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The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol

By Patrick Samuel • December 21st, 2013
Static Mass Rating: 5/5
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

Original release: December 11th, 1992
Running time: 86 minutes

Director: Brian Henson

Cast: Michael Caine, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, Rizzo the Rat

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Ever since I was little I dreamed about the perfect Christmas, just like the ones I saw in the movies. Reality however never seemed to match. While we had the Christmas tree, the presents, the turkey and all the trimmings, it always seemed like there was just never enough love.

As I got older, whenever the festive season neared, I found myself lost in movies like The Muppet Christmas Carol in an attempt to have that forever elusive Christmas. It was a way of letting my imagination go and diving into a world where everything works out ok because with the Muppets, it’s all possible and nothing was more than a dream away.

Originally intended as TV special, The Muppet Christmas Carol was the fourth movie for Jim Henson’s Muppets and it’s a musical re-telling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, narrated by Gonzo and Rizzo. It was also the first Muppet movie to be released after the death of their creator, Jim Hensen.

Set in 19th century London, Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy money-lender who’s happy to keep working through the holidays but is surprised to learn that his employees would like the day off to spend with their families. Later that very night, Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of his former business partners, Jacob and Robert Marley (the hecklers Statler and Waldorf) who tell him that before the night’s over he will meet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Shackled in chains and looking like they’ve literally been through Hell, they warn Scrooge that unless he changes his ways, he will suffer the same fate.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

It’s by far one of the best adaptations of the story I’ve ever seen and even though it contains musical numbers, dancing Muppets and comedic elements, this Christmas Carol is also a very faithful re-telling.

There’s so much love in the Cratchit family with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and despite having to rely on someone like Scrooge for their livelihood, their spirits are never broken. Even though they’re severely financially challenged, they seem like the perfect family any child could wish to have, not just for Christmas, but always.

With little Tiny Tim Cratchit needing treatment for his illness and a crutch to help him walk, it’s hard not to let our emotions go and shed a tear. As the story goes on The Muppet Christmas Carolwe’re reminded that it’s never too late and even the hardest of hearts can’t be unaffected by the goodwill they see with a family like the Cratchits.

My Christmases in recent years are so much happier now. I have my own little family and we make do as best as we can but at Christmas time we always go that little bit further, not with gifts and things that money can buy but with the time we can spend with each other that these holidays allow us. It’s stories like these that kept me going with the dream of that perfect Christmas, and who knows, it may even snow this year!

Patrick Samuel

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

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