A Christmas Carol

I'm one of the many obsessive CHRISTMAS CAROL fans who track down every conceivable version of the story that they can. Right after Thanksgiving my unofficial annual Christmas-Carol-athon starts as I air every version of it that I own and debut any new ones I've managed to add to my collection. I emphasize this to point out that while I've enjoyed this ballet version ever since it debuted on A&E in the early 1990's I think I may be part of a very small audience.

Even other CHRISTMAS CAROL fanatics may not be able to stomach this version of the story, but I certainly have a good time watching it. I'm not a ballet fan but the familiarity of the Dickens story makes viewing all the prancin' and dancin' much more tolerable. The music is only so-so, but that's easily remedied by just turning the volume down and playing your own yuletide music in the background while watching the ballet dancers. The choreography for Fezziwig's party is outstanding and much of the Christmas Yet To Come portion features some appropriately eerie dance work. Purists may object to the unavoidably slender Ghost of Christmas Present in this version but I have no problem with it since other CAROL's take much greater liberties with the ghosts.

Ideal for hardcore CHRISTMAS CAROL devotees or maybe ballet fans who don't like the other film and television adaptations of the story.