Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast
Hosted by Collin Murr, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast is a deep dive into the adaptations of one of the most iconic stories ever written. From the most famous versions to the obscure ones you haven't even heard of, this podcast will take you through a history of Charles Dickens' story on film and TV. Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social
Episodes
One of the more divisive takes on A Christmas Carol, Scrooged from 1988 is a beloved comedy to some and a missed attempt to others. Regardless, it is very much the most '80s take ever on the tale, with Mary Lou Retton, Lee Majors, references to Chernobyl, and even a Richard Pryor joke. The first part of the episode is my standard format, and it's followed by an interview with Aricka Rode, a lifelong fan of the film.
Patreon: https:/...
Everyone knows Scrooged, which I'll be covering next week, but there's another modern-day Christmas Carol from the '80s. Robert Guillame directs and stars in John Grin's Christmas, a 1986 TV movie about a Scrooge-like toy executive who needs to learn about the spirit of giving. Is this actually a lost classic, or has it been forgotten for a reason?
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast
Twit...
This week, I'm covering the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott, my personal favorite adaptation. What makes this version stand out among the rest? This one also features David Warner, Edward Woodward, Susannah York, Angela Pleasence, and Roger Rees.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast
Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social
...
Alright, it's time to talk about the two weirdest Christmas Carols of the '80s. First up, it's Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas, a truly bizarre TV special starring western actor Jack Elam as Ebenezer Scrooge, who has to not only change his mind about Christmas but also rock 'n' roll. Will the music of Three Dog Night, Mike Love, and the mysterious Bridget change his mind?
After that, it's Bu...
It's episode 2 of season 2 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, and I'm covering A Christmas Carol (1982) from Australiia. Ron Haddrick is back as Ebenezer Scrooge, reprising his role from the 1969 film. It's twenty minutes longer than the previous version, but is it better? There are some truly surprising moments here.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast
Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod
Bluesky: https...
It's Season 2 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, and we're going From Mickey Mouse to the Muppets. Mickey's Christmas Carol was my introduction to the story, and I know it was a lot of other people's as well, so we're starting there. Learn the long history of Disney and A Christmas Carol, including 2 separate album versions before they ever adapted it for film, and revisit the classic short.
Patreon: htt...
There are countless versions of A Christmas Carol, but which is the most accurate to the book? I've listed 100 important plot points and character descriptions, and I'll be scoring 12 versions (from 1935-1979) on their accuracy. Most podcasts are audio only, but this episode is best watched as a YouTube video. Watch here:
https://youtu.be/Kt3KFYaRicE
If you're new to the podcast, I'm comparing 12 versions that I talk...
It's a preview episode of Scrooge TV, a new series for my backers on Patreon where I will review a TV episode based on A Christmas Carol. This episode is free for all, and you can access a new one every month for $5 a month on Patreon.
It's Christmas Eve, and Mr. Spacely is making George Jetson work late. When he falls asleep, he's visited by some Christmas ghosts who help him change his ways.
Link to my Patreon:
Collin wraps up A Christmas Carol Deep Dive with this episode covering the final stave of the book. What does "Walker!" mean? Who is Joe Miller? What on earth is a Laocoön? It's all here!
Links used in this episode:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoco%C3%B6n
https://victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/xmas/pva116.html
In this episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive, Collin breaks down the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come portion of the story. Learn about 'Change, Victorian burial traditions, offal, and much more.
Sources used in this episode and additional reading:
https://www.britannica.com/story/where-does-the-concept-of-a-grim-reaper-come-from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Alley
On this bonus episode, I'm counting down my 25 favorite films since the year 2000, in honor of the recent New York Times poll. Hopefully you'll find something to check out or revisit! Let me know what yours are.
Since it's the only version of A Christmas Carol based around July 4, Collin is taking this month to review An American Carol. From David Zucker (The Naked Gun, Airplane, Top Secret, and apparently the Republican party) comes this 2008 political comedy. Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) is a documentary filmmaker who needs to love the 4th of July, and he'll have his views changed with the reprimanding of three ghosts (Kelsey Gr...
It's the second half of the Ghost of Christmas Past, and this episode covers Scrooge and the Ghost visiting lighthouse keepers, sailors, and miners, Fred and his friends, and of course the children Ignorance and Want. Find out what all those games Fred was playing are about, what a "children's Twelfth Night party" is, and much more.
Sources and additional links:
We're into the third stave of A Christmas Carol, and there is a lot to cover in this one. In this episode, Collin talks about the first half of the Ghost of Christmas Present portion of the story, including an argument between Scrooge and the Ghost about bakers being open on Sundays, the entirety of the Cratchits scene, and lots and lots of descriptions about food.
Sources and additional links:
Just when I thought I was done with the 1970s adaptations, I learned there was one more. This TV movie is so obscure that it only aired once and only exists in a home recording. Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol tells the story of Cyrus Flint, a 1970s bank manager (played by Hoyt Axton) who gets a visit from some Christmas ghosts and hears a lot of country music. Also starring Mel Tillis, Lynn Anderson, Martha Raye, Dottie West,...
Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. This episode covers the second stave, which involves the Ghost of Christmas Past. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and much more.
Sources and additional link...
Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. This episode covers the second half of the book's first stave, which involves the haunting of Marley's ghost. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and mu...
Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and much more. This episode covers the first half of the book's first stave, from the beginning of the story up through ...
On this episode of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, Collin looks over the first season of the podcast, answers a few questions from listeners, and talks about what episodes will like throughout the coming year. Thank you for listening!
On this episode, Collin covers three weird adaptations from the 1970s: A Christmas Carol 1977 from the BBC (with Michael Hordern as Scrooge), Rich Little's Christmas Carol (with Rich Little as W.C. Fields as Scrooge), and A Special Sesame Street Christmas with Oscar the Grouch needing a change. All three of these are extremely weird in their own way, and there is a lot to talk about. Guests on these specials include Ethel Merman, P...
Popular Podcasts
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com