"The puppets really can show a little bit of emotion." You've never seen anything sadder as when the Muppets first found out that they were created by a man named Jim Henson and then later in the episode after they decided to go and meet him, they found out that he had died. an entire room of Muppets realizing their creator had passed was sooooooo sad.
In a special Jim and friends made in the mid 80s to celebrate 30 years of their past work that was a ceremony that involved not only Kermit's gang, but the Sesame Street gang, the Sam and Friends gang, Emmet Otters gang, and Uncle Travling Matt and Sprocket from Fraggle Rock reminiscing about they're favorite memories of their work (monsters, explosions and cannibalism for Sweetums, pop culture references for Gonzo, music for Electric Mayhem, children programing for the cast of Sesame Street, imagination for Traveling Matt, etc) Kermit says his favorite moments are the moments that come across as sad or touching as opposed to funny.
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson special is a gut punch. They spend the entire thing trying to figure out who this Jim guy was, and then they find a letter from a little girl talking about how God must have wanted Muppets heaven…. Just watching that realization sink in is just heartbreaking.
Michael Caine said that the way he decided to approach being in a movie with puppets everywhere is to act as if he was in a royal Shakespeare company production, treat it completely seriously and never once "wink" to the camera and goof off. It worked PERFECTLY. 💜💜
I mean, part of the magic of the muppets is that most people (I would specify actors, but it’s not just actors) don’t break the fourth wall or acknowledge that they’re working with puppets- they just fall into the fiction of them being real
I was a touch snobby and never cared to watch this for the longest time, thinking it would be silly and childish. But as a teacher, I finally showed it to my students one year when they asked for it, and I was shocked at how enjoyable and well-made it actually is.
Im glad they finally wore you down. This film is an amazing adaptation to Christmas Carol. It’s because of Micheal Caine and everybody who worked on the film went serious about it. They new when to use comedy and when to be emotional.
Thank you for changing your mind - this film made a huge difference to my baby bookworm brain that found Dickens infuriating, and couldn’t appreciate the context of why he repeated himself more than my Nan on the Christmas sherry. I think I read/ saw somewhere that this adaptation uses more quotes from the novel than any other up to that point!
I always maintain that using Gonzo as Charles Dickens was the most inspired addition to this adaptation, having Charles Dickens as a narrator allowed them to provide both a voice that lets them do speed through introductions without establishing scenes for characters and locations as well as incorporate so much of the original text of the book that would have had to be lost in a film adaptation otherwise
"God save my little broken body!" Rizzo as the punching bag of the story while Gonzo tries to narrate is the best part. Also check out Muppet Treasure Island, another piece of literature put to song and puppetry, with another iconic actor.
Definitely second that. Muppet's Christmas Carol and Treasure Island are both my favorite rendition of those stories, carried by phenomenal performances of their big (human) stars.
Third that recommendation! If you liked the format here with Gonzo and Rizzo working together you'll get that in Muppet Treasure Island too. The contemporary Muppet movies are a different kind of beast.
It really hurts me that they removed "when love is gone". It is such a beautiful song, and it really helps sell Scrooge's fall, and reconnects him to his humanity. Growing up the copy we had kept it in, and so it always surprises me when it is not there as other people experience it. If you want to continue your muppet watching experience, I highly reccommend Muppet Treasure Island, which star's Tim Curry, in the best portrayal of Long John Silver I have ever seen.
They did the same thing to the Muppet Family Christmas. They took over 20 minutes of the movie out. Including a bunch of songs, and story moments, which completely destroyed the film. The only way to watch the real thing is to, either, get ahold of an old copy, download the original from a torrent site, or try to find a website that streams the original version. It's really sad to see the classics getting butchered. Jim Henson would be so upset about it.
@@MovedbyTruth The Henson Company released a DVD version around the late 2000s, although it also has the "Muppet Babies" home movies scene cut out (but only that scene). It's probably the most completed version available out there.
So the reason most are viewing the 'cut' version is because they lost the original film work that had the full length including song for the modern copies of the movie (after all they would've touched up the quality etc). Recently however, they did find the 'lost' version and i believe it should be out there for streaming if not will be soon. What is confusing is that another reactor watched the full one this week including song so I'm actually surprised that Shanelle ended up watching the one without. 😥 Edit: Unless she cut it? for copyright reasons? 🤷♂
I think its incredibly asinine they actually did that because they think its too sad or depressing. But that's the whole point. Its shows why Scrooge became the way he was in the story and it also shows children that there will be times they too will go through this situation when they're older. Relationships are not always easy and there will be times where they eventually end when not handle right.
@@DonForceFeedback She hears about it in the trivia and looks it up towards the end of the film, so she did see it, just not in the middle of the film.
PLEASE STOP SAYING UNDERRATED! That word is unbelievably and ridiculously overused and misused by every single person on UA-cam. “Underrated” has literally lost its meaning because everybody on UA-cam overused it and misuses it so much
@@LumpyAdams I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the word “underrated” is overused by everybody on UA-cam. Everybody and their brother says that everything is underrated! Whether it is or not
@@nsasupporter7557 that's not how words work. You can say them as many times as you want & they still mean the same thing. If you have a problem with the word, getting over it is TOTALLY UNDERRATED. You should give it a shot.
The business with the bookkeepers getting a basket of coal: remember earlier when they were asking permission to put more coal on the fire, and Scrooge threatened to fire them? Now he is letting them have a big basket of coal to keep warm. They weren't bad... they were just cold! You might enjoy the original Muppet Movie from 1979, too.
I am very glad you went back and saw the deleted scene with When Love Is Gone, because I feel like Scrooge's turn and willingness to get involved as much as he did in the Christmas Present scenes really NEEDS that moment where he finally breaks down, and not showing it makes it feel like there's a sort of unearned emotional jump. Letting himself finally feel bad about a moment he was clearly avoiding thinking about opened him up to feeling a lot more for the rest of the movie! And yes, the two recent Muppet Movies are absolutely worth watching.
Last November is when I learned that Michael Caine was going to take this role seriously. That fact is what makes this film work so well. At the same time I learned that all of Gonzo's narration lines come directly from the book. After learning these two facts I had to watch this and then I read the book. I've heard the Dickens Society has said this is the most accurate adaption of A Christmas Carol. I knew you would enjoy this one and yes you should do more Muppet movies, especially if you just want to smile. I was smiling the whole time watching this because you were smiling. The book Jim Henson The Biography by Brian Jay Jones is very good.
This and Muppet Treasure Island are both my favorite renditions of their respective stories. Michael Caine in this, and Tim Curry in Treasure Island are both phenomenal in their roles.
Things like Michael Caine taking the role 100% serious is what makes a lot of things work. The same can be said about Weird Al. He knew he had to bring the goods instrumentally and with his showmanship in order to be taken seriously or his career would have died quickly. Similarly, a band out of Japan called BABYMETAL...three young girls (12 and 11 when they started over a decade ago) doing pop singing and dancing with metal music backing them. It shouldn't have worked; it had no business working...but it does even to this day because they hired some of the best musicians to be part of their backing band and have some of the best song writers in Japan. When you think something is silly or can't work, all it takes is the dedication of one major person to make it work, and Michael Caine did that in spades here!
Henson had passed 2 yrs prior to this. It was their first big film without him. Richard Hunt had passed the yr that this came out. Hunt was 1/2 of the Two Headed Monster, Scooter, Janice, and about a billion other characters. He and Jerry Nelson (Tiny Tim and Present) were both incredible singers.
@@nsasupporter7557 Likely so. Apparently, he had been sick for nearly four days and only when he got severely sick was when he agreed to go to the hospital (however, although most said he didn't go to the hospital earlier because of his Christian Science upbringing, it was more the fact that Henson had rarely been sick and just had never dealt with serious health issues before; some also blamed severe stress for his bad immune system issues, due to the struggles with handling the Muppet transfer to Disney).
It makes you wonder what this film would have been with Jim H. Still alive to fully contribute. Would it have just been a different kind of good, or would it have been an absolute next level masterpiece ?
@@nsasupporter7557 I find that many men of that generation mistrust doctors. In their day doctors were often quacks who lobotomized children and sent housewives to mental institutions for "hysteria". The hospital was the place you went to die.
Love the reaction, this adaptation is closest to the original Dickens book in quotes. A. Michael Caine is truly an unsung one of the greatest thespians B. All Muppet Movies I have seen are musicals C. The first three Muppet Movies (The Muppet Movie, Muppets Take Manhattan, and The Great Muppet Caper) are filled with an unreal amount of cameos. D. If you liked this then check out Muppet Treasure Island.
All Muppet movies are worth at least one watch, but the original 1979 'The Muppet Movie' is the standard by which every other one should be judged. INFINITELY rewatchable.
The funniest part is Gonzo's response to Rizzo landing on the "flaming hot goose." The bit about being lucky. This goes WAY back to the late 1970s. All Gonzo's 'lady friends' are poultry. They're his 'type.' 😉😉
The Christmas Carol has been done over and over again. Everyone knows the story, yet this is amazingly one of the most faithful adaptations of the source material. Christmas past was meant to be unsettling. Christmas present was a giant. It really is the perfect Christmas movie, and in my opinion, the best Muppet movie.
12:06 I mean, Scrooge's deal isn't just that he was broken up with at Christmas. It all comes down to the decisions he made in life that influenced the outcomes; which is sort of the lesson he ultimately learns. I love the Muppet Christmas Carol, and it's probably my favorite adaptation of the story (and I've written like, three adaptations for community theatre and have produced two of them so far...) but I do wish they had Scrooge's sister Fran in this version. They gloss over his school time a bit, and that's supposed to be a reflection that Scrooge was the only boy at his school not to go home at Christmas, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. He had a home, but not a good home life; so he stayed and would lose himself in books. And it was like that year after year, until his sister Fran arrives and says their father is a better man now and that Scrooge is to return home so they can be a family again. And of course Fran is Fred's mother, but she died very young. This further informs the dynamic seen with Fred and Scrooge at the beginning, when Fred invites his uncle to dinner; Scrooge doesn't believe it's a genuine offer, that Fred's taking pity on him in memory of his mother. But then at the dinner, Fred doesn't mock Scrooge; he's kind of indifferent about him not coming - "what does he miss out on, than a good meal" type of perspective. But he genuinely feels kind of sorry for him. The break-up with Belle shows how his path was altered by his narrow perspective of things. Scrooge felt he _had to_ achieve a certain station and financial security in life before he and Belle could be married; but Belle felt "a new idol" had replaced her, wealth, ambition; and she couldn't compete with that in his heart. So she chose to break away now, rather than lose him little by little. And I do think "The Love Is Gone" is a crucial exploration of that. It might have been interesting had Dickens explored more of Scrooge's past, and Lord knows that man liked to ramble on. I do think there's maybe a little more nuance to his development from the boy at school to the miser he became. But that might have belabored the point. Ultimately we know Scrooge had two driving forces in his life to set his example by; Fezziwig, his first mentor for whom he was an apprentice for; known for his benevolence and generosity, particularly with his ball as an example. And then there was Marley, with whom Scrooge became business partners with; and we know that present day Scrooge is more like Marley than Fezziwig. So somewhere along the way, Scrooge came to see things more Marley's way than Fezziwig's, which invariably changed the course of his life. But it still comes down to the decisions he made; and when he made the decision to change, that took him in a new direction.
@@alicedelgado955 I think the update was literally yesterday Unless you mean the extended cut is only in extras? In which case, yeah, that's how they've done it to still have both options available
I loved this movie growing up, but now as an adult it's become my favorite Christmas movie. It's just done perfectly. From Michael Caine's superb acting to Paul Williams' music to the fact that they kept it mostly serious with numerous direct quotes from the book to Rizzo being the PERFECT comic relief. A++ Edit: I'm so glad you went out of your way to watch When Love is Gone. The version I grew up on had it so later seeing the movie without it was really jarring.
Same. I had the movie on video as a kid which had When Love Is Gone in it, so it confused me when I later got the dvd & that song wasn't there. It just doesn't make sense when we see Rizzo crying his heart out at the end of that moment if the song isn't used in the scene.
Robbie Coltrane’s Ghost of Christmas was clearly the basis for his performance as Hagrid…..although, I’m not sure if Hagrid was partial to a glass of "Nurse McCready's Surgical Bruise Lotion." 😂😂😂
Love that you reacted to this one! The original muppet movies are so fun! The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet Treasure Island are gems 😊
You should watch all the Muppet movies. My favorite is Great Muppet Caper. And for Christmas Carol stories, this one and Scrooged with Bill Murray are tied for #1 on my list. The Muppets are always so funny and yet so heartfelt in their movies. A genuinely wholesome time every time you watch them. Thank you for bringing them onto your channel. Can't wait for the rest.
4:39 When you see muppets in full/wide shots right on the ground/floor and you're wondering where the puppeteer is, usually the set has been built on a raised platform above the soundstage floor.
The Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol is also excellent... it also goes into Scooge's childhood a little deeper with why he never went home for Christmas
The best Muppet movie, the best Christmas Carol adaptation ever made (and surprisingly, probably the most faithful to the book), and an absolute tour de force from Michael Caine. There’s a marvellous analysis of the costumes in the movie floating around on UA-cam - in short, they’re remarkably period-accurate. Nobody asked or expected the Muppets to go so hard on making such a faithful adaptation. This movie has a permanent spot in the Christmas double feature in my house - right after Die Hard.
LOVE this version! Re: your filmmaking questions: the opening flyover shot uses a big model of the city (and then transitions onto a soundstage shot like you said), and the creepy Ghost of Christmas Past was actually a physical puppet that they filmed in a water tank to create its ethereal hair/fabric movements, and then superimposed into the scene. So many creative techniques and tricks used in this film. :)
Muppet Treasure Island is the Muppet movie most similar to this. Gonzo and Rizzo aren't narrating it but they follow along with the main character and are fantastic as always. It has Tim Curry as Long John Silver. And the rats. The rats are hilarious!
This is my favorite version of the Christmas Carol story. I've watched it every Christmas since I was a kid. The song "It Feels Like Christmas" is my favorite! The song with Belle that was cut from the DVD release is a close second. Her performance and Michael Caine's acting in that scene is heartbreaking! I'm glad they restored it in the Disney+ version.
You should totally watch more Muppet movies on the channel! They’re so great! The 2011 was is cute but kind of different from other Muppet movies, and then the one after it, Muppet’s Most Wanted, is kind of a more return to form and very funny. Muppet Treasure Island is a real classic that you would love! Paul Williams wrote the music for this and many of the early Muppet movies. He’s an incredible songwriter! You should also check out The Phantom of the Paradise. I will warn you it’s a strange film, but Williams wrote all the songs for it, too, and it’s fun to see his range.
This is the only version of A Christmas Carol that I watch religiously. I came from a Muppet loving family, so I highly recommend watching more! The original still holds up, and the newer one was a nice love letter to the franchise. I'm also probably in the minority on this, but I love Muppets From Space, too. Thanks as always!
Oh, and the initial removal of "When Love Is Gone" is what I would call an iconic blunder. You got no idea how pissed I was when I found out decades later that this song was missing. It makes the movie 1000% better as it enforces the sense of Scooge's character growth.
1) You should definitely watch more Mupput movies for the channel. They are fun and silly and full of great cameos! 2) Jim Henson was amazing at fully embracing the juxtaposition of cute, uncanny, and scary that comes with puppeteering. He knew where to lean in and where to pull back to make them all blend together. Which brings me to.. 3) The 2011 Muppet movie, while fun and enjoyable, didn't quite capture the spirit of the older movies. I'd be happy to watch it with you on the channel, but if it's a choice between the newer or the older, I'd go with the older movies.
Yes! Go ahead and watch more Muppets! The first ones are worthwhile too, and Muppets Take Manhattan from the 80’s is one of my faves. The muppets all around are great. They’re just as legit of actors as any human, I think.
I LOVE this movie so much!! I've seen it millions of times, and I still burst out laughing every time, and get moved to tears. My daughter and I will randomly say, "No cheeses for us meeces" throughout the year Lol. And yes, check out The Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)- it was another one that we laughed out loud over! It was way better than I thought it was going to be!
6:07 - And vice versa: The Muppet Show started out in England in the late '70s and everyone grew up with them, so by the '90s being in a Muppet production of any kind is a resume boost for ANY actor. 😉
The coal was a nice gift to the rats as in the beginning they were cold and asked for more so they could put it on the fire. He wanted them to be able to feel warmth. Xx
By far my favourite version of A Christmas Carol. If you haven’t seen it you should also check out The Man Who Invented Christmas. It tells the story (fictionally) of how Dickens wrote and published A Christmas Carol in the weeks leading up to Christmas
This was my first watch of anything muppets - I’ll certainly be watching the film this Christmas! Thank you, Shanelle! I’d love to see your reaction to The Hogfather, adapted from the Terry Pratchett novel; it’s my go to film every Christmas.
There is an interview with Michael Cain when he said during the first week of filming he had looked down directly into a puppeteer's eyes and the puppeteer started laughing. The puppeteer apologized to Cain and said he usually doesn't ever look other actors in the eyes when filming. Cain thought it was such an interesting concept to not look directly at another person you are acting a scene with.
1) Camera usually seems to be at the muppets' eye level, low for the small muppets (who are generally living characters), high for the Spirits of Christmas. This also seems to reflect who holds more power over who. 2) The pervasive dutch angles seem to serve several purposes: - amplifying height contrasts, which probably helps make a physically smaller set feel larger - hiding wherever the puppeteers stand - making us see Scrooge like we're looking sideways or leaning over to notice him, particularly from the vantage point of the muppet characters representing living people - making Scrooge either loom over the small (living) muppet characters, or the Spirits loom over Scrooge (eg. @14:48), sometimes by suggesting a vanishing point above or below
After this movie was, 'Muppet Treasure Island (1996)'. 'Muppets From Space (1999)', 'The Muppets (2011)' and 'Muppets Most Wanted (2014)'. Their TV Movies were, 'It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)' and 'The Muppets Wizard Of Oz (2005)'. 🎅🎅
Wow I was searching for reactions to this earlier today, then I open UA-cam and I see this. Awesome! This is my 2nd favorite Xmas movie and my all time favorite adaptation of this classic story
Thanks for your reaction and commentary here! The creepy factor is very much a part of this story. Don't forget, the book was originally published as, "A Christmas Carol, In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas." As a ghost story, it's supposed to be at least a little scary. This adaptation doesn't explore much of Scrooge's childhood, but there are indeed other reasons why he's so bitter about Christmas. As it turns out, his family life was really miserable. His mother died early (in some versions, it's stated that she died giving birth to him), and his father resented him terribly. Ebenezer was shipped off to boarding school and stayed there permanently, not even allowed to visit family during the holidays. So he spent every Christmas utterly alone. The one ray of light in his family was his sister, but when she died after her son Fred was born, Scrooge was left pretty much unmoored. As you said, he could really have used some therapy! Frank Oz was the voice of sooooooo many Muppets: Miss Piggy and Fozzie of course, but also Bert, Grover and others. His chemistry and teamwork with Jim Henson -- in so many roles -- was something magical. Just about anything with the Muppets should be fun to watch. While you're looking into that, please don't forget some of the classic ones from the 70's and 80's. Aware that I'm dating myself here, I highly recommend "The Great Muppet Caper" and "The Muppet Movie". That's where you can see Kermit's performance of "Rainbow Connection"!
I would love to see someone react to Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. It was made before the very first Muppet movie. It’s short (under an hour) and very sweet. It’s my go to holiday movie. Also, yes react to all the Muppet things. But the original 3 Muppet Movies are the best. The number of cameos are just insane.
In the Book, the ghost of Christmas past IS scary; all the three ghosts are (Even Christmas Present becomes spooky towards the end of his time with Scrooge). The GoCP is said that its appearance seems shifting, appearing both young and old, it lacks physical form, being ephemeral and floating in a gown of pure white and with light around its head. And it speaks mostly in short phrases, answering Scrooges questions. I hope one day, you will react to *A Christmas Carol (2009)* by Robert Zemeckis: I think it is the absolute BEST version ever put to screen of Dickens' work! It certainly is the most book accurate, has an all star cast with Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Collin Firth, Cary Elwes, Bob Hoskins and many others giving amzing performances!
I was Muppet mad as a kid and I loved this when it came out. It’s now one of the films I watch every Christmas. All the sets where built up about 3-4 feet and the muppets handlers would put there arms up through holes, with a tv monitor at there feet so they can see what the cameras see. If you haven’t seen it I recommend Muppets Treasure Island.
4:40 it's very fun and clever! The entirety of the set is raised on platforms and have modular floring with holes in them, allowing the puppeteers to stand up straight while working.
1992 brought 3 GREAT THINGS. My Cousin, Vinny, my Graduation and The Muppets Christmas Carol. I have loved this movie ever since it came out. Great Post, Shanelle.
Hi Shanelle! Absolutely you should watch the 2011 'TheMuppets'! And for a very different sort of Muppet movie, you might consider 1982's 'The Dark Crystal'...
Look up the MUPPET SHOW ... there are a galaxy of guest stars on it.. It was a fantastic Muppet variety show ... BTW .. Muppets is an acronym for Marionettes and Puppets together.
If you want another Muppets movie, I cannot recommend their "Treasure Island" enough. It has Tim Currey as Long John. Also, just once I want a rendition of Christmas Carol that follows the book ending where Scrooge waits to confront Cratchet until the office the day after Christmas.
This is my favourite Christmas movie, I love the Muppets and the Dickens story so this is perfect imo. You should probably watch the original Muppet Movie before the 2011 one since there are a few homages to it that would go better appreciated.
Others have mentioned it, but Michael Caine's decision to approach this as a serious role payed off BIG TIME! My family watches this movie on Christmas Day, every year. It holds a very special place in my heart! So much fun! Also, I'd definitely recommend the Muppets from 2011, with Jason Segal, as well as Muppet Treasure Island, with Tim Curry. Both are a blast!
It's hard to tell with the edited down version for UA-cam, please tell me the cut you watched had Belle singing "The Love is Gone" in it! If not, you have to look it up. It's such a beautifully sad song; and works so well with Scrooge and his past. It was such a stupid decision to take it out (especially since it shortens that scene so much). I'm glad Disney is working to put it back in; and was happy to see it was in the version Ashleigh Burton reacted to recently.
@@samgreenbergart I'm curious what Ashleigh watched, since her reaction was released early this last week and it had the song in. It's possible she had one of the old anniversary cuts, but it looked widescreen; and those DVDs that had the song usually only had it in "Full Screen". Because I've tried finding a wide screen cut of it for ages.
The Ghost of Christmas Past was a rod puppet that was built to float in a vat of oil or water so that her robes would swirl all around her. The footage was then matted into the scene with Scrooge. The main puppeteer (Karen Prell, if I'm not mistaken) delivered the lines on set, but a voice actor dubbed them later so the character would sound like a little kid.
My favorite Christmas Carol movie is the 1984 version with George C. Scott. It is not a music but I think it hits all the right notes with all the characters and themes. It is definitely one of the movies I watch every Christmas. Highly recommend.
So apparently on Disney+, if you go to the "Extras" section under this movie you can find the cut song as well as a version of the film with the cut content included. Though it seems really weird they don't just have "theatrical" and "extended cut" versions on the main page for the film.
This is one of the absolute MUST Christmas films for me, along with the original Miracle on 34th St and Elf. It's so wholesome but unpatronising and as you've said, Caine's performance is so grounded it cements the reality of everything else. The songs are beautiful and having a Ghost of Christmas Present who essentially is the person who delivers Christmas presents was a wonderful touch.
Not missed a single year watching this at Christmas since I got the VHS as a child. A local Cinema started showing it at Christmas so until Covid i'd take the family there on Christmas eve.
The practical effects in this are amazing. I believe the effect used with the Ghost of Christmas Past was they suspended the puppet underwater and that's how they achieved the "floating" of her robes.
the book has alluded to the trauma that Scrooge endured in childhood, the most important part is that he was not always mean and evil, his coldness grows out of isolation and loneliness, being abandoned by his father (left at school for years with no contact, or minimal at best), some of the films have also added other sources and reasons, including the possibility that Scrooge's mother died during childhood (a theory but probably not correct)....as a child, when younger, Scrooge had a marvelous imagination who would befriend various literary characters (and whom may have visited him at Christmas), but his seriousness and coldness grew as his years went on...Scrooge as a child spoke of friends (many who left his alone at Christmas), whether they were his actual friends, or just class room associates is never really sure (he says he has friends and shows joy in mentioning them, but it may just be excitement and nostalgia of the situation), but even if he did have friends at one point, he soon loses that and finds friendship at best difficult due to his coldness or most likely useless, unless he gets an advantage, like many of his business associates he speaks about during the Christmas Future segments.
You should react to A Muppet Family Christmas (full version which you can stream right from youtube). A lot of people consider it the superior Muppet movie. All I can say is that it's very good, heartwarming, funny, fun, and well produced. Very Christmasy.
I am unashamed of exactly how much I love this particular adaptation between the music and the comedy and of course the feels( I don't know if you were watching it on Disney Plus or not but there is actually a song that was part of the home video release but was considered to be a lost scene because the original print was not able to be found initially. The scene in question can be found on UA-cam and it is a musical number duet between the Elder Scrooge and the past version of the girlfriend when she left him and the name of the song is when love is gone... and it is very much the reason why Rizzo was bawling and if you watch that within the context of the movie you too will be bawling)
So good to see this movie get love, it’s so good! And have you seen the 83’ Pirates of Penzance? It’s one of my absolute favorite musicals and it always makes me giggle.
In the real Christmas Carol Scrooges father sent him away because he resented him for being born. His mother died in child birth. So when he was old enough he sent him to boarding school. You should watch Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets in Manhattan
If you want to see a performance of "The Rainbow Connection", there's a movie where this sweet frog Sings it...... 😁. Seriously, you would love The Muppet Movie (1979).
The Muppets Take Manhattan is the best one. This is Second Best. The songs, cameos, story. Da Bess. Its also owned by Sony so its buried on HULU instead of D+
If by somehow you never seen the Christmas Carol from 1951 staring Alistair Sim I recommend it It has the trauma and origin for scrooge you are looking for. It also quite the gothic horror
I believe the ghost of Christmas past was a puppet they filmed inside a water tanks in front of a green screen, that's how they gave her the floating effect.
"The puppets really can show a little bit of emotion." You've never seen anything sadder as when the Muppets first found out that they were created by a man named Jim Henson and then later in the episode after they decided to go and meet him, they found out that he had died. an entire room of Muppets realizing their creator had passed was sooooooo sad.
There's also Big Bird's performance of Being Green from Jim Henson's memorial service.
I just looked it up… I was not emotionally prepared. 😢
🥺
In a special Jim and friends made in the mid 80s to celebrate 30 years of their past work that was a ceremony that involved not only Kermit's gang, but the Sesame Street gang, the Sam and Friends gang, Emmet Otters gang, and Uncle Travling Matt and Sprocket from Fraggle Rock reminiscing about they're favorite memories of their work (monsters, explosions and cannibalism for Sweetums, pop culture references for Gonzo, music for Electric Mayhem, children programing for the cast of Sesame Street, imagination for Traveling Matt, etc) Kermit says his favorite moments are the moments that come across as sad or touching as opposed to funny.
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson special is a gut punch. They spend the entire thing trying to figure out who this Jim guy was, and then they find a letter from a little girl talking about how God must have wanted Muppets heaven…. Just watching that realization sink in is just heartbreaking.
Michael Caine said that the way he decided to approach being in a movie with puppets everywhere is to act as if he was in a royal Shakespeare company production, treat it completely seriously and never once "wink" to the camera and goof off. It worked PERFECTLY. 💜💜
"How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly ... UNEMPLOYED??!!!"
@@diogenesagogo"HEAT WAVE! THIS IS MY ISLAND IN THE SUN"
I mean, part of the magic of the muppets is that most people (I would specify actors, but it’s not just actors) don’t break the fourth wall or acknowledge that they’re working with puppets- they just fall into the fiction of them being real
I was a touch snobby and never cared to watch this for the longest time, thinking it would be silly and childish. But as a teacher, I finally showed it to my students one year when they asked for it, and I was shocked at how enjoyable and well-made it actually is.
Im glad they finally wore you down. This film is an amazing adaptation to Christmas Carol. It’s because of Micheal Caine and everybody who worked on the film went serious about it. They new when to use comedy and when to be emotional.
Thank you for changing your mind - this film made a huge difference to my baby bookworm brain that found Dickens infuriating, and couldn’t appreciate the context of why he repeated himself more than my Nan on the Christmas sherry.
I think I read/ saw somewhere that this adaptation uses more quotes from the novel than any other up to that point!
I always maintain that using Gonzo as Charles Dickens was the most inspired addition to this adaptation, having Charles Dickens as a narrator allowed them to provide both a voice that lets them do speed through introductions without establishing scenes for characters and locations as well as incorporate so much of the original text of the book that would have had to be lost in a film adaptation otherwise
"God save my little broken body!"
Rizzo as the punching bag of the story while Gonzo tries to narrate is the best part.
Also check out Muppet Treasure Island, another piece of literature put to song and puppetry, with another iconic actor.
Definitely second that. Muppet's Christmas Carol and Treasure Island are both my favorite rendition of those stories, carried by phenomenal performances of their big (human) stars.
@@JDP5127 I agree! It's one of the best ones
Third that recommendation! If you liked the format here with Gonzo and Rizzo working together you'll get that in Muppet Treasure Island too. The contemporary Muppet movies are a different kind of beast.
Muppet Treasure Island is amazing, and not least of all for having a young Tim Curry playing Long John Silver. That opening song absolutely SLAPS.
@Christie W I have it on my phones music. It's awesome
It really hurts me that they removed "when love is gone". It is such a beautiful song, and it really helps sell Scrooge's fall, and reconnects him to his humanity. Growing up the copy we had kept it in, and so it always surprises me when it is not there as other people experience it. If you want to continue your muppet watching experience, I highly reccommend Muppet Treasure Island, which star's Tim Curry, in the best portrayal of Long John Silver I have ever seen.
They did the same thing to the Muppet Family Christmas. They took over 20 minutes of the movie out. Including a bunch of songs, and story moments, which completely destroyed the film. The only way to watch the real thing is to, either, get ahold of an old copy, download the original from a torrent site, or try to find a website that streams the original version.
It's really sad to see the classics getting butchered. Jim Henson would be so upset about it.
@@MovedbyTruth The Henson Company released a DVD version around the late 2000s, although it also has the "Muppet Babies" home movies scene cut out (but only that scene). It's probably the most completed version available out there.
So the reason most are viewing the 'cut' version is because they lost the original film work that had the full length including song for the modern copies of the movie (after all they would've touched up the quality etc).
Recently however, they did find the 'lost' version and i believe it should be out there for streaming if not will be soon. What is confusing is that another reactor watched the full one this week including song so I'm actually surprised that Shanelle ended up watching the one without. 😥
Edit: Unless she cut it? for copyright reasons? 🤷♂
I think its incredibly asinine they actually did that because they think its too sad or depressing. But that's the whole point. Its shows why Scrooge became the way he was in the story and it also shows children that there will be times they too will go through this situation when they're older. Relationships are not always easy and there will be times where they eventually end when not handle right.
@@DonForceFeedback She hears about it in the trivia and looks it up towards the end of the film, so she did see it, just not in the middle of the film.
My sister says that Gonzo and Rizzo are hilarious no matter what situation they get into, they always be the best of friends.
I love Animal and the Swedish Chef.
I think this movie is really underrated & deserves to be on all the "best Christmas movie" lists.
It's not underrated. Everything that's ever happened in the world isn't sO uNdeRrAteD
@@LumpyAdams well I didn't say that everything that's ever happened in the world is so underrated. Who peed in your Cheerios?
PLEASE STOP SAYING UNDERRATED!
That word is unbelievably and ridiculously overused and misused by every single person on UA-cam.
“Underrated” has literally lost its meaning because everybody on UA-cam overused it and misuses it so much
@@LumpyAdams I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the word “underrated” is overused by everybody on UA-cam. Everybody and their brother says that everything is underrated! Whether it is or not
@@nsasupporter7557 that's not how words work. You can say them as many times as you want & they still mean the same thing. If you have a problem with the word, getting over it is TOTALLY UNDERRATED. You should give it a shot.
The business with the bookkeepers getting a basket of coal: remember earlier when they were asking permission to put more coal on the fire, and Scrooge threatened to fire them? Now he is letting them have a big basket of coal to keep warm. They weren't bad... they were just cold! You might enjoy the original Muppet Movie from 1979, too.
The original Muppet Movie is no joke, one of the greatest films ever made.
Seriously. It's an almost flawless movie, and one of my desert island movies.
I am very glad you went back and saw the deleted scene with When Love Is Gone, because I feel like Scrooge's turn and willingness to get involved as much as he did in the Christmas Present scenes really NEEDS that moment where he finally breaks down, and not showing it makes it feel like there's a sort of unearned emotional jump. Letting himself finally feel bad about a moment he was clearly avoiding thinking about opened him up to feeling a lot more for the rest of the movie!
And yes, the two recent Muppet Movies are absolutely worth watching.
Yes! AND it makes the song, "The Love We Found" at the end even more poignant because it's a callback to this scene.
Paul Williams really killed it on this soundtrack.
He absolutely did. Fantastic composer for The Muppets franchise.
@@nickperkins8477 Fantastic composer, period.
His score for Bugsy Malone is amazing as well
@@JC-bh8qx yeah it is. Although my personal favorite is Phantom of the Paradise.
Last November is when I learned that Michael Caine was going to take this role seriously. That fact is what makes this film work so well. At the same time I learned that all of Gonzo's narration lines come directly from the book. After learning these two facts I had to watch this and then I read the book. I've heard the Dickens Society has said this is the most accurate adaption of A Christmas Carol.
I knew you would enjoy this one and yes you should do more Muppet movies, especially if you just want to smile. I was smiling the whole time watching this because you were smiling.
The book Jim Henson The Biography by Brian Jay Jones is very good.
This and Muppet Treasure Island are both my favorite renditions of their respective stories. Michael Caine in this, and Tim Curry in Treasure Island are both phenomenal in their roles.
Things like Michael Caine taking the role 100% serious is what makes a lot of things work. The same can be said about Weird Al. He knew he had to bring the goods instrumentally and with his showmanship in order to be taken seriously or his career would have died quickly. Similarly, a band out of Japan called BABYMETAL...three young girls (12 and 11 when they started over a decade ago) doing pop singing and dancing with metal music backing them. It shouldn't have worked; it had no business working...but it does even to this day because they hired some of the best musicians to be part of their backing band and have some of the best song writers in Japan.
When you think something is silly or can't work, all it takes is the dedication of one major person to make it work, and Michael Caine did that in spades here!
@@mr.osclasses5054 ua-cam.com/video/cfjFAM_BLgc/v-deo.html
Henson had passed 2 yrs prior to this. It was their first big film without him. Richard Hunt had passed the yr that this came out. Hunt was 1/2 of the Two Headed Monster, Scooter, Janice, and about a billion other characters. He and Jerry Nelson (Tiny Tim and Present) were both incredible singers.
If only Henson had went to the hospital sooner, the doctors could’ve saved him from his illness
@@nsasupporter7557 Likely so. Apparently, he had been sick for nearly four days and only when he got severely sick was when he agreed to go to the hospital (however, although most said he didn't go to the hospital earlier because of his Christian Science upbringing, it was more the fact that Henson had rarely been sick and just had never dealt with serious health issues before; some also blamed severe stress for his bad immune system issues, due to the struggles with handling the Muppet transfer to Disney).
It makes you wonder what this film would have been with Jim H. Still alive to fully contribute.
Would it have just been a different kind of good, or would it have been an absolute next level masterpiece ?
@@nsasupporter7557 I find that many men of that generation mistrust doctors. In their day doctors were often quacks who lobotomized children and sent housewives to mental institutions for "hysteria". The hospital was the place you went to die.
After your Les Mis comment I’m now imagining the Muppets doing their own take on the musical and my brain is in an ironically happy place
Typically most Muppet sets are raised above the floor of the studio a few feet. That's how they do those full frame shots of the puppets.
Yes. The puppeteers are underneath the stage.
Love the reaction, this adaptation is closest to the original Dickens book in quotes.
A. Michael Caine is truly an unsung one of the greatest thespians
B. All Muppet Movies I have seen are musicals
C. The first three Muppet Movies (The Muppet Movie, Muppets Take Manhattan, and The Great Muppet Caper) are filled with an unreal amount of cameos.
D. If you liked this then check out Muppet Treasure Island.
All Muppet movies are worth at least one watch, but the original 1979 'The Muppet Movie' is the standard by which every other one should be judged. INFINITELY rewatchable.
The funniest part is Gonzo's response to Rizzo landing on the "flaming hot goose."
The bit about being lucky. This goes WAY back to the late 1970s. All Gonzo's 'lady friends' are poultry. They're his 'type.' 😉😉
The Christmas Carol has been done over and over again. Everyone knows the story, yet this is amazingly one of the most faithful adaptations of the source material. Christmas past was meant to be unsettling. Christmas present was a giant. It really is the perfect Christmas movie, and in my opinion, the best Muppet movie.
12:06 I mean, Scrooge's deal isn't just that he was broken up with at Christmas. It all comes down to the decisions he made in life that influenced the outcomes; which is sort of the lesson he ultimately learns.
I love the Muppet Christmas Carol, and it's probably my favorite adaptation of the story (and I've written like, three adaptations for community theatre and have produced two of them so far...) but I do wish they had Scrooge's sister Fran in this version. They gloss over his school time a bit, and that's supposed to be a reflection that Scrooge was the only boy at his school not to go home at Christmas, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. He had a home, but not a good home life; so he stayed and would lose himself in books. And it was like that year after year, until his sister Fran arrives and says their father is a better man now and that Scrooge is to return home so they can be a family again. And of course Fran is Fred's mother, but she died very young. This further informs the dynamic seen with Fred and Scrooge at the beginning, when Fred invites his uncle to dinner; Scrooge doesn't believe it's a genuine offer, that Fred's taking pity on him in memory of his mother. But then at the dinner, Fred doesn't mock Scrooge; he's kind of indifferent about him not coming - "what does he miss out on, than a good meal" type of perspective. But he genuinely feels kind of sorry for him.
The break-up with Belle shows how his path was altered by his narrow perspective of things. Scrooge felt he _had to_ achieve a certain station and financial security in life before he and Belle could be married; but Belle felt "a new idol" had replaced her, wealth, ambition; and she couldn't compete with that in his heart. So she chose to break away now, rather than lose him little by little. And I do think "The Love Is Gone" is a crucial exploration of that.
It might have been interesting had Dickens explored more of Scrooge's past, and Lord knows that man liked to ramble on. I do think there's maybe a little more nuance to his development from the boy at school to the miser he became. But that might have belabored the point. Ultimately we know Scrooge had two driving forces in his life to set his example by; Fezziwig, his first mentor for whom he was an apprentice for; known for his benevolence and generosity, particularly with his ball as an example. And then there was Marley, with whom Scrooge became business partners with; and we know that present day Scrooge is more like Marley than Fezziwig. So somewhere along the way, Scrooge came to see things more Marley's way than Fezziwig's, which invariably changed the course of his life. But it still comes down to the decisions he made; and when he made the decision to change, that took him in a new direction.
Fans will be pleased to know that 'When Love Is Gone' has now been officially reinstated on Disney+
I watched it a couple nights ago on Disney+, it isn't there unless you look at the extras
@@alicedelgado955 I think the update was literally yesterday
Unless you mean the extended cut is only in extras? In which case, yeah, that's how they've done it to still have both options available
@@alicedelgado955 They put the restored version with the song on Disney+ yesterday, but it is still in the extras section.
I loved this movie growing up, but now as an adult it's become my favorite Christmas movie. It's just done perfectly. From Michael Caine's superb acting to Paul Williams' music to the fact that they kept it mostly serious with numerous direct quotes from the book to Rizzo being the PERFECT comic relief. A++
Edit: I'm so glad you went out of your way to watch When Love is Gone. The version I grew up on had it so later seeing the movie without it was really jarring.
Same. I had the movie on video as a kid which had When Love Is Gone in it, so it confused me when I later got the dvd & that song wasn't there. It just doesn't make sense when we see Rizzo crying his heart out at the end of that moment if the song isn't used in the scene.
Black Adders Christmas Carol was another classic in my house you'd probably enjoy.
Rowin Atkinson is comedic S tier.
Robbie Coltrane’s Ghost of Christmas was clearly the basis for his performance as Hagrid…..although, I’m not sure if Hagrid was partial to a glass of "Nurse McCready's Surgical Bruise Lotion." 😂😂😂
I'm glad to hear 'When Love is Gone' is being restored; the finale reprise of 'The Love We Found' makes no sense without it.
It's really not hard to figure out the meaning of a song like that at the end of this story.
Love that you reacted to this one! The original muppet movies are so fun! The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper and Muppet Treasure Island are gems 😊
Love Great Muppet Caper
You should watch all the Muppet movies. My favorite is Great Muppet Caper.
And for Christmas Carol stories, this one and Scrooged with Bill Murray are tied for #1 on my list.
The Muppets are always so funny and yet so heartfelt in their movies. A genuinely wholesome time every time you watch them. Thank you for bringing them onto your channel. Can't wait for the rest.
4:39 When you see muppets in full/wide shots right on the ground/floor and you're wondering where the puppeteer is, usually the set has been built on a raised platform above the soundstage floor.
The Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol is also excellent... it also goes into Scooge's childhood a little deeper with why he never went home for Christmas
The best Muppet movie, the best Christmas Carol adaptation ever made (and surprisingly, probably the most faithful to the book), and an absolute tour de force from Michael Caine.
There’s a marvellous analysis of the costumes in the movie floating around on UA-cam - in short, they’re remarkably period-accurate. Nobody asked or expected the Muppets to go so hard on making such a faithful adaptation. This movie has a permanent spot in the Christmas double feature in my house - right after Die Hard.
LOVE this version! Re: your filmmaking questions: the opening flyover shot uses a big model of the city (and then transitions onto a soundstage shot like you said), and the creepy Ghost of Christmas Past was actually a physical puppet that they filmed in a water tank to create its ethereal hair/fabric movements, and then superimposed into the scene. So many creative techniques and tricks used in this film. :)
And the buildings were individually pushed into frame as the camera pulls back.
The bit when the Kratchits mourn Tiny Tim has a lot of subtext when you consider that this was the first Muppet movie made after Jim Henson's death
The funniest and cutest Muppet movies ever made!
18:00 “Ooooh, and I am about to raise you RIGHT off the pavement!” Hahaha, I love that line so much! 🤣
Muppet Treasure Island is the Muppet movie most similar to this. Gonzo and Rizzo aren't narrating it but they follow along with the main character and are fantastic as always. It has Tim Curry as Long John Silver. And the rats. The rats are hilarious!
"You wanna knock it off with the booze, it's peeling the paint off of the shuffle board"
"I'M GETTING TIRED"
This is my favorite version of the Christmas Carol story. I've watched it every Christmas since I was a kid. The song "It Feels Like Christmas" is my favorite! The song with Belle that was cut from the DVD release is a close second. Her performance and Michael Caine's acting in that scene is heartbreaking! I'm glad they restored it in the Disney+ version.
You should totally watch more Muppet movies on the channel! They’re so great! The 2011 was is cute but kind of different from other Muppet movies, and then the one after it, Muppet’s Most Wanted, is kind of a more return to form and very funny. Muppet Treasure Island is a real classic that you would love!
Paul Williams wrote the music for this and many of the early Muppet movies. He’s an incredible songwriter! You should also check out The Phantom of the Paradise. I will warn you it’s a strange film, but Williams wrote all the songs for it, too, and it’s fun to see his range.
Something to note about the scene with Kermit's speech about losing Tiny Tim is that it was also directed to losing Jim Henson two years prior.
Jim was Kermit. The character that sounded like and, I think, most represents Jim's perspective.
And Richard Hunt as well. (And we still miss both of them so many years later)
Frank Oz voices Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, Sam the Eagle and various others
This is the only version of A Christmas Carol that I watch religiously. I came from a Muppet loving family, so I highly recommend watching more! The original still holds up, and the newer one was a nice love letter to the franchise. I'm also probably in the minority on this, but I love Muppets From Space, too. Thanks as always!
Oh, and the initial removal of "When Love Is Gone" is what I would call an iconic blunder. You got no idea how pissed I was when I found out decades later that this song was missing. It makes the movie 1000% better as it enforces the sense of Scooge's character growth.
Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas is also classic muppets holiday.
1) You should definitely watch more Mupput movies for the channel. They are fun and silly and full of great cameos!
2) Jim Henson was amazing at fully embracing the juxtaposition of cute, uncanny, and scary that comes with puppeteering. He knew where to lean in and where to pull back to make them all blend together. Which brings me to..
3) The 2011 Muppet movie, while fun and enjoyable, didn't quite capture the spirit of the older movies. I'd be happy to watch it with you on the channel, but if it's a choice between the newer or the older, I'd go with the older movies.
I'm so excited about this. I watched this every Christmas of my childhood. It's the best.
I grew up with this movie, it was a tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve. I'm so excited to see you watch this!
Please watch Muppet's Treasure island, it's my favorite and so freaking good
Ahhh perfect! "After all, there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas!"
Yes! Go ahead and watch more Muppets! The first ones are worthwhile too, and Muppets Take Manhattan from the 80’s is one of my faves. The muppets all around are great. They’re just as legit of actors as any human, I think.
Part of Scrooges dislike for Christmas was his fathers blaming him for his mothers death and leaving him at the school always, even Christmas.
I LOVE this movie so much!! I've seen it millions of times, and I still burst out laughing every time, and get moved to tears.
My daughter and I will randomly say, "No cheeses for us meeces" throughout the year Lol.
And yes, check out The Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)- it was another one that we laughed out loud over! It was way better than I thought it was going to be!
6:07 - And vice versa: The Muppet Show started out in England in the late '70s and everyone grew up with them, so by the '90s being in a Muppet production of any kind is a resume boost for ANY actor. 😉
The coal was a nice gift to the rats as in the beginning they were cold and asked for more so they could put it on the fire. He wanted them to be able to feel warmth. Xx
By far my favourite version of A Christmas Carol. If you haven’t seen it you should also check out The Man Who Invented Christmas. It tells the story (fictionally) of how Dickens wrote and published A Christmas Carol in the weeks leading up to Christmas
This was my first watch of anything muppets - I’ll certainly be watching the film this Christmas! Thank you, Shanelle! I’d love to see your reaction to The Hogfather, adapted from the Terry Pratchett novel; it’s my go to film every Christmas.
There is an interview with Michael Cain when he said during the first week of filming he had looked down directly into a puppeteer's eyes and the puppeteer started laughing. The puppeteer apologized to Cain and said he usually doesn't ever look other actors in the eyes when filming. Cain thought it was such an interesting concept to not look directly at another person you are acting a scene with.
This has been a christmas tradition since I was a youngling
1) Camera usually seems to be at the muppets' eye level, low for the small muppets (who are generally living characters), high for the Spirits of Christmas. This also seems to reflect who holds more power over who.
2) The pervasive dutch angles seem to serve several purposes:
- amplifying height contrasts, which probably helps make a physically smaller set feel larger
- hiding wherever the puppeteers stand
- making us see Scrooge like we're looking sideways or leaning over to notice him, particularly from the vantage point of the muppet characters representing living people
- making Scrooge either loom over the small (living) muppet characters, or the Spirits loom over Scrooge (eg. @14:48), sometimes by suggesting a vanishing point above or below
After this movie was, 'Muppet Treasure Island (1996)'. 'Muppets From Space (1999)', 'The Muppets (2011)' and 'Muppets Most Wanted (2014)'. Their TV Movies were, 'It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)' and 'The Muppets Wizard Of Oz (2005)'. 🎅🎅
Another Jim Henson production with Muppet characters is Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, which is a fabulous Christmas film deserving of a reaction.
Wow I was searching for reactions to this earlier today, then I open UA-cam and I see this. Awesome! This is my 2nd favorite Xmas movie and my all time favorite adaptation of this classic story
Thanks for your reaction and commentary here!
The creepy factor is very much a part of this story. Don't forget, the book was originally published as, "A Christmas Carol, In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas." As a ghost story, it's supposed to be at least a little scary.
This adaptation doesn't explore much of Scrooge's childhood, but there are indeed other reasons why he's so bitter about Christmas. As it turns out, his family life was really miserable. His mother died early (in some versions, it's stated that she died giving birth to him), and his father resented him terribly. Ebenezer was shipped off to boarding school and stayed there permanently, not even allowed to visit family during the holidays. So he spent every Christmas utterly alone. The one ray of light in his family was his sister, but when she died after her son Fred was born, Scrooge was left pretty much unmoored. As you said, he could really have used some therapy!
Frank Oz was the voice of sooooooo many Muppets: Miss Piggy and Fozzie of course, but also Bert, Grover and others. His chemistry and teamwork with Jim Henson -- in so many roles -- was something magical.
Just about anything with the Muppets should be fun to watch. While you're looking into that, please don't forget some of the classic ones from the 70's and 80's. Aware that I'm dating myself here, I highly recommend "The Great Muppet Caper" and "The Muppet Movie". That's where you can see Kermit's performance of "Rainbow Connection"!
I would love to see someone react to Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. It was made before the very first Muppet movie. It’s short (under an hour) and very sweet. It’s my go to holiday movie. Also, yes react to all the Muppet things. But the original 3 Muppet Movies are the best. The number of cameos are just insane.
In the Book, the ghost of Christmas past IS scary; all the three ghosts are (Even Christmas Present becomes spooky towards the end of his time with Scrooge). The GoCP is said that its appearance seems shifting, appearing both young and old, it lacks physical form, being ephemeral and floating in a gown of pure white and with light around its head. And it speaks mostly in short phrases, answering Scrooges questions.
I hope one day, you will react to *A Christmas Carol (2009)* by Robert Zemeckis: I think it is the absolute BEST version ever put to screen of Dickens' work! It certainly is the most book accurate, has an all star cast with Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Collin Firth, Cary Elwes, Bob Hoskins and many others giving amzing performances!
This has really been my day! Thanks for reacting to this movie and making my day even more exciting!😊
Scrooge (1970) staring Albert Finney is my favorite version of A Christmas Carol. It is also a musical.
I was Muppet mad as a kid and I loved this when it came out. It’s now one of the films I watch every Christmas.
All the sets where built up about 3-4 feet and the muppets handlers would put there arms up through holes, with a tv monitor at there feet so they can see what the cameras see.
If you haven’t seen it I recommend Muppets Treasure Island.
I’m 52 and grew up on The Muppet Show. This movie and the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th are two movies that I always watch at Christmas.
2:28 - Yes, that's his son. Fun fact: he puppeteered Hoggle in Labyrinth.
4:40 it's very fun and clever! The entirety of the set is raised on platforms and have modular floring with holes in them, allowing the puppeteers to stand up straight while working.
1992 brought 3 GREAT THINGS. My Cousin, Vinny, my Graduation and The Muppets Christmas Carol. I have loved this movie ever since it came out. Great Post, Shanelle.
Hi Shanelle!
Absolutely you should watch the 2011 'TheMuppets'! And for a very different sort of Muppet movie, you might consider 1982's 'The Dark Crystal'...
Thanks for reacting to one of the best interpretations of A Christmas Carol! Subscribed! Godblessuseveryone!
Look up the MUPPET SHOW ... there are a galaxy of guest stars on it.. It was a fantastic Muppet variety show ... BTW .. Muppets is an acronym for Marionettes and Puppets together.
If you want another Muppets movie, I cannot recommend their "Treasure Island" enough. It has Tim Currey as Long John. Also, just once I want a rendition of Christmas Carol that follows the book ending where Scrooge waits to confront Cratchet until the office the day after Christmas.
ShanelleRiccio
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This is *my* Christmas movie, so it was a real treat to watch this reaction. Cheers, Shanelle!
This is my favourite Christmas movie, I love the Muppets and the Dickens story so this is perfect imo.
You should probably watch the original Muppet Movie before the 2011 one since there are a few homages to it that would go better appreciated.
Others have mentioned it, but Michael Caine's decision to approach this as a serious role payed off BIG TIME! My family watches this movie on Christmas Day, every year. It holds a very special place in my heart! So much fun!
Also, I'd definitely recommend the Muppets from 2011, with Jason Segal, as well as Muppet Treasure Island, with Tim Curry. Both are a blast!
It's hard to tell with the edited down version for UA-cam, please tell me the cut you watched had Belle singing "The Love is Gone" in it! If not, you have to look it up. It's such a beautifully sad song; and works so well with Scrooge and his past.
It was such a stupid decision to take it out (especially since it shortens that scene so much). I'm glad Disney is working to put it back in; and was happy to see it was in the version Ashleigh Burton reacted to recently.
The restored film was put on Disney+ yesterday.
This is what I get for commenting while still watching. Glad she eventually saw the song/scene; shame it wasn't contiguous with the movie.
@@samgreenbergart I'm curious what Ashleigh watched, since her reaction was released early this last week and it had the song in. It's possible she had one of the old anniversary cuts, but it looked widescreen; and those DVDs that had the song usually only had it in "Full Screen". Because I've tried finding a wide screen cut of it for ages.
The Ghost of Christmas Past was a rod puppet that was built to float in a vat of oil or water so that her robes would swirl all around her. The footage was then matted into the scene with Scrooge. The main puppeteer (Karen Prell, if I'm not mistaken) delivered the lines on set, but a voice actor dubbed them later so the character would sound like a little kid.
My favorite Christmas Carol movie is the 1984 version with George C. Scott. It is not a music but I think it hits all the right notes with all the characters and themes. It is definitely one of the movies I watch every Christmas. Highly recommend.
I still prefer a Muppet Christmas Carol better...
So apparently on Disney+, if you go to the "Extras" section under this movie you can find the cut song as well as a version of the film with the cut content included. Though it seems really weird they don't just have "theatrical" and "extended cut" versions on the main page for the film.
This is one of the absolute MUST Christmas films for me, along with the original Miracle on 34th St and Elf. It's so wholesome but unpatronising and as you've said, Caine's performance is so grounded it cements the reality of everything else. The songs are beautiful and having a Ghost of Christmas Present who essentially is the person who delivers Christmas presents was a wonderful touch.
Not missed a single year watching this at Christmas since I got the VHS as a child. A local Cinema started showing it at Christmas so until Covid i'd take the family there on Christmas eve.
If you're following up with more muppets, then I suggest Muppet Treasure Island. An absolute classic adaptation with great musical numbers!
The practical effects in this are amazing. I believe the effect used with the Ghost of Christmas Past was they suspended the puppet underwater and that's how they achieved the "floating" of her robes.
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the book has alluded to the trauma that Scrooge endured in childhood, the most important part is that he was not always mean and evil, his coldness grows out of isolation and loneliness, being abandoned by his father (left at school for years with no contact, or minimal at best), some of the films have also added other sources and reasons, including the possibility that Scrooge's mother died during childhood (a theory but probably not correct)....as a child, when younger, Scrooge had a marvelous imagination who would befriend various literary characters (and whom may have visited him at Christmas), but his seriousness and coldness grew as his years went on...Scrooge as a child spoke of friends (many who left his alone at Christmas), whether they were his actual friends, or just class room associates is never really sure (he says he has friends and shows joy in mentioning them, but it may just be excitement and nostalgia of the situation), but even if he did have friends at one point, he soon loses that and finds friendship at best difficult due to his coldness or most likely useless, unless he gets an advantage, like many of his business associates he speaks about during the Christmas Future segments.
Best version of A Christmas Carol.
I’ll die on that hill✌🏻
Your reactions are always so enjoyable!
You should react to A Muppet Family Christmas (full version which you can stream right from youtube). A lot of people consider it the superior Muppet movie. All I can say is that it's very good, heartwarming, funny, fun, and well produced. Very Christmasy.
I was in "A Christmas Carol" too! (Community theater. I played on of the men asking Scrooge to make a donation to the poor.)
I am unashamed of exactly how much I love this particular adaptation between the music and the comedy and of course the feels( I don't know if you were watching it on Disney Plus or not but there is actually a song that was part of the home video release but was considered to be a lost scene because the original print was not able to be found initially. The scene in question can be found on UA-cam and it is a musical number duet between the Elder Scrooge and the past version of the girlfriend when she left him and the name of the song is when love is gone... and it is very much the reason why Rizzo was bawling and if you watch that within the context of the movie you too will be bawling)
So good to see this movie get love, it’s so good!
And have you seen the 83’ Pirates of Penzance? It’s one of my absolute favorite musicals and it always makes me giggle.
In the real Christmas Carol Scrooges father sent him away because he resented him for being born. His mother died in child birth. So when he was old enough he sent him to boarding school. You should watch Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets in Manhattan
“You can fit through those bars…?” That’s my dad’s favorite part 🤣
If you want to see a performance of "The Rainbow Connection", there's a movie where this sweet frog Sings it...... 😁. Seriously, you would love The Muppet Movie (1979).
I really like the fact that the ghost of Christmas present has no memory. It's a really nice touch.
The Muppets Take Manhattan is the best one. This is Second Best.
The songs, cameos, story. Da Bess. Its also owned by Sony so its buried on HULU instead of D+
You gotta watch scrooge(1970) with Albert Finney. The absolute best version of scrooge with crazy impressive acting performances.
Most people miss that Beaker flips off Scrooge right before they slammed the door. Love that part
If by somehow you never seen the Christmas Carol from 1951 staring Alistair Sim I recommend it
It has the trauma and origin for scrooge you are looking for. It also quite the gothic horror
I believe the ghost of Christmas past was a puppet they filmed inside a water tanks in front of a green screen, that's how they gave her the floating effect.
19:32 - Same here, my favorite shanactions are the ones where you laugh and smile. 😊