The holiday season is upon us, and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of the most treasured stories of this time of year. This week, Rob and Jill look at one that involves puppets. That’s right, we’re going deep into 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol.
The film stars a human – namely Michael Caine – as Ebeneezer Scrooge. Caine is brilliant in the role, all the more so because he is escorted through Scrooge’s redemption by a cadre of Muppets. Kermit the Frog is Bob Cratchit; Fozzie the Bear plays Fozziwig. Gonzo the Great takes the role of Dickens himself and narrates the story, accompanied by Rizzo the Rat as comic relief. Waldorf and Statler split the Marley role into two brothers, and you’ll find many other beloved muppets popping up throughout the film as well. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, however, are Muppets created just for these roles.
This movie had high expectations to meet – it was the first Muppets film made after the death of Jim Henson. It also features a compelling soundtrack with songs penned by Paul Williams, who co-wrote the famous “Rainbow Connection.”
There are many versions of this story, including some others you can find on Disney+, such as the beloved Mickey’s Christmas Carol. So is The Muppet Christmas Carol worth your Christmas-time? Watch this week’s episode to find out!
Plus, get bonus recommendations as Rob and Jill present their “Deep Pick of the Week.” Hint: If you’re a Boy Meets World fan, you’ll want to catch Rob’s pick this week.
You can also go back and check out our previous episodes reviewing the back catalog of Disney content on the Disney+ streaming network:
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Surprised it is not mentioned that this is the edited version and the key song in the middle of the movie is left out. This is the same version as the blu-ray and it was edited to make the movie shorter and better for kids, but definitely affects one’s understanding of the pain the main character is feeling. Two bad they are not offering both versions.
This is one of my favorite holiday movies. We watch it every year. Michael Caine is great, and you would never know from his actions that the muppets were not real. Also, Gonzo and Rizzo as the narrators is brilliant in my opinion! It’s the perfect blend of serious and not serious. LOVE IT!!
But did they finally put back in The Love We Lost? Disney has been promising for years to fix this film. The end song just doesn’t make as much sense and the continuity doesn’t flow as well where they cut it.