Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas story gets the Muppet treatment, and what a treat it is. Michael Caine – truly getting into the spirit of things – is marvellous as miserly old Scrooge, who makes his poor employee Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog, with voice provided by Steve Whitmire, as creator Jim Henson died before the movie was made) work every hour of the day until the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come visit him to show him the error of his ways.
With Miss Piggy ‘playing’ Cratchit’s wife, Gonzo narrating the story as Dickens and many other familiar Muppets popping up (including Fozzie Bear, Rizzo the Rat, Animal and the Swedish Chef), this is an enjoyable romp that’s a must for Muppet fans (do bear in mind for very young viewers that there are a couple of spooky moments when the ghosts visit Scrooge, rattling their chains) and surely a must-see every Christmas. The Muppets also made a seasonal TV movie, It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, co-starring William H Macy and Whoopi Goldberg, in 2002, that’s worth a look.
Is The Muppet Christmas Carol suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Little ones may find the ghosts scary, as mentioned in the review above.
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