Christmas | Photo by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
With the holiday season in full-swing, there is no doubt that families are sitting down to watch classic Christmas movies. One of these movies is “The Muppets Christmas Carol,” which is by far the best Christmas movie. Here is why!
The original story
Everyone probably knows what “The Muppets Christmas Carol” is based on– but for those who do not, it is a movie adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel “A Christmas Carol.” The original story works to tell the tale of the cold-hearted and miserable Ebenezer Scrooge.
Scrooge works as a stingy moneylender, where his primary traits shine: as a grumpy and greedy older man. Scrooge refuses to let any warmth into his life and outwardly rejects giving or receiving kind gestures of any kind. It ultimately takes visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come– as well as a former business partner, Jacob Marley– to change him for the better.
In the Muppets’ adaptation, Scrooge– one of the only humans in a world full of Muppets– has encounters with iconic Muppets characters including Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear. The movie also follows a side plot of The Great Gonzo, who plays as Charles Dickens and thus narrates the story, and Rizzo the Rat as they follow the tale of Scrooge welcoming the Christmas spirit into his heart.
The iconic Muppets
Of course, while the movie is an excellent (and quite faithful) adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas tale, the main attraction is the Muppets characters themselves!
The Muppets are known for their silly, playful appearances and actions, but they are excellent at tackling somber moments if the situation ever arises.
Their excellent acting and unique personalities partnered with Scrooge’s darker tale with emotional aspects such as falling outs and death leads to an excellent movie that is perfect for all families to watch during the holiday seasons.
Another enjoyable aspect of this film is just how talented Scrooge’s actor, Michael Caine, is when interacting with the muppets. He manages to give a performance so straight-faced and serious that you might have doubts that he was acting with Muppets!
These aspects help add charm to the film while staying loyal to the original adaptation to the story. While there are many movies out there that try to recreate “A Christmas Carol,” the special aspect that is the Muppets really helps to tie the film together and allow anyone to want to watch the film.
On top of this, “The Muppets Christmas Carol” was the first Muppets film produced after the deaths of Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, and Richard Hunt, a performer for the Muppets. The film is dedicated to both creators.
The overall emotions behind this film, on top of its aspect of nostalgia and its overall positive lessons being told through the iconic Muppets, makes it one of, if not the best Christmas movie!
More Muppets movies
For those who have not watched any Muppets movies, “The Muppets Christmas Carol” is an excellent place to start while experiencing this cold winter! If the movie piques your interest, the Muppets have produced a variety of other movies.
Some other movies by the Muppets include “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” “Muppet Treasure Island,” and “Muppets Most Wanted.” These are all classic and popular Muppets movies that any aspiring fan should make sure to watch!
To access a list of all other Muppets movies, as well as all Muppets productions, click here.
