Don’t tell the filmmakers behind
Scrooge & Marley that they don’t own the rights to tamper with Dickens'
A Christmas Carol. From a musical theatre version to
Scrooged, where Bill Murray plays a TV executive gone wrong (and then right), this beloved classic has been re-worked 101 times for the era in which it lives -- and literature lives across the ages for our enjoyment.
The latest reworking,
Scrooge & Marley by directors Richard Knight Jr. and Peter Neville, is set in a gay Chicago nightclub where the owner is a real life Scrooge.
The reworking of the classic means that we will see certain familiar faces, like the three spirits. But one face that made me leap out of my seat for joy was comedian and
Oscarcast scriptwriter Bruce Vilanch, who plays Fezziwig, the owner of a club by the same name. Vilanch portrays a prime example of what any club owner wishes they could become, exuding ample life from that puffy, cherub face framed by all that hair.
What is fresh is that finally, Grand Rapids has a chance to host the West Michigan premiere of a brand new film made for the LGBT audience and those who love them.
Saturday night’s screening will also present a chance to showcase David Strzepek and Tracy Baim (producers of
Scrooge & Marley), who will be attending the premiere.
Strzepek’s Total Promotions, Inc. has allowed him to expand and continue to grow his business in unique ways. He has been involved in feature films
Hannah Free (2009) and
Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together (2011), and acted as producer of
Foodgasm (2011).
Baim started the Windy City Media Group that publishes
Windy City Times. She's produced queer cinema for years, including former Grand Rapids resident Wendy Jo Carlton's films, and is a founding leader of the LGBT Chicago Chamber of Commerce.
Admission: Limited number of $7 pre-sale tickets available online.