The Muppet Christmas Carol - A Movie Review

Three muppets’ll haunt you.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 film with all your favorite muppet characters. Ebenezer Scrooge doesn’t believe in the spirit of Christmas. One night he gets a visit from three muppet ghosts who show him the past, present events and foreshadow the future.

I guess I haven’t watched The Muppets enough lately because I found The Muppets Christmas Carol a humbling adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel. The film adds the usual muppets humor to a tale we’ve heard for centuries.

Michael Caine takes on the iconic role of Ebenezer Scrooge. From the beginning, Caine told the directors that he was taking the film seriously if it involved the Muppets. Caine was remarkable in his interpretation of the role. He considers his performance in The Muppet Christmas Carol as the most memorable of his career.

All your favorite muppets are in The Muppet Christmas Carol. The Muppets play an assortment of Dickens’ characters. This is the first time Kermit the Frog has a supporting role as Bob Cratchit. Miss Piggy plays Mrs. Cratchit.

Gonzo and Rizzo narrate the tale because director, Brian Henson wanted the original narration in his project. Fozzi had the best role of all as Fozziwig. Kudos to the writers for inventing that name! Statler and Waldorf are funny as Jacob and Robert Marley.

Under the expert guidance of Brian Henson, the son of the late Jim Henson, he does a remarkable job in his directorial debut. He derived changes from the source material. This project meant a lot to Brian Henson as it was the first Muppets film without creator, Jim Henson.

Behind the scenes, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a fascinating blend of puppetry and traditional filmmaking. The Muppets have always attempted new technical tricks, something I admire. Look at the behind-the-scenes videos to see how filmmakers created the magic. Some crew dressed in a green screen fabric to make the muppets flying in the sky realistic.

A bit of movie magic was used to make the muppet's movements realistic. My favorite shot in the movie is Kermit the Frog walking down the street with Tiny Tim on his shoulders. New designs were created for The Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present. Albeit, the design for Christmas Past had a weird design. It was created using a water tank and green screen effects.

Not only the puppets, but filmmakers transform the set into a festive London town in the 1800s. Snow covers the ground and the streets and houses are decorated.

The Muppet Christmas Carol also introduces a musical element to the classic take featuring original songs by Paul Williams. ‘Marley and Marley’ is my favorite. More songs include ‘One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas,’ ‘Good King Wenceslas,’ and ‘Thankful Heart.’

The inclusion of the Muppets does not ruin Dickens’ work. The Muppet Christmas Carol maintains the story's darker elements, staying true to Dickens' original vision. This choice adds depth to the film, allowing it to balance the humor and charm of the Muppets with the underlying social commentary of Dickens' novella.

We need different renditions that are comical to A Christmas Carol as long as they remain true to the source material and message. At Christmas time we need a laugh with comical Christmas films. This film put me in the Christmas spirit when I watched it.

Put The Muppet’s Christmas Carol on your holiday list. This movie is fun for the whole family and even the kids. What better film than this to introduce the kids to the Muppets? It’s also a blast of nostalgia.