As a ‘Muppet Christmas Carol’ fanatic like me you may have been presented with pedantic, straw-man arguments when citing the masterpiece as one of the most faithful adaptations of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ in a spiteful attempt at academic gatekeeping, but I am here to declare that this film is not only one of the best Christmas films to ever exist, but also one of the greatest film adaptations of Dickens’ 1843 novella… a cultural reset if you will. Having celebrated its thirtieth anniversary this December, the themes of this 1992 film are relevant more so now than ever.
In a tale as old as time, we are introduced to a witty story starring miser Ebeneezer Scrooge (played by the enigmatic Michael Caine), complemented by beautiful moments of poignancy during which he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. They urge him to see the errors of his way before he is eternally damned. Oh, the catch? They’re all played by Muppets in an artistic choice that perhaps more films should adopt – imagine Steven Spielberg’s 1975 ‘Jaws’ with a giant shark puppet terrorising the citizens of Amity Island with Kermit the Frog (of course) playing police chief Brody and Fozzie Bear as the inept Mayor. Sounds fantastic, right?
I am not as obtrusive as my words may seem, of course I will budge over whether Michael Caine’s interpretation of Ebeneezer Scrooge is the best cinematic interpretation out there, although it certainly is one of his best performances. Michael Caine put everything into the role as if he were at the Royal Shakespearean Company, leaving theatrical greats quivering in their boots. Watching one of Britain’s acting royalty converse with muppets without so much as a blink is the best kind of cinematic mindfuck that even M. Night Shyamalan would be envious of.
However, the one thing I will never concede on is my genuine conviction that Kermit the Frog is the best portrayal of Bob Cratchit to ever exist and is the only one who will ever be able to master the role. Kermit the Frog is Bob Cratchit with all his generosity, warmth and loyalty. Further, who else but the iconic diva Miss Piggy could call Scrooge out on his bullshit treatment of her husband? Sure, the arrangement between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog is one that will baffle zoologists for years to come, but hey, they make it work and somehow these two puppets managed to genuinely convince me in their portrayal of a family who, despite being devastated by their young child Tiny Tim’s illness, have still retained all of their humanity and encapsulate the true spirit of Christmas as a time of giving and sharing.
As Ethan Warren claims in his intricately-detailed essay that eloquently clarified why this adaptation is the most faithful and foremost superior adaption of the novella thus far, The Muppets are the perfect ensemble to take on the archetypal characters that are the main feature of Dickens’ works to convey a deeper, more human message of kindness, Christmas, and love in an albeit, rather Brechtian, fashion. In my opinion, Brian Henson in his directorial debut makes a wonderful tribute to his father Jim Henson, beloved by all, and his legacy of kindness which is at the core of Dickens’ message and is at its best through the film’s soundtrack. I mean these were the creators of the beautifully bittersweet ‘Rainbow Connection’, how could they not get it right? It is so genuinely pure in its intentions – not overtly cheesy; it’s kind, warm and heartfelt – delicately crafted with love, something arguably rare in modern cinema. For instance, the brief but heart-warming ‘Christmas Scat’ song between father and son took well over ten puppeteers and a rotating drum just to create the illusion of Kermit joyously dancing for a minute. Moreover, the socialist themes shine through in the music as we are reminded of the inequalities that still take place today as politicians, much like the greedy businessman Scrooge, also ‘paint’ the poor and needy with the same ‘indifference like a lady paints with rouge’. We witness the cheap sinner cast aside those living in poverty to the workhouse if they can’t afford the rent and are shown how unless he redeems himself, he will be eternally damned, forced to wear the burden of heavy chains in the wickedly delightful song of Jacob and Robert Marley; “There was the year we evicted the entire Orphanage,” they joyously gloat. “If he became a flavour you can bet he would be sour” and “Even the vegetables don’t like him!” I’m sorry but if that lyric – lyrics which Dickens himself would be in awe of – and the whole Scrooge number itself – I mean, what an OPENING! What a set up to one of the most miserable characters to have ever existed – if it didn’t make you laugh and appreciate the sheer craft of Brian Henson then I would love to know what it feels like to be truly dead inside. It is Scrooge-like to rule out the 1992 film purely on the basis of its minor straying from faithfulness to Dickens’ prose, such as there being Jacob and, in one of the best puns, Robert Marley, when who else could take over the role of the cruel, eternally doomed miser than Statler and Waldorf! Sure, Ignorance and Want are omitted in this narrative but given it’s a film for all the family to enjoy I think Brian Henson can be forgiven for not providing us with the nightmarish visual of two emaciated muppets.
In fact, in one of the most loyal moves and seen very rarely in adaptations of ‘A Christmas Carol’, The Muppets include Dickens himself … well, The Great Gonzo taking on the role of Charles Dickens. Even better yet, we have Rizzo the Rat as the foil and the dynamic is hilarious in all its slapstick and whimsy in its depiction of the chaos that ensues as families get together on Christmas Day – “LIGHT THE LAMP, NOT THE RAT!” – as Rizzo articulates the audience’s thoughts at the more ridiculous elements of the story. Additionally, as Brian Henson states, Gonzo almost never veers from Dickens’ original prose, with an estimated 95% of his dialogue being directly lifted from the book. The beauty of the film, however, is not its whimsical joy, but how genuinely beloved it is by those where the film was a staple of their childhood. In my own childhood it was a source of comfort when I was ill in hospital – oh how I longed to go ice skating with those penguins on Christmas Eve! A beautiful redemption arc with a loving tribute to the great Jim Henson at a time in a comeback that many thought could never be achieved after Henson’s tragic death. If all of this was not enough to convince you to reconsider the error of your ways like Ebeneezer Scrooge himself, then to you ‘straw-man,’ I say “Bah, Humbug!”
Written by: Amelia Craik
Edited by: Joanna MacInnes