THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
A film review by Ken Johnson
Copyright 1993 Ken Johnson
95 min., G, Comedy, 1992 Director: Brian Henson Cast: The Muppets, Michael Caine
The Muppets do their version of Charles Dickens's holiday classic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Michael Caine is Ebenezer Scrooge, who doesn't enjoy Christmas. He is mean to everyone, especially his employees, including Kermit the Frog, as Bob Crachit. Caine is visited by his dead business partners (there are two in this version) Statler and Waldorf, as the Marley's. Statler and Waldorf send Caine three ghosts to show him the evil of his ways, in hopes to help him change.
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL is a very enjoyable holiday film that I think both the young and the old will love. If your area is still playing this film, I don't think that it will be there for long, so you should see it soon. On a scale of zero to five, I give THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL a five.
This film I believe is the fourth Muppet film (the earlier films that I can remember are THE MUPPET MOVIE, which was just released on video cassette, THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER, which was also just released on video cassette, and THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN). The Muppets, despite the death of their creator Jim Henson, are still doing well, but Kermit the Frog will never be the same.
Believe it or not, the Muppets stay very close to the original story. They take only a few liberties with the story, like making two Marley's and making Charles Dickens (excellently played by Gonzo) narrate the story with his side kick, Rizzo the Rat (also great!)
Michael Caine takes the back seat in this film, because the Muppets are the best part of this film. However Michael Caine does do a great job.
-------- Ken Johnson blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu
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