You may have heard this already: when offered Scrooge, Michael Caine told the filmmakers that he'd accept the role, but only if he could perform it like he was acting at the Royal Shakespeare Company. So there's no trace of irony, caricature, or jokiness in his performance - and the movie is 100 times stronger for it! :)
"Life is made up of meetings and partings, that is the way of it." Always hit hard because this was the first movie to be produced after losing Jim. There is real grief there behind the acting.
@@RachelXKnight666 Actually, it was Steve Whitmire, who took over from Jim after his passing. He had been working at The Muppet crew ever since season three of The Muppet Show.
He deserves to feel proud. He is also lucky because this performance means he will be remembered a hundred years after he's dead. Not that he hasn't done so many other great performances but this is a classic and likely to be seen for a hundred years more.
It can be seen on Disney Plus when you select the movie, and instead of hitting play, you go to extras. There, you can choose to play the full version with the extracted musical number.
I didn't care for that song, but I also watched this movie in theatres when it first came out, so it seemed like a weird addition when it first aired on television. It's like 50:50 for people my age.
@@litigioussociety4249I loved the song I had forgotten that it was cut because I watched three vhs tapes. Also the digital master was just found after 30 years of being lost. It was added to the special feature on Disney plus last year.
Don't feel bad for crying; many people, including myself, consider this to be THE best rendition of A Christmas Carol, ever! It's a family tradition of ours to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve every year with some popcorn and hot chocolate. 😄🍿☕️
My family watches it about 20 times every season, my all-time favorite christmas movie. Followed by Klaus and the year without a santa clause. If you havnt watched Klaus yet and love this movie, watch it you will fall in love again!
I was 9 when this movie came out. The VHS of it was the last gift my grandmother gave me before she passed. It’s honestly one of my fave movies of all time, and now my own kids love it just as much. I’ve watched it probably 100 times, and I tear up, every single time. Michael Caine is an absolute treasure.
Fun fact in an interview Michael Caine stated that this is one of his favourite roles he's played because it's a movie that he can sit with his grandchildren and watch
The production of this movie is so great. There's a fashion historian here on YT that did a video on the costumes in this movie, and she absolutely raved about it. They're all historically accurate, for both the muppet and human actors, both with when clothing was popular, and for the different economic classes. The costume designers created the muppet costumes in whole - no glueing a partial shirt to a vest because who would notice, each puppet gets a full garment so that they layer and lay like real clothes (cause they are real clothes, just tiny for muppets). The attention to detail was astounding.
Never really got into it as a kid but it's my favourite Christmas Carol these days, purely because of the Muppets ability to do funny, stupid and tug at a heart string here and there. Jonathon should definitely check some more of their work out!
Rober Marley (Waldorf) saying "Leave the comedy to the bears!" is a reference to the Muppet Show where Statler and Waldorf usually heckle Fozzie Bear and his comedy routines (mostly consisting of "bad" puns). Another reference to this is when the young Marley brothers heckle Fozziwig later.
Fun bit of trivia… Dickens wrote this story to help people be more generous. He then held fund raisers were he would read it to an audience. So having “Dickens” tell the story is historically accurate.
Funny but true story...Dan Stevens, who played Charles Dickens in The Man Who Invented Christmas, said The Muppet Christmas Carol was his favorite version.
This movie is a masterpiece. There is very little CGI. Almost everything is done practically. Green/Blue screen and traditional compositing are the main effects. Even the Ghost of Christmas Past was filmed underwater to get that floating effect.
I just noticed that this uncut version is now available to watch in the extras menu on Disney+ ... Honestly, I think it should be the only version available. There's no point in cutting the song.
The Jacob and Robert Marley ghosts were Statler and waldorf from the original TV series. Yes, they are always together. They were known to hollar wise cracks from the balcony, aka "peanut gallery" on the old Variety TV Show. There's UA-cam videos of some of their greatest commentary floating around out there. They and the Swedish Chef were some of my favorite parts of the original TV show when I was a kid. ... Other aspects that my slip by to those not familiar with the characters is Gonzo had a special obsession/affection toward Chickens. Also, Fozzie Wig was played by Fozzie Bear from the original cast. Fozzie Bear was an aspiring comedian in the original show, always in competition with legit comedians who made guest appearances on the show. Known for the tagline "Wocka Wocka Wocka" after telling his one liners.
@@mevb If you watch @factfiend on their wikiweekends, there really is only two ways to perform with the Muppets 1) Christmas Carol - Straight man 2) Treasure Island - Become a Muppet yourself
I read somewhere that the ghost of Christmas past was filmed underwater. I never thought she was creepy as a kid . I was only kind of scared of the ghost of Christmas yet to come . Looking back , her face is a little off-putting . The floaty robe effect is really cool and angelic ! Really enjoyed your reaction ! Merry Christmas !
My favorite Christmas tradition is watching this movie. I've watched this every year with my family on Christmas for basically my entire life. The Marley and Marley scene used to terrify me as a kid.
With very few exceptions The Muppets are usually right on point when it comes to making a great kid-friendly film while maintaining a few here and there adult jokes and quips. My personal favorites are Muppet Treasure Island and of course the original Muppet Movie
I grew up with my family watching the 1970 musical version of Scrooge with Albert Finney, but this one is slowly growing as a favorite for me. There are two moments where Michael Caine just totally won me over in this: The moment at the nephew's party when he realized they are making fun of him, and the moment he is given the red scarf. I don't think any moment in any version of a Christmas Carol is as touching as these two moments. You should definitely watch the original: The Muppet Movie from 1979, where you can see all the original characters that were in this one.
My favorite holiday watch is an older Jim Henson production… Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. It’s short and I highly recommend it if you love warm and charming. Paul Williams did the songs for that too. Favorite holiday foods… artichoke soup and butter tarts. Both of them are family traditions. If you ever need a good cathartic cry, rewatch this with the lens that this was the first production after Jim had died and they were all still working through their grief. There’s a reason this one gets you in the feels even if you don’t know why. 48:30
@katpiercemusic Another great TV Special is A Muppet Family Christmas where not only the gang from The Muppet Show appeared but also Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock (with a "cameo" apperance of Muppet Babies).
if you watched this on disney+, there's a missing song! it's in the extras, it's a song called The Love is Gone from the Belle and Scrooge scene - some more singing and outstanding acting from Michael Caine. plus the "The Love We Found" at the end is a reprise of it
Favorite Christmas tradition: driving through neighborhoods, checking out the lights. There's actually a neighborhood in my town that *requires* lights every holiday season.
So I see a couple comments mentioned Statler and Waldorf (who played the Marley Brothers in this)... and that they are indeed always a pair... but for slightly more context, they are almost always depicted as hecklers, usually from a balcony position, making fun of everything the other Muppets do. They are phenomenal characters.
@@dannykent6190 The comedy website McSweeneys, back in 2007 had an article titled “Statler and Waldorf Get Evicted From Their Retirement Home.” It’s hilarious.
This version of the movie cuts out the musical number that happens between young scrooge and his girlfriend while they sit next to the frozen lake. It is one of my favorite songs and it's a shame they removed it. It adds weight to the part where older scrooge turns away and asks to be taken away, that he couldn't see any more.
This has always been one of my favorite Christmas movies. And I love the fact that as I get older, this movie still packs all the emotional punches, still makes me laugh, and still has the heart and soul of the holiday season. I loved watching your reaction, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Every year, my Mom would spend nearly an entire weekend baking 6-8 different types of Christmas cookies to put into fancy baskets wrapped in cellophane and ribbons. She would give these out to our neighbors and close friends. The part my sister and I would care about, of course, is the dining room table decked out with all the remaining cookies that we could snack on throughout the month before Christmas. Peanut brittle, peppermint almond bark, snowballs, chocolate-dipped Ritz cracker sandwiches of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter, those chocolate kiss cookies, peanut butter cookies, gingerbread, etc… It became a game of sneaking as many cookies off those plates without Mom ever getting suspicious that we were ruining our meals. 😂 I haven’t lived in her house in a long time, but when I could make it back to visit around this time, the dining table loaded with cookies was the thing I looked forward to most.
The Marley brothers are played by Waldorf and Statler. During the Muppet show they had their own box in the theater looking over the stage where the other muppets would perform. They would sit up there and heckle the other muppets throughout the show.
The reason for 2 Marleys is those two always work together, Statler and Waldorf. They're the guys during every Muppet Show episode who are heckling the act from their viewing box above the audience. Kinda natural to have the BOTH be the doomed bad guy from the original with that setup.
beaker meeps cause he's beaker, and we love him for it. You should watch the behind the scenes for this and Labyrinth. It's fascinating how they do it. This cheered me up immensely tonight, thank you!
11:15 - Less that he had a heart- more that... well, in short, I was impressed that in this version Cratchit had a perfectly legitimate argument for taking the day off. You don't see that often.
The MCC was my childhood movie growing up, and even as an adult it is one of the few things that brings me comfort and levity during the Xmas season. For me, it’s the GOAT of all the Christmas Carol adaptations.
The Ghost of Christmas Present's mouth movement was controlled by Muppeteer Jerry Nelson through a Waldo which is a puppet mouth attached to radio control electronics that sends singals to the mouth which opens and closes with the same timing as the Waldo. This technique was introduced in Fraggle Rock with the Gorgs and when the Doozers speak. This enables the actor inside the costume to use both arms unlike Muppets like Sweetums who only used the left arm as the right was used for the mouth.
Probably one of the greatest acting choices of Michael Caine, and this movie is that Scrooge realizes that he’s the dead man that everybody has been talking about with such glee. But he has already decided to be a different man (and wants a different outcome. )and hates that that is his fate in this life. It is why he’s the best Scrooge. He has been truly changed already before knowing his damnation is upon him.
You have been too muppet sheltered. The Marley Twins are Statler and Waldorf; widely considered OG trolls. In the original Muppet Show, they were always in a balcony booth, heckling and smack talking the show, the music, and anything that came to mind. They particularly loved to torment Fozzie. ua-cam.com/video/X6I_dKUYyI4/v-deo.html&pp=ygUTc3RhdGxlciBhbmQgd2FsZG9yZg%3D%3D Clips of classic Statler & Waldorf. Side note, just a week or so ago, they were at the 2024 Game Awards, heckling as always.
Headmaster of Li'l Scrooge's school was Sam the Eagle. A stuffy, fussy contentious objector who critiqued the Muppet's zany, stupid and 'lowbrow' entertainment, but, his attempts to inject culture and standards in the show always failed, like when he failed to properly read the billing, and booked the ballet 'Swine Lake'
Watched this movie as a child in the 90s and always liked it but never considered it a favourite. Then didn't watch it for about 20 years and at age 30 on rewatch this movie made me cry about 5 times! Was totally caught off guard by how much emotion this film packs in and how much love clearly went into making it. My favourite Christmas movie without doubt. And loved your reaction to it!
I cry .. EVERY … SINGLE … TIME .. with this movie. It’s SOOOOO damned good. Easily the BEST xmas movie ever! Sir Michael’s performance is brilliant and heartbreaking.
The 1984 version with George C Scott as Scrooge is my favorite But this version was my introduction to the story And it is the only one that has made me cry The scene with the ghost of Christmas yet to come with Tiny Tim's death always makes me emotional and when Beeker gives Scrooge the scarf always gets to me 🥹
A little backstory on the dedication at the beginning... Going all the way back to the 1970s and up til 1990, almost ALL muppet voices were done by just 5 core performers - Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz and Richard Hunt. Along the way, a 6th performer named Steve Whitmire started voicing some newer/minor characters (most notably Rizzo the rat). I'm sure you know who Jim Henson was (Kermit, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, Waldorf, Swedish Chef, many others), but Richard Hunt was equally important (Statler, Beaker, Scooter, Janice, Sweetums, others). So between Henson and Hunt both suddenly dying between 1990-1992, they were faced with losing about 40% of the characters' voices. For this, the first project after both their deaths, they only recast Kermit and Beaker (Whitmire took over both) and Statler & Waldorf (Nelson and Goelz took over), and the rest of their characters had no speaking parts. 😢
Man, it’s been years since I saw this movie. My cousin put on Christmas Day, and I had almost forgotten how good this movie is. Kudos to Brian Henson who did his father proud with this movie. Not to mention Michael Caine playing it straight, while surrounded by the Muppets
This movie has such a wonderful place in my heart. This was the movie of my Christmas past and ifs just a Christmas movie that is unmatched in my mind. Brian and all the puppeteers created a movie that i just don't think can ever be redone. The best Christmas movie and im not even a huge celebrator of Christmas but I will always watch this film
Pigeon! That was Sam the Eagle! Also, yeah the extended bits, like Belle’s song, need to be left in as the standard version. There is also more to the Marley song which should have been included. All that serves to make the movie better.
LOVEEEE this reaction! Maybe the best Muppets Christmas Carol reaction I’ve ever seen! ☺️ Also Jonathan, YES PLEASE watch more Muppet movies! My favorite Christmas movie is probably It’s a Wonderful Life, and my favorite tradition is putting ornaments on the tree while my Dad plays Christmas music on his phone, lol.
This was the very first adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" I ever saw, that's why it is my favorite. But after watching so many other versions, there are 3 things I wish they did differently. 1. Add Scrooge's sister Fan, I think her death was a big part of Scrooge's path to greed 2. Have Annie Sue Pig play Martha, the oldest Cratchit child 3. More cameos of Muppet characters like Scooter, Miss Mousey, Hilda, Nigel, Mildred, Beauregard, Brewster, Zelda Rose, etc. 4. Play out the full version of the Marley brothers’ song.
At 43:50 you can barely make out the sign on the storefront in the background that says "Micklewhite's" Michael Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite. God bless us, every one.
I'm glad you enjoyed this film. You should really go back and watch the original Muppet Movie from 1979. it lays down the groundwork for all of the characters that you will see throughout the films. I am a huge fan of just about anything Jim Henson that being said Mickey's Christmas Carol is my favorite version of the story and I cry every single time I watch it
This movie was dedicated to Jim Henson (the creator of The Muppets and the original puppeteer of Kermit, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, The Swedish Chef, Waldorf and many more) and Richard Hunt (who played Scooter, Statler, Janice, Beaker, Sweetums and several others) passed away before the movie's release. Henson from toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pyogenes on May 15 1990, and Hunt from AIDS (he was homosexual, which was a big deal during late 1980's and early 1990's, many gay celebs such as Freddie Mercury and Rudolf Nureyev died due to HIV/AIDS, causing big controversy, particularly in the US) on January 7 1992.
This is an awesome and faithful adaptation of A Christmas Carol. And if you want to take a deep dive into the costumes and how brilliant they are, Abby Cox did a video on how good they are. But love this version, its a great introduction to the novel without dumbing anything down for a younger audience.
'Jacob and Robert Marley' were 'played' by Waldorf and Stadtler, who sat in the balcony in the Muppet Show and heckled everyone, especially Fozzie Bear ('Save the comedy for the bears!). The Ghost of Christmas Past is exactly as described in the book. All the ghosts except for Marley were so close to the book. The Ghost of Christmas Present, of course, lives for only 24 hours. A lovely detail is shown near the end, just before the new Scrooge knocks on Bob Cratchit's door - the shop behind the crowd is named 'Micklewhite's', which is Michael Caine's real last name.
I know what you meant, but I still laughed; plenty of people pay good money to relive their best and worst moments: it's called therapy. 🙃 This is such a sweet rendition of this story. It reminds me a lot of the old show "Wishbone", the dog that reenacted classic literature for children.
On the old Muppet Show. Gonzo's (Dickens) act was usually some wild and dangerous stunts. Often involving canons. The scene when he uses the rope to hitch a ride with Scrooge. Was a nod to his wild acts.
My favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. Very highly recommended! My favorite tradition is Christmas parties full of family, friends and good food (bonus points if there’s a gift exchange).
If you like humans performing with Muppets then may I suggest Muppet Treasure Island with Tim Curry. Where here, Micheal Cane acts with all the seriousness of a professional theater actor, Tim acts like he's just another Muppet on the set.
I don’t think I’ve seen a reaction to this movie that had me so invested, especially since you say you haven’t seen a lot, if any, Muppets movies. 😄 If you ever get the chance, you’d probably really like Muppet Treasure Island. These movies really know how to blend comedy and drama!
25:56 I'm guessing by how this was edited that you too were unfortunately watching the theatrical cut, which is missing the best song of the movie, When Love Is Gone. 😢
@wattsink2009 It's an easy mistake to make. You have to select the main movie and then scroll down to the bonuses and then select the full length movie. I wish Disney hadn't done that
listening to the soundtrack of this movie makes me cry because it makes me think of my dad. not sure why. but I also love Christmas and I love this movie
Watching the muppets in movies and the show are always fun. Jim Henson's company did " Labrirynth ". His children own and working physically with muppets. The Henson company has helped many movies and shows for decades.
@lesliedaubert1411 Especially The Jim Henson Creature Shop, who helped out with realistic looking puppets for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its sequels and for certain shots in Babe. Jim Henson also did The Dark Crystal which he directed with Frank Oz, the latter made his directorial debut in that movie.
I've been watching a lot of "review" videos of this movie and this was one of my favorites. I'm a Muppet fan from way back- I would highly recommend watching some Muppet Shows (start in Season 3, or with your favorite guest star) to get to know the Muppets, and then go back and watch this again, and you'll appreciate it even more. :)
Not sure if you knew about this (the editing seems like you didn’t) before watching this but there is a longer version of the movie that includes a song that Belle sang to Scrooge. It is very pivotal to his story.
Our Christmas tradition is watching "Muppet Christmas Carol" every year! And yes, absolutely you should watch more Muppet movies and also as many episodes of the old Muppet Show as you can find. You will be delighted. ❤
My favorite apart from the George C. Scott version. But this version is surprisingly one of the most accurate for early Victorian clothing, which is saying a lot when so much of the costuming is tailored to the Muppets. 12:25 Nope, they used a full bodied Kermit with legs. I think in that instance it was a rod system to pose the legs edited out by bluescreen composite. They use a lot of clever tricks to show the entire bodies of Muppets interacting with the world to make things more real across the older Muppet films. 26:16 It looks like you missed out on one of the best songs, When Love is Gone, sung by Belle as she leaves young Scrooge that turns into a very emotional duet between her and Michael Caine's Scrooge that gives even better reason for Rizzo to be breaking down to tears than the truncated version. The song at the very end, When Love is Found, is a reprise that makes less sense without the earlier part. It was always my favorite part but it was edited out and added back in different releases. Unfortunately most reactors watch the version without. 32:34 Gonzo would love to land on a hot goose considering his long established chicken attraction.
Great reaction. I watch this movie every year. According to the Dickens Society, this version is the closest to the original and they did an amazing job on the costuming! If you know what to look for, you see Gonzo's (Mr Dickens') fashions change between the past and present to match the fashions of those times. Then of course a big part of what makes this one work is that Michael Caine played it so straight. You did miss out on a touching song with Belle that is only in some versions and Michaels acting will break your heart. It is called "When Love is Lost" and the the theme plays through the entire move, then is bookended nicely with the closing song "When Love is Found". 100 % watch more Muppet movies. Great Muppet Caper... Muppet Treasure Island.... Part of what makes Muppet Treasure Island great for me is that Tim Curry basically IS a Muppet.
Many of the background puppets were from previous productions. Some of those puppets had been around for 15-20 yrs by that point. The Hensons keep EVERYTHING. One of those puppets JP Grosse, who was the Muppet Show theatre owner now sits in a cabinet in the bowels of the Smithsonian archives.
The first singing background Muppet is George the Janitor introduced in the pilot The Muppets Valentine's Show and was prominent in the first season of the Muppet Show but was dropped to a background character.
When Scrooge and Belle meetin the park there is a song missing in most current versions "when love is gone". They put it back on disney plus but that version is hidden in the extras, as well as just the song. I think the song makes the movie better and they tie it back in with the last song "The love we found". If you didnt see that part i recommend looking it up real quick.
I have the special edition DVD that has both the video and theatrical versions, so you can watch the song or skip it depending on the choice. Got it off e-bay years ago, and they had a bunch of versions come out about the same time. I hated sappy songs so I skipped it initially (and hadn't seen it that way). When I gave it a shot and watched it in it's entirety with the song, I felt the movie was DEFINITELY missing something by taking it out. It felt weird to me that the "past" portion would be so short considering how long he'd lived and the things that shaped him, and that song stretches that part of the story a bit longer appropriately. Between his neglectful childhood and that love gone wrong, he'd lost a big part of his heart, and the song shows it.
I highly recommend checking out Abby Cox’s video about the costumes for this movie! Not only is the adaptation very close to the book, the costumes are also quite historically accurate ❤ this is my favorite Christmas movie, and probably tied for my favorite Muppet movie. EDIT: next time you watch this (I’m assuming there will be a next time!), make sure you watch the version with the song between Scrooge and Belle, “When Love Is Gone”. It’s quite moving, and really helps tie the ending together more musically.
Jonathan should watch not just more Muppet movies, but some episodes of The Muppet Show. I think he would especially enjoy the one with Mark Hamill/Luke Skywalker.
@@EntertainmentFan11 I don't know. 120 episodes seems like a lot, especially since he might get a little lost just trying to identify some of the guest hosts. Maybe even most of them.
@BouillaBased Actually, two episodes aren't on Disney+. One because the guest was a criminal, and the other (the Brooke Shields episode from season 5) had the cast singing a song from Wizard of Oz (it even had Fozzie dressed as the Tin Man) which is currently owned by Warner Bros., so Disney clearly doesn't have the rights to that episode. Mind you, we DID get The Muppets Wizard of Oz years later, but that's pretty much another adaptation of the book, which I think is public domain. I think there may be some guests he recognizes (Sir Elton John, Steve Martin, and Dame Julie Andrews, for example), but I don't know if he's seen anything Star Wars before or not. That particular episode is best suited for Coby since she's finished the films. Plus, I feel like it'd be interesting for Jonathan to watch the whole show and see how far the designs for some of the Muppet characters have come over the years. He can watch a majority of the show on his own time if he'd like. He doesn't have to react to it all.
!970's Scrooge is the first musical version of A Christmas Carol. It's my favorite version, with Muppets a close 2nd. The songs in that blow these away! It also has the original Obi Wan Kenobi as Jacob Marley.
Thanks, Jonathan! ❄ My favorite version of this timeless tale is SCROOGE (1951). It's often called A CHRISTMAS CAROL on this side of the pond, but the title page still reads SCROOGE. Speaking of which, have you seen the Broadway musical version SCROOGE (1970)? It's great, too.
Wow, how have I never seen your stuff before? I loved your analysis of this, it’s great to see someone so engaged with the material. If you haven't seen 'Hogfather', I think you would really enjoy it. It’s an adaptation of... basically the Christmas episode of Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' novels. You would have a lot of fun with his style of humor, and it deals with a lot of really interesting philosophy similar to the stuff you liked in this one.
You may have heard this already: when offered Scrooge, Michael Caine told the filmmakers that he'd accept the role, but only if he could perform it like he was acting at the Royal Shakespeare Company. So there's no trace of irony, caricature, or jokiness in his performance - and the movie is 100 times stronger for it! :)
I love how Tim Curry said the exact opposite and got just as perfect a performance in Muppets Treasure Island
The head master is not a pigeon, he is Sam the Eagle. That's why they made the 'It's the American way' joke.
When he said pigeon I almost spit out my drink lol. I never saw it before but now can't unsee it haha
Him saying that pained my soul
"Life is made up of meetings and partings, that is the way of it." Always hit hard because this was the first movie to be produced after losing Jim. There is real grief there behind the acting.
Still makes me bawl
Especially with it being his son saying that line 😢
@@RachelXKnight666 Actually, it was Steve Whitmire, who took over from Jim after his passing. He had been working at The Muppet crew ever since season three of The Muppet Show.
@@mevb sorry. I was mistakenly of the belief that it was Brian
Michael Caine has said this is the film of which he is most proud. He found his granddaughter watching it and singing along and it filled him with joy
@@kirishima2370 Sure was better than Jaws The Revenge
He deserves to feel proud. He is also lucky because this performance means he will be remembered a hundred years after he's dead. Not that he hasn't done so many other great performances but this is a classic and likely to be seen for a hundred years more.
there was a cut song (in some releases of this movie) that is Belle's break up song. It's very touchingly done and is why Rizzo is crying so much
It can be seen on Disney Plus when you select the movie, and instead of hitting play, you go to extras. There, you can choose to play the full version with the extracted musical number.
That was the song I liked most as a child
I didn't care for that song, but I also watched this movie in theatres when it first came out, so it seemed like a weird addition when it first aired on television. It's like 50:50 for people my age.
@ I love that song and even as a kid I felt it made perfect sense. Each to their own I guess
@@litigioussociety4249I loved the song I had forgotten that it was cut because I watched three vhs tapes. Also the digital master was just found after 30 years of being lost. It was added to the special feature on Disney plus last year.
Don't feel bad for crying; many people, including myself, consider this to be THE best rendition of A Christmas Carol, ever! It's a family tradition of ours to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve every year with some popcorn and hot chocolate. 😄🍿☕️
My family watches it about 20 times every season, my all-time favorite christmas movie. Followed by Klaus and the year without a santa clause. If you havnt watched Klaus yet and love this movie, watch it you will fall in love again!
I was 9 when this movie came out. The VHS of it was the last gift my grandmother gave me before she passed. It’s honestly one of my fave movies of all time, and now my own kids love it just as much. I’ve watched it probably 100 times, and I tear up, every single time.
Michael Caine is an absolute treasure.
Fun fact in an interview Michael Caine stated that this is one of his favourite roles he's played because it's a movie that he can sit with his grandchildren and watch
His Nephews bewildered look at the end, i love that, he's like, i just spoke with him yesterday, he was awful! lol
The fun joke with the Marley Bros, was that the second one is named Robert aka Bob, as in Bob Marley
And the wailing chests are reference to Bob Marley and the Wailers.
@@marcusfridh8489 🤯 Today years old...
The production of this movie is so great. There's a fashion historian here on YT that did a video on the costumes in this movie, and she absolutely raved about it. They're all historically accurate, for both the muppet and human actors, both with when clothing was popular, and for the different economic classes. The costume designers created the muppet costumes in whole - no glueing a partial shirt to a vest because who would notice, each puppet gets a full garment so that they layer and lay like real clothes (cause they are real clothes, just tiny for muppets). The attention to detail was astounding.
Never really got into it as a kid but it's my favourite Christmas Carol these days, purely because of the Muppets ability to do funny, stupid and tug at a heart string here and there. Jonathon should definitely check some more of their work out!
Rober Marley (Waldorf) saying "Leave the comedy to the bears!" is a reference to the Muppet Show where Statler and Waldorf usually heckle Fozzie Bear and his comedy routines (mostly consisting of "bad" puns). Another reference to this is when the young Marley brothers heckle Fozziwig later.
Fun bit of trivia…
Dickens wrote this story to help people be more generous. He then held fund raisers were he would read it to an audience. So having “Dickens” tell the story is historically accurate.
What an amazing fact. Thank you
Funny but true story...Dan Stevens, who played Charles Dickens in The Man Who Invented Christmas, said The Muppet Christmas Carol was his favorite version.
This movie is a masterpiece. There is very little CGI. Almost everything is done practically. Green/Blue screen and traditional compositing are the main effects. Even the Ghost of Christmas Past was filmed underwater to get that floating effect.
My favourite Christmas tradition is to watch this movie every year with my sister. I thik it is the best Christmas Carol adaptation.
I just noticed that this uncut version is now available to watch in the extras menu on Disney+ ... Honestly, I think it should be the only version available. There's no point in cutting the song.
The Jacob and Robert Marley ghosts were Statler and waldorf from the original TV series. Yes, they are always together. They were known to hollar wise cracks from the balcony, aka "peanut gallery" on the old Variety TV Show. There's UA-cam videos of some of their greatest commentary floating around out there. They and the Swedish Chef were some of my favorite parts of the original TV show when I was a kid. ... Other aspects that my slip by to those not familiar with the characters is Gonzo had a special obsession/affection toward Chickens. Also, Fozzie Wig was played by Fozzie Bear from the original cast. Fozzie Bear was an aspiring comedian in the original show, always in competition with legit comedians who made guest appearances on the show. Known for the tagline "Wocka Wocka Wocka" after telling his one liners.
You need to watch “Muppet Treasure Island” if you liked this. One actor to rival Michael Caine as Scrooge. No spoilers.
Though he did went the opposite way of Caine's acting method to say the least.
Yes Muppet Treasure Island is a must see. It is my second favorite Muppet movie right behind this one.
@@mevb If you watch @factfiend on their wikiweekends, there really is only two ways to perform with the Muppets
1) Christmas Carol - Straight man
2) Treasure Island - Become a Muppet yourself
I know which actor you mean, he was very "Smashing" wasn't he...
Statler and waldorf, were the marley bros. And yes if you get one ya gotta get the other.
I read somewhere that the ghost of Christmas past was filmed underwater. I never thought she was creepy as a kid . I was only kind of scared of the ghost of Christmas yet to come . Looking back , her face is a little off-putting . The floaty robe effect is really cool and angelic ! Really enjoyed your reaction ! Merry Christmas !
That's correct, it's a puppet filmed in a water tank. They first tried oil but it didn't work out. 😁
My favorite Christmas tradition is watching this movie. I've watched this every year with my family on Christmas for basically my entire life. The Marley and Marley scene used to terrify me as a kid.
With very few exceptions The Muppets are usually right on point when it comes to making a great kid-friendly film while maintaining a few here and there adult jokes and quips. My personal favorites are Muppet Treasure Island and of course the original Muppet Movie
I grew up with my family watching the 1970 musical version of Scrooge with Albert Finney, but this one is slowly growing as a favorite for me. There are two moments where Michael Caine just totally won me over in this: The moment at the nephew's party when he realized they are making fun of him, and the moment he is given the red scarf. I don't think any moment in any version of a Christmas Carol is as touching as these two moments. You should definitely watch the original: The Muppet Movie from 1979, where you can see all the original characters that were in this one.
Haha, muppets ALWAYS make me cry. Jim Henson and his crew are so very talented. Granted this one was right after his death.
My favorite holiday watch is an older Jim Henson production… Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. It’s short and I highly recommend it if you love warm and charming. Paul Williams did the songs for that too.
Favorite holiday foods… artichoke soup and butter tarts. Both of them are family traditions.
If you ever need a good cathartic cry, rewatch this with the lens that this was the first production after Jim had died and they were all still working through their grief. There’s a reason this one gets you in the feels even if you don’t know why. 48:30
No one ever talks about that movie! I love it.
@katpiercemusic Another great TV Special is A Muppet Family Christmas where not only the gang from The Muppet Show appeared but also Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock (with a "cameo" apperance of Muppet Babies).
Omg that is one of my all time favs! I watch it every year I know all the songs!! Been watching it since I was like 3❤❤❤
if you watched this on disney+, there's a missing song! it's in the extras, it's a song called The Love is Gone from the Belle and Scrooge scene - some more singing and outstanding acting from Michael Caine. plus the "The Love We Found" at the end is a reprise of it
Favorite Christmas tradition: driving through neighborhoods, checking out the lights. There's actually a neighborhood in my town that *requires* lights every holiday season.
So I see a couple comments mentioned Statler and Waldorf (who played the Marley Brothers in this)... and that they are indeed always a pair... but for slightly more context, they are almost always depicted as hecklers, usually from a balcony position, making fun of everything the other Muppets do. They are phenomenal characters.
Jacob Marley and Robert (Bob) Marley
@fahooga they didn't worry about a thing
"It's good to be heckling again"
"It's good to be doing ANYTHING again"
"DOOOOHOHOHOHOHO"
@@dannykent6190 The comedy website McSweeneys, back in 2007 had an article titled “Statler and Waldorf Get Evicted From Their Retirement Home.” It’s hilarious.
This version of the movie cuts out the musical number that happens between young scrooge and his girlfriend while they sit next to the frozen lake. It is one of my favorite songs and it's a shame they removed it. It adds weight to the part where older scrooge turns away and asks to be taken away, that he couldn't see any more.
This has always been one of my favorite Christmas movies. And I love the fact that as I get older, this movie still packs all the emotional punches, still makes me laugh, and still has the heart and soul of the holiday season. I loved watching your reaction, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
There's no CGI in any of the movie by the way, just a lot oamazingly creative people.
I watched this movie ALOT as a Child... and when I first read the book, I was shocked at how much this version quotes the book :)
Every year, my Mom would spend nearly an entire weekend baking 6-8 different types of Christmas cookies to put into fancy baskets wrapped in cellophane and ribbons. She would give these out to our neighbors and close friends.
The part my sister and I would care about, of course, is the dining room table decked out with all the remaining cookies that we could snack on throughout the month before Christmas.
Peanut brittle, peppermint almond bark, snowballs, chocolate-dipped Ritz cracker sandwiches of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter, those chocolate kiss cookies, peanut butter cookies, gingerbread, etc…
It became a game of sneaking as many cookies off those plates without Mom ever getting suspicious that we were ruining our meals. 😂
I haven’t lived in her house in a long time, but when I could make it back to visit around this time, the dining table loaded with cookies was the thing I looked forward to most.
Christmas tradition with my family? Your doing it! Muppet's Christmas Carol has been a tradition in my family since its release.
Damn, you watched the version with the belle break up song cut. So sad and emotional. It would of been more sad if you watched the uncut version.
I’ve seen a ridiculous number of takes on this story and by far this is my absolute favorite. We watch it as a family every year.
36:52 took me a long time to realize that part of why the hand is so unsettling is that it doesn't have fingernails
The Marley brothers are played by Waldorf and Statler. During the Muppet show they had their own box in the theater looking over the stage where the other muppets would perform. They would sit up there and heckle the other muppets throughout the show.
The reason for 2 Marleys is those two always work together, Statler and Waldorf. They're the guys during every Muppet Show episode who are heckling the act from their viewing box above the audience. Kinda natural to have the BOTH be the doomed bad guy from the original with that setup.
Also the best casting in the history of film! 😂
beaker meeps cause he's beaker, and we love him for it. You should watch the behind the scenes for this and Labyrinth. It's fascinating how they do it. This cheered me up immensely tonight, thank you!
11:15 - Less that he had a heart- more that... well, in short, I was impressed that in this version Cratchit had a perfectly legitimate argument for taking the day off. You don't see that often.
The MCC was my childhood movie growing up, and even as an adult it is one of the few things that brings me comfort and levity during the Xmas season. For me, it’s the GOAT of all the Christmas Carol adaptations.
The Ghost of Christmas Present's mouth movement was controlled by Muppeteer Jerry Nelson through a Waldo which is a puppet mouth attached to radio control electronics that sends singals to the mouth which opens and closes with the same timing as the Waldo. This technique was introduced in Fraggle Rock with the Gorgs and when the Doozers speak. This enables the actor inside the costume to use both arms unlike Muppets like Sweetums who only used the left arm as the right was used for the mouth.
Probably one of the greatest acting choices of Michael Caine, and this movie is that Scrooge realizes that he’s the dead man that everybody has been talking about with such glee. But he has already decided to be a different man (and wants a different outcome. )and hates that that is his fate in this life. It is why he’s the best Scrooge. He has been truly changed already before knowing his damnation is upon him.
You have been too muppet sheltered. The Marley Twins are Statler and Waldorf; widely considered OG trolls. In the original Muppet Show, they were always in a balcony booth, heckling and smack talking the show, the music, and anything that came to mind. They particularly loved to torment Fozzie. ua-cam.com/video/X6I_dKUYyI4/v-deo.html&pp=ygUTc3RhdGxlciBhbmQgd2FsZG9yZg%3D%3D Clips of classic Statler & Waldorf. Side note, just a week or so ago, they were at the 2024 Game Awards, heckling as always.
Headmaster of Li'l Scrooge's school was Sam the Eagle. A stuffy, fussy contentious objector who critiqued the Muppet's zany, stupid and 'lowbrow' entertainment, but, his attempts to inject culture and standards in the show always failed, like when he failed to properly read the billing, and booked the ballet 'Swine Lake'
Watched this movie as a child in the 90s and always liked it but never considered it a favourite. Then didn't watch it for about 20 years and at age 30 on rewatch this movie made me cry about 5 times! Was totally caught off guard by how much emotion this film packs in and how much love clearly went into making it. My favourite Christmas movie without doubt. And loved your reaction to it!
They used a water tank and a camera filter for the ghost of christmas past effect.
I cry .. EVERY … SINGLE … TIME .. with this movie. It’s SOOOOO damned good. Easily the BEST xmas movie ever! Sir Michael’s performance is brilliant and heartbreaking.
The 1984 version with George C Scott as Scrooge is my favorite
But this version was my introduction to the story
And it is the only one that has made me cry
The scene with the ghost of Christmas yet to come with Tiny Tim's death always makes me emotional and when Beeker gives Scrooge the scarf always gets to me 🥹
I honestly love this movie. Watch it every Christmas Eve!
Kermit skating wasn't done with CGI...just good ol' puppeteering magic! 😊
A little backstory on the dedication at the beginning... Going all the way back to the 1970s and up til 1990, almost ALL muppet voices were done by just 5 core performers - Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz and Richard Hunt. Along the way, a 6th performer named Steve Whitmire started voicing some newer/minor characters (most notably Rizzo the rat). I'm sure you know who Jim Henson was (Kermit, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, Waldorf, Swedish Chef, many others), but Richard Hunt was equally important (Statler, Beaker, Scooter, Janice, Sweetums, others). So between Henson and Hunt both suddenly dying between 1990-1992, they were faced with losing about 40% of the characters' voices. For this, the first project after both their deaths, they only recast Kermit and Beaker (Whitmire took over both) and Statler & Waldorf (Nelson and Goelz took over), and the rest of their characters had no speaking parts. 😢
Man, it’s been years since I saw this movie. My cousin put on Christmas Day, and I had almost forgotten how good this movie is. Kudos to Brian Henson who did his father proud with this movie. Not to mention Michael Caine playing it straight, while surrounded by the Muppets
This movie has such a wonderful place in my heart. This was the movie of my Christmas past and ifs just a Christmas movie that is unmatched in my mind. Brian and all the puppeteers created a movie that i just don't think can ever be redone. The best Christmas movie and im not even a huge celebrator of Christmas but I will always watch this film
Pigeon! That was Sam the Eagle! Also, yeah the extended bits, like Belle’s song, need to be left in as the standard version. There is also more to the Marley song which should have been included. All that serves to make the movie better.
The lobsters at the end is a reference to one of Charles Dickens' narrative "like bad lobster in a dark cellar".
LOVEEEE this reaction! Maybe the best Muppets Christmas Carol reaction I’ve ever seen! ☺️ Also Jonathan, YES PLEASE watch more Muppet movies! My favorite Christmas movie is probably It’s a Wonderful Life, and my favorite tradition is putting ornaments on the tree while my Dad plays Christmas music on his phone, lol.
Our Christmas traditions? My daughter and I watch this movie, and "It's a Wonderful Life" ❤
We also watch them for Christmas in July!
This was the very first adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" I ever saw, that's why it is my favorite. But after watching so many other versions, there are 3 things I wish they did differently.
1. Add Scrooge's sister Fan, I think her death was a big part of Scrooge's path to greed
2. Have Annie Sue Pig play Martha, the oldest Cratchit child
3. More cameos of Muppet characters like Scooter, Miss Mousey, Hilda, Nigel, Mildred, Beauregard, Brewster, Zelda Rose, etc.
4. Play out the full version of the Marley brothers’ song.
Statler & Waldorf are hilarious! They told alot of funny jokes on the Muppet show. Johnathan should watch the original Muppet movie.
At 43:50 you can barely make out the sign on the storefront in the background that says "Micklewhite's" Michael Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite. God bless us, every one.
Dude, you GOTTA check out the other Muppet movies!!! And check out Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas next time, too!
Our Xmas tradition in our house is we watch two movies, The Snowman and Father Christmas. They are hand drawn short movies and I love them so much
I'm glad you enjoyed this film. You should really go back and watch the original Muppet Movie from 1979. it lays down the groundwork for all of the characters that you will see throughout the films. I am a huge fan of just about anything Jim Henson that being said Mickey's Christmas Carol is my favorite version of the story and I cry every single time I watch it
My grandmother had the VSH Tape of The Muppets Christmas Carol that had Bell's song "When Love is Gone", but now the tape is lost.
I heard there's now an option to watch the uncut version on Disney+...
They found that clip so it should be added to Disney +. If not, they lied.
This movie was dedicated to Jim Henson (the creator of The Muppets and the original puppeteer of Kermit, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, The Swedish Chef, Waldorf and many more) and Richard Hunt (who played Scooter, Statler, Janice, Beaker, Sweetums and several others) passed away before the movie's release. Henson from toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pyogenes on May 15 1990, and Hunt from AIDS (he was homosexual, which was a big deal during late 1980's and early 1990's, many gay celebs such as Freddie Mercury and Rudolf Nureyev died due to HIV/AIDS, causing big controversy, particularly in the US)
on January 7 1992.
Statler and Waldorf, in the original Muppet show, they were the hecklers in the box.
This is an awesome and faithful adaptation of A Christmas Carol. And if you want to take a deep dive into the costumes and how brilliant they are, Abby Cox did a video on how good they are. But love this version, its a great introduction to the novel without dumbing anything down for a younger audience.
'Jacob and Robert Marley' were 'played' by Waldorf and Stadtler, who sat in the balcony in the Muppet Show and heckled everyone, especially Fozzie Bear ('Save the comedy for the bears!). The Ghost of Christmas Past is exactly as described in the book. All the ghosts except for Marley were so close to the book.
The Ghost of Christmas Present, of course, lives for only 24 hours. A lovely detail is shown near the end, just before the new Scrooge knocks on Bob Cratchit's door - the shop behind the crowd is named 'Micklewhite's', which is Michael Caine's real last name.
I know what you meant, but I still laughed; plenty of people pay good money to relive their best and worst moments: it's called therapy. 🙃
This is such a sweet rendition of this story. It reminds me a lot of the old show "Wishbone", the dog that reenacted classic literature for children.
On the old Muppet Show. Gonzo's (Dickens) act was usually some wild and dangerous stunts. Often involving canons. The scene when he uses the rope to hitch a ride with Scrooge. Was a nod to his wild acts.
My favorite tradition is watching Space Jam every year on Christmas.
And we are all charmed by Jonathan...
You should absolutely watch more Muppet movies!! 😃
Thanks Jonathan, once again an amazing reaction to a movie close to my heart. All my Christmas wishes to you. God bless us, everyone x
My favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. Very highly recommended! My favorite tradition is Christmas parties full of family, friends and good food (bonus points if there’s a gift exchange).
If you like humans performing with Muppets then may I suggest Muppet Treasure Island with Tim Curry. Where here, Micheal Cane acts with all the seriousness of a professional theater actor, Tim acts like he's just another Muppet on the set.
I don’t think I’ve seen a reaction to this movie that had me so invested, especially since you say you haven’t seen a lot, if any, Muppets movies. 😄 If you ever get the chance, you’d probably really like Muppet Treasure Island. These movies really know how to blend comedy and drama!
25:56
I'm guessing by how this was edited that you too were unfortunately watching the theatrical cut, which is missing the best song of the movie, When Love Is Gone.
😢
That song brings the entire pace of the movie to a screeching halt. They were right to cut that scene.
@wattsink2009 It's an easy mistake to make. You have to select the main movie and then scroll down to the bonuses and then select the full length movie. I wish Disney hadn't done that
This is still my favorite version of the Christmas Carol.
listening to the soundtrack of this movie makes me cry because it makes me think of my dad. not sure why. but I also love Christmas and I love this movie
I haven't seen this one in a few years. But I'll be watching it again soon, probably in the next couple of days.
Watching the muppets in movies and the show are always fun. Jim Henson's company did " Labrirynth ". His children own and working physically with muppets. The Henson company has helped many movies and shows for decades.
@lesliedaubert1411 Especially The Jim Henson Creature Shop, who helped out with realistic looking puppets for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its sequels and for certain shots in Babe.
Jim Henson also did The Dark Crystal which he directed with Frank Oz, the latter made his directorial debut in that movie.
I've been watching a lot of "review" videos of this movie and this was one of my favorites. I'm a Muppet fan from way back- I would highly recommend watching some Muppet Shows (start in Season 3, or with your favorite guest star) to get to know the Muppets, and then go back and watch this again, and you'll appreciate it even more. :)
Yes more Muppets please!!
Not sure if you knew about this (the editing seems like you didn’t) before watching this but there is a longer version of the movie that includes a song that Belle sang to Scrooge. It is very pivotal to his story.
The great muppet Caper and Muppets take Manhattan are two OG muppet movies worth a watch!!
Our Christmas tradition is watching "Muppet Christmas Carol" every year! And yes, absolutely you should watch more Muppet movies and also as many episodes of the old Muppet Show as you can find. You will be delighted. ❤
My favorite apart from the George C. Scott version. But this version is surprisingly one of the most accurate for early Victorian clothing, which is saying a lot when so much of the costuming is tailored to the Muppets. 12:25 Nope, they used a full bodied Kermit with legs. I think in that instance it was a rod system to pose the legs edited out by bluescreen composite. They use a lot of clever tricks to show the entire bodies of Muppets interacting with the world to make things more real across the older Muppet films. 26:16 It looks like you missed out on one of the best songs, When Love is Gone, sung by Belle as she leaves young Scrooge that turns into a very emotional duet between her and Michael Caine's Scrooge that gives even better reason for Rizzo to be breaking down to tears than the truncated version. The song at the very end, When Love is Found, is a reprise that makes less sense without the earlier part. It was always my favorite part but it was edited out and added back in different releases. Unfortunately most reactors watch the version without. 32:34 Gonzo would love to land on a hot goose considering his long established chicken attraction.
Great reaction. I watch this movie every year. According to the Dickens Society, this version is the closest to the original and they did an amazing job on the costuming! If you know what to look for, you see Gonzo's (Mr Dickens') fashions change between the past and present to match the fashions of those times. Then of course a big part of what makes this one work is that Michael Caine played it so straight. You did miss out on a touching song with Belle that is only in some versions and Michaels acting will break your heart. It is called "When Love is Lost" and the the theme plays through the entire move, then is bookended nicely with the closing song "When Love is Found". 100 % watch more Muppet movies. Great Muppet Caper... Muppet Treasure Island.... Part of what makes Muppet Treasure Island great for me is that Tim Curry basically IS a Muppet.
Many of the background puppets were from previous productions. Some of those puppets had been around for 15-20 yrs by that point. The Hensons keep EVERYTHING. One of those puppets JP Grosse, who was the Muppet Show theatre owner now sits in a cabinet in the bowels of the Smithsonian archives.
The first singing background Muppet is George the Janitor introduced in the pilot The Muppets Valentine's Show and was prominent in the first season of the Muppet Show but was dropped to a background character.
When Scrooge and Belle meetin the park there is a song missing in most current versions "when love is gone". They put it back on disney plus but that version is hidden in the extras, as well as just the song. I think the song makes the movie better and they tie it back in with the last song "The love we found". If you didnt see that part i recommend looking it up real quick.
@@majora999 the song is on the videotape and DVD versions issued in the past. I have the dvd with it in my collection
I have the special edition DVD that has both the video and theatrical versions, so you can watch the song or skip it depending on the choice. Got it off e-bay years ago, and they had a bunch of versions come out about the same time. I hated sappy songs so I skipped it initially (and hadn't seen it that way). When I gave it a shot and watched it in it's entirety with the song, I felt the movie was DEFINITELY missing something by taking it out. It felt weird to me that the "past" portion would be so short considering how long he'd lived and the things that shaped him, and that song stretches that part of the story a bit longer appropriately. Between his neglectful childhood and that love gone wrong, he'd lost a big part of his heart, and the song shows it.
I highly recommend checking out Abby Cox’s video about the costumes for this movie! Not only is the adaptation very close to the book, the costumes are also quite historically accurate ❤ this is my favorite Christmas movie, and probably tied for my favorite Muppet movie. EDIT: next time you watch this (I’m assuming there will be a next time!), make sure you watch the version with the song between Scrooge and Belle, “When Love Is Gone”. It’s quite moving, and really helps tie the ending together more musically.
The shop Scrooge passes when he is singing called Micklewhite's is Caine's real last name...
Jonathan should watch not just more Muppet movies, but some episodes of The Muppet Show. I think he would especially enjoy the one with Mark Hamill/Luke Skywalker.
You kidding? He should watch the whole show! Coby, though, SHE oughta check out the Star Wars episode, for sure!
@@EntertainmentFan11 I don't know. 120 episodes seems like a lot, especially since he might get a little lost just trying to identify some of the guest hosts. Maybe even most of them.
@BouillaBased Actually, two episodes aren't on Disney+. One because the guest was a criminal, and the other (the Brooke Shields episode from season 5) had the cast singing a song from Wizard of Oz (it even had Fozzie dressed as the Tin Man) which is currently owned by Warner Bros., so Disney clearly doesn't have the rights to that episode. Mind you, we DID get The Muppets Wizard of Oz years later, but that's pretty much another adaptation of the book, which I think is public domain. I think there may be some guests he recognizes (Sir Elton John, Steve Martin, and Dame Julie Andrews, for example), but I don't know if he's seen anything Star Wars before or not. That particular episode is best suited for Coby since she's finished the films. Plus, I feel like it'd be interesting for Jonathan to watch the whole show and see how far the designs for some of the Muppet characters have come over the years. He can watch a majority of the show on his own time if he'd like. He doesn't have to react to it all.
And Fraggle Rock
!970's Scrooge is the first musical version of A Christmas Carol. It's my favorite version, with Muppets a close 2nd. The songs in that blow these away! It also has the original Obi Wan Kenobi as Jacob Marley.
Jonathan needs to be on season 2 of "Finding Mister Christmas"
Thanks, Jonathan! ❄ My favorite version of this timeless tale is SCROOGE (1951). It's often called A CHRISTMAS CAROL on this side of the pond, but the title page still reads SCROOGE. Speaking of which, have you seen the Broadway musical version SCROOGE (1970)? It's great, too.
You may enjoy watching some of the videos that have been made on the historical accuracy... especially the costumes! I just love this version 😍
Wow, how have I never seen your stuff before? I loved your analysis of this, it’s great to see someone so engaged with the material. If you haven't seen 'Hogfather', I think you would really enjoy it. It’s an adaptation of... basically the Christmas episode of Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' novels. You would have a lot of fun with his style of humor, and it deals with a lot of really interesting philosophy similar to the stuff you liked in this one.