| | | | Scrooged
(1988) |
assume you're all aware of the Charles Dickens story 'A Christmas Carol'? It's about a money-grabbing tight-fisted old fart who is visited on Christmas Eve, firstly by his dead ex-business partner and subsequently by 3 ghosts (Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future) who teach him to fix his ways through various means.
Congratulations if you've ever been bothered to read the book, but if you are like most people (including myself) you've probably only either seen a film/tv adaptation of the book, or a variation of it featuring Mickey Mouse or a bunch of Muppets.
Scrooged, however, is one of the better adaptations of our time, taking the classic storyline, turning it on it's head and dumping it in a modern-day New York.
Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, who is the Scrooge of our story, and as the self-centered, mean spirited and unforgiving President of TV network IBC, Frank treats his employees with no respect and would not think twice about firing anyone who does not get onboard with his own ideas. This unfortunately includes Eliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait) who tastes Frank's wrath early on in the movie when he tries to question Frank's war-torn gun-toting promo ("They have gotta be SO scared to miss it! SO TERRIFIED!") for IBC's christmas special of 'Scrooge', instead of the nice family-orientated promo they had already been running for a month previous.
What entails for Frank from this point however is a more extreme version of the classic tale, which is kicked into action by a visit on the night before Christmas Eve by Frank's old (and VERY dead) Boss, Lew Hayward (John Forsythe; "I dont mind you hitting me Frank, but take it easy on the Bacardi..."), who pre-empts Frank with the notice that he'll be visited by 3 ghosts. Frank, being who he is, doesn't believe what he's seeing or hearing ("You're an hallucination, brought on by alcohol; Russian Vodka, poisoned by Chernobyl!") and so is treated in a similiar fashion that Frank treated Eliot earlier that day; by literally dumping him out of the office.
From this point the film takes it up another gear, starting with the Ghost of Christmas Past (performed brilliantly by David Johansen as a heavy chain-smoking New York cab driver) who pursues Frank's childhood (poor family, crappy father, tv addiction), early office life (hard worker, good natured), meeting the love of his life, Claire (who nickname's him 'Lumpy' due to how they first meet), and their relationship plus subsequent breakup when his working life takes over from his love life.
The Ghost of Christmas Present (played by Carol Kane as a ditzy yet ball-breaking Ballerina Fairy; "The B*tch hit me with a Toaster!") takes Frank through events that he's missing out on in his current life that he really should be keeping in touch with. This being his hard-working, loyal secretary, Grace (Alfre Woodard) with her single-mother life of a family of five and what she's having to go through to make ends meet. Also, his own family (2 of which are played by Bill Murray's own real-life brothers) and what he's missing out on with them, among other events in his current personal life.
The final step is taken (after a haywire, fully drunken Eliot Loudermilk goes 'Postal' on Frank) when he is visted by the Ghost of Christmas Future, which takes on the form of a more sinister, VERY tall, and TV-faced Death, who shows Frank what could happen to him and his family should he continue as he did before. This includes a very bitter, self obsessed Claire, Grace's mute son locked up in a mental institute, and of course his own 'death'.
While we are all treated to this, throughout the film we are also witness to three seperate storylines, with the first involving what happens after Eliot Loudermilk is fired and also his subsequent downfall, and therefore explains to us, in a way, the reasoning for his acts towards the end of the film. The second storyline involves Grace's family, and in particular her mute son, who hasn't spoken since he had witnessed his father's murder, and the third storyline (which involves itself more-so with the main plot) is the love story between Frank and Claire.
If there's ANY film you should watch at Christmas (or any time during the year should you wish), and especially to give you a good chuckle with a feel-good gooey feeling at the end, then Scrooged is the film for you.
 Don't forget that Scrooged is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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Scrooged is one of my all-time favourite films and is one (up until i eventually purchased it on DVD) that I would always watch whenever it was on TV, whether it be at Christmas or during the year. It's also one of those films that, no matter how many times you've seen it, it will always make you laugh at the funny bits and cry during the sad or romantic bits.
Having said this, there are a few (albeit minor) flaws in the film, mainly the emphasis on the main plotline and not looking into in a bit more depth the side-storylines of Eliot Loudermilk and also Grace as i feel both of these are only really touched upon. Had they maybe added an extra 10-15 minutes (or thereabouts) to the length of the film, this could have been achieved, but at the running time that it is, the film runs smoothly and at a decent pace.
If there's only 1 film you should watch at Christmas, make sure it's Scrooged!
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Writer Michael O'Donoghue loathed the theatrical release of Scrooged, insisting (until his death) that he and co-writer Mitch Glazer had written a much more brilliant film, far in sensibility from the popular mainstream film that was produced. 
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Bill Murray's own real-life brothers - John Murray, Joel Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray - make appearances in this film - in particular, John and Brian as his on-screen brothers.
The Ghost of Christmas Past, David Johansen, may be more better known to some as Buster Poindexter, who sung the famous song 'Hot, Hot, Hot" as Buster Poindexter and His Banshees of Blue. Buster was also a regular during 1986 and 1987 on Saturday Night Live.
When The Ghost of Christmas Present, Carol Kane, first makes herself known, she says to Frank Cross "I'm a little muddled.". This is a quote from the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz when she first meets Dorothy.
The hilarious Carol Kane (Ghost of Christmas Present) also guest-stars with Whoopi Goldberg in "Jumpin' Jack Flash". -Thanks to Mara
In one of the early scenes, with Frank Cross (Bill Murray) and his (real-life) brother, when his brother is inviting him for Christmas dinner and Frank turns the invitation down, check the musicians on the corner whom Frank doesn't give any money to (playing a jazzy version of "We Three Kings of Orient")! One of them is the immortal Miles Davis, and another is the one and only Paul Schaefer from the CBS Orchestra/David Letterman Show! -Thanks to Mara
The Director, Richard Donner, has a cameo in the film as a worker in the control room during the end scenes at the end of the film.
During the Trivia game played by Frank's family, the question "What's the name of the boat on 'Gilligan's Island'?" is asked. Richard Donner was one of the original directors on that show.
During the "Frisbee" Show scene (when Frank is dressed in the dog suit), there is a tree at the back of the set with a heart engraving on it and which you can see briefly. It reads "Dick heart Lauren"; Richard Donner is married to producer Lauren Shuler Donner.
The actress who plays Grace's (Alfre Woodard) oldest daughter is a very young Regina King. She was also Marcie, Rod Tidwell's wife, in "Jerry Maguire". -Thanks to Mara
The majority of the characters are based on characters in A Christmas Carol: Frank Cross is Ebenezer Scrooge; Grace is Bob Cratchit; Grace's son is Tiny Tim; Lew Hayward is Jacob Marley; and Claire is Scrooge's former fiancée, Belle.
This film features the final mass media appearance of the Solid Gold Dancers, as their show had already been cancelled in the states for a few months when the film premiered.
Karen Allen (Claire Phillips) also starred in the 80's film "Starman" alongside Jeff Bridges. She is also married to Kale Browne better known to his fans as Michael Hudson on the now defunct soap "Another World". -Thanks to Dreamer012778
Carol Kane also appeared in the Woody Allen classic "Annie Hall" as Allison, she was also in the popular sitcom "Taxi" as Simka Dahblitz. Latka's (Andy Kaufman)love interest on the show -Thanks to Dreamer012778
Modern jazz fans will also know the other musicians in that group on the corner -- they are David Sanborn and Larry Carlton. -Thanks to Mara
John Glover portrays "Lionel Luthor" on tv's "Smallville." -Thanks to suecat220
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During the scene when the Ghost Of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) grabs Bill Murray's lip, she literally pulled it so hard that she tore his lip badly and filming had to be halted for a few days while it healed! (in fact, if you look VERY closely at his lip during the scene, you may even notice a speck of blood forming...)
When Eliot Loudermilk first confronts Frank, he fires three shots from the double-barreled shotgun before reloading - first shot in the air and then twice afterwards at Frank.
In one of the rehearsal scenes, gymnast Mary Lou Retton practices her flip and line in front of assembled crew and studio background. When the crew is doing the performance for the actual broadcast on Christmas Eve, it shows the same footage as the rehearsal flip, complete with the same people in the background who obviously aren't supposed to be part of the broadcast!
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|  |  |  | | Scrooged
Locations |
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The main bulk of the locations were filmed in New York, New York, with some other exteriors being filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Can you help? Do you know any of the New York, New York filming locations used for Scrooged? [Please send them in]
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Considering that the film's main musical score is by the famous Danny Elfman, the Soundtrack CD is poor in contrast, especially as it only concentrates on some songs that is featured in the film (and some that are not), and does not have ANY of the score by Danny Elfman.
Label: Universal
A&M Records: code 1988 3921 (original release on vinyl)
re-released on CD in 2001 after the original DVD release in 2000. Now out-of-print.
Soundtrack listing as follows:
1. "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" by Annie Lennox & Al Green
2. "A Wonderful Life" by Mark Lennon
3. "Sweetest Thing" by New Voices of Freedom
4. "The Love You Take" by Dan Hartman
5. "Get Up 'N' Dance" by Kool Moe Dee
6. "We Three Kings Of Orient Are" by Miles Davis
7. "Christmas Must Be Tonight" by Robbie Robertson
8. "Brown Eyed Girl" by Buster Poindexter
9. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" by Nathalie Cole
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Soundtrack Available:
Used On CD
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| | "Bill Murray is back among the ghosts. Only this time, it's three against one."
| |  | | Karen Allen plays Frank's ex-love, Claire Phillips |
 | | David Johanson as the Ghost of Christmas Past |
 | | If you TOUCH me again, I'm gonna rip your wing off! |
 | | They say TV can be the 'Death' of you! |
Year:
| 1988 | Studio:
| Paramount Pictures | Director:
| Richard Donner | Starring:
| Bill Murray,
Karen Allen, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, David Johansen,
John Forsythe, John Murray, John Glover | | - | - | Genre:
| Comedy | | | | + | Some great performances, especially by Billy Murray, Carol Kane and David Johansen. Fun version of the classic tale, great special effects for the time, and most importantly, very re-watchable. | - | Some side-stories could have been touched on a bit more. |
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