Genre
Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Musical
Director
Brian Henson
Country
USA
Cast
Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, David Rudman, Karen Prell, Robert Tygner, William Todd-Jones, Don Austen, Steven Mackintosh, Meredith Braun, Robin Weaver, Jessica Fox, David Shaw Parker
Storyline
On Christmas Eve, the bitter Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Opinion
Among all the screen adaptations of Charles Dickens' famous novel, "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is easily the best version for kids. Don't get me wrong though, adults as well will enjoy this witty retelling of the classic Christmas story.
It's pretty much pointless to spend any time talking about the plot since everyone knows it - even the walls, as we would say in Italy -, but the way the story is told really makes the difference. I am not very familiar with the Muppet universe, but having Gonzo - playing Dickens himself - and Rizzo the Rat narrating the tale was a very smart move. Not only they add humour to the dark story and therefore make it more suitable for kids, but they make the watch a wonderful experience.
The film's biggest strength is the writer's decision to stick to the novel. It isn't just the story, but most of the dialogue as well. It is indeed taken straight out of Dickens' original story, and also because of that "The Muppet Christmas Carol" manages to be an emotional, moving story of redemption, just like the original.
The cast also plays a very important role in this film. First up is Michael Caine who gives a fantastic performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, and also makes the character and his epiphany believable, which is a lot considering most of the cast members were puppets. As for the puppets, well, they sure aren't great actors - they are better than some real actors though - but they bring comic relief that is actually funny.
And I should probably mention that all the singing involved is not unnerving. Actually it's quite pleasing.
It's pretty much pointless to spend any time talking about the plot since everyone knows it - even the walls, as we would say in Italy -, but the way the story is told really makes the difference. I am not very familiar with the Muppet universe, but having Gonzo - playing Dickens himself - and Rizzo the Rat narrating the tale was a very smart move. Not only they add humour to the dark story and therefore make it more suitable for kids, but they make the watch a wonderful experience.
The cast also plays a very important role in this film. First up is Michael Caine who gives a fantastic performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, and also makes the character and his epiphany believable, which is a lot considering most of the cast members were puppets. As for the puppets, well, they sure aren't great actors - they are better than some real actors though - but they bring comic relief that is actually funny.
And I should probably mention that all the singing involved is not unnerving. Actually it's quite pleasing.
Un classico che adoro :)
ReplyDeletePer il resto, buon Natale cara
Sono atea, comunque grazie. E buon Natale anche a te. Anche se in stramega ritardo. Vabbè, facciamo che conta per quest'anno?
DeleteAnother Christmas story which is really part of my childhood. Almost every year we rewatch this one as a family, so I have to love it. And the muppets did a pretty good job at keeping things fun and child friendly!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't expecting to enjoy it this much. I'll definitely check out the other Muppets movies now.
Delete