''Barbie in A Christmas Carol'' is a 2008

computer-animated Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes ( still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...

Christmas film Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in in literature and Christmas music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptatio ...

directed by William Lau and produced by

Mattel Entertainment Mattel Television is the television production division of American toy and entertainment company Mattel, originally founded under the name Mattel Creations on March 31, 2016. It is headed by general manager and senior vice president, Frederic So ...

with

Rainmaker Entertainment Mainframe Studios is a Canadian computer animation company owned by Wow Unlimited Media and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 1993 as Mainframe Entertainment Inc. by Christopher Brough, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell, Gavin Blair and ...

. It was given a limited theatrical release by

Kidtoon Films Kidtoon Films is a distributor of children's animated films in the United States. The company is a subsidiary of The Bigger Picture, a Cinedigm company. It was previously owned by SD Entertainment which produced many of its earlier releases. The ...

on November 1, 2008. It was later released to DVD on November 4, 2008, and it made its television premiere on Nick Jr. UK on December 23, 2011. The fourteenth entry in the

Barbie film series This article lists all CGI/ computer-animated feature films and streaming television films which form the core component of the multimedia franchising of ''Barbie'', a fashion doll manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel. ...

, it is based on

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

's 1843 novel and features the voice of

Kelly Sheridan Kelly Sheridan is a Canadian voice actress best known for being the voice for Barbie in the ''Barbie'' film series from 2001 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2015. She had also voiced in numerous animations and English-language dubs of Japanese animati ...

Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. ...

, with

Morwenna Banks Tamsin Morwenna Banks (born 20 September 1961) is a British comedy actress, writer and producer. She appeared in the Channel 4 comedy sketch show '' Absolutely'', and wrote, produced, and appeared in the British ensemble film ''The Announcemen ...

as Eden Starling (a female version of

Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge () is the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. At the beginning of the novella, Scrooge is a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas. The tale of his redemption by three spirits (the Ghost of ...

played by Barbie).

Official description

"Barbie in A Christmas Carol is a heart-warming adaptation of the classic Dickens story filled with cherished Christmas carols, fabulous fashions and lots of laughs! The tale stars Barbie as Eden Starling the glamorous singing diva of a theatre in Victorian London. Along with her snooty cat, Chuzzlewit, Eden selfishly plans to make all the theatre performers stay and rehearse on Christmas Day! Not even Eden's costume designer and childhood friend, Catherine can talk Eden out of her self-centered tantrum. It's up to three very unusual Christmas Spirits to take Eden on a fantastical holiday journey that will open her heart to the spirit of the season and the joy of giving. Barbie in A Christmas Carol is a family favorite to enjoy every holiday season!"

Plot

The story is told by Barbie to her little sister Kelly; who is reluctant to go to a

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

charity ball instead of spending the holiday at home with family. Eden Starling is the glamorous, star

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

and owner of the Gads Hill Theatre in Victorian

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

; as well as an arrogant, self-centered diva with a hatred for Christmas. She is frequently accompanied by her snooty cat, Chuzzlewit. The theater's employees—Freddy, a stage magician; twin ballerinas Ann and Nan; clown Maurice; and costume designer Catherine Beadnell—are reprimanded by Eden for their festive moods, and she declares that they are to work on Christmas day, ruining their holiday plans. Catherine, Eden's childhood best friend, tries to convince her otherwise to no avail. That night, Eden is visited by the ghost of her late Aunt Marie (the film's version of

Jacob Marley Jacob Marley is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'', a former business partner of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who has been dead for seven years.Hawes, Donal''Who's Who in Dickens'' Routledge (1998), Goog ...

), bound by the chains forged from her misdeeds in life. Marie warns Eden that her actions are leading her down the same path as her aunt and that she will be visited by three spirits in an attempt to help her change her ways. Eden is first visited by the cheery Spirit of Christmas Past who takes Eden back in time to her childhood. As a young girl, Eden was forced to study music under the domineering Aunt Marie with little rest. Eden secretly sneaks out of the house to celebrate Christmas with Catherine and her family. The festivities are interrupted at the arrival of an enraged Marie. After the incident, Eden was forbidden from celebrating Christmas and Marie further instilled her self-centered views into her niece. Eden is visited next by the jolly

Spirit of Christmas Present The Ghost of Christmas Present is a fictional character in Charles Dickens' 1843 novella '' A Christmas Carol''. The Ghost is one of three spirits which appear to miser Ebenezer Scrooge to offer him a chance of redemption. Following a visit ...

. The Spirit takes Eden to the theatre where she learns of the other performers' disdain for her. The Spirit then shows Eden that Catherine is visiting a local orphanage. Catherine generously gifts them clothes and is particularly close to a crippled orphan named Tammy (the film's version of Tiny Tim). Eden's heart softens after witnessing the scene but becomes concerned when the owner tells Catherine that the orphanage will be likely be closed due to a lack of funding. Finally, Eden is visited by the mysterious yet kindly Spirit of Christmas future. Eden is shocked to find her future-self living in poverty. The Spirit explains that Eden had fired her employees, including Catherine, after they'd showed up late one Christmas. Afterwards, the acts hired by Eden to replace them failed to impress audiences, leading to Eden losing her fame and fortune. Eden visits Catherine, who is now an accomplished fashion designer, at her new store for help. Catherine explains that after Eden fired her, she left the country to find work. Returning months later, financially stable and ready to adopt Tammy, she is dismayed to find the orphanage closed and the children gone. Since then, Catherine has become disillusioned with Christmas, focusing only on advancing her career and even adopting Eden's selfish outlook on life and treating her workers cruelly. Catherine then refuses to aid the impoverished Eden and throws her out of her shop. Horrified, Eden begs the spirits for another chance to redeem herself and alter the future; after which she awakens back in her bedroom on Christmas morning. Filled with newfound joy, Eden arrives at the theater and gives gifts to all her employees as well as allowing them to take the holiday off, which changes their outlook on her. At Eden's urging, Catherine takes her to the orphanage, which Eden promises to financially support herself. Freddy arrives with a carriage—which the spirits magically turn into a sleigh for it to move through the snow—and Catherine and Eden ride off with him to spend Christmas with Catherine's family. The orphan's wave them goodbye, joined by the unseen ghost of Aunt Marie, now free of her chains. The story instills Kelly with a new sense of generosity. Barbie's friend Nikki comes in to remind them they are late and Barbie and Kelly leave for the event.

Voice cast

Promotion

To promote the film, an exclusive interview for Amazon.com featuring Barbie (voiced by Kelly Sheridan) was released, called "Barbie Talks About Her Holiday Movie".

DVD Sales

The film was released on November 4, 2008 and grossed $6,626,008 in the U.S. DVD market.

Adaptation

Based on the 1843 book ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas C ...

'' by

, the film was adapted into a story book written by Mary Man-Kong and published by

Golden Books *Western Publishing (1907−2001) — , magazines, and {{C, Children's book publishers, children's books publisher, formerly based in Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is ...

(a division of

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

References

External links

* ', barbie.com site * *
Random House page

Golden Book page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barbie In A Christmas Carol 2008 films American computer-animated films Barbie films Films set in the 2000s Canadian computer-animated films American animated feature films Canadian animated feature films Films set in England Films set in London Films set in the 19th century American Christmas films 2000s American films 2000s Canadian films Animated Christmas films Canadian Christmas films