Janet Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) Kay - I'm quoting you in my blog because of the following list: I'm getting ahead Janet Actually it's because of the puddings, when I make them I listen to a story and often it's this one. This version is read by Tim Curry and I'm not sure he does a brilliant job but it's ok. I'm always quoting bits out loud before he gets to them .. my favourite bits - this morning it was 'don't be hard upon me! Don't be flowery, Jacob' I love the thought of Jacob being flowery. I would like an audio version. I'm confused who to get though - there are lots of choices! Currently on Amazon: David Jason - cheapest at £2.39* - so probably worth a punt, although I can't quite imagine him reading Dickens... Tom Baker - £5.80 - nice voice, but I can't quite get the image of him naked and tied to a bed out of my head! Miriam Margolyes - from £6.53 on Amazon Marketplace - the only female narrator I've come across so far Martin Jarvis - £8.50 - nice voice as I recall Ralph Richardson and Paul Scofield - £9.65* - Could be good...? Patrick Stewart - £10.01* - mmm, lovely voice! I also have a DVD version with him as Scrooge Charles McCusker and Paul Arnold - £10.34 - unknown! Anton Lesser - £10.63 - not someone I'm familiar with (looking at IMDB I think I only know him from Miss Potter - and then he only had a bit part), but he appears to have done a lot of voice work, so I'm guessing he has a nice voice! Jim Dale - £14.27 - Jim Dale... really?! Richard Wilson - £27.05 from Amazon Marketplace - I love the idea of this but it's rather dear! I haven't (yet) found a Tim Curry version - would you recommend it? Hmmm - I have some researching/thinking/digging to do! ETA: * Abridged, so a no-go. Edited November 13, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I wouldn't particularly recommend the Tim Curry version because I think (but what do I know) that he gets a couple of the sentences wrong (not the words, the stress on particular words I mean), I corrected him the other day in fact though he does have a commanding voice. Miriam's is one I've been almost tempted into .. but I wasn't sure about a female sounding Scrooge. Anton Lesser has a nice voice, I'm just listening to his sample at the moment (his voice sample that is ) .. I've heard him read other things and he's good. I think you can access the Audible site and listen to the samples even if you're not a member, that's worth doing because they have the Tim Curry, Anton Lesser, Patrick Stewart, Miriam Margolyes, Paul Schofield, Tom Baker & David Jason versions at least .. yes, you don't want an abridged version .. should be a law against it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Well i ended up sending for A Monster Calls for my teenage daughter for Christmas , i went for the illustrated copy because it doesn't sound like the sort of book we'll be offing to the charity shop when we've finished reading it. Ill be watching to see if it makes her blub & then i'll know if i need to read it from behind a cushion when it's my turn. I'm hoping it'll turn her away from all those vampire stories she seems to like at the moment & just in case it does i've bought The Knife Of Never Letting Go Patrick Ness & A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 (edited) I hope she enjoys it! I'm sure she will. Is she going to see the new Twilight film? My daughter (15) can't wait! I've just downloaded The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton to my kindle. I have it in book form but it's quite thick and it was only 69p for the Kindle! ETA: Kay - I don't know how I managed to miss your post (I must look again at my notifications which seem to have stopped doing the right thing again) but I'm off to choir now so I will reply later. Edited November 15, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 I've just downloaded The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton to my kindle. I have it in book form but it's quite thick and it was only 69p for the Kindle! Great choice, Janet! I read it earlier this year and found it very moving. One of the best I've read this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Great choice, Janet! I read it earlier this year and found it very moving. One of the best I've read this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Agreed, excellent book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 Great choice, Janet! I read it earlier this year and found it very moving. One of the best I've read this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Agreed, excellent book. Thanks. I'm not sure I'll manage it this year but I will certainly try to read it at the start of 2013. I wouldn't particularly recommend the Tim Curry version because I think (but what do I know) that he gets a couple of the sentences wrong (not the words, the stress on particular words I mean), I corrected him the other day in fact though he does have a commanding voice. Miriam's is one I've been almost tempted into .. but I wasn't sure about a female sounding Scrooge. Anton Lesser has a nice voice, I'm just listening to his sample at the moment (his voice sample that is ) .. I've heard him read other things and he's good. I think you can access the Audible site and listen to the samples even if you're not a member, that's worth doing because they have the Tim Curry, Anton Lesser, Patrick Stewart, Miriam Margolyes, Paul Schofield, Tom Baker & David Jason versions at least .. yes, you don't want an abridged version .. should be a law against it They have the Miriam Margolyes one in Bath library so I might get that out. I've never looked at the Audible website but will definitely go and check it out - thanks. Shame the Patrick Stewart one is abridged - I love his voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) I wouldn't particularly recommend the Tim Curry version because I think (but what do I know) that he gets a couple of the sentences wrong (not the words, the stress on particular words I mean), I corrected him the other day in fact though he does have a commanding voice. Miriam's is one I've been almost tempted into .. but I wasn't sure about a female sounding Scrooge. Anton Lesser has a nice voice, I'm just listening to his sample at the moment (his voice sample that is ) .. I've heard him read other things and he's good. I think you can access the Audible site and listen to the samples even if you're not a member, that's worth doing because they have the Tim Curry, Anton Lesser, Patrick Stewart, Miriam Margolyes, Paul Schofield, Tom Baker & David Jason versions at least .. yes, you don't want an abridged version .. should be a law against it I've had a listen to various ones on Audible. I think my favourite is narrated by Charles Collingwood (I'm sure you'll know him when you Google him if you don't already) - but although it says unabridged but is only 1 hour 46 minutes long (as opposed to Miriam Margolyes' version which is 3 hours long), so he must be a quick reader! However, I don't really want to subscribe to Audible. I'm trying to acquire fewer books, not more! I looked on Amazon and it's downloadable for £2.92 on Amazon (via Audible) but Audible says it's £3.89. I'm confused! I've reserved the 'Miriam' one from the library anyway, but like you I'd really quite like it read by a male voice. I also downloaded a dramatised version from Librivox, but I'm not sure I like the American accents in a British classic. What to do, what to do... ETA: The Charles Collingwood version is an 'adaptation' of it, and seems to be aimed a people for whom English isn't their first language, so it's back to the drawing board... Edited November 21, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Goodnight Mr Tom always makes me cry too book and film. My Andy used to watch it over and over I think because John Thaw actually looked a bit like my father-in-law. JT was so suited to that part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I've had a listen to various ones on Audible. I think my favourite is narrated by Charles Collingwood (I'm sure you'll know him when you Google him if you don't already) - but although it says unabridged but is only 1 hour 46 minutes long (as opposed to Miriam Margolyes' version which is 3 hours long), so he must be a quick reader! Lord! he fairly gallops along However, I don't really want to subscribe to Audible. I'm trying to acquire fewer books, not more! It is a bit of a temptation but I rarely if ever use it outside of my subscription and I have had a few holidays from it. It fits in with my work and I like to listen at bedtime and when out for a walk. I'm not sure how much I'd use it otherwise. Sometimes too you can get a bit stuck, like I have a credit now and I'm just not able to come up with anything I want to listen to. I prefer to listen to large books to make the subscription more worthwhile (skinflint ) but the story has to be right and the narrator has to be right etc etc. It causes headaches instead of pleasure but then I do listen and re-listen a lot so I get my moneysworth. I looked on Amazon and it's downloadable for £2.92 on Amazon (via Audible) but Audible says it's £3.89. I'm confused! Is it a special deal they're offering do you think? - I too thought they were one and the same. I've reserved the 'Miriam' one from the library anyway, but like you I'd really quite like it read by a male voice. I also downloaded a dramatised version from Librivox, but I'm not sure I like the American accents in a British classic. What to do, what to do... I think Miriam will be good and well .. she's almost a man I do like to keep to the right accents, British for British stories, American for American etc. Some people are great at accents but you never know when you're going to come across a Dick Van Dyke (bless him .. thankfully his performance in all other ways was fantastic.) ETA: The Charles Collingwood version is an 'adaptation' of it, and seems to be aimed a people for whom English isn't their first language, so it's back to the drawing board... Oh bother .. that explains it then Bah humbug! Hope you're able to come up with something before the season is upon us. I made up most of my Christmas puddings whilst listening to it and it was perfect. I suppose I'll start watching the films soon which one first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 I suppose I'll start watching the films soon which one first? I shall be watching Scrooge (the musical one) with Albert Finney, Scrooge with Alistair Sims, A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart and Scrooged. I might buy A Christmas Carol with George C Scott - and maybe the one with Jim Carey (although the jury is still out on that one!). I'm still definitely NOT attempting to watch the Muppet one though. ITV did a modern version a few years ago with the guy who played Grant Mitchell in EastEnders as 'Eddie Scrooge' a debt collector - I enjoyed that too. A friend recorded it for me last year but the DVD wouldn't play on our player. Now we have a new one I can't find the disc to try it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I like the Jim Carey one .. we have it in 3D .. it's one of the few films that we do have in 3D (The Polar Express is another so Christmas is a fab time to watch a movie ) I like all the ones you've mentioned. My Dad says the Alistair Sim one is the only one to watch but I like the musical. I'm not overly keen on the Patrick Stewart version because they changed 'you may be a bit of undigested beef' into 'you may be a bit of undigested British beef' because it was around the time when people wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. It dates it imo and in the wrong way but other than that I don't mind it (and I do like Richard E Grant as Cratchitt). The Muppet Christmas Carol is excellent but I can understand the aversion to watching it. But Miss Piggy as Mrs Cratchitt is inspired. I saw the more modern one with Ross Kemp (and Ray Fearon wasn't it?) and enjoyed it, he was nasty!! There's a terrible animated one with Kate Winslet .. they didn't really stick to the story. I've also seen the George C Scott one which is not bad but nothing new or improved and a really, really old B&W one with Reginald Owen (Admiral Boom in Mary Poppins) which is good but short and a bit creaky. I think that's it Oh no I forgot Scrooged with Bill Murray, Mickey's Christmas Carol and another animated one which was televised in the 90's. I'm pleased to say though that I've never seen the musical one with Kelsey Grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Goodness me, there are a lot of versions, aren't there? I also have the 3D Jim Carey version (the only other 3D movie I have is Coraline). I also have the Muppets version and the George C Scott version (which I haven't watched yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 I watched about 5 minutes of the Kelsey Grammar one on TV last year before switching off in disgust and putting Patrick Stewart's one on! I wondered about the addition of the word British! I would go off it as a result but I can't help but love his Scrooge! I haven't seen the Kate Winslet one. I'd love to see the Reginald Owen one - I keep hoping one of the TV channels will show it! I will definitely try the Jim Carey one (I don't usually like him - he's a bit too manic - but surely he won't be in this!) now - thanks ladies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I will definitely try the Jim Carey one (I don't usually like him - he's a bit too manic - but surely he won't be in this!) now - thanks ladies. I don't normally like him either, however The Grinch won me over (though .. still manic) and he was great in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (not at all manic .. hooray). The animation is stunning in his Christmas Carol though and you can't really be manic with Scrooge can you? until the end that is. The funny thing, is that Colin Firth plays his nephew Fred and, things being what they are now in motion capture animation, it looks amazingly like Colin Hope you enjoy it .. I saw it at the cinema first time .. it was one of the better Christmas 'get you in the spirit' films. There's a new version of The Snowman this year (on TV) .. I'm not sure but I'll watch it for definite. The Reginald Owen one was on TV (ages ago .. I taped it on video so that proves how ages ago .. in the 90's I think) why they don't repeat it I don't know. Maybe this year it'll be something to circle in the Xmas Radio Times I'll get my highlighter pen at the ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Hope you enjoy it .. I saw it at the cinema first time .. it was one of the better Christmas 'get you in the spirit' films. We took 25 Brownies (the girls not the chocolate cakes ) to watch Scrooge at the cinema, it was a little dark for some of them, I had 2 girls on my lap for most of the duration and one Mum had to take her child home, in fact only a few actually enjoyed it all, so whilst animation it could really be more a film for adults.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 That was nice of you, Chalie. Personally, I'd rather take 25 brownie cakes to the movies. (Sorry to be off-topic Janet. I just couldn't resist.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 I don't normally like him either, however The Grinch won me over (though .. still manic) and he was great in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (not at all manic .. hooray). The animation is stunning in his Christmas Carol though and you can't really be manic with Scrooge can you? until the end that is. The funny thing, is that Colin Firth plays his nephew Fred and, things being what they are now in motion capture animation, it looks amazingly like Colin Hope you enjoy it .. I saw it at the cinema first time .. it was one of the better Christmas 'get you in the spirit' films. There's a new version of The Snowman this year (on TV) .. I'm not sure but I'll watch it for definite. The Reginald Owen one was on TV (ages ago .. I taped it on video so that proves how ages ago .. in the 90's I think) why they don't repeat it I don't know. Maybe this year it'll be something to circle in the Xmas Radio Times I'll get my highlighter pen at the ready. I haven't seen The Grinch! I wonder if that'll be on TV this year? I'm not sure about The Snowman either - but I'll probably end up giving it a go. We took 25 Brownies (the girls not the chocolate cakes ) to watch Scrooge at the cinema, it was a little dark for some of them, I had 2 girls on my lap for most of the duration and one Mum had to take her child home, in fact only a few actually enjoyed it all, so whilst animation it could really be more a film for adults.. That was nice of you, Chalie. Personally, I'd rather take 25 brownie cakes to the movies. (Sorry to be off-topic Janet. I just couldn't resist.) Hehe, Kylie - I was going to say the same! It was a lovely thing to do, Chalie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 I slipped and bought a book yesterday! Mind you, it was only 20p and looks brand new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 I bought the Jim Carey DVD of A Christmas Carol today - £4.50 with my staff discount. I wonder if I can get away with watching it this afternoon...?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 The actress Dinah Sheridan died today. She played the mother in what is possibly my favourite film ever - The Railway Children. Whilst it's not an exact adaptation of the book, it's one of those stores where I saw the film before reading the book so I can allow the discrepancies. In fact, I love it so much that I still have the LP version of it which is the only record I kept from my vinyl record collection. I watched the film this afternoon whilst ironing in her honour. I've just started the Jim Carey version of A Christmas Carol, but think I might have to switch it off to watch Strictly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 We took 25 Brownies (the girls not the chocolate cakes ) to watch Scrooge at the cinema, it was a little dark for some of them, I had 2 girls on my lap for most of the duration and one Mum had to take her child home, in fact only a few actually enjoyed it all, so whilst animation it could really be more a film for adults.. Yes totally, they didn't skimp on the scary bits which is just as it should be but it meant that it was a bit dark for kids. Arthur Christmas last year was more suitable for the littlies. Ooh Janet, I hope you're enjoying it RIP Dinah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Sad to hear about Dinah Sheridan. She was also in one of my favourite films, Genevieve. In an odd coincidence to your post, she was also in a classic Doctor Who episode, where the character she played was called Chancellor Flavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 I loved Genevieve too, Claire. A Christmas Carol. Hmmm. Well, not really my cup of tea. It's neither fish nor fowl. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a CGI film before, but having seen this I really don't understand why they would do it. The characters don't look real - they look really creepy. I'd have preferred for Jim Carey, Colin Firth et al to have been real, and for them to use CGI for the ghosts and special effects. I didn't like the Ghost of Christmas past being a candle - that was just plain odd. I guess now I've got it I will watch it again next year but I wish I'd watched it on YouTube first - I wouldn't have wasted my money. Sorry to those of you who like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 The only Christmas Carol I have enjoyed is the Muppet one!!! But then I grew up with the Muppets ..(not literally of course, my Dad would've been furious if there was a green frog sitting halfway up the stairs all the time.. My Mum loves the Alastair Sim version but I'm not a fan of black and white movies unless it's A Wonderful Life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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