Just about everyone is very familiar with one version or another of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” but have you ever had the story read to you? This “Ghost Story of Christmas” is particularly well suited to the medium of radio — where your imagination provides unlimited special effects.

By the way, did you know it was an English custom in the 1800s to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve? This came from the old pagan Yule celebrations of Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice.

When Tony Palermo wrote his radio adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” he meant to take the audience back to Charles Dickens’ original purpose for writing the story some 165 years ago. His version is based on the production done by Orson Wells in 1939, staring Lionel Barrymore.

Palermo’s radio tale seeks to play up the ghostly aspects of the story — but in the context of the 19th century Christian beliefs.

Ebenezer Scrooge holds terrible, anti-social attitudes. His character is based upon Charles Dickens’ regrets for his own personal behavior — in not being kind enough to his fellow man, in not being charitable enough to unfortunates; in fact, Scrooge’s history is a reflection upon Dickens’ early life.

Dickens’s major literary themes were memory and forgiveness. He believed that through experiencing the joy and sorrow of memory, you could learn to live properly in this world; hence, Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption is carried out by memory, example, and fear.

On the stage, before the actual reading, demonstrations will be given showing how the sound effects are made and there will be a little background about how radio dramas are produced. The artists will be reading the script and technicians will be producing on stage sound effects.

A cast of 12, directed by the Soper-Reese Artistic Director Bert Hutt will present the live radio broadcast of this classic tale of redemption performed live on stage of the Soper-Reese Community Theater and broadcast on KPFZ 88.1 FM, Community Supported Radio for Lake County.

This program is underwritten by the generous donations of CPS-County Air Properties and BitSculptor and is free for everyone who comes to the theater or has a radio.

The Lake County Arts Council and KPFZ radio thanks you, the community, for your support. Please join us for this free presentation on Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

Visit KPFZ 88.1 FM online at www.kpfz.org.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}

The doggie festivities will begin at 2 p.m.

Dana Moore's new book for the holidays is “Doglett Finds a Christmas Tree.”

Adults and children love this book, which is a perfect stocking stuffer for the pet lover in your life.

Dana Moore and Doglett will be on hand to sign and paw print your book.

Davis Photography will be on hand for Christmas photos of families and their dogs.

Wild About Books is located at 14290 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, telephone 994-9453. Visit the store on the Web at www.wildaboutbooks.net.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}

Harbor Village Artists are inviting all those who missed last Saturday to join them for another great day of demonstrations by the artists of The Gourd Gallery, Pomo Fine Arts Gallery, Lakeside and Konocti Art Galleries.

Painting, jewelry making, wood burning, carving and Native American craftmanship will be ongoing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join them at 6197 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne and enjoy the music, munchies and great art in progress.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}

Weiss, a Lake County writer, published this book in 2006, but never before promoted it. He says he is willing to promote it now because he wants it to help people.

He will be discussing the subject of the book – what he learned during the 10 years he experienced panic attacks – as well as the genre of memoir and non-fiction writing in general.

The show's host is Lake County Poet Laureate Mary McMillan.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}

Director and writer Baz Luhrmann has a reputation for bold, audacious work, where his dreams are realized in grand cinematic fashion. If anything, the lushly photographed musical “Moulin Rouge” was daring and visionary, even though it was the type of film that invited high praise or disdainful scorn.

His latest brilliant stroke of filmmaking genius may be less likely to stir divided passions. In a very conventional way, “Australia” is a grand epic which combines melodrama, adventure and romance against the backdrop of the early stages of World War II.

One of the film’s interesting conceits is that it is narrated by an 11-year-old boy named Nullah (Brandon Walters), a poster child for the racial conflicts in the Australian Outback. The engaging Nullah is a half-caste, or a half-Aboriginal, half-Caucasian child, who is victimized by the segregated society of Australia in the 1930s and 1940s. He understands his role as an outcast and becomes a central figure in the story that unfolds with the arrival of Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), a prim, uptight British socialite who has a stake in a cattle ranch.

Back in England, Sarah, lost in a superficial life, becomes convinced that her husband is cheating on her during his trip to Australia to sell Faraway Downs, their struggling cattle ranch. Dressed in her finest clothes, Sarah travels from London to the rugged wilderness of the Northern Territory to confront him. Instead, she encounters tragedy upon discovering that her husband had been murdered. This turn of events raises the stakes on what to do about the crumbling Faraway Downs, particularly when devious cattle baron King Carney (Byran Brown) is eager to snag the property.

Lady Sarah’s first take on Australia is formed by her meeting with the Drover (Hugh Jackman), the rough-hewn cattleman whose specialty is running herds of cattle across the unforgiving terrain of the Outback. The Drover becomes Sarah’s reluctant guide from the port city of Darwin back to the ranch. Their profound mutual dislike is tempered by another tragedy when Sarah suddenly finds herself caring for Nullah when he’s orphaned by the accidental death of his mother.

Now, mutual dislike between Sarah and the Drover may be a harsh assessment, but we all know how it will play out in the end, given that this movie has romance as a key element and that the two of them feature prominently in an embrace in the film’s advertising. Before we get to the romance, there’s the serious business of saving Faraway Downs from the evil King Carney and his scheming station manager Neil Fletcher (David Wenham). To save the ranch, Sarah must join forces with the Drover and drive 1,500 head of cattle across Australia’s breathtaking yet brutal landscape.

During the cattle drive to Darwin, the movie takes on the feel of a Western, except Indian tribes don’t materialize out of nowhere. Instead, Nullah’s mystical grandfather King George (David Gulpilil) magically appears on the outskirts of the action, as if he were some sort of guardian angel. There is, however, an ambush from King Carney’s thugs, trying to fulfill a plot to hasten the demise of the Faraway Downs operation, which leads to a terrible stampede fraught with plenty of danger.

Then, as the misfit band of ranch hands led by Sarah and the Drover achieve success in their cattle drive, the action shifts in a completely different direction. The Western adventure gives way to a war movie, as the Japanese launch an aerial attack on Darwin, causing massive destruction and upheaval. Meanwhile, Nullah is snatched by the authorities and spirited away to Mission Island to live with other banished half-caste children. For good measure, racial politics is thrown into the mix.

Almost an endurance contest, “Australia” is a long movie by any classic standards. Evidently, Luhrmann put his heart and soul into this ambitious work, and though the results are somewhat mixed, there’s no doubt as to the rousing, passionate nature of this sweeping epic.

Full of beautiful imagery, “Australia” captures our attention with its glorious visual treats. But like most Luhrmann films, this one is an acquired taste, which works best if you allow yourself to be swept away by its mesmerizing pull. At the very least, Hugh Jackman delivers with his usual charm.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

I am not that big on science fiction, and if I never see another “Star Trek” movie, that’s just fine.

On the other hand, I know I will be seeing the new version of “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly. It’s simply a matter of showing up for work. On the other hand, it might be a good idea to take a look at the Special Edition release of the original 1951 classic story of hope and peace, which was widely acclaimed as one of the most influential and thought-provoking science-fiction films of all time.

Hey, it’s hard to imagine Keanu Reeves could be in the same movie. However, the original “The Day the Earth Stood Still” starred Oscar-winner Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie. And now, you can buy the original in Blu-ray or DVD, wherein you’ll find some special bonus materials like a “Making Of” featurette.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}

The free event will include a visit from Goomba Claus on Friday night, with musician Don Coffin providing the tunes. There will be a European market with craft vendors, hot mulled wine and cocoa.

Chef Tony will do a cooking demonstration at noon. Then at 2 p.m. you can learn to make a gift worthy of giving, even if you do not consider yourself to be “crafty.” Children’s workshops will be ongoing starting at noon.

Join them mid-afternoon to hear authentic Persian music from Hamed on the piano, have your photo taken with La Befana or Babbo Natale, take part in a cooking contest and the Italian version of “La Posada” to end this perfect day at 6 p.m.

Be sure and stop by Terrill Cellars and try out the new labels along with your old favorites.

AnnDrew Art at the Tuscan Village is located at 16175-B Main St., Lower Lake, telephone 995-5079 or 278-0312.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}