Why The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best version of the Dickens classic
Author: Jennifer Asensio Published
Christmas carols is a classic 1843 novella by Charles Dickens that was almost immediately adapted into a visual performance, first on the stage and then on the screen. Nearly two centuries later, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his holiday encounters with the supernatural remains popular with audiences and has been remade many times. Of all the adaptations, there’s one that returns not just every season, but year-round: The Muppet Christmas Carol.
This version stars Michael Caine and a cast of Muppets: Caine plays the role of Scrooge completely in this film, as if the famous Henson puppets were just extras on the set. He starred opposite Kermit the Frog, the Heckler and the three Ghosts of Christmas Past (all of whom were puppets), which is one of the reasons the film became a classic. Caine, playing Mrs. Cratchit, handled being scolded by Miss Piggy with the seriousness of Alfred’s character in the Batman movies.
The story of Ebenezer Scrooge is famous: he was visited by the ghost of his former business partner, who warned him that three other ghosts were coming, intending to scare him away from his stingy behavior. Their success led him to be generous, especially to his employee Bob Cratchit and Cratchit’s disabled son, Tim Jr.
However, there are some differences between most versions of the film and the original novella. Dickens wrote the original novel to raise awareness of the children working in the British mines. As the Ghost of Christmas Present makes way for his successor, Scrooge is introduced to two sinister children named Clueless and Exuberant, who echo his anti-poor sentiments.
More serious topics remain in The Muppet Christmas Carol, But not so overwhelming that it makes the movie scary. The whole family can enjoy it without giving little ones nightmares, especially since the cast is mostly familiar and kid-friendly characters.
Most importantly, the film retains the novella’s themes of family and community unity. Scrooge learns that he plays a role in the world around him, that his existence is intertwined with that of his relatives Bob Cratchit and the Cratchit family, as well as his milieu in London. This concept is called communityso important to the Muppet version of the story that the movie has two songs dedicated to it.
The Muppet Christmas Carol It fully embodies the important story beats of the original novella and has even been incorporated into the Harvard novella course. In a partial-credit course, we examine the novel through the lens of contemporary history and through various film interpretations over the years. This distinction illustrates how profoundly this incredible adaptation affects our understanding of the story.
There are many very good versions Christmas carolsfrom faithful retellings to animated versions, updating and adapting other characters to fill out the roles, just like the Muppet versions. Since many of them are classics, you can find them all year round, even with Christmas stories. The Muppet Christmas Carol Can be found on Hulu, along with other worthy versions of this story. But Gonzo still told it best because he knew it all.
