A Christmas Carol

[fingerlakessinger]

A Christmas Carol#1

Posted: 12/15/10 at 3:29pm

Sorry if there is already a thread on this...I tried using the search button...that thing is confusing as hell.
I just watched the movie musical "A Christmas Carol" with music by Menken I belive. Although the music may not be groundbreaking stuff, it is a joy to listen to. Anyone else share these thoughts? Is this a widely liked show?

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

[PeteGonBway]

A Christmas Carol#2

Posted: 12/15/10 at 3:46pm

The movie version was DREADFUL. I was really bummed when I first saw it because the annual staging at Madison Square Garden was absolutely breathtaking. I wish they'd bring it back. But that movie... WOOF!

[fingerlakessinger]

A Christmas Carol#2

Posted: 12/15/10 at 3:53pm

I wish I saw the MSG version...they really need to bring it back :)

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

[CATSNYrevival]

A Christmas Carol#3

Posted: 12/15/10 at 6:21pm

I love the score. It's not Christmas for me without "A Place Called Home". The show on stage was way better than the movie, but I'm grateful for the movie because we got the revised version recorded with "Jolly Good Time" and "You Mean More to Me" which were written after they recorded the original cast album. I wish they would bring it back to Madison Square Garden. On stage it was magical.

[singtopher]

A Christmas Carol#4

Posted: 12/16/10 at 2:28am

I'm actually doing the show right now. The audiences are always surprised how fun it is. "Abundance and Charity" is a great number, and the "God Bless Us Everyone" theme is beautiful. I actually get choked up from time to time singing the dang stuff.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

[PeteGonBway]

A Christmas Carol#5

Posted: 12/16/10 at 8:42am

"Wintuk" is in its final year, correct? So the Theatre at MSG will be vacant next Christmas........ just sayin'.

[madbrian]

A Christmas Carol#6

Posted: 12/16/10 at 8:58am

I was also a huge fan of the stage version at MSG, and was very underwhelmed by the movie.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

[tazber]

A Christmas Carol#7

Posted: 12/16/10 at 9:36am

The movie was awful. The only one I liked was Jesse Martin.

Saw the MSG show once and loved it. Link By Link, Nothing To Do With Me, and The Lights Of Long Ago always make me happy.

....but the world goes 'round

[fingerlakessinger]

A Christmas Carol#8

Posted: 12/16/10 at 1:38pm

I actually enjoyed the movie, but like I said I have yet to see the stage version of it so I have nothing to compare it to, does anyone know if Jane K. did her own singing? If so, her voice is amazing and belongs on Broadway IMO.

What are the major changes the movie made however to the stage version?

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

[eponine88]

A Christmas Carol#9

Posted: 12/16/10 at 1:41pm

The movie is by no means in the same league as the stage production, but as CATS pointed out, I'm grateful to be able to listen to "Jolly Good Time" and "You Mean More to Me". Especially since I'm a total sap and the reprise of "You Mean More to Me" makes me cry EVERY TIME. I would kill for this to come back to MSG. It was a Christmas tradition for my family to see it together

[Mister Matt]

A Christmas Carol#10

Posted: 12/16/10 at 5:33pm

The MSG production was absolutely stunning. The way the set extended out over the audience on either side of the stage was really incredible. I was enchanted from start to finish. A Place Called Home, God Bless Us and Mr. Fezziwig's Annual Christmas Ball are staples in my holiday music now.

The only thing I liked about the TV movie was seeing Linzi Hateley and Ruthie Henshall (brief as their appearances were). It had so much potential and wound up being a HUGE disappointment.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

[philly03]

A Christmas Carol#11

Posted: 12/16/10 at 8:36pm

I don't think the movie version is terrible. I enjoy having the score more precisely recorded from the movie than the MSG production...

I also agree, it's great to see Jane Krakowski (who I would assume did her own vocals?), Linzi Hateley and Ruthie Henshall! I wish it would come back as well, I really enjoy Menken & Ahrens' version of the tale!