THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE
As a tall, introverted person, I relate to GCF. He’s actually the least antagonistic toward Scrooge, he simply shows him the tragedy that awaits, and can’t help his terrifying appearance. And the poor guy's the one who gets called scary. Then again, I also relate to GCPr’s righteous fury and hair-trigger temper.
10. GERALDINE CHAPLIN
A Christmas Carol: The Musical
Well, points for originality, I suppose? Still pretty anticlimactic to turn GCF into a little old lady. Still, her song is decent, and she comes off as creepy once. This ghost suffers the most from the decision to make them normal people as well. No mystery at all.
9. PETE
Will Ryan, Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Um, ok, GCF is not a villain? At first he’s effectively creepy, but then he opens his mouth and reacts with sadism to Scrooge’s death.
8. TAZ
Jim Cummings, Bah, Humduck!
Taz is neither mysterious nor genuinely scary, but this a surprisingly faithful version because, despite his savage appearance, he’s the least antagonistic and has a heart.
7. ROBERT TYGNER, DON AUSTEN
The Muppet Christmas Carol
A good-looking steel blue cloak helps, but this is a typical problem with this character: an awkwardly tall head area on a normal person in suit. He’s also accompanied by a cheesy swirl-wipe effect.
6. JIM CARREY
A Christmas Carol (2009)
He can make you cower with a mere flailing of his arms. I like the clever decision to show him primarily as a shadow for some scenes, and it would have been very nice if had they stuck to that. He ends up flashing exaggerated google eyes that remind me of image morphs on the preview images of snarky YouTube reviews. The Future sequence also features one of the worst slapstick sequences in the movie, which goes on for four minutes, at the end of which Scrooge shrinks and has a tiny cartoon mouse voice!
5. TIM POTTER
A Christmas Carol(1999)
They eyes are creepy and different, but they detract from the mystery.
4. ANNIE WEST
A Christmas Carol (1971)
Looks fine, but is a bit of a letdown by the creepy standards of this movie’s visual style.
3. CZESLAW KONARSKI
Scrooge (1951)
Has an excellent introduction, and though I’d like to see more, he is effectively used. He also points funny, and that helps give him an alien feel.
2. ???
Scrooged
Possibly the most terrifying design, with a gory form under that cloak that’s possibly inspired by Ignorance and Want.
1. MICHAEL CARTER
A Christmas Carol(1984)
The most artfully shot version. The movie’s atmosphere is great the whole way through, but unlike most Christmas Carol adaptations, it saves its best directing for last. He also communicates using a terrifying metallic wail straight out of the Unsolved Mysteries theme. He’s scary despite this one unintentionally funny moment in which he disco-glides across the screen. Carter (whom you might know as Bib Fortuna or as a guy who gets killed by a werewolf in the London Underground) uses his frame and body language effectively. He maintains the passive nature of the character while coming off as mildly impatient at times with Scrooge’s obliviousness. Martin Wood as body double.
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