Friday, December 19, 2014

12/12-The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)





















I don't know how long this post is going to be because a lot of this film is the same as The Christmas Carol, but with Muppets, which is totally awesome, but doesn't change its similarities.

First of all, I'd like to talk credits because they were amazing.  And not because it was some cool animated opening like Outrageous Fortune or Monsters' Inc, but because it listed the Muppets as actors along with the Dickens character they are playing.  For example, "Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit."  It's a delightful little touch that just makes the immersion into the world of Muppets that much better.  But the real reason the credits rule is that it ends with "and Michael Caine as Scrooge."  After watching Patrick Stewart play Scrooge, I couldn't think of a better actor for him, but Michael Caine gives him quite the run for his money.

Two obvious differences between this one and P-Stew's, besides the obvious inclusion of Muppets, are the presence of a narrator and the fact the Muppet's version is a musical.  The music is quite nice, although not particularly catchy.  Like it's always enjoyable hearing the Muppets sing, but there's no "Cabin Fever" smash hit like they have from Muppet Treasure Island.  The best song in my opinion is probably this one:

I threw in "Cabin Fever" for a little comparison.  Also because everyone should listen to it again, then one or two more times.

The other difference I mentioned was a narrator, and in a way there were actually two.  Gonzo and Rizzo play Charles Dickens and Rizzo, respectively.  They're present in every scene, even when they're hidden in the background (which can actually be kinda fun to try and spot where they are).  Gonzo also drops from great lines like "If you liked this, you should read the book!"

Being obviously more lighthearted than P-Stew's, as well as using Muppets, which is basically cheating when it comes to winning me over, made for an immensely entertaining and endearing movie.

Rating on the feel-good-o-meter: 7 out of 10 hugs

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