Day 7: There Goes Mr. Humbug!

Just a quick update for today.  Tonight's film was one of the best Muppet movies and at the same time one of the best adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol...it always puts me in a Christmasy mood when I watch it.  This film is The Muppet Christmas Carol and features Michael Caine as Scrooge, Gonzo as Charles Dickens, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchet, Miss Piggy as his wife Emily, and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim.  Fozzie Bear plays the chipper Fozziewig, and Statler and Waldorf play the dead Marleys.  It really is an inspired production that shows that the Muppets...when the script is good...can do anything.  This film was so popular and successful that it inspired a slew of Muppet adaptations from Muppet Treasure Island to The Muppets Wizard of Oz.  I'm still holding out for The Rocky Horror Muppet Show with the token humans playing Brad and Janet and Kermit the Frog as the Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania...but that has nothing to do with Christmas.

One of the things I love about this version of Carol is it's score and songs.  The Muppets sing and dance to several very well written tunes that range from "Scrooge" to "Marley and Marley" that set up character...to production numbers like "It Feels Like Christmas" and "With a Thankful Heart".  I also enjoy how close an adaptation this version is...of course there are deviations from the source novel (it is the Muppets for crying out loud) but these are few...and it manages to be a much more entertaining experience than other adaptations, though it isn't my personal favorite (that one we will cover later).  In any case, this is another classic of Christmas film that should not be missed if you're looking for something heartwarming and traditional (with a little wit thrown in for good measure).

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