MovieChat Forums > Scrooge (1971) Discussion > Searching for scary deleted shots from o...

Searching for scary deleted shots from original theatrical release

posted 9 years ago by electropal
6 replies | jump to latest

Previous posts have addressed scary scenes that were deleted at some point, but brought back partially in newer releases.

I would love to know if anyone else remembers the VERY scary shots that made a huge impression on me as a kid, and also showed up in the versions shown on TV for several years.

The quick shots I'm referring to have since been deleted from every copy and version of the film I can find, but they were shown in the theater, and on TV before Turner, or whoever owns the film now, got their hands on it.

The scenes I'm talking about are when Marley shows up for the first time and tries to prove he is real. What finally convinces Scrooge is when he unties the 'Lazarus Cloth' used during this time period to keep corpses mouths shut, and his jaw drops to his chest. Terrifying.

The other deleted shot is when Scrooge is in Hell, and after Marley tells him to be careful that the rats like to 'nibble things'. Actual rats show up at this point and start to crawl over his feet, etc. That one I really don't understand why it was cut. I would give ANYTHING to find these deleted shots that scared the crap out of me as a kid.

I have searched and searched, from VHS to Laser disk and beyond, and not even the early VHS tapes contain these images. Anyone else remember those shots from the original version?? I'd sell my soul to the devil to get my hands on them now. =)

[–] hemi165 9 years ago

I know TCM shows that version when they show it for the Holidays…..it's possible that the DVD may be the uncut version. I'm not sure a new DVD is out that may have those extra scenes, who knows what the future would bring.

[–] electropal 9 years ago

Cool, thank you! I will check it out this season...

[–] craig-169 9 years ago

I think you may be mis-remembering the scene with Marley and the cloth. Scrooge is very rarely cut here in the uk, and I have several issues of the dvd, and this scene isnt included. I do remember this scene happening in other adaptions, but not in the Albert FInney version.

REgards

[–] Eric-62-2 9 years ago

The "jaw dropping to the chest" moment of Marley's only happened in the Patrick Stewart version, but also in the 1971 animated version voiced by Alastair Sim. In "Scrooge", Alec Guiness's Marley wears no such cloth.

In the 1984 George C. Scott version, Frank Finlay does untie the cloth and his jaw falls open, but only naturally (no F/X added) and not down to his chest.

[–] CoriSCapnSkip (2360) 3 years ago

You are half right. Alec Guinness's Marley does wear a jaw wrapping--didn't know it was called a Lazarus cloth--but he doesn't untie it in the version I saw on YouTube--don't know that one's origin.

The jaw drop on the Patrick Stewart version made quite the impression!

[–] CoriSCapnSkip (2360) 3 years ago

You might check out the HD version now on YouTube. It does include a shot of actual rats crawling over something, but not Scrooge's feet.