Next comes 1992’s The Muppets Christmas Carol. Now, this is how you do a Scrooge musical – get the Jim Henson Workshop involved and have Michael Caine play it completely straight as Mr Humbug while all around him descend into furry festive anarchy.
It’s splendidly good fun, with one of the more memorable and beloved musical numbers, ‘One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas’ really getting stuck in my head. I’ve spent most of my weekend tirelessly filling up a skip as we try to clear all the old crap from this house. It’s been tiring, miserable work, so it’s a pleasure to spend 90 minutes or so with Henson’s most famous, madcap creations.
This one cleverly has blue-nosed furry Gonzo ‘act’ the part of Charles Dickens as he and trusted rodent pal Rizzo the Rat break the fourth wall to narrate and guide us round an impeccably quaint, snowy Victorian London. It feels like a vast, complicated production, full of puppets, elaborate sets and loads going on at once, so I really appreciate the massive effort that must have gone into filming every scene. This really is quite the technical achievement. But, luckily, it’s also really funny and emotional too, with upbeat, toe-tapping musical numbers that don’t outstay their welcome.
All our favourite Muppets pop up as recognisable characters from Dickens’ tale, including Kermit the Frog who’s a perfect hard-working, under-appreciated Bob Cratchit, while his cute frog nephew Robin makes for the most sympathetic, adorable Tiny tim ever put on screen. Miss Piggy threatens to steal the show, transforming Mrs Cratchit from a loving, caring wife into a simmering, furious bunny-boiler - just like Miss Piggy, then.
It’s been said a million times before but Jim Henson’s puppets really do convey so much soul, warmth and humour and the film, directed and produced by his son Brian is dedicated to his memory. I especially enjoy the joyous "annual penguin skating party!”
The ghosts are just the right balance of creepy and cute. ‘Christmas Past’ is a gorgeous, diaphanous, floaty elfin thing that leaves me wondering how on earth they achieved her swirling, ghostly look. The power of puppetry and animatronics also allows Henson to create the most perfect , jolly ‘Christmas Present’ spirit, while they wisely make the ‘Christmas Yet to Come’ ghoul kinda goofy, with big sausage fingers, most likely in an effort not to freak out little ones. It works.
Caine is superb, playing Scrooge as splendidly dignified and reserved throughout. He never goes over-the-top and makes Ebeneezer’s transformation from scowly miser into singing saint a believable one, providing the perfect crescendo to a classic movie that’s about as warm and captivating as family Christmas films get.
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