With all the attempts at making and remaking film versions of the Dickens' classic, one would think that the essence of the Victorian novelette could make it onto the screen quite easily.<br /><br />In this version, the original text and flow is followed somewhat faithfully - to it's credit. Patrick Stewart and Richard E. Grant actually do a fair job with Scrooge and Cratchit. However, the direction and production are woefully horrible. The photography is technically bad; it is poor overlit TV. The special effects are cheesy and amateurish. There is no "spirit" to this production.<br /><br />While I praised Patrick Stewart, I was disappointed that I did not see a building of his remorse, then the transformation. It just sort of happened without any motivation. Actually, I sense this is the director's fault, because he has relied so heavily on special effects to carry the story.