By John Corrado

Director Richard Donner’s Scrooged is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and Paramount has given the film a 4K Ultra HD upgrade in honour of the occasion.

This 1988 adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is set in New York City, and follows self-centred TV executive Frank Cross (Bill Murray) as he is visited by a series of ghosts while staging a live adaptation of the Dickens story for the network.

Part satire and part sincere adaptation, Scrooged offers a dark and cynical take on the material, but with some very funny moments and an emotional centre to it. It’s a film that has grown on me immensely since I first watched it over a decade ago, and has now become an annual favourite for me.

The film works because Murray nails the character’s transition over the course of the film, leading to the wonderful finale. It features memorable appearances of the visiting ghosts, including David Johansen as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Karen Allen also adds a lot of heart to the story as Frank’s one that got away. It’s topped off with some solid practical effects, and a great Danny Elfman score.

The 4K edition’s 2160p remaster offers a solid image, with deep blacks and good clarity on skin tones. It presents a satisfying (if in many ways subtle) upgrade over the previously released Blu-ray, retaining a nice, filmic look to it. Overall, this is a fine upgrade of a Christmas classic.

Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):

The 4K edition also boasts over fifty minutes of bonus material that is being released on disc for the first time, including a commentary track by Donner. It’s a real treasure trove of archival material, and these additions alone make this release a compelling upgrade over the 2011 Blu-ray.

• Commentary by Director Richard Donner

• A Christmas to Remember (14 minutes, 4 seconds): An overview of the making of the film, from the screenplay by SNL writers Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue to Donner’s direction, and the casting process.

• Updating Ebenezer (13 minutes, 34 seconds): Producer Art Linson and writer Glazer lead this discussion of the inspiration behind making a contemporary update on A Christmas Carol, and the importance of staying faithful to the Dickens story in their own way.

• Bringing the Ghosts to Life (9 minutes, 53 seconds): A closer look at the use of makeup, prosthetics and practical effects used to bring the ghosts to life.

• The Look of Scrooged (6 minutes, 22 seconds): Production designer J. Michael Riva discusses designing the sets and crafting the dark look of the film and uses of light from TVs (including in the heartbreaking flashback with the Ghost of Christmas Past).

• On the Set with Bill Murray: Some B-roll of Murray getting ready and rehearsing on-set.

• “Brother’s Apartment” (3 minutes, 22 seconds)

• “Frisbee the Dog” (3 minutes, 41 seconds)

• ShoWest Clips with Bill Murray: A pair of satirical adverts for the production, starring Murray.

• The Best Money Can Buy (1 minute, 15 seconds)

• Now Everybody Get Up! (59 seconds)

Scrooged is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 100 minutes and rated PG.

Street Date: November 7th, 2023