Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1801 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-18
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 43 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Among the many films and TV shows which add a new twist to Charles Dickens' classic tale, Blackadder's Christmas Carol is the most ingenious. Made between Blackadder the Third (1987) and Blackadder Goes Forth (1989), the inspired concept is to recast the self-serving Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) in Dickens' Scrooge role, but rather than a misanthropic miser make him the most kind-hearted man in England. Tony Robinson's Baldrick is as moronic as ever, while Robbie Coltrane plays the Spirit of Christmas like a forerunner to his Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, showing Edmund visions of past and future to not quite the desired effect. Hugh Laurie returns as the Prince Regent from Blackadder the Third and the entire court from Blackadder II (1986) is reassembled for japes involving a merry seasonal death warrant. Miranda Richardson is outrageously capricious as Elizabeth I, then takes the character a stage further in a decadent space opera future which also sees Patsy (Nursie) Byrne as an android. Though not quite as laugh-out-loud funny as the regular Blackadder series this is an excellent Yuletide special.

On the DVD: Blackadder's Christmas Carol offers nothing extra on DVD other than the inclusion of optional subtitles. The sound is mono but crystal clear and the 4:3 image is good considering the source material is a TV studio production shot on video. --Gary S Dalkin

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
A special festive edition of the comedy classic that see's the Victorian Blackadder, and his not so trusty sidekick Baldrick, visit his Elizabethan and Regency ancestors as well as his future relatives in a clever spoof of the Charles Dickens' novel.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic as Always
This is quite simply the best Christmas DVD this year and features Blackadder, Baldrick and all the characters from previous series. In a reversal of the original Scrooge story Blackadder starts off as the kindest man in all of England and when he is shown an alternative life by the Ghost (of all Christmasses) played superbly by Robbie Coltrane, he takes revenge on all those who used him when he was good by being the most horrid man in all England. Its a scream from start to finish. Buy it now you wont regret it.

Excellent Special Edition
Quite often the Christmas 'specials' of the most popular tv comedies turn out to to be anything but special.
This one, however is top quality.
Its a take on 'A Christmas Carol' - with Rowan Atkinson in great form as Ebeneezer Blackadder the "kindest and loveliest man in all of England".
His kindly nature is demonstrated at the start of the episode as, on Christmas Eve the townsfolk gradually take advantage of his amiability and fleece him of his Christmas gifts and money, leaving him and his sidekick Baldrick with nothing.
He is visited on Christmas eve by an apparition - a hilarious turn by Robbie Coltrane who, under duress shows Blackadder how well his ancestors had done by being anything but nice.
This of course turns Blackadder from the nice chap at the start to the hard-bitten cynic we all know and love.
The jokes are mostly excellent, as are the supporting cast with Tony Robinson always good as Baldrick and Miriam Margolyes putting in a hilariously camp performance as Queen Victoria.
The show also has a real seasonal feel to it with the snow falling in Victorian London.
If you want some Christmas cynicism and plenty of laughs, this is for you.

Brilliant, quite brilliant!
Having seen Blackadder's Christmas Carol for the first time today, thus completing my Blackadder collection, I can honestly say I have not been disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed this extended episode from start to finish, with plenty of amusing moments to keep me laughing throughout. If you buy the DVD you will find it's money well spent.