  No.

Is this adaptation a musical?  Yes.

 

What songs and/or dances are included?  

There is a unique version of "Four Pence a Day," and various other songs, including one which contains the phrase "Marley is dead!"

How attractive and effective is the visual art?  

The set, wardrobe, and art are excellent. Although the action obviously takes place on a stage, it makes me feel as if I'm in a fantastic version of London, England, during Queen Victoria's reign.

How creative and intense are the transitions, especially when "the Scrooge" is taken from one time and/or place to another?

The transitions are excellent; they do not use special film effects which detract from the play, although different camera angles and zooming in and out help keep the viewer's interest.

 

What aerial and/or nap-of-the-earth footage is included?  N/A  

 

What use is made of background extras?  

Excellent use is made of background extras, most of whom seem to be healthy, young dancers and acrobats.

What is the most remarkable thing about this adaptation? 

The most remarkable thing about this adaptation is, perhaps, the inclusion of the song "Four Pence a Day."

 
What bonus material is included on the tape or DVD? 

Scene selection and subtitles in English, French, German, and Spanish are available on the DVD.  An excellent program, in the form of a twenty-page booklet is included with the disc, in the jewel case.