The Muppet Christmas Carol (Musical Mondays)

This was originally intended for Monday but I caught the flu over the weekend. Better late then never!

   
     Most people probably grew up with one version or another of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. I experienced a few different adaptations growing up. The most prominent (and the one we'd watch annually as a family) was the musical Scrooge (1970) with Albert Finney but we also frequently watched the Mister Magoo version and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Released on December 11th, 1992, The Muppet Christmas Carol is Directed by Brian Henson from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. It is the first Muppet movie produced after Jim Henson's death in 1990.

     With Henson gone many of the Muppet's had to be recast. Steve Whitmore does a great job with the unenviable task of replacing Henson as Kermit the Frog and would continue to voice the character for another 24 years . David Goelz fills in as Waldorf and David Rudman as the Swedish Chef while Rowlf makes no appearance. Muppet performer Richard Hunt had also passed away just before production started and Beaker and Statler also had to be recast (by Whitmore and Jerry Nelson respectively).  

     The decision to cast Gonzo (David Goelz) as "Charles Dickens" was an inspired one and it allows the film to include much of Dicken's delightful prose that is usually cut out in other adaptations. Unfortunately, Gonzo often comes across rather subdued and out of character in this film as a result. The rest of the Muppets are all perfectly cast, from Kermit and Piggie (Frank Oz) as Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit; Robin (Jerry Nelson) as Tiny Tim; Fozzie (also Oz) as Fezziwig (renamed Fozziwig of course); Statler (Jerry Nelson) and Waldorf (David Goelz) as the Marley brothers (Jacob is humorously given a brother named Robert in this adaptation);  and Sam the Eagle (Oz once again) as Scrooge's pompous schoolmaster.

     Despite all the usual Muppet lunacy this is a largely respectful adaptation of Dicken's Classic. It strikes a good balance between Scrooge's redemptive arc and the message of social responsibility that is so central in the novel. Micheal Caine is great as Ebenezer Scrooge, playing the role perfectly straight in contrast to all the antics around him. The other human actors all do a fine job as well especially Meredith Braun, who plays Belle, and Steven Mackintosh as Scrooge's nephew.

     The Muppet Christmas Carol is a fine musical. Paul Williams, who had worked on the soundtrack for The Muppet Movie along with Ken Ascher, returned to write the songs for this film. Though they don't have the same satirical brilliance of that film's score, the songs in this film still manage to be alternatively funny and heartwarming. We start off with "Scrooge" an irony filled introduction to the film's main character, sung by the Muppety citizens of London. Then, "One More Sleep 'til Christmas", sung by Kermit's Bob Cratchit, is a more uplifting and subdued number, showing the characters quiet optimism. "Marley and Marley" is a particularly spirited song, as Scrooge's former business partners bewail their "avarice and greed" and warn him to change lest he share their fate. Sung by the Ghost of Christmas Present (a wonderful new puppet voiced by Jerry Nelson) "It Feels Like Christmas" is a feel-good number as the jolly spirit shows Ebenezer everything he's missing out on by rejecting Christmas. "Bless Us All" is a heartwarming little song sung by Tiny Tim (Jerry Nelson's Robin) as his family gathers around the table for Christmas dinner. Finally "Thankful Heart" sung by Scrooge himself, is a delightful little ditty which shows the characters change of heart.

     Two songs were cut from the final film, and a third was never shot. "When Love is Gone", which was restored for the VHS and LaserDisc releases (but sadly left off on the DVD and Blu-ray) really should have been kept in the film. Not only does it help explore Scrooge's failed relationship with Belle (Meredith Braun), which the theatrical release covers all too briefly, it also recurs at the end of the film with "When Love Is Found" which is essentially an inversion of the cut song. An alternate version of the song sung by Martina McBride can be heard in the film's end credits (making it's absence in the film even more noticeable). The other song which was cut (though it can be heard on the soundtrack album) is "Room in Your Heart" sung by Dr. Honeydew (Dave Goelz) and Beaker (Steve Whitmire) which was a good song but far less essential for the story. Finally a song by Sam the Eagle called Chairman of the Board was written for the movie but supposedly never shot (though again it can be heard on the album).

     The Muppet Christmas Carol is easily the best of the early Disney Muppet movies, and the only film that stands up next to the classics of the Henson era. It's also one of the best, and most faithful, adaptations of Dicken's beloved tale.

Score: 9/10