The Muppet Christmas Carol
by Brian Henson
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DVD details
Actor: Dave Goelz, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Michael Caine, Steve WhitmireDirector: Brian Henson
Producer: Frank Oz
Producer: Brian Henson
Producer: David Barron
Producer: Jerry Juhl
Writer: Jerry Juhl
Producer: Martin G. Baker
Writer: Charles Dickens
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 85 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-08
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Video
DVD Reviews of The Muppet Christmas Carol
DVD Review: Wonderfully unique take on an old classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you've seen one version of A Christmas Carol, you've seen them all! At least that's how I felt when I saw a recent made-for-TV musical version of the Charles Dickens' classic. After all, who doesn't know the story by now? I've written reviews for other filmed versions of A Christmas Carol here on Amazon.com, and you can see that by time I critiqued the one with Patrick Stewart, I wasn't impressed. My personal favorite is the 1984 TV-movie with George C. Scott and unlike many; I didn't really like the one with Alistair Sim (though his performance is without equal). I guess when you pick a favorite, all others seem unoriginal, offering nothing new.
Then there's The Muppet Christmas Carol...now THAT'S original!
Ok, so the story remains the same: in one night, Ebenezer Scrooge learns the meaning of Christmas from several ghostly visitors, transforming his character from bitterness to joyous repent. That hasn't changed, nor should it. It is a musical, but that also is not new, as there's a well known and incredibly long-winded musical called Scrooge starring Albert Finney. And another excellent actor portrays Scrooge in the muppet film, carrying on the tradition of Sim, Scott and Finney.
Nonetheless, the differences are pretty obvious. Most of the (normally human) characters are played by muppets. Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchet, Fozzie Bear plays Fezziwig - er - I mean Fozziwig, and, in an odd yet brilliant departure, Gonzo the Great plays Charles Dickens narrating his own tale. The advantage of showcasing muppets instead of human actors is that it allows the characters to be silly and funny in ways their human counterparts cannot. Thus the film becomes more fun in the process. Yet, it never loses its heart, and The Muppet Christmas Carol may well be the most touching of all versions.
The musical numbers in the muppet version are actually very well done. Musicals can become problematic when the songs start to eclipse the action and dialogue. That recent made-for-TV musical I previously mentioned is one such example. This film features about 7 or 8 songs, but feels like only 4 or 5...and that's a good thing. Such songs as "It Feels Like Christmas" and "When Love is Gone" are enjoyable and poignant...and don't be surprised if you find yourself whistling a couple of the tunes.
A lesser actor might have delivered an over-the-top performance as Ebenezer Scrooge for fear having the show stolen away by his muppet co-stars. But film legend Michael Caine decided to play Scrooge straight. While he does have some fun in the process, Sir Michael gives a real, honest-to-goodness performance here. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, especially to a huge Caine fan like myself. Yet he's an actor who still surprises on occasion. He strikes the perfect balance between humor and sentiment. It's fun to watch Caine sing as well, which is one of those surprises. While he doesn't have the best singing voice, he makes it work because he knows that Scrooge is so happy (at that point in the story) that Scrooge would break out into song, whether he sounded good or not! Michael Caine delivers a wonderful performance and has done the seemingly impossible, stolen much of the film away from muppets!
I, like many others, believe that Disney should produce a special edition DVD of The Muppet Christmas Carol in anamorphic widescreen. I'd also like to see the image cleaned up as the video I have now isn't the highest quality it could be. The film makes such good use of the beautifully elaborate sets and colorful costumes, it's a shame these images are so constricted in the 4:3 pan-and-scan format!
The Muppet Christmas Carol is more than a fun family film. It takes its place among the many fine adaptations of Dickens' classic story. With its warmth, humor and originality, I consider it one of the best!
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