The Muppet Christmas Carol parents guide

The Muppet Christmas Carol Parent Guide

One fear I had was that the message would be lost behind the antics, but this Muppet movie does an ample job of bringing the spirit of Dicken's work across.

Overall A-

Mix Jim Henson's imagination with classic literature and what do you get? The Muppet Christmas Carol! This colorful and quirky adaptation features Kermit as Bob Cratchit and Michael Caine (no, he's not a puppet) as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Release date December 10, 1992

Violence B+
Sexual Content A
Profanity A-
Substance Use --

Why is The Muppet Christmas Carol rated G? The MPAA rated The Muppet Christmas Carol G

Run Time: 89 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Yet another adaptation of the classic Dickens tale, where Bob Cratchit is the patient, faithful employee of the stingiest boss of all time, Ebenezer Scrooge. After allowing his employees a few hours off for Christmas Day, Scrooge returns home for the night, but he is not alone. A series of ghosts come to tell him what he needs to do, if he does not want a death as miserable as his life.

The Henson Company does a wonderful job of bringing Scrooge into the home again. Although the 1951 version with Alastair Sim used to hold top spot for the annual viewing tradition during our holidays, the Muppet version’s warmth and wit has come to replace it over the years—and my children love it.

As with all Muppet movies, you wonder how you can accept the fact that these ridiculous looking creatures are able to coexist with humans, and after a while you don’t even notice the difference. A frog playing Cratchit against Michael Caine as Scrooge seems perfectly normal after the first few minutes. The wonderfully corny comedy solicits laughs with hardly any profanity, and sight gags abound.

One fear I had was that the message would be lost behind the antics, but the last ghost is given a serious stage, with little humour, and does an ample job of bringing the spirit of Dicken’s work across. Little children may be frightened for a moment during this section.

Paul Williams provides songs that have catchy lyrics and help to move the story along. Especially look for the touching scene between Scrooge and the might have been Mrs. Scrooge.

Now that Disney has a hand in the late Henson’s projects, we can only hope that the sarcastic but innocent humour of the Muppets will remain the way it has always been. This film was directed and produced by Jim’s son Brian, and certainly lives up to its creator’s name.

Directed by Brian Henson. Starring Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire. Running time: 89 minutes. Theatrical release December 10, 1992. Updated

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Muppet Christmas Carol movie is November 5, 2012. Here are some details…

Blu-ray Notes: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Release Date: 6 November 2012

The Muppet Christmas Carol releases to home video in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack. Bonus extras include:

- Audio Commentary from Brian Henson

- Muppet Audio Commentary: All New Audio Commentary from your favorite Muppets – Kermit, Gonzo, Rizzo, and More!

- Disney Intermission: Press “Pause” and see what happens when the Muppets Show up at your door to sing your Christmas Carols – Muppet Style!

- Muppet Holiday Sing-Along

- Blooper Reel

- Frogs, Pigs, and Humbug: A Behind the Scenes Look

- Christmas Around the World with Gonzo and Rizzo

- Pepe’s Profiles Presents: Gonzo, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Weirdo

DVD Release Date: 29 November 2005

In commemoration of Kermit’s 50th Anniversary, Buena Vista Home Entertainment is releasing to DVD in a restored and re-mastered format The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island. Sold individually, each film offers a Pepe Profiles Present interview with one of the Muppet stars. The Muppet Christmas Carol also features a gag reel, a Christmas Around the World music video and audio commentary by Brian Henson. All of the discs provide the movie in full and wide screen, with audio tracks in English and French.

Related home video titles:

Other tales starring Jim Henson’s wonderful wacky puppets include:  , The Great Muppet Caper, and Muppet Treasure Island.

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