Movie Reviews

Scrooged – Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

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Frank Cross (Murray), a network executive, gets caught up in a ghostly time warp in this hilarious spoof of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. Cross is a mean, nasty and uncaring boss with a sadistic sense of humor…perfect for a modern-day Scrooge. Before the night is over, he’ll be visited by a maniac cab driver, a pugilistic fairy and a ghoulish seven-foot-tall headless messenger from the future.

Specifications
Paramount Pictures
2018 (1988), Color, 1080p, DTS-MA 5.1 audio, 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio,
Rated PG-13, 1 hour and 40 minutes
Starring: Bill Murray, Carol Kane, Bobcat Goldthwait & Robert Mitchum
Directed by: Richard Donner

Rating

Entertainment:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:

Violence: Comedic
Sex: No
Language: Mild

Commentary

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Hard to believe that this film is 30 years old. I love Murray and the characters he plays in film, but this one is perhaps one of my least favorites. Perhaps it’s because he plays a generally despicable person that doesn’t get straightened out until the last 10 minutes of the movie and he is at his best as a lovable goof-off. That said, this film has some great acting and genuine heart-felt moments. I was surprised to see Robert Mitchum in this film…I had forgotten he was in it when I saw the movie the first time. Full of slap-stick humor, the film has a bit of a dark, hard edge to it (for a Donner film), which keeps me from recommending this as a holiday classic for the entire family.

Technical

The film has not aged as well as some movies from the 80’s, though the colors are bold, the contrast makes many scenes appear a bit flat and two dimensional. Some minor crushing is noted in the darker scenes and film grain is more active in the dark scenes as well. The sound is generally good for a dialog driven movie. Danny Elfman (Batman, The Simpsons) music score is good with his typical zany touch. The surrounds are used sparingly and the LFE is almost none existent.

Extras

Besides a digital copy, all you get is a theatrical trailer. Bah Humbug!!

Jim Milton

Jim Milton has been interested in high fidelity since his college years in the late 70's. It was there that he first became interested in classical music. He has been part of choral music, both in opera and oratorio and is an avid collector of classical music from the Baroque through the Romantic periods. He enjoys an occasional night at Boston Symphony Hall or attending an organ concert at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, ME. Currently he is the director of Nuclear Medicine at the North Shore Medical Center, located just outside of Boston. He also serves as an adjunct professor for Salem State University where he teaches a course in nuclear instrumentation. During his leisure time, he enjoys listening to his music collection and an occasional movie with his wife of 30+ years. Living on the longest stretch of sandy beach north of Boston offers him plenty of opportunities to take a relaxing stroll or soak up some sun. "Remember, acquiring good A/V gear takes lots of time...but doesn't necessarily take lots of money."

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