With Kermit as the dutiful Bob Cratchit and Miss Piggy as his feisty wife, the Muppets do Dickens with Michael Caine as the miserly Scrooge. The songs in this musical version were penned by Paul Williams. Read more
| Starring | Michael Caine, The Muppets, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz |
|---|---|
| Director | Frank Oz |
| Genres | Children, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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With Kermit as the dutiful Bob Cratchit and Miss Piggy as his feisty wife, the Muppets do Dickens with Michael Caine as the miserly Scrooge. The songs in this musical version were penned by Paul Williams.
| Starring | Michael Caine, The Muppets, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, David Rudman, Steve Whitmire |
|---|---|
| Director | Frank Oz |
| Studio | WALT DISNEY HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 25 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Children, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 18 Nov 2002 Production year: 1993 |
| Format | DVD |
With Michael Caine as Scrooge, Kermit and Miss Piggy as the Cratchits, and Gonzo as Dickens, this is quite simply corking Christmas entertainment. Although the story has been Muppetised (with Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig, the owner of a rubber-chicken factory), no attempt has been made to water down the story, and the poignance of the moral tale is as affecting as ever. Caine hasn't been this good in years, and his scenes with those hecklers supreme Statler and Waldorf, as the Marley brothers, are the highlight of the film. Paul Williams's songs are a bit hit 'n' miss, but who cares when you're having such a good time?
"...The specter effects are enchanting, especially the angelic Ghost of Christmas Past whose gown floats about her like a cloud of frosty air..."
Not only is this the best Muppet movie ever, but thanks to the narrator reading Dickens? lines, it is one of the best Christmas Carol adaptations. Caine is good in that he plays it straight rather than a pantomime villain, and the result is so watchable, that I soon forgot that I was watching puppets most of the time!
There are a few problems though. First it this is a PAN & SCAN release. The second is (controversially) that one of the key songs (When Love is Gone) has been cut, which was many people?s favourite.
So roll on the Director?s cut!
This is one of my favourite comedies / musicals of all time.
Hysterical , clever and sad - packed full of one liners.
seen it 3 times and I still love it.