Submitted by ggroover97 t3_zi9na6 in movies
After watching Spirited with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, which gave an intriguing spin on the Christmas Carol story, I decided to revisit the 1988 Richard Donner comedy Scrooged with Bill Murray. This is a movie I've watched YEARS ago and I remember it not connecting with me. However, after watching it with an adult perspective, I found myself really loving it.
One thing I never noticed as a kid is how extensive Scrooged's cast is. Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, etc. The list goes on. There are even cameos by Miles Davis, Lee Majors, Paul Shaffer, and Robert Goulet. Plus, the special TV presentation of Scrooge includes Buddy Hackett, Mary Lou Retton, and Jamie Farr. Even John Glover, who I know as the voice of the Riddler in Batman: The Animated Series, is in this movie.
Carol Kane in particular stole the show for me as the Ghost of Christmas Present. I love how she presents herself as dainty and ethereal but is also deranged and kooky. Plus David Johansen of the New York Dolls plays the Ghost of Christmas Past and is fantastic.
Even the smaller characters have a chance to shine. Seeing Bobcat Goldthwait lose his job, crack, and go on a rampage was a lot of fun. Not to mention that Karen Allen is completely adorable in this movie.
I also love the media satire in Scrooged. "The Night the Reindeer Died" and "Robert Goulet's Old Fashioned Cajun Christmas" sound like showw you'd see in a classic Simpsons episode.
All in all, I love this take on the classic Charles Dickens story. I'm strongly considering making this a yearly holiday watch similar to It's a Wonderful Life."