i know many people have a special fondness for the alistair sim version of dickens story and but for me and this 1984 version be the one to beat . my wife and i own a copy of this film on vhs and and we watch it together every christmas eve . i often remark that we could watch it on halloween too and because it a very creepy ghost story . scott typecast a scrooge be shudderingly mean and nasty and make his transformation all the more miraculous and move . i think it up there with his performance in patton . the spirit be all effective and each one creepy than the last . watch the dark and floating and skeletal form of the spirit of christmas yet to come sends shiver down my spine every year . and what a support cast . david warner and in particular and be in top form a bob cratchit and a be susannah york a his wife . i seem to recall that this version stick close to the original story than most others but i may be mistake and a it be several year since i read it . regardless and this be a terrific christmas classic .