I took in a lot of movies the last couple of days and I’ll get around to putting up the reviews soon… but I wanted to ask this question out loud. You see… one of the films I saw was “Christmas Carol”, and even though it wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping it would be, it still ends up being a pretty decent flick in my opinion. A good (not great) CHRISTMAS movie. Which begs the question…
WHY THE HELL IS CHRISTMAS CAROL BEING RELEASED THIS FAR AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS?!?! I mean bloody hell… it’s still a while before American Thanksgiving. Call me crazy… call me a maverick… but wouldn’t it have made a bucket full of more sense to release “A Christmas Carol” closer to say… oh I don’t know… CHRISTMAS!?!?!
I mean come on… there are some people out there who still haven’t even taken the pumpkin off their porches yet.
Whatever… it doesn’t effect how much I didn’t or didn’t enjoy the movie… I just don’t understand why you bother to make a CHRISTMAS movie and don’t release it anywhere near CHRISTMAS.
Any thoughts?
Am I the only one who wants Zemeckis live action movies not Animation?
Cmon…The guy is a modern master, from Romancing the Stone (Remake Bait), to Back to the Future, to Roger Rabbit, Death Becomes Her, Cast Away, about the only misstep I’ve seen him take (besides these soulless animations), was Contact, which still wasn’t terrible.
I completely agree! I was yelling the same question at the t.v. every time the commercial came on (which ran repeatedly every 10 minutes on almost every channel last week).
To Disney I say… BAH, HUMBUG!!!
It is true that most films make the majority of their money in the first 4 weeks after release. So by realeasing this now, perhaps they are trying to capitalize on this and somewhat avoiding getting raped by the other big realeases. Also, they are trying to avoid the drop off by having week 5 and so on in December, Christmas season. Threfore, this should give the film what is known as “legs” or better than normal retruns from week 5-8.
I’m gonna agree with the group that says the movie is out so early because they want to drop the DVD close to Christmas. Possibly before Christmas.
I agree with you John. But it is Disney and they always try to milk as much money out of their projects as they can.
With Avatar and Sherlock Holmes both coming out around or on xmas day, geedy money wise, it’s no wonder Disney chickened out for an early November release. Plus, it’s just another retelling of A Christmas Carol.
If you had the money and or time to just see 1 or 2 of these films, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, or this version of Christmas Carol, and Christmas Carol was released around the same time as the others, which one(s) would you go see? Could save yourself some cash and just go rent The Muppet Christmas Carol instead.
But yes, I do see where your coming from, in the spirit of Christmas, a Christmas movie should be released around or on Christmas. I feel the same way.
LOL! You said bloody hell!
Yeah, I think more than likely in this age where a film is going to be released on BD/DVD back to back to when it opens in theaters, it will come out in January.
Knowing Disney, it wont come out til next holiday season, they make more money that way.
Look at Pixar’s Up. It came out in the spring of this year, but Disney aint releasing it til next week, just in time for Black Friday and the rest of the holiday shopping season…
Probably because they thought this was the best way to make a profit. It’s already been said here that there are other films coming out which are probably going to dominate. Personally I think this movie should have been released during mid November and I think it would have been a mistake to release on december because there wouldn’t have been enough time to reap the profits.
Get in on the 3D theaters before Avatar hits and takes over them? Check.
Well it looks like they finally got around and fixed the “DEAD EYES” problem..
will see it around thanksgiving (if it’s still around
I thought they’ve improved. People in the film are less zombiefied
I guess they think people are too busy in the weeks leading up to christmas – so they got in early.. too bad it’ll be gone by mid december to make way for Avatar on all those 3d screens.
Two probabilities: There may be a traditionally smaller movie-going audience in December. There may be more competing “Christmas” movies closer to Christmas.
Why do they release this movie in November?
Come on, this answer is so easy: because it’s a Christmas movie!!
Why do they release a Christmas movie in November? To take advantage of the short two month season window. If they released the film only in the month of December, they couldnt make nearly enough money to compensate for the budget.
Four weeks is not enough time for a movie to make big bucks.
Hey Judge,
A movie on average makes LESS than 10% of it’s total box office take after week 4 and the vast majority of films today do not last 6 weeks, so I’m really not sure what you’re talking about.
So yes… a 4 week lead to Christmas is TONS of time.
Also, there is a huge difference between releasing something 4 weeks in advance of Christmas and SEVEN full weeks.
Totally agree with you John.
At first I was about to agree with the int’l friends regarding the big pictures and sequels. I especially noted ‘9’ (same wk as Avatar) and ‘Area 51’ (same wk as New Moon) and Christmas having Sherlock and Chipmunks II. But then, as I looked up these release dates, something caught my eye.
I brought this up in my response to James (Hazmat) but I’ll repeat it here so nobody misses it.
There is the weekend of December 4th
In that wkd you have an action-heist film, a comedy, a sequel to a comedy that went DTV (!) and a drama. If Carol was released HERE it would be exactly TWO WEEKS after New Moon/Area 51 and TWO WEEKS before Avatar/9. It would also stand out from the other wide releases, and it would be in between USA Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It should also be noted that the studio behind Carol has no other major releases in that time frame
So, I’m sorry, int’ friends. There is NO possible way ‘A Christmas Carol’ would have gotten lost in a shuffle NADA! While I would agree that the competition in this past wkd is light…the fact that this is a Christmas movie and that this was a blunder (in the long run) to release the film at this time.
I just saw the movie…not that bad…
I 100% agree with this. I was just telling my friend Jake the same thing, why is the movie coming out now?
I smell a re-release during christmas-time.
I know I personally would much rather watch a Christmas movie in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Once the stores start putting out the trees and decorations, and I start shopping, I get in the mood to watch my favourite Christmas movies. I find after Christmas, I’m busy thinking about New Years, taking down the tree, and heading back to work, so I am less likely to want to watch one of these movies.
I bet they’re hoping for a decent run in theatres, and I don’t think they would get it had they released two or three weeks before Christmas, because no one would care after the 25th.
Ive been wondering that as well. Especially since it is the only christmas movie coming out this year.
@ Louis
Saw has been going on 6 years, only the die-hard fans are paying to see it now, and Paranormal Activity has had some incredibly positive word-of-mouth
A Christmas Carol is a lot different from Saw VI and Paranormal Activity
Who’s going to go see A Christmas Carol after Christmas has come and gone?
The Answer: Nobody
Paranormal Activity is reaching 100M this week-end and it was released on September 25th. Saw VI is struggling to make 40M and that came out a few days before Halloween on October 26th.
I hope this answers your question.
Personally I assumed it was being released on Christmas and just found out it wasn’t like two weeks ago
IDK Why they do that, I guess it coincides with when people buy decorations and gifts, some people like to get their shopping done early. Plus they might make more money this way. Want to hear something funny? In July, some of the stores in my area had Halloween stuff.
they expect some people to see it now, and then when all the family comes into town for thanksgiving you’ll see it again with all the family who hasn’t seen it, then when Christmas rolls around and your extended family comes into town and they haven’t seen it either you find yourself at the theater a third time watching the same movie all because your cousin Eddie hasn’t seen it and he really really wants to go. then when you go to St. Louis to visit some friends for the new year, you find they haven’t seen it either so you have to go a fourth time and watch it all over again with them, just because it’s the holidays and you’re a nice guy who won’t say that you’ve already seen it 3 times.
Funny that it was you that posted this response, because this is literally the same argument i was gonna make for it. It may have been like one week earlier than it probably should have been, but other than that, i feel like an early thanksgiving release is pretty common. Get that thanksgiving crowd, then sometime in the next month, get the christmas crowd. You get multiple holiday showings out of it if it’s released this early.
Plus Scrooged is my favorite too (and that was before i ever even knew your stepdad was in it).
are you not surprised? christmas movies get released a month before christmas pplenty of times. the original Christmas Carol wasn’t released on Christmas either. albeit, a lot closer to it, but still not on it.
Elf was released November 7th. it’s not uncommon for a Christmas movie to be released in November, over a month before christmas. i almost expect it these days.
Because this generates maximum profits:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-11-04-earlychristmas05_ST_N.htm
The studios know what they are doing.
I start my X-Mas shopping officially on Black Friday so I dont even want to think about Christmas until then. Just seems wrong releasing it now. I am sure I’ll want to see this sometime in December, just not right now.
Honestly, what I can’t figure out is why do they release Christmas films more than a month before, and then when December comes around, they release all the freaking fantasy movies!
Review? I’m seeing it today and I wanna know if it is worth seeing.
Beat the rush?
Not as bad as the Halloween movies being released in August.
Fact: the original Miracle on 34th Street came out in May.
I do agree. August is SUMMER. Halloween is for me the middle of fall. WHAT THE HELL?
I agree with John’s view. I’ve seen Christmas movies being released in November in the past. Why do they do that? I dunno. Go figure. I find it convoluted and absurd for studios to release flicks during a time, where everybody is busy with their lives , their work and I am 99% sure that they didn’t even bother watching Christmas flicks in November.
I agree with everyone who thought it would be murdered. And yeah, enough with the remakes.
Technically an adaption?
Agreed.
The Grinch was release way early as well … not quite this early, but early. And that movie stayed in Theatres for EVER! I think they hope to ride a long wave of smaller success each weekend than a short wave of HUGE success … just my guess, though. Plus, the stores (in my area) have all of the Christmas Merch out right now. They did on NOVEMBER 1st … so, I don’t really think that it’s premature, from a Marketing point of view. Doesn’t mean I personally like it. But they do the same thing with Halloween and Halloween II (robZombieRemakes). They came out like a month or two early. It’s Hollywood.
i was thinking the same. maybe they did it to put the dvd out in January.
Yeah, there’s just too much competition and the film doesn’t have a chance against 2012 or Twilight so they’re hoping to recoup what costs they can by releasing it now.
Personally, it was one of the most visually stunning and thrilling experiences of my movie going life………..
………..watching the Avatar trailer before A Christmas Carol. Then I had to sit in pure agony for 90 minutes and watch Bob Zemeckis’ worst film. I absolutely hated it.
The 3D didn’t work, all of the characters (especially Colin Firth’s) looked grotesque, and the story was stripped of everything that makes it work. It was a soulless, pointless piece of work.
To paraphrase the late great Gene Siskel when he reviewed ‘Dune’ back in 1984, “I watched two things during this picture, I looked at the screen and I looked at my watch. This film was pure torture to sit through.”
Glad you liked it though John.
Yes I agree with most of the posters. It would of been lost beneath all the other big films. I’m excited for New Moon myself.
The better question is why is there another fucking remake of A Christmas Carol? Hands down the most remade movie of all time!
Muppets Christmas Carol FTW!
Agreed.
Scrooged FTW!
No way, The Muppets version had Michael Caine! Automatic win.
Scrooged has my Step Dad dancing at the office party and as a bum in the homeless shelter! Automatic win… for me anyway.
That’s not a good question at all; the Dickens tale is such a loved classic that it is given new versions be it for TV or film. In fact, from what I understand this new version is closer to the source than any adaptation before it.
Really? I’ve been hearing the exact opposite.
Youre without a doubt right
However. You DO know that it would have been destroyed in the box office if they released it in any other week later then this one? These are the movies coming up in the early November- late december area
2012
New Moon
Avatar
The Squeakel (which i think will succeed and it would have stolen all the children viewers from CC)
Sherlock Holmes
It would have gotten raped.
They would rather compete with The Box and The Fourth Kind, which is a solid idea if you ask me.
And sure, January is always the weakest movie month of the calendar, but if they would have waited till then, it would have failed. Better off before Christmas then after.
I think they wanted to OPEN the feeling of the holidays, they wanted to be the first to bring the “christmas spirit” to people, and i think its a good marketing move, people may go watch it saying “Oh shit, thats right, christmas is coming soon… i think i may watch this movie”
And with the Box and 4K drawing all the PG-13, R audience, this movie will draw all the kids. I think right now its the only PG movie playing (the only FAMOUS/KNOWN one)
Whereas later a bunch of kid movies are coming out.
“It would have gotten raped…”
Haha.
“It would have gotten raped”
That’s extreme speculation, James.
There was the weekend of Dec.4. That’s **three** weeks after 2012 and **two** after Twilight and Area 51. The only wide releases on the 1st week of December are: Armored (the Matt Dillion heist film), Brothers, Everyone’s Fine and Transylmania (which is a loose sequel to, of all things, ‘Dorm Daze’),
That’s also **two** weeks before Avatar and 9, and quite some space away from Sherlock and The Chipmunk sequel. The week before Avatar (Dec 11) is a Clint Eastwood film Invictus and a comedy called Did You Hear About the Morgans.
If “Christmas Carol” opened one month from now, it would have no big competition, and even if it did, it would still make good counter programming AND be sandwiched between the two holidays.
Those are four movies that are getting publicity on the 4th.
Against only two from this week, one that sucks (the box) and one that has a totally different target audience (4THK)
Not to mention Planet 51, New Moon and Avatar will still be in theaters on the 4th
If you go to the movies now and youre under 12, theres NOTHING you can watch… theres like 5 horror movies and the Christmas Carol. Think about it:
“What do you want to see Timmy? Saw 6, The Fourth Kind, The Box, This is it, Paranormal Activity, The Stepfather, Law Abiding Citizen, Honey I Raped The Kids or A Christmas Carol???”
I think the kid will chose a Christmas Carol, unless he hasnt seen WTWTA which has been out for like 3 weeks now. Unless its a very mature, sick, gore and disturbed child.
I wont deny that it makes no fucking sense not to release it on the 4th however, because its in december… my opinion came from a box office POV
@ James, yeah, that makes sense. Interesting speculation. It’s a shame though, Christmas movies are (most times) pretty fun to get into the Christmas spirit, IMO….
But it definitely was a shame to see it released so early.
one word: Avatar
Completely agree I was wondering the same thing when I heard it was coming out this week. I worked for Wal-Mart for a number of years and they would start the “holiday” center on Sept 15 which started Christmas music. Before even Halloween! Is Christmas 4 months long now?
There is a difference between the christmas section at wal-mart and a movie. As much as I don’t like the christmas section being open that early I understand it. First of all, especially in the mid west where I live, if you are going to put up lights you want to put them up that early. If I was going to put lights on my house I probably would have put them up this past week just because the weather is abnormally warm. Also, Wal-mart can have that stuff sit on it’s shelves till christmas and they don’t really lose any money, in fact they gain money. If you want to set up your christmas decor early and you went to wal-mart and found they did not sell what you look for then you just go to another store. So the longer they have the display up (with in reason) the more money they make.
However, the same thing does not apply to the movie. In spite of what corporate marketers want you to believe, the christmas season does not start until thanksgiving. Some would argue the day after but I think it is thanksgiving (thorough new years day). By the time it gets to thanksgiving this movie would be practically history. They will still get some of the thanksgiving dollar but not as much as if they released it the friday before thanksgiving.
I think most people consider it to be a “Holiday” movie. I guess they were thinking they would get the most of the movie releasing it early on since I doubt a lot of people would want to see it after the holidays.
But I agree I would have at least waited till the week of Thanksgiving. But then again it falls on a Friday and they probably wouldn’t get great opening weekend sales.
Answer: Twilight.
I don’t necessarily believe that, but I can’t think of an explanation. Right now I have zero interest in christmas movies and by december Christmas Carol will feel so “old” that I won’t have much of an interest level. So I think this is a real shot in the foot.