Christmas Movie #9: Scrooged

'Scrooged' is an odd film. I'm sure I'e seen it several times, but I'm hard pressed to think of anything memorable from it. Save Carol Kane as a violent fairy version of The Ghost of Christmas Present.

Essentially the film is a big star vehicle for Bill Murray. And that is no bad thing. Murray is a perfect Scrooge (or Frank in this update). He never once truly lets sentiment get into the story (something even the most faithful of Dickens adaptations of 'A Christmas Carol' often fail to do), and makes Frank's transformation both funny and heartfelt. 

But the film is a bit of stop start affair. After an inspired opening scene ('The Day the Reindeer Died' is one of the best ever film-within-a-film), the film occasionally drags, and scenes meander, livened by some Bill Murray improv. 

But the film is also surprisingly dark. Frank's follow up encounter with a homeless person is strange and disturbing, while this film's version of The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, takes the film to the dark places it needs to go to make it's ranty buy funny climax work.

So 'Scrooged' has a lot going for it, but I'm kind of glad I've avoided watching it every Christmas. It certainly doesn't live up to some of the other Christmas films so far. But it's strange and enjoyable in places.

As for my current state of mental health, I'm starting to get the Christmassy glow when I watch these films. I'm reaching the half way point. Let's see what I'm like tomorrow.