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Brian Henson does his dad proud in this, the first Muppet feature filmed after Jim Henson's death. All the things which have made the Muppets appealing--charm, humor, tenderness--are very much in evidence in this adaption of Charles Dickens' much-retold classic.

Michael Caine fills the central role of Ebeneezer Scrooge admirably, throwing himself into the part with much energy and gusto. Familiar Muppet faces take up several roles--Kermit and Miss Piggy as Bob and Mrs. Cratchit, Robin as Tiny Tim, elderly hecklers Statler and Waldorf as the Marley brothers (Dickens' character Jacob and original creation Robert)--with new Muppets designed for the roles of the three Christmas ghosts. The result is a somewhat fanciful 19th-century London where humans, animals, talking vegetables, and various undefinable creatures live side-by-side. In spite of potential complications the concept works very well, thanks to the spirited performances by both actors and Muppet handlers.

Gonzo (adopting the persona of Dickens himself) and Rizzo the Rat narrate the story and add a healthy dose of humor to the proceedings. But the film knows when to be serious--the climactic scene focusing on Christmas Yet to Come is as eerie and touching as it should be. And ultimately, the resolution leaves one with the warm, peaceful joy synonomous with the season. Definitely a movie which deserves a place among the family classics of the holidays.

In terms of humor or songs, I can't honestly rank this was high as most of the other Muppet films BUT it may be the most touching version of the Dickens classic story I've ever seen on film.

The lyrics to the last two songs are fantastic: very Christian-like and very profound. Scrooge (Michael Caine), meanwhile, is not portrayed as some screaming maniac as he so often is in other versions. His transformation from cold-hearted tightwad to caring, generous person is done more subtly, too, than in other films. However, to be fair, sometimes the slapstick humor in here gets in the way of the touching story.

The last part of the movie is a lot sentimental drama than Muppet comedy and I found that refreshing. Not much offensive in here, either, making this a good film for little ones as well as older, sentimental folks.

I love this movie. I am a big muppet fan, and when this movie came out on video I had to get it. Of course I was in third grade. I watched this movie all the time, and still do around Christmas time. Every December I watch this movie twenty times. Everything about this movie is great. The plot to the music. I especially like the music. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes the Muppets, or the story of The Christmas Carol.

That question pretty much sums up my reaction to "The Muppet Christmas Carol", a hilarious, yet touching film.

What did I like about the movie? Just about everything! Michael Caine made a great Scrooge, and this film showed us, possibly better than just about any other version I've seen, just how Scrooge came to be such a miser (although that could partly be because the versions I saw which really go into Scrooge's childhood were clearly adult versions, which meant they could be more subtle in their explanations). To Caine's eternal credit, he made Scrooge very believable, which is no small feat considering most of his fellow cast members were puppets.

And what about the Muppets? They were also brilliant! Kermit made an excellent Bob Cratchit, loyal and humble, and he had a wonderful tribute to Tiny Tim which also served as a brilliant tribute to Jim Henson. Miss Piggy was a great Mrs. Cratchit, feisty yet very loving toward Bob (the worst of her temper was thankfully muted by the story). Fozzie the Bear was a hilarious Fozziwig, and The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat made a great team, having some of the best lines out there (my favorite is Rizzo's "Light the lamp, not the rat! Light the lamp, not the rat!"). The ghosts were definitely believable (and in the case of the two Marley Brothers, hilarious as well). Incidentally, the original text had only one Marley -- Jacob, but to get the two comedians from the balcony in the story, Robert Marley was added.

Finally, the songs were rather good, with the best one (in my humble opinion) being "When Love is Gone".

So, I firmly recommend "The Muppet Christmas Carol" to one and all.

Belle Book

Over the years, there have been countless tellings and re-tellings of Charles Dickens' classic tale "A Christmas Carol". Who would ever have thought, then, that a version staring the Muppets would be the best one ever produced!

Basically, this version is narrated (quite comically) by The Great Gonzo and his sidekick Rizzo the Rat. They follow the story of curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) on Christmas Eve night, when he is visited by three spirits that show him the meaning of Christmas. Central to Scrooge's emotional journey is Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and family (Miss Piggy), whose simple, hard-working lives prove quite inspirational.

The reason why this version of the story works so well is because not only does it provide the humor that one would expect from a Muppet performance, but it also brings the heavy emotional drama as well. You wouldn't think you could get teary-eyed over a Muppet, but that is exactly what happens. The comedy is on the fringes (mostly provided by Gonzo/Rizzo), while the story plays out about as expected.

The performance of Caine (now known for so many other projects!) is also a visual treat, again one of the best "Scrooge portrayals" ever put to screen! Caine is just such a great acting that he knows all the right beats to hit.

Overall, then, "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is a movie that will stand the test of time. Even if you don't particularly care for the Muppets in generally (this is, in all honesty, the only Muppet- based piece of media I have ever watched/owned in my entire life), the combination of comedy/emotion in this movie will boost it up near the top of your Xmas movie traditions.