Throwback Thursday "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

Today's feature is one to get you ready for the holidays in in a fun kind of way. How many of you remember "The Muppets", well today's 'Throwback Thursday' is that of The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Michael Caine is miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and Kermit the Frog is kindly Bob Cratchit in the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational take on the Dickens tale ever to star 99 percent Muppets.


This film was directed by Jim Henson's son, Brian. Taking over the puppeteering role of Kermit, originally performed by Jim Henson before his death in 1990, was Steve Whitmire. It was shot in Shepperton Studios, England and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite the use of Muppets throughout filming and a humorous spin on much of the story, this film is a fairly close adaptation of the original story. The film is even interspersed with scenes of a narrator (Gonzo playing Dickens), who, along with the characters, recites many of Dickens's original lines. One notable difference from the original story is the addition of Jacob Marley's brother, Robert, who was not present in Dickens' story. It is suggested this name was chosen as an oblique reference to musician Bob Marley. Another alteration involved changing the name of the character Fezziwig to Fozziwig, as Fozzie Bear played the role.*

This is the first Muppet movie in which the story revolves around characters played by human beings, specifically, Ebenezer Scrooge played by Michael Caine. The rest of the cast consisted of mostly Muppet performers. Several pivotal roles — in particular, the three Christmas Spirits — were portrayed by specially-created Muppet characters. It was at one time considered that well-known Muppets would be cast in these roles (Miss Piggy, Scooter, and Gonzo, specifically) before it was decided that it would detract from the ominous effect the spirits would need to convey. Only the Ghost of Christmas Present is clearly a muppet (albeit a giant one), while the Ghost of Christmas past is an etherial childlike spirit and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is a cloaked and terrifying figure as per tradition.* The film would also be dedicated to the memory of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt, two original Muppet performers, who died before the film's release.

This is an excellent re-telling of Dickens' classic, with the added twist of Muppet humor and charm. The Muppet characters fit Dickens' characters so well that it would be easy to think he had them in mind while writing. The music adds a magic to the movie that brings out all the emotion that Dickens wrote into the original novel. The story is so good that it would be real difficult to make a bad movie out of it. And the even greater thing about this film is that it is fitting for all ages not just children.





*Wikipedia