I think Gonzo as Charles Dickens is one of the best ways to implement a narrator into a kid's movie I've seen in a long while, held up primarily by the excellent adaptability of the muppets
There were so many right decisions made and so many people responsible for the triumph this film was, but IMHO, the performance that brings everything together so well was Michael Caine's flawless portrayal of Scrooge. His decision to play the role straight combined with his phenomenal acting talent really became the anchor that drew everything else into place.
You wanna know why some people call this the best Christmas Carol adaptation? Because they trusted the audience could handle heavy themes, and because they weren't out to parody. They were out to tell a traditional story, but with Muppets in select roles. Now THAT is how you show the world you can still make great stories without your prior lead director.
One thing that makes "When Love is Gone" a good thing to have in the movie yet wasn't mentioned in the video: that song gets reprised as "The Love We Found" right at the end. Without the original, heartbreaking version, the latter lacks much of its emotional impact.
IMO, they still compensate for it, as the line before the cut song, "You did, once.", still carries a bit of weight. It sucks that they cut out the song, tho.
10:11 Right here when Scrooge is crying, just before he ends up facedown on his bedsheets it looks like it's the ghost's robe that he pulls down to the ground. As kids my brother and I theorized that if he hadn't switched locations at just that time then the next moment would be him sheepishly looking up, still in the cemetery. He'd see a creature like the one you were picturing, wearing only boxer shorts now, looking down at him with a very ticked off expression on it's face.
Only as an adult do I appreciate some of the more subtle choices made in this movie. "When Love Is Gone", for example, is reprised at the end as "The Love We Found". They serve as musical bookends to Scrooge's solitary life. Someone else on RU-vid mentioned that (at the outset of the story) the only characters Scrooge sees as potentially being his equal are those played by humans; he sees all the Muppet characters as beneath him. This makes Belle's departure more impactful since she is currently the only other human in his world. Compare that to the finale song, where humans and Muppet are gathered shoulder to shoulder around the table. Brilliant work!
Whilst I definitely love this film, the thing I actually love about the book (& the most faithful adaptations) is that it does more to humanize Scrooge fairly early on. The scenes from Christmas Past show how Scrooge's father sent him away to boarding school, permanently, so that he almost never got the chance to experience a proper family Christmas-at least until rescued by his younger sister, Fran. We also see that, whilst working for Fezziwig, he fully embraced the Christmas spirit, but only later became obsessed with wealth, to the exclusion of all else. These moments also help explain his initial hostility towards Fred-a difficult reminder of the sister he's lost, and his happy marriage is a reminder of the love he threw away.
the actor for the ghost of Christmas Present later became famous in the UK voicing popular puppet character Basil Brush a fox puppet loved by adults and children alike
Dude I thought I was crazy. Watched on Disney+ with my kiddo and I freakin knew something wasn’t right. I knew “the love is gone” was missing!!! Miss my old vhs copy. One of my favorites to watch around Christmas.
Alright, so.... story time. In 2010, I got the chance to meet Dave Goelz (for those who don't know, he's the long time performer of Gonzo, Dr. Honeydew and a number of others), and while there were a lot of stories told about Jim, or different productions, he had mentioned that his favorite productions with The Muppets were Emmet Otter, Fraggle Rock and.... well, this.
I never got to meet him personally (jealous but glad for you), however, I did get the privilege of attending the D23 Anniversary Panel for this movie. He was one of the speakers along with Brian Henson, Paul Williams, & the lead costume designer for Christmas Carol (I forget her name sadly). You could tell how much love went into this movie through the way they all spoke. One of my favorite things said was that Dave never gets through this movie dry-eyed, regardless of how many times he’s seen it (hell.. he was literally Gonzo). It’s so special.
Is it wrong that I liked Scrooge's line "Can we go back to being funny?" Micheal Caine is praised for taking his role seriously, in spite of working with goofy characters, so it's usually nice to see him let loose in a few scenes. It's like watching several other amazing live actors work with these guys. The best ones treat The Muppets like real people, but are still willing to be silly when they need to.
My fave Christmas movie and you certainly did it justice! I am SO STOKED that When Love is Gone will be back in the movie, I cry every time I see Bean shivering in the cold and Beaker giving Scrooge his scarf. My heart breaks when Scrooge says "Perhaps...I've never understood about Christmas." It's also so sad when he says "Do people play games at Christmas?" He sounds so surprised that you instantly know he never had a chance to be included in a celebration like Fred's when he was younger.
I don't believe Disney lost the song at all. I grew up with the VHS. Love it. Watched it on Disney last year, and even my kids didn't understand where the song was and my youngest actually asked why Rizzo was crying. That is why it's supposed to stay in. Scrooge is crying, Rizzo is totally broken up and no one (who hasn't seen it before) understands why they are so upset.
I think they lost a good version? Like, they definitely COULD have put the 4:3 vhs quality version back into the movie if they'd wanted to, but that would have been distracting
Maybe it's weird to put into words, but I've always liked The Muppets best when they were a little British. Like having to film the Muppet Show in the UK gave them a bit of a different vibe, if that makes sense. More whimsical maybe?
The Ghost of Christmas Future reminds me of a dementor from Harry Potter. If it had revealed its face, it would have "kissed" Scrooge and sucked out his soul. Thank goodness that didn't happen.
That’s honestly how I pictured them when I read the book. It’s honestly creepier than the movies. How they’re described, sounds like they’re what those who were kissed would turn into.
I'm not a particularly big Muppet fan but I adore this film, it and the 1951 Alistair Simm version are tied for my favourite film adaptations of A Christmas Carol
I find Steve Whitmire to be a saving grace to Jim Henson's creation. Not only Steve Whitmire is the best voice of Kermit the Frog, But also the one who helped Jim Henson's creation rise to this very day.
An easter egg I noticed: "Scrooge" and "Marley & Marley" use the same rhyme structure, ABCB. Scrooge: A - There goes "Mister Humbug" B - There goes "Mister Grim" C - If they gave a prize for being mean, B - The winner would be him! Marley & Marley A - We're Marley and Marley, B - Avarice and Greed! C - We took advantage of the poor, B - And just ignored the needy! This is because, if Scrooge doesn't change his ways, his afterlife will echo-or rhyme with-the Marleys'. Their songs are similar, and so will be their fates.
I got to sit in at the D23 Anniversary Panel for this movie. Brian Henson, Paul Williams, Dave Goelz, & the lead costume designer for this movie (I forget her name!) all spoke. It was genuinely one of the most special things I ever got to experience. They did a musical number at the end and I swear I’ll never be happier than watching the muppet performers live. The way in which they spoke about this movie was so full of love. Brian said everyone on set felt like a family. Dave said he never gets through this movie with dry eyes. It’s such a special film for so many reasons.
A nice intelligent revue that covers all aspects of the film well .... And a great memory for me as I was there as a puppeteer ... That fake snow would get everywhere! :)
@@ColinLooksBack Hi Colin, I did lots of characters ... Animals, Monsters and Veggies, but my only 'oneshot' was the rat and the roller blind ... Photos in my Facebook folders if you would like to look
I always enjoy your videos, so positive, nostalgic and informative. :) Thank you!! Also - SO happy to hear the song is coming back! As a kid I also generally felt bored during slow songs, but the sad romance of this one kept me interested. If they treated all slow songs the same way as "The Love is Gone" we wouldn't have "Feed the Birds," "When You Wish Upon a Star" or "I'll Be Your Candle on the Water," and missing those would be tragedies!
We watch this every year on Christmas Eve, started before the kids were born, still watch it with the kids who are now in their twenties. It's a family tradition and really fun
Being born in the early 70’s I’ve grown up as the muppets have matured. This movie is their best. I’d say this should be Disney’s benchmark to become. Sadly their current path only makes it impossible
Truly love this very special Muppets Christmas story. Thank you so much for your review! Can’t wait to watch it again in the Christmas season. Looking forward to when they upload the improved classic version on Disney plus!
I admit, I liked that "civilized conversation" bit too. The book had Scrooge just mutter and complain about giving Cratchit the day off. But it's like, the whole COUNTRY is closed. What are you going to do being OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY??
One of the things I love about this movie that so many Christmas Carols lack, even the ones I love like the George C. Scott 1984 version, and heck I like the 2009 Jim Carrey version despite it's awkwardness (And yet is one of the most book accurate adaptations with all the attention to detail) is the warmth, all the other versions, there's a coldness to it all, the Muppets even after all this time, there's just such a warmth and love that radiates from the screen you do feel the joy of Christmas And Michael Caine's scene at the Graveyard works so well because unlike everyone else who doesn't know who's grave they're going to. Caine knows exactly what he's about to see and tries begging and pleading with the ghost and yet he still has to face his grave head on and Scrooge finally accepts he's got to change and means it.
Agreed, it is a great Muppet film and a great adaptation in general. I'm glad they finally put the version with "When Love is Gone" on Disney+. Paul Williams also wrote the songs for my favourite musical film of all time, Bugsy Malone (1976) and he also had a cameo in one of my favourite movies of all time, Baby Driver (2017).
Whenever I watch this movie, I bring When Love Is Gone up on youtube, pause the movie at just the right moment, watch the youtube scene, then continue the movie, I just can't watch Muppet Christmas Carol without When Love Is Gone.
When I finally read the book, I was amazed by how accurate this movie was to it. They had a lot of respect for the source material. This is not the first version I watched (that'd be Flintstones) but it is my favorite. Came out during my first Christmas.
I remember my grandma had this one on VHS. But I remember never getting further than either Scrooge arriving at his house or Statler and Waldorf as ghosts. Either I was too young and the story wasn't fun enough for me or part of me was frightened of what was to follow. I'm probably going to look it up again someday and watch it in full. I did see the full Disney version, which is equally as good. If you get a chance to review that one, do it, because it is a wonderful version with Scrooge McDuck getting the opportunity to play the role that inspired him. A tribute if you like.
@@EntertainmentFan11 I will. Just like with the Muppet version, the Disney cast too is cast perfectly in their roles. And it's cast is interesting as it is both the final preformance of the original Donald Duck, Clarence Nash, and the start of a then new Mickey, the late Wayne Allwine.
For me, hands down the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol. I love how they didn’t treat it as a Muppet movie, but rather a movie that has Muppets in it, if that makes sense. Also, Gonzo as the narrator added a ton to the overall tone.
🎶 It's the singing of a street corner choir It's going home and getting warm by the fire It's true wherever you find love it feels like Christmas 🎶 Also for The Love is Gone...I always tear up not just cuz you hurt for Scrooge but Rizzo is in tears & Gonzo just says "oh Rizzo" while hugging his friend tightly
Gonzo and Rizzo really stole this movie with the way they told the story becoming the story tellers while living within the narrative. Though they do take a break when the Ghost of Christmas Future appears, they come back when everything is back to normal on Christmas Morning.
Wouldn't that be TWO videos that Doug Walker has done on this movie, one being the Nostalgia Critic review and the other being a Nostalgia Critic editorial or something? Because I know for a fact that he already did a review of this some years ago.
This was a late watch for me. I'd see it advertised on several videos, but I was 10 or 11 when I finally saw it. Definitely one of my favorites, both Muppet and Dickens wise.
Who else thought the shooting star at the end of One More Sleep Till Christmas wished Kermit a merry Christmas? It wasn't until I listened to Brian Henson's commentary of the film that it wasn't, but so many unintentionally thought it was.
Great Video!!! I always watch the Muppet Christmas Carol with Love is Gone every Christmas eve along with 5 other versions of A Christmas Carol like Mickey's Christmas Carol, A Christmas Carol starring Patrick Stewart, A Christmas Carol the Musical with Kelsey Grammer, Scrooge with Alistair Sim and Real Ghostbusters Xmas Marks the Spot!!
A fantastic rundown of one of my favorite movies. Thank you for this video and Merry Christmas. As a kid I also fast forwarded through what has become one of the best songs. Amazing how time changes things....
I absolutely fast forwarded through the slow songs at least half the time when I watched and rewatched this movie as a kid. I gradually came to appreciate them more as I got older. ^o^;> Also, I'd like to request that you make a video about the 1999 made-for-TV version of A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart, which is my second-favorite adaptation of the story (the Muppet one is first, of course!). I think it's really quite excellent.
I'd just like to add this one little tidbit as well; as someone who has read the original novel TWICE, I can say with no dishonesty whatsoever, that the Muppet version is also one of the most accurate to the book, ever. ESPECIALLY in its depiction of the ghosts!
When I first saw this I didn't like it so much because I kept comparing it to mr.magoo's a Christmas carol. Buy when I put that thought aside and watched it again. I realized it is true this version of a Christmas carol is very good.
I'll be real with y'all. As a kid, I was positively bored by When Love is Gone, they were absolutely right when they said kids(or at least some kids) would be bored. But I still would have never gotten rid of it!
I didn't watch this movie until I was an adult, but I did watch the animated Tim Curry Christmas Carol a lot as a kid. It had a very similar song to When Love is Gone and I'd often fast forward through that for similar reasons.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the best adaptations of the Charles Dickens novella. Michael Caine is superb as Scrooge. I also like the actor playing Fred
I have a strong suspicion that some of the Gonzo as the Ghost of Christmas Future concept art was carried over to the recent Muppets Haunted Mansion...
I think I like this movie more as a Christmas Carol, one of the best in fact, than a Muppet movie. It's a fine Muppet movie, don't get me wrong, but I think that out of the three novel based films, Muppet Treasure Island is the most Muppety film. Sure, that's because they take a ton of liberties with the source material and were allowed to be more wacky than heartfelt, but I attribute the Muppet feel to the new characters specifically made for MTI. Of course, if I'm in the mood for a Christmas movie, I'd go with this film no question. It's lovely, it's well made, it's something Jim would have been proud of. But if I'm looking for a Muppet movie, the original three, the new two, and MTI would go first. Maybe MFS, definitely NOT Wizard of Oz. We don't talk about Muppet Wizard of Oz. That said, I wonder if you'd take a look at the other Disney Christmas Carol. Apparently, there's an Italian graphic novel that only uses the Duck characters, but still featuring Scrooge McDuck as his namesake. I almost bought it last year, but got the Frankenstein one instead.
I remember being so excited when Muppet Wizard of Oz was coming up, since it had been a while since there was a big Muppet production at the time (if memory serves correct), not to mention seeing characters like Scooter and some of the Treasure Island pirates returning. I ended up being pretty disappointed by it, not gonna lie. I'm kind of curious about the Duck comic Christmas Carol, but it looks incredibly straightforward from what I've seen. I think at some point I'm just going to have to do a video covering multiple "Carols" that don't offer enough content for a whole entry.
While there are some nice moments in Muppet OZ, overall it was very cynical and jaded. Sure, A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie was very much an early 2000's movie in terms of humor and parody reference overdose, but there was still a level of heart deep down. Muppet Oz was just a relic of the movie being made for and by Fox to air on the Fox network and basically advertising American Idol all the way. Plus, I heard the sample songs from the unproduced Kermit of Denmark film, and it's downright heartbreaking we never got the movie we deserved instead of something so vapid.
One thing I feel was a detriment to muppet’s wizard of Oz is that it treated the story like the wiz, a modern adaptation of the mgm movie. If you’re gonna do wizard of Oz, you gotta treat it like they did with Christmas Carol, or treasure island. Make it it’s own thing. Especially since the wizard of Oz book was pretty dark. The muppet casting was almost perfect, Kermit, Fozzy and Gonzo were fine as Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Man. Miss Piggy is fine as either the WWW or Glenda, but I don’t think she should’ve been all 4 witches. When it comes to muppet book adaptations is that it should be treated as an adaptation first, and a muppet movie second. Muppets Oz was wasted potential. They had elements from the books, but didn’t do much with it
@@tgiacin435 Muppet Wizard of Oz sucked because it was trying WAAAAAAY too hard to be like Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie with at the moment references and very early 00's style humor, only it didn't work on ANY level. Not to mention the movie was originally produced and meant to air on the Fox network, which explains the obnoxious tie in to American Idol. While I can give them credit on trying to reference the book, the iconic 30's movie and The Wiz, the whole project was an inadvisable mess that took the place of MUCH better concepts that were floating around at the time. What makes me REALLY hate the project is we lost Kermit: Prince of Denmark. A potential film where Kermit thinks he's boarding a plane to Denver, but ends up in a weird Hamlet parody. The worst part is, the songs were partially written by Robert Lopez (YES. The same Robert Lopez that wrote music for Frozen), and demo music was leaked. They were fun, wacky, Muppet spirited music with one emotional punch of a song about how he missed the other Muppets. It's heartbreaking that telefilm never got made and a lame Wizard of Oz adaption got greenlit. Especially since The Muppet Movie WAS a Wizard of Oz parallel.
@@mightyfilm that too. They could’ve done better. I mean by having the movie take place in modern day, we don’t see the muppets as the characters, we just see the muppets.
Robbie Coltrane DID play the Ghost of Christmas in the Blackadder Christmas Carol. Full beard, Scottish accent, he basically is Hagrid. Also, he enters the room by comically knocking the door down. JK Rowling has even said his appearance as the Ghost of Christmas is one of the main reasons she thought of him when it came to casting Hagrid.
I think the only thing that after all these years I find is slightly weak in this movie is the fact Scrooge seems ready to change fully by the end of the 2nd ghost and not needing the 3rd ghost, tiny Tim's death and Scrooge's. Maybe something like he slides back a little when he sees how little he's respected, this makes it important that he see after he does he won't be missed if he doesn't change his ways, and that changing his ways can directly save a life.
This is the first Muppet film to be released after the deaths of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt. This is also the first Muppet film to be directed by Brian Henson, Jim Henson’s son. The film was a modest box office success, grossing $27.2 million against its $12 million budget, and received mostly positive reviews. Despite this, it did not have a large effect during its theatrical run, having to face competition with Home Alone 2 and Disney’s own Aladdin.
What can I say about Muppet Christmas Carol, it went from a okay hit to now what many consider as the definitive/ personal faved version of Charles Dickens' story. As for it's a very merry muppet Christmas movie or letters to Santa, those two are fine but contain huge flaws and features tons of dated references. But at last, the muppets are forever known as the true champions of Christmas!!! 🎄🎄🎄
BORN 1974 - and lovingly grew up with nothing else but the Muppets - going to wvu after graduating college 1992 - then having pituitary removed my dad told me to get to the creative arts center... LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST for that glorious 25 yrs ago - when Jane Henson asked me if i was a rat --- I spoke to her ak Kermit and said "do you need a pepperoni pizza? - she laughed.... and to this day LOVE how that moment I got her to have me do Kermit and BIG BIRD ----- who else had a name like to Muppets take Manhattan --- who worked at pizza place like my great uncle had in NYC! whos dad is the one in USA who made 14 of his boys take the pepperoni all over this country!!! Hence FERRUZI!!! GOD BLESS!
I like the Muppet Christmas Carol the most because of the way the story portrays Scrooge and his redemption. Most adaptations of A Christmas Carol fall into the same pittfall when it comes to old Ebeneezer: They make him so mean that it's almost a parody and make his redemption seem really rushed. They play Ebeneezer as someone who couldn't care less about the lessons that are being taught to him for the ghosts of Past and Present, with him getting either angry, irritated, dismissive or defensive about everything they have to say. This goes the other way too, with Past and Present tending to be pretty mean spirited in their treatment back to Ebeneezer. This is where The Muppet Christmas Carol is so different. I know being heartless at the start is the point of his character development, and the Muppet version still has him as the penny-pinching curmudgeon he's supposed to be, but they also making him level-headed and reasonable enough to make his character development believable. More specifically, the way he reacts and confronts each of the Spirits of Christmas that visit him give more leverage. In the Muppet version, the way that each Ghost interacts with Scrooge feels less like they're trying to shame him into changing and more like they're genuinely trying to teach him the error of his ways and show him a better path. Ghost of Christmas Past calmly and respectfully puts Scrooge in his place about how his past is his own doing, and unlike other versions actually does leave him to linger on the pain and suffering he realizes he brought upon himself because of his past choices. Ghost of Christmas Present is my personal favorite in this difference, though. Most adaptations have Present be snippy and barely tolerating Scrooge's greed. Muppet's Present Ghost is always jolly, and his reaction whenever Scrooge veers into comments about money is to gently nudge him back into the real spirit and meaning of Christmas. Even the most infamous part where Present throws the "Surplus Population" line back at Scrooge is done far less nasty and more like a lesson for scrooge to mind those he's speaking of when he makes those kind of comments. It helps that he leaves on the same joyful greeting as he arrived, encouraging Scrooge on his journey with the implication that he knows Scrooge is starting to turn towards the right path. Now the interaction between Scrooge and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come plays out pretty much the same as it does in every version of the story. In most versions, however, Scrooge seems to completely ignore the whole redemption he's supposed to have until Future arrives and shows his death. While understandable that this is supposed to be the emotional climax of the film, the lack of empathy and even contempt for the other visits that most Scrooges show until this point really gives the impression that he only changes because he doesn't want to die alone. Compare this to the Muppet Version. The emotional reactions and journey that we get to see Scrooge have throughout his time with Past and Present, as well as the fact that he respectfully welcomes two of the spirits and their teachings rather than acts annoyed about it, adds so much to the character of Scrooge that we see at this point compared to other adaptations. It makes the climax where he's desperately begging Future to tell him if he can change the outcome of this future seem like it really isn't just about how he dies, but how he wants to fix the way he's lived. It completely sells the idea that he's genuinely a changed man, someone who has learned a valuable lesson that will last his entire life. More importantly, it gives the impression that all the spirits that paid him a visit had a hand in his life and not just that last one. And his development doesn't even end there like most adaptations do. When Scrooge takes to the streets of London and promises his charity to the collectors, one of them gives him a scarf as thanks. The genuine and heartfelt surprise he has for it shows that even with the lessons of the ghosts to be more charitable, he still needed to learn that the spirit of Christmas is about the value of everyone, including himself. And I know that it's traditional to have Tiny Tim deliver the final line ("God bless us, everyone"), but I think that in this version it makes perfect sense for Scrooge to be the one that says it. It's the capping point of his development, the signal that he's a changed man, committed to the lesson that he learned just in time for Christmas day. And this is why The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite adaptation of the Dickens story. The character development that Scrooge goes through, the change from a cold and greedy wretch to "as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew" is done in a way that is so much more believable in this version of the story. It's done like an actual person who had lost their way in life and needed to be given direction, treating Scrooge and the journey and lessons he goes through with the one thing that should matter most in a story about the Christmas spirit: Humanity.
I think the edited Marley & Marley song shows up on tv cuts specifically for a reason. When you're editing around ad breaks, it changes pacing. What doesn't work in a theatrical cut, what'd seem too long and meandering to just watch straight through, ends up fitting in near flawlessly into the almost episodic ebb and flow a tv movie thrives on. Honestly, broadcast cuts and tv movies deserve more respect that they get. Different isn't the same as bad, yano?
The other brilliant part of Gonzo & Rizzo was how it allowed the script to include so much of the actual Dickens text. The majority of Gonzo's lines are taken nearly verbatim from the story.
I've seen Muppet Christmas Carol regarded as one of the best adaptations of the Charles Dickens story. It definitely is great, though I can't help but feel like Michael Caine gives a rather weak performances as Ebenezer Scrooge, particularly during the graveyard scene. Still, it's hard to be on-par with the Muppets in these kinds of movies. I really do love what they did with the Ghosts, especially the Ghost of Christmas Present, and how he always lives in the present and thus tends to forget what he said a few seconds ago, I always thought that was clever. Songs are great, too!
a theory i have about why this scrooge is able to interact with frogs and bears with no issue is that other scrooge’s see the people around them as less than human, and muppet christmas carol just puts it into a literal sense- he doesn’t think of anyone but his family and former love as his equal, therefore they aren’t human in his mind
Could you do a review of the sesame street episodes that are about Elmo's father being deployed in the military, and the one where Elmo's uncle (? IIRC) being killed in action. (Although they didn't come right out and say "killed in action", they were a bit more vague for the younger audience.) They were a great resource.
Speaking of people first seeing Robin in this movie, he was usually voiced by a woman in Japanese but this movie hired a man to do the voice which makes me wonder if he's a completely different character in the Japanese dub. Also, from my understanding, the Muppets aren't very popular in Japan. While Christmas Carol and 2011 and apparently Muppets from Space and Most Wanted went to theaters in Japan, the rest (including the first) went straight to video.
