Charles Dickens’ seminal work, A Christmas Carol, has burrowed into the fabric of mainstream culture. If you celebrate Christmas or even if you consume modern media, chances are you’ve experienced some iteration of A Christmas Carol.
Dickens’ story has been adapted countless times for stage, film, and plenty of TV Christmas specials. From Mickey Mouse to Jim Carrey, from Robert Zemeckis to an impending Robert Eggers adaptation, A Christmas Carol has permeated culture since its initial inception through myriad interpretations and lenses.
However, none quite capture the heart and soul of Dickens’ ghost story quite like The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Brian Henson and company deliver an uplifting musical adaptation that invites all generations to listen.
As is typical for Muppet adaptations, our favorite characters fill out the ensemble of the iconic story. Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchit with Miss Piggy portraying Emily Cratchit and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker play the gentlemen seeking charitable donations. Fozzie Bear appears as Mr. Fozziewig (altered from the original Fezziwig).
Then, there are some characters altered or added to fit the Muppets. For example, in this iteration, Jacob Marley becomes brothers Jacob and Robert Marley, played by the curmudgeonly Statler and Waldorf. Charles Dickens himself appears to narrate the story (played by the Great Gonzo), accompanied by none other than Rizzo the Rat.
Despite the “Muppet-ication” of the story, though, the retelling remains rather faithful to the source material and its spirit.
Michael Caine portrays Ebeneezer Scrooge with utmost sincerity; his portrayal is dark and sinister, and, as the story unfolds, achingly tragic. Scrooge in this iteration is quite emotional at every turn. Caine doesn’t reduce Scrooge to a cartoonish caricature of an evil man. His Scrooge is a man in pain, bubbling with regret.
Caine himself told Henson that he wanted to “play this movie like [he’s] working with the Royal Shakespeare Company.” His intensity contrasts beautifully with the typical energy from the Muppets and, if anything, adds to the darkness of Scrooge.
With all their chaos and comedy, the primary tenets of the Muppets have always been love, unity, and joy since their inception. Ironically, the values of the Muppets and the themes of Dickens’ novella align rather perfectly. A Christmas Carol has always been a story about a man reconnecting with his humanity and finding love for the world again.
The Muppets’ inherent heart simultaneously serves as the perfect antithesis to Scrooge’s hardened soul and the perfect vehicle to redemption. It feels fitting that the first Muppet movie with a human playing the lead role is one of the greatest stories about humanity.
The Muppet Christmas Carol also serves as a pivotal moment for the Jim Henson Company as the first Muppet film made after the passing of creator Jim Henson and Muppet performer Richard Hunt. There’s a sense of grief pervading the film from the opening dedication; however, there’s also a flicker of light immediately following with the proclamation of A Brian Henson Film.
Henson carefully and lovingly worked to maintain the spirit of his father’s creation while also pushing it forward. The context works beautifully in tandem with Scrooge’s grief over his past and his fight to move forward better than before.
Thematically, the film echoes louder than ever for today’s audiences. In a world constantly dampered by the actions of careless billionaires, the film is a warm reminder that we are each other’s greatest asset in this capitalistic nightmare. Everyone is trying their best, and we can ease the burden with love and kindness.
It would also be nice if ghosts got back to haunting evil, wealthy people again to scare them into changing their ways, but that’s neither here nor there.
While the world feels like it’s on fire, it’s so easy to retreat into oneself and isolate. The Muppet Christmas Carol acts like a salve for audiences burned by the state of things. It reminds us of the joy to be had when we reach out and connect, and how, at the end of the day, we only have each other, and that is what makes life valuable.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is the perfect Christmas film for the past, the present, and the future. There’s a joke and a song for every generation. It opens the door for young audiences to experience this story without removing the rich themes or emotional weight of the story.
The Muppets may not have the power to scare selfish CEOs straight and alleviate a lot of the problems they exacerbate, but they are a gentle reminder that our hearts shouldn’t be hidden beneath stone, that they can and should be malleable. There is still joy to be had, whether that’s in the form of laughing at Rizzo the Rat executing a perfect pratfall, or crying over Michael Caine singing his heart out, or simply experiencing this film with a loved one.
I recently attended a screening of this movie at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Both screenings were sold out. Patrons dressed in full cosplay for the film. The comedy played like it was the first time anyone in that room experienced these jokes. Raucous applause shook the theater when Rizzo the Rat’s name appeared in the opening credits. Directly behind me was a row of children who were having their first-ever Muppets experience, giggling and cheering along. The energy in that room for a thirty-three-year-old film was as electric as opening night of the buzziest blockbuster.
In an era overflowing with generative AI slop and government entities devaluing the arts and public programming, The Muppets are a reminder of craft and art made with love that pushes a simple and noble agenda. The enduring power of the Muppets emphasizes audiences’ ongoing desire for this. Audiences want art made with intention and care, with something to say. They want to be made to feel, they want connection.
It feels so rare nowadays for a film to wear its heart on its sleeve so boldly and proudly ask the audience to be a bit more compassionate. And, while we should embrace compassion and empathy all year long, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a nice reminder during the busy holiday season to stop and open your heart.
Retrospective Courtesy of Adam Patla
Feature Image Credit to Walt Disney Pictures via Sunshine State Cineplex