By Mallory Mattingly
Charles Dickens penned his beloved Christmas short story, A Christmas Carol, in 1843, but which movie adaptation most faithfully captures his original vision?
The answer might surprise you.
A Christmas Carol follows “Ebenezer Scrooge and his spectral visits by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, [and it] has resonated with audiences for centuries. So much so, it has been turned into countless film productions starring hundreds, if not thousands, of big-name stars. And everyone has a favorite,” Remind Magazine reported.
But 1992’s THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL is surprisingly the most “powerful, unflinching portrayals of the grouch, but also one of the most faithful to the original text.”
Related: THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, alongside the muppet cast — Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Rizzo the Rat, Animal and more.
“When I met Michael Caine to talk about playing Scrooge, one of the first things he said was: ‘I’m going to play this movie like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role and there are no puppets around me,’” director Brian Henson told The Guardian, recalling when he approached Caine about the role.
Henson filmed THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL when he was only 28.
“I did not feel ready to do a movie,” the director admitted. “I begged other people to direct. Jeffrey Katzenberg could see that it was an emotionally fragile environment, and he kept his production department away from me. When Scrooge comes home and he’s an angry, lonely man, and the first ghosts show up, I knew I was going to scare people. There were kids crying in the cinemas [when the film was released in 1992]. But then, when Jacob Marley and his brother Bob come out, they’re singing the catchiest tune in the movie. You need to go to those dark places for the ending to be as joyous as it can be.”
You can stream THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL on Disney+ and Hulu with your subscription. And it might just make the perfect family holiday movie night, thanks to its strong Christian worldview.
Movieguide®’s review for the film reads:
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL is a Christian, biblical allegory depicting a depraved man who repents of his selfishness, confesses his sinfulness, turns to God, and proceeds to walk in the Holy Spirit by showing kindness and generosity to everyone. It’s fun for the whole family, with plenty of finger-snapping musical numbers, breathtaking Victorian costumes, winter scenery, and surprise appearances by Muppet favorites. There’s plenty of fun to go around in this Christmas movie favorite!
While the Muppets add some levity to Dickens’ original story, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL captures the author’s intention and heart.
Read Next: A Christmas Surprise: MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL’s ‘Lost’ Song Added To Remastered Version
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