Our Holiday Favorites: The Muppet Christmas Carol

in

Michael Caine and the Muppets in The Muppet Christmas Carol

The first Muppet film to be made after the death of Jim Henson, The Muppet Christmas Carol came out in 1992. My parents took my sister and me to see this in a theater, and we've watched it every Christmas since. Up until a few years ago, we were still bringing out the VHS copy. 

In this take on Dickens' story, Michael Caine gamely stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, a cantankerous grump overseeing an office staffed by Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and many rats. Gonzo narrates the film as Charles Dickens, and Rizzo the Rat appears as... Rizzo the Rat. Human cameos in the movie are light. While there are dozens, nay, hundreds of Muppets in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Caine's performance is what makes this movie such a classic. His is the best Scrooge I've seen onscreen.  

Of course there are songs, but this is the last Muppet movie for which Paul Williams wrote original tunes (as of this writing). Memorable songs such as "Scrooge" and "Marley and Marley" are catchy, yet forboding. The only complaint I have with The Muppet Christmas Carol is the overtly saccharine scene when Belle sings farewell ("When Love Is Gone") to a young Scrooge. I always fast forward through it.  

There are multiple reasons why this film remains dear to my heart. I've seen it more often than any other Muppet movie, even though it is not in the same vein of their previous films (The Muppet Movie, Muppets Take Manhattan). It's not just Caine as Scrooge, or Fozzie as Fozziwig, it's the sweet film that results from the combined talents of all involved.

Want to watch? This one rarely (if ever) gets shown on TV. I Luv Video and Vulcan Video have rental copies on DVD; it's also available on Amazon Instant Video. And if you really want to get nostalgic, Encore Movies and Music has the VHS tape for rent.

[Screen capture via Groucho Reviews]