The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol

Last updated
The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol
The Smurfs A Christmas Carol poster.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Troy Quane
Written by Todd Berger
Based on The Smurfs
by Peyo
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Produced byKurt Albrecht
Starring George Lopez
Jack Angel
Melissa Sturm
Fred Armisen
Gary Basaraba
Anton Yelchin
Hank Azaria
CinematographyJames C.J. Williams
Edited byRobert Fisher Jr.
Music by Christopher Lennertz
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date
  • December 2, 2011 (2011-12-02)
(DVD)
Running time
22 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol is a 2011 American animated short film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo, and is an adaptation Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol . The animated short was written by Todd Berger and directed by Troy Quane, and it stars the voices of George Lopez, Jack Angel, Melissa Sturm, Fred Armisen, Gary Basaraba, Anton Yelchin and Hank Azaria. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation with the animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Duck Studios. The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol was released on DVD on December 2, 2011, attached to The Smurfs film. [1]

Contents

When Grouchy Smurf behaves badly to everyone and refuses to celebrate Christmas, the Smurfs of Christmas Past, Present and Future teach him to appreciate Christmas or else every Smurf will fall into the hands of Gargamel.

Plot

On Christmas Eve, the Smurfs get ready for their Christmas party. Hefty Smurf and Handy Smurf cut down a Christmas tree, and by Christmas evening, they all finish and start to celebrate with carols. Grouchy Smurf refuses to join the party, expressing his hatred towards Christmas, much to everyone's shock as Grouchy usually puts aside his attitude to enjoy the holiday. That night, Papa Smurf creates a concoction in hopes of renewing Grouchy's Christmas spirit. The spirit finds its way into Grouchy's mug of smurfberry nog, which he promptly drinks and passes out. Subsequently, he wakes up he sees everything around him turn into animation, and finds himself animated too.

Suddenly, he sees an angel appear in his house, who seems to be Smurfette. She explains to him that she is the Smurf of Christmas Past come to teach him a lesson about appreciating Christmas. She shows him past Christmases he shared with his fellow Smurfs which leads into each Smurf receiving their presents from Papa. Grouchy hopes to get a hang-glider, but is repeatedly dismayed by the seemingly repetitive gift of receiving a brand new Smurf hat. After a good-natured yet irritating prank from Jokey, Grouchy loses his cool, sneers at Papa's gift and begins to despise Christmas. Then the Smurf of Christmas Present, who is Brainy Smurf, appears and shows how because of his refusal to help with the Christmas preparations the other Smurfs have to chip in and forgo their other Christmas related tasks, which ultimately leads to Clumsy Smurf accidentally burning the Christmas tree. The spirit then shows Papa working on the other Smurfs' gift hats and how much love and care he puts into designing and crafting each Smurf's hat. Papa expresses hope that someday Grouchy will learn to appreciate his gift and the love that goes into making it. Grouchy begins to feel guilty for taking Papa's gift for granted.

Then the Smurf of Christmas Future, who appears as Hefty Smurf, shows Grouchy his future. Hefty tells him that if he doesn't change his ways, all of the Smurfs will wander into the forest, hoping to find a way to renew Grouchy's spirit and end up getting captured by Gargamel and his cat Azrael.

Grouchy wakes up on Christmas morning as everything around him goes back to its original form, and the Smurfs come and see him on the Christmas tree decorating it by putting ornaments on it. He admits that he was wrong about Christmas, Christmas isn't a time for hating, it's about having a family who loves him and cares for him, even through he's "Grouchy". Happy to see that Grouchy learned his lesson, Papa Smurf gives him his present first, (admitting that while it isn't the hang glider he has always asked for, it was made specially for him) a new hat, which he wholeheartedly accepts and embraces Papa Smurf, who returns the embrace. He puts the star on the top of the tree and then, upon realizing Papa's words, proceeds to glide down from the tree using his new hat as a makeshift hang glider before crash landing in the snow. Grouchy briefly complains but then jokingly states that he hates "that Christmas comes only once a year". All the Smurfs join together to sing Christmas carols once more and enjoy the holiday as planned.

Cast

Production

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol went into development in December 2010, and was completed in nine months. [2] The short was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, which did the CGI, and by Duck Studios, which animated the main, hand-drawn part of the film. The CGI are the same as in the 2011 film, while the hand-drawn part follows the original designs by the Smurfs creator, Peyo, with the help of some of the artists who worked on the 1981 television series. [3] The short's director, Troy Quane, explained that the hand-drawn sequence "...gives us that dream-like moment where he's learning things from these ghosts," [2] and it is "...a nice nod to the Smurfs history as a hand drawn comic." [3]

Some of the original cast from the feature film were replaced in the short. Jack Angel, who voiced various characters in the 1980s television series, replaced Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf. [3] Katy Perry, who was eager to reprise her role of Smurfette, was replaced by Melissa Sturm, due to scheduling conflicts with her tour. [2]

Release

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol was released on December 2, 2011, only in standard definition, on DVD as part of The Smurfs three-disc holiday gift set. [4] It was released as a stand-alone DVD on September 10, 2013. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papa Smurf</span> Smurf character, leader of the smurfs

Papa Smurf is one of the protagonists from the comic strip The Smurfs. Most Smurfs are said to be about 100 years old, but at the advanced age of 546, Papa is the oldest Smurf and the leader of all Smurfs. Despite his age, he is still quite energetic. Easily distinguishable from all the other Smurfs, Papa Smurf has a bushy white mustache and beard and is typically dressed in red pants and a matching red Phrygian cap, making him the only Smurf who does not wear white. He was introduced in Peyo's 1958 Johan and Peewit story "La Flûte à Six Trous", the first appearance of the Smurfs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smurfette</span> Female character from the Smurfs

Smurfette is one of the protagonists from the comic strip The Smurfs. Smurfette was created by the evil wizard Gargamel, the Smurfs' archenemy, in order to spy on them and sow jealousy. However, she decides that she wants to be a real Smurf and Papa Smurf casts a spell that changes her hair from black to blonde as a sign of her transformation. She was the only female Smurf until the creation of Sassette. A Granny Smurf was also later introduced, although it is unclear how she was created. Thierry Culliford, the son of the comics' creator, Peyo, and current head of the Studio Peyo, announced in 2008 that more female Smurfs would be introduced in the stories. Smurfette has stereotypical feminine features, with long blonde wavy hair, long eyelashes, and wears a white dress and white high heels. She is the love interest of almost every Smurf.

<i>The Smurfs</i> (film) 2011 film by Raja Gosnell

The Smurfs is a 2011 American fantasy adventure comedy film based on the comic series of the same name created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo. It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara and Hank Azaria, with the voices of Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, Fred Armisen and Alan Cumming. It is the first live-action Sony Pictures Animation film and the first of two live-action animated Smurfs feature films.

<i>The Smurfs and the Magic Flute</i> 1976 Belgian film

The Smurfs and the Magic Flute is a 1976 Belgian animated film starring the Smurfs, directed by their creator, Peyo. Although the film premiered in 1976 in Belgium, it was not released in the United Kingdom until 1979, and in the United States until 1983, in the wake of the characters' newfound popularity.

<i>The Smurfette</i> Third album in the series The Smurfs

The Smurfette is the third album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series. The story has also been made into an episode of the Smurfs animated cartoon show, where the only known significant difference is that Smurfette stays in the village for the rest of the show's run. Apart from the titular story, it contains another one called La Faim des Schtroumpfs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gargamel</span> Smurfs fictional character

Gargamel is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Smurfs show and comic books. He is a wizard and the sworn enemy of the Smurfs. His main goals are either destroy the Smurfs, eat them, or transform them into gold.

<i>The Egg and the Smurfs</i>

The Egg and the Smurfs is the fourth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>The Smurfs and the Howlibird</i>

The Smurfs and the Howlibird is the fifth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>The Smurf Apprentice</i> Seventh album in the series The Smurfs

The Smurf Apprentice is the seventh album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>The Smurflings</i> Thirteenth album in the series The Smurfs

The Smurflings is the thirteenth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>Smurf Soup</i> Tenth album in the series The Smurfs

Smurf Soup is the tenth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>Baby Smurf</i> Twelfth album in the series The Smurfs

Baby Smurf is the twelfth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>The Olympic Smurfs</i> Eleventhh album in the series The Smurfs

The Olympic Smurfs is the eleventh album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo. It was first published in Spirou in 1980 and appeared in book format in 1984.

<i>The Smurfs</i> Belgian comic and media franchise

The Smurfs is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. The Smurfs was created and introduced as a series of comic characters by the Belgian comics artist Peyo in 1958, wherein they were known as Les Schtroumpfs. There are more than 100 Smurf characters, and their names are based on adjectives that emphasise their characteristics, such as "Jokey Smurf", who likes to play practical jokes on his fellow Smurfs. "Smurfette" was the first female Smurf to be introduced in the series. The Smurfs wear Phrygian caps, which came to represent freedom during the modern era.

<i>The Aerosmurf</i> Fourteenth album in the series The Smurfs

The Aerosmurf is the fourteenth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo. Apart from the titular one, it contains other four stories: The Gluttony of the Smurfs, The Masked Smurfer, Puppy and the Smurfs and Jokey Smurf's Jokes.

<i>The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf</i> Fifteenth album in the series The Smurfs

The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf is the fourteenth album of the original French-language Smurfs comic series created by Belgian artist Peyo.

<i>The Smurfs 2</i> 2013 film by Raja Gosnell

The Smurfs 2 is a 2013 American fantasy comedy film loosely based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo. It is the second and final installment in the Smurfs live action film series and a sequel to the 2011 film The Smurfs, produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, The Kerner Entertainment Company, and Hemisphere Media Capital, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film was again directed by Raja Gosnell from a screenplay written by Karey Kirkpatrick and the writing teams of J. David Stem and David N. Weiss, and Jay Scherick and David Ronn, and a story conceived by the latter four. The entire main cast reprised their roles from the first film. New cast members include Christina Ricci and J. B. Smoove as members of the Naughties, and Brendan Gleeson as Patrick Winslow's stepfather.

<i>The Smurfs</i> in film Films based on The Smurfs

The Smurfs have appeared in five feature-length films and two short films loosely based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo and the 1980s animated TV series it spawned. They theatrically debuted in a 1965 animated feature film that was followed by a 1976 animated film titled The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. Twenty-eight to thirty years after The Magic Flute was released in the United States, a 2011 feature film and a 2013 sequel were produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released by Columbia Pictures. Live-action roles include Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jayma Mays, while the voice-over roles include Anton Yelchin, Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, and George Lopez. A fully animated reboot titled Smurfs: The Lost Village was released through Sony in April 2017. A new reboot based on the lost village will release from Nickelodeon Movies on February 14, 2025.

<i>The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow</i> 2013 American film

The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow is a direct-to-video American animated comedy adventure short film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo. A sequel to The Smurfs 2 (2013), the short was written by Todd Berger and directed by Stephan Franck, and it stars the voices of Melissa Sturm, Fred Armisen, Anton Yelchin and Hank Azaria. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation with the animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Duck Studios. The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow was released on DVD on September 10, 2013. The film is loosely based on Washington Irving's 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".

<i>Smurfs: The Lost Village</i> 2017 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film

Smurfs: The Lost Village is a 2017 American animated fantasy adventure comedy film based on The Smurfs comic series by Peyo, produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, The Kerner Entertainment Company, and Wanda Pictures, in association with LStar Capital, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. A reboot to Sony's previous live-action/animated hybrid films and the third and final installment in Sony's Smurfs film series, the film was directed by Kelly Asbury from a screenplay written by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon, and stars the voices of Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Joe Manganiello, Mandy Patinkin, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Jake Johnson, Ariel Winter, Meghan Trainor, and Julia Roberts. In the film, a mysterious map prompts Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty to find a lost village before Gargamel does. The film introduced the female Smurfs, who appeared in the franchise the following year.

References

  1. Katz, Josh (September 21, 2011). "The Smurfs Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Gallagher, Brian (December 2, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE: Troy Quane and Kurt Albrecht Talk The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol". MovieWeb.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Noyer, Jérémie (December 21, 2011). "The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol : maxi-director Troy Quane on Sony's mini-movie!". Animated Views. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  4. S. Palmer, Michael (December 1, 2011). "A Sneak Peek at 'The Smurfs' Second Screen and Exclusive Blu-ray Special Features". High-Def Digest. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  5. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (August 6, 2013). "The World's Most Beloved Little Blue Creatures Will Embark on a New Spooky Adventure this Fall." (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved January 1, 2015.