Based on the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens, The Muppet Christmas Carol is by far my favorite Christmas movie ever. Starring the entire Muppet cast and Sir Michael Caine, this film was crafted so beautifully that even though it might seem like it’s just another silly Muppet movie, there are certain elements that make the viewer go “Hmm. Wow. That was moving”.
The Muppet Christmas Carol provides a surprisingly accurate interpretation of the story, perfectly casting the Muppets as the original characters.
The movie opens with Gonzo the Great announcing that he is Charles Dickens and will be telling the story, along with Rizzo the Rat (who is just there for the food), acting as a co-narrator.
The way that the Henson Company casted the Muppets as these Dickens characters was genius: Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, the main protagonist, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Bob Cratchit’s wife, Robin the Frog (Kermit’s nephew) as Tiny Tim, the ill son of Bob and Emily, and many others. The ghosts of Christmas Past (who is absolutely terrifying), Present, and Yet to Come, were all original Muppets made specifically for this film.
However, possibly the most important actor in this film is Sir Michael Caine in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. It is very widely known that Caine intended from the beginning that he would not give a silly approach to his acting in this film. “I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role,” he said to Brain Henson, who later recounted it in an article by The Guardian. Caine truly does give a very serious performance and he treats the Muppets as if they were his human supporting actors.
What sets this adaptation apart from any others is the fact that it is a musical, truly making it a Muppet movie. Composed by Paul Williams (the president of the American songwriting organization ASCAP and the writer of the original Muppet song “Rainbow Connection), the soundtrack offers an enhancement of the original story, making it more interesting for the audience.
My favorite song from the soundtrack would be the very first musical feature, “Scrooge”. This song shows just how much the people in this town resent Ebenezer Scrooge, the fact that he is all putting them into debt, and that there are “no cheeses for the meeses”.
All in all, the casting, acting, soundtrack, and most importantly, The Muppets truly make this version of A Christmas Carol an accurate adaptation and a worthwhile watch this holiday season.
