Scrooge, an old miser who dislikes Christmas, is visited by spirits who foretell his future and share secrets from his past and present, which helps change his view on lifeScrooge, an old miser who dislikes Christmas, is visited by spirits who foretell his future and share secrets from his past and present, which helps change his view on lifeScrooge, an old miser who dislikes Christmas, is visited by spirits who foretell his future and share secrets from his past and present, which helps change his view on life
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination
- The Great Gonzo
- (voice)
- …
- Rizzo the Rat
- (voice)
- …
- Tiny Tim Cratchit
- (voice)
- …
- Miss Piggy
- (voice)
- …
- Rat
- (voice)
- …
- Daughter Mouse
- (voice)
- …
- Ghost of Christmas Past
- (voice)
- (as William Todd Jones)
- …
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Top-Rated Christmas Movies to Stream This Season
Top-Rated Christmas Movies to Stream This Season
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBefore production began, Sir Michael Caine told producer and director Brian Henson, "I'm going to play this movie like I'm working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role, and there are no puppets around me." Henson replied "Yes, bang on!"
- GoofsWhen Scrooge is showing Dr. Honeydew and Beaker the door, it would appear Beaker flips off Scrooge and it somehow slipped past the censors, likely due to the fact that Beaker doesn't actually have fingers.
- Quotes
Rizzo the Rat: There are two things in this life I hate: heights, and jumping from them.
Gonzo: Too late now. Come on, I'll catch you.
Rizzo the Rat: God save my little broken body!
[Jumps and falls to the ground. He looks at Gonzo]
Gonzo: Missed.
Rizzo the Rat: Oh wait a second... I forgot my jellybeans. Um...
[Slides through the bars to retrieve them, and joins Gonzo back on the other side. Gonzo stares at him]
Rizzo the Rat: What?
Gonzo: You can fit through those bars?
Rizzo the Rat: Yeah...
Gonzo: You are such an idiot.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits include a credit for "Rizzo's personal caterer".
- Alternate versionsWhen originally showed in theaters, Belle's song "When Love Is Gone" was cut. Director Brian Henson protested this decision, but then head of Disney Jeffrey Katzenberg felt the song was too sad for a children's movie. The removal leaves the scene quite short and abrupt and damages the pacing. It was reinstated on all full screen home video copies of the film, including the laser disc (widescreen too), VHS home, and first DVD release, at the insistence of Brian Henson. For the Kermit's 50th Anniversary Edition DVD, the full screen version includes "When Love Is Gone" and the widescreen version cuts the song. The UK re-release from Park Circus in 2012 includes the song. Even though the version shown on Disney+ is the Theatrical Cut, the song is still included as an extra for the first time in High Definition. But in December of 2022, in celebration of the film's 30th anniversary, the song was once again placed back into the movie on Disney Plus under the heading "The Muppet Christmas Carol: Uncut Version."
- ConnectionsFeatured in What's Up Doc?: Episode #1.14 (1992)
- SoundtracksScrooge
Music and Lyrics by Paul Williams
Performed by Frank Oz, Louise Gold, Steve Whitmire, David Rudman, Karen Prell, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Brian Henson, and Mike Quinn
Basically, this version is narrated (quite comically) by The Great Gonzo and his sidekick Rizzo the Rat. They follow the story of curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) on Christmas Eve night, when he is visited by three spirits that show him the meaning of Christmas. Central to Scrooge's emotional journey is Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and family (Miss Piggy), whose simple, hard-working lives prove quite inspirational.
The reason why this version of the story works so well is because not only does it provide the humor that one would expect from a Muppet performance, but it also brings the heavy emotional drama as well. You wouldn't think you could get teary-eyed over a Muppet, but that is exactly what happens. The comedy is on the fringes (mostly provided by Gonzo/Rizzo), while the story plays out about as expected.
The performance of Caine (now known for so many other projects!) is also a visual treat, again one of the best "Scrooge portrayals" ever put to screen! Caine is just such a great acting that he knows all the right beats to hit.
Overall, then, "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is a movie that will stand the test of time. Even if you don't particularly care for the Muppets in generally (this is, in all honesty, the only Muppet- based piece of media I have ever watched/owned in my entire life), the combination of comedy/emotion in this movie will boost it up near the top of your Xmas movie traditions.
Holiday Movie Posters We Love
Holiday Movie Posters We Love
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Una Navidad con los Muppets
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $12,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $27,381,507
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,010,109
- Dec 13, 1992
- Gross worldwide
- $33,274,029
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1