Scrooged

Summary

“This is terrific! I knew that ad worked! You can’t buy publicity like this!”

Paramount Pictures has just released the classic Christmas comedy Scrooged on 4K UHD. Scrooged is one of my family’s favorite Christmas movies and is a film that we rewatch every single year. I am thankful to Paramount for giving it a release in the 4K format just in time for the holidays. Unlike numerous Christmas pictures, Scrooged has a lot going for it in the audio visual department thanks to the strong direction by Richard Donner with assistance by acclaimed cinematographer Michael Chapman. Scrooged was a natural fit to receive a 4K UHD makeover at some point, and I am glad that time is now.

Scrooged was released in theaters on November 23, 1988. It did respectable numbers with a worldwide gross of over $60 million against a budget of roughly $32 million. Starring Bill Murray, Robert Mitchum, Karen Allen, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait, David Johansen, and Carol Kane, Scrooged boasted a solid cast of comedic talents and actors. While the film’s critical reception was mixed (at best – please check out the reviews if you like the film because it is amazing how much the critics got it wrong on this one,) in the years since its release Scrooged has become a cult classic for the Christmas crowd that likes a little bit of mean spirited laughs mixed in with their Christmas cheer. 

Written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue, the film plays to the strengths of Bill Murray’s exceptional comedic abilities by allowing Bill Murray to play a television network executive that happens to be an absolute asshole. The film follows the same formula as Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, but every aspect of the production has been updated and warped to fit the times in which the film takes place. My family gathered last night, as we do yearly, and rewatched the film. We enjoyed it just as much as last year, but maybe more so due to the improved visual aspects.

As the film begins, on Christmas Eve (after an opening sequence featuring Santa and Lee Majors called “The Night the Reindeer Died”) studio network executive Frank Cross (Bill Murray) sits across a long table in his office from his employees. After watching a promo for IBC’s upcoming production of “Scrooge,” Frank is dismayed. He explains that the audience must be terrified to miss it. He rolls a promo for the special he created that features acid rain, drug addictions, freeway killers, and terrorism which says “now more than ever it is important to remember the true meaning of Christmas.” Good natured Elliot Loudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait) is taken aback by the new promo. With the meeting concluded, Elliot approaches Frank to tell him that he thinks the promo is frightening and should not air. Frank knods his head along and says he will give Elliot an answer in five minutes on his decision. Within five minutes, Elliot Loudermilk is escorted off campus by security. Frank’s devoted secretary Grace Cooley (Alfre Woodard) holds onto a list of employees and asks Frank what Christmas bonuses to send out to each person – a VCR or a towel. To a few executives he sends a VCR, but for his brother James (John Murray) he heartlessly tells her to send a towel. Grace has a noncommunicative child at home named Calvin and is meant to take him to a doctor appointment, but, as is typically the case, Frank makes her work late with him. That night – as the Christmas special that IBC has funneled $40 million towards airs live – Frank is visited by his old boss Lee Hayward (John Forsythe.) Frank is disturbed by this because Lee died years earlier. Lee warns Frank to change his ways or he will end up like him. Lee tells Frank that he will be visited by three ghosts before the evening is out. Frank begins to act erratically in the eyes of his peers as he sees frightening visions that they can not see. Over the course of  evening, Frank must impress his eccentric boss Preston Rhinelander (Robert Mitchum) and keep at bay an executive in from Los Angeles (John Glover) who wants to take Frank’s job. At the same time, Frank finds himself entwined with an old flame, Claire Philips (Karen Allen,) whom he had abandoned years earlier to pursue his ambitions.

For some reason or other, I did not grow up watching Scrooged every Christmas. I can imagine that at the time my parents may have found the film’s offbeat personality a little too askew. I first watched the film maybe a decade ago and have rewatched it every year since with my wife and children. I love Scrooged. While I will always consider National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to be the greatest Christmas comedy ever made, Scrooged ranks firmly as my second favorite (Gremlins comes in as a close third if you are curious.) What sets Scrooged apart from other Christmas films is that its jokes land largely because the main character of the film is so despicable (this trait is shared with another great Christmas comedy Bad Santa, but in a much more PG-13 appropriate manner.) Bill Murray dives fully into the role of the egotistical and mean spirited Frank Cross. Bill Murray is my favorite actor of any genre, and his performance as Frank is one of my sentimental favorites out of his long career. The comedic timing displayed by Bill Murray is exceptional. For example, look at the way in which he reacts as Frank to the news of an elderly woman having a heart attack from his horrifying commercial. At first he seems almost distraught, before erupting with “This is terrific! I knew that ad worked! You can’t buy publicity like this!” It is a hilarious part of the film, but Murray’s understanding of how to deliver those lines in ways that maximize their comedic potential brings them to life in a way that other actors may have failed to consider. 

Bill Murray is surrounded by numerous solid comedic talents and good actors for the duration of the film. The legendary Robert Mitchum plays Frank’s eccentric boss who wants Frank to focus on programming that will appeal to pets who watch television. He nails the role like the seasoned pro he was. John Glover is great as the “L.A. slimeball” Brice Cummings. David Johansen and Carol Kane memorably play two of the ghosts that visit Frank. John Forsythe is enjoyable as Frank’s deceased former boss. Karen Allen is also well cast as Frank’s love interest Claire. She has a natural sweetness that fits the role well. Bobcat Goldthwait is also fun to watch as the lower executive whose life is ruined by Frank. Alfre Woodard elevates the role of Frank’s assistant Grace with the proper amount of disapproval in her voice while interacting with Frank.

The script by Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue will feel somewhat predictable to anyone familiar with A Christmas Carol, but I feel the script absolutely achieves its goal of making something old into something new by injecting plenty of black humor into the proceedings. The movie has a number of funny lines while delivering the numerous setpieces that Frank navigates. Parts of the film are absolutely hilarious, and the finale is heartfelt and sweet. Depending on the year I watch the film, the big speech at the end literally can make me emotional (and I feel no shame about that.) 

Director Richard Donner was an excellent choice to helm the film. Donner had proven his chops with spookier material in The Omen, his whimsical side with The Goonies, and his grasp of the fantastic and uplifting with Superman. He also was coming straight off the massive success of Lethal Weapon. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 91. He left behind a legacy of films that have excellent replay value. He drew great performances out of all the cast involved in Scrooged, and worked with the brilliant cinematographer Michael Chapman to give the film a wonderful look. Chapman is best known for his work on Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. Sadly, he also passed away in 2020. The film also benefits from a pitch-perfect score by Danny Elfman. It is some of Elfman’s finest work and adds a lot to the picture.

Overall, Scrooged is one of my favorite Christmas comedies. With a strong script and inspired casting and direction, it earns an easy recommendation from me. If you haven’t seen it, you definitely need to check it out.

Video

Presented in Native 4K in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, Scrooged looks better than ever before in Paramount’s new UHD presentation. I am extremely familiar with the prior Blu-ray release because my family and I have watched it annually since its release, and the new UHD presentation easily outshines it in every way. As I mentioned above, Michael Chapman’s cinematography and Richard Donner’s direction make this film stand out visually from the other Christmas films. The film has a darker more gothic look than the other Christmas films because of its focus on an extremely successful but emotionally cold protagonist. It also fits the era of the Eighties in the same way that a film such as Wall Street does. I love the way that Scrooged looks, and it is a welcome diversion from the hazy and brightly colored Christmas films. Grain is extremely well resolved and the HDR brings out the very best in the film’s color palette. A lot of effort has been put into the transfer, and I don’t see much room for improvement. The Dolby Vision also shines on this transfer. Simply put, if you are a fan of the film this new transfer is reason enough to upgrade.

Audio

Scrooged has not been given any upgrade to its DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, but in reality, there was not a lot of room for improvement on what I consider to be a very healthy presentation. Of course I would have loved an Atmos upgrade like was recently given to Paramount’s release of The Truman Show, but the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track does justice to the excellent score by Danny Elfman and the solid sound design of the film. I was happy with this track.  

Supplements:

• Audio Commentary with Director Richard Donner 
• A Christmas to Remember 
• Updating Ebenezer
• Bringing the Ghosts to Life 
• The Look of Scrooged 
• On the Set with Bill Murray 
• ShoWest Clips with Bill Murray 

Overall Scores:

Video: 4.75

Audio: 4.5

Special Features: 4

Overall – 4.75/5

Scrooged is one of my absolute favorite Christmas comedies. Some films are worth rewatching every year in certain seasons, and for my family, Scrooged is an inescapable comedy for us each year. The film benefits from an inventive and frequently hilarious script and an amazing comedic performance by Bill Murray. While the film is in some ways predictable given that it follows the same formula as Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the screenplay consistently delivers inventive moments of dark comedy and terror for Frank Cross to endure. I love the film, so I was extremely excited that Paramount was giving it a brand new 4K UHD makeover. Paramount has gone above an beyond by including numerous special features that were not available on prior releases and a fantastic looking new 4K transfer. While the audio track has not been updated, it is a really solid surround presentation. I highly recommend purchasing this film and enjoying it with your family this season.