Disney's A Christmas Carol- extremely disturbed

[TaChapm]

Am I the only person who thinks this movie was WAY too dark and scary for younger children. I took my kids to see it yesterday and we were up ALL NIGHT LONG with nightmares. My kids were scared out of their minds. Way too much death and showing death for my taste. There were even a few times that it made me jump and we weren't even watching it in 3D. I can't imagine how scary it would be in 3D! Jackson is 7 and he was the one most disturbed by it but all 3 were up crying last night scared. Ugh!!! I love Christmas movies and I love A Christmas Carol but this is one I hope to never see again. The kids didn't like it and I didn't like it. Has anyone else watched it?

[TwinFoxes]

Everything I've heard about this movie is that it's scary. The commercial looked pretty intense to me, I haven't seen the trailer. I'm a wuss though.

[deborah_r]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

[mamicka]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

My kids like the Muppets version.

[pinkmomagain]

I was not surprised...that's why I took my 13 and 10 yo and left my 4 yo with grandma. Even my older ones were creeped out. But overall they did enjoy it.

[ladysoapmaker]

It's been a while since I've seen that version. I think I'll check to see if the library has a copy of it.

My kids' love the Muppets' Version. I have to hide the box so we don't watch it year round.

The other versions... yeah they can be scary. I'm not going to let the DDs watch them but the DSs since they are older will be able to.

Jen

[alexsmommy]

Haven't seen it, don't intend to because I heard it was very scary. DS1 is like me - hates scary things. He is waaaaay into Michael Jackson right now and came up the stairs wimpering last night because he accidently went to the "Thriller" video on YouTube instead of the live version and he wanted DH to turn it off immediately.
Sorry your kiddos were scared.

[DebbieJ]

Yes, it looks horrendous. There is NO WAY I'd be bringing DS1 to that.

[egoldber]

I really dislike Jim Carrey. He's just freaky and disturbing.

[TwinFoxes]

I really dislike Jim Carrey. He's just freaky and disturbing.

:yeahthat: I thought we were done with him, he had a series of flops. Guess we have to suffer through more of his "acting" also known as making the same stupid faces over and over again. (sorry to hijack!)

[love_a_latte]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

I'll add another vote for the Muppet version. The other Muppet movies kinda creep me out for some reason, but the Muppet Christmas Carole is so sweet, and the songs are great.

Here are a couple clips, to sell my case. The first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXhWXiQXAXY&feature=related) is Scrooges introduction, the second (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjTHlui2ws&feature=related) is the closing of the shop after Scrooge leaves.

[arivecchi]

I had heard it was not appropriate for little ones. I would say 7-8 and up.

[Penny's Pappa]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

For me, nothing will ever replace "Mickey's Christmas Carol."

[maestramommy]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

This was a TV movie, but "An American Christmas Carol" with Henry Winkler from the 80s was pretty good, and not scary at all.

[calv]

we saw 'previews' to it when the train was in the city. had the kdis w/us and MOST DEF scary. None of the kids wanted to see it and kept saying how ugly & scary most of the people were/are. I think maybe something DH & I should see alnoe instead on our date nite :D

[hellokitty]

I'm not surprised. Our moms club had a bunch of moms and kids go and see it. It got good reviews. However, I know my sensitive 5 yr old would be totally freaked out, so bad that we would have to leave the theater within the first few minutes. So, yeah, I can totally see how it could cause nightmares. It reminds me of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. I saw that movie in college and there were TONS of kids crying and freaking out during that movie. It was just waaay too dark for little kids.

[Melbel]

From what I have read on reviews, it is not recommended for kids under 10 or 8, depending on the review. Sorry your LOs were so scared!

[LD92599]

We saw it the 1st day and DS didn't like and said it was scary, but fortunately didn't have nightmares, etc. FWIW i didn't like it either!

[writermama]

what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

My absolute favorite is the Muppets version. My kids love it, and I love it too. One of the best features of it is that because Gonzo narrates the story, you get to hear great Dickens' lines. it also has some quite catchy tunes. There are scary parts, and death and fear of death are central to the story, so there's no way around that, but the Muppets version does a good job of getting to the joy at the end.

Other than the Muppets, the 1951 (title: Scrooge) is the best non-Muppet, non-musical adaptation. Still, it is a rather dark story so I'd watch it through first and make sure you're comfortable with all of the death and Victorian cruelty before showing it to the kids.

[MommyAllison]

DH and I went to see it last night in 3D. It was definitely freaky and I expected to have nightmares (I usually do, and never watch scary movies), but I didn't. I could not believe that was Jim Carrey (whom I hate and never watch his movies) - it didn't sound like him at all. FWIW, I hadn't seen any previews and didn't know what we were watching until we walked into the theatre (yeah DH for a surprise date night!). I don't think I ever will watch it again though. :)

I can't imagine DD being ready to watch it for 10 years. Seriously. She is super sensitive to scary stuff and there is NO way she could handle that movie. I don't think I've ever read A Christmas Carol unabridged, so I don't know if the movie was super true to the book, but it was very dark. I'm not a huge Dickens fan in general because his books are dark.

We do have Muppets Christmas Carol, and we skip several scenes if DD is watching. I love Gonzo and Rizzo in it though. :)

[vejemom]

I haven't seen it in a couple of years, so I can't say if I would show it to a really young child, but Patrick Stewart starred in a made-for-TV version of The Christmas Carol several years ago. It was quite good. He managed to play up the humanity in Scrooge that I think gets lost in a lot of adaptations. He's not so much frightening as pitiable.

The Aliaster Sims (I know I'm not spelling that right!) version used to be my favorite, but my man Patrick knocked him into second place!

[MamaKath]

I have been so excited about it coming out, but the more I hear, the more I am less sure *I* want to see it. :(

[dhano923]

It's rated PG because of the scary parts. My 6yo wanted to see it based on the commerical but I told him no -- we don't do PG movies for the kids yet. DH and I may go see it next weekend though.

[WitMom]

There's also a version of The Christmas Carol starring Barbie! That's the version we watch lol.

[lizzywednesday]

I think my 6 year old could handle it, but I think we will pass for now. Can anyone tell me, I don't have a great knowledge of Christmas movies (I get some of the titles and storylines confused!), what would be *the* version to watch of this movie if you want your child to see it, but to not see this new version? Is it the 1951 release?

Yes, the 1951 one with Alastair Sim is the best IMO, next to the live production at McCarter Theatre in Princeton (NJ) ... I would also note that the film version is also referenced as "Scrooge" rather than "A Christmas Carol." It does have some scary moments (the "are there no workhouses? are there no prisons?" ghostly images of London's poor come immediately to mind as well as the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come and I know I was frightened by "Ignorance" and "Want" huddled under Christmas Present's robe as a VERY young kid)

If you're looking for a "kid-friendly" version go with either the Muppets (which I haven't seen) or Mickey's A Christmas Carol (which I have.)

I also HIGHLY recommend that you read the book. I've loved it since I was a kid. (In fact, I read Marley's speech for show-and-tell when I was in Kindergarten. It didn't go over as thrillingly as I'd hoped and basically marked me as "weird" for the rest of my grammar school career. Rotten kids didn't know culture if it bit 'em on their noses.)

Lastly, if you're not sure your kids can stomach *any* of those, skip it altogether and watch the ORIGINAL "Miracle on 34th Street" with Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood & Edmund Gwenn. This is one of my absolute most favorite favorite "holiday" films ... and I will watch it, without fail, EVERY TIME it is on TV.

[deborah_r]

After I posted my question about "which Christmas Carol is the best" I discovered quite by accident that DH recently picked up a copy of Mickey's Christmas Carol, so the kids watched that the other night. it was short. The 2 year old was a little scared of the "ghost" parts, but other than that they seemed to like it.

[AnnieW625]

I watched Scrooge when I was probably 6 or 7 and yes I remember thinking this is very adult. It wasn't the 1951 version, but one done by PBS in the early 80s (we had it video taped).

I think what is wrong with the marketing of this new movie is that it's a Disney film, which in most cases equals a childrens' film so that's why the kiddos want to see it and Disney hopes to make lots of money off of it. Had they released it through one of the other Disney companies (Buena Vista was the outlet for a long time of all of the non kids Disney movies) I don't think there would be this up roar about it.

I personally think Jim Carrey is pretty funny, although I didn't care for The Grinch (I don't like the Grinch to begin with) so I don't have a problem with him being in the movie. Go to You Tube and watch Jim Carrey with Elmo from the early 90s, it's quite comic genius. I did not care for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Dumb & Dumber but for the most part I do enjoy Jim Carrey movies, esp. Ace Ventura.

[deborah_r]

I personally think Jim Carrey is pretty funny, although I didn't care for The Grinch (I don't like the Grinch to begin with) so I don't have a problem with him being in the movie. Go to You Tube and watch Jim Carrey with Elmo from the early 90s, it's quite comic genius. I did not care for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Dumb & Dumber but for the most part I do enjoy Jim Carrey movies, esp. Ace Ventura.

Agree. I also think he was hilarious in "Liar, Liar".