The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

A Christmas Carol film adaptation series part 1:

Laura’s Rating: 5/5 Stars

This 1992 family classic stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge and all your favorite muppets as the other Dickensian characters (yes I used Dickensian). I watch this movie nearly every year and it is one of my favorite Christmas films.

The Analysis:

As you know, I rarely give perfect scores for movies but I think this movie is both high quality and very enjoyable. The Muppet Christmas Carol closely follows the same plot as the source material, with cold-hearted money lender Scrooge rejecting the Christmas spirit of those around him. After a visit from his deceased business partners (brothers instead of the single Jacob Marley in the book), Scrooge is visited by three spirits who seek to teach him a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas. Michael Caine is able to deliver a quality performance, while staying in line with the lighthearted nature of the film and its other characters.

Surprisingly, the film stays quite close to A Christmas Carol, even including many direct quotes from the original Dickens novella. The only big changes are the addition of a duo of comical narrators and some shortening of scenes, which I think actually improve upon the original plot. Muppet Gonzo as Charles Dickens and Rizzo the Rat add liveliness and humor to the story without taking away from the plot. The scenes that are changed or left out are either unnecessary or have been simplified for clarity. The book perhaps does a better job at showing everything that Scrooge is missing out on by closing his heart to others. However, I love that this movie version makes the classic tale more digestible and understandable for both adults and children. The other major difference from the book or other movie versions is the addition of a handful of catchy songs, which stay consistent with the messaging of the book and add to the feel-good vibe of the film. An unexpectedly enjoyable and well made holiday film, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a must watch.