The Movie:

When Charles Dickens sat down to pen "A Christmas Carol", you have to wonder if he ever envisioned his characters portrayed by a frog, a pig and a bear. While there have been many popular adaptations of the classic story since it was originally published in 1843, it seemed only fitting that the Muppets took a crack at it.

The Muppet Christmas Carol was released in 1992 and marked the first silver screen appearance of the beloved characters since the death of Jim Henson in 1990. It had been eight years since a Muppet movie graced theaters and this film was also the directorial debut Henson's son, Brian. With all of these factors being taken into consideration, could the movie capture the charm of the Muppets and still tell a good story? Well, yes and no.

Out of all of the retellings of Dickens' classic tale over the years, this version actually features Charles Dickens. Well, Dickens as played by Gonzo the Great that is. This narrative brings the story closer to the written roots than other theatrical accounts. Gonzo is joined by Rizzo the Rat and together the two act as a guide for the viewer and also as sometimes out of place comic relief. They step aside at key points in the storytelling though, allowing the tale to come to fruition.

As far as the story goes, we all know what to expect when we sit down to watch a retelling of "A Christmas Carol". Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) is still as mean as ever and is a real slave driver when it comes to making his employees work around the holidays. Bob Cratchit (Kermit) virtually has to beg his boss to take Christmas off to spend with his wife (Miss Piggy) and his children, but most of all Tiny Tim. Scrooge's lack of compassion begins to haunt him (literally) on Christmas Eve as he is visited by the ghosts of Jacob and Robert Marley (Statler and Waldorf) with tidings of doom and gloom.

Throughout the evening he is visited by three ghosts; past, present and future. They each offer the old codger glimpses at how he got to be the way he was and what would become of him and those around him should he not change his ways. The story is handled with usual Muppet flare, though the movie is undoubtedly darker than their normal escapades. The trappings are presented with a very Dickensian air and the personalities of the Muppets rarely come to the surface. This also means that the usual self-referencing humor that they had become known for is sadly absent.

With Henson being missing from the Muppet's lives, it definitely shows with the overall attitude of the project. I don't mean it to sound like it's so depressing. The Muppet Christmas Carol is a very well done and charming movie; it just lacks the lighthearted nature that Henson breathed into their lives. Fortunately Paul Williams chimes in with some tunes, though arguably these songs aren't as memorable as some of his past works. There are some fine numbers though and several of them truly add to the picture such as the introduction of Scrooge's character with "There Goes Mr. Humbug" and the upbeat "One More Sleep Til Christmas".

As the world knows, the Muppets were never the same after Jim Henson passed away and The Muppet Christmas Carol is a decent example of that. Much of their spirit is still alive in the film, though it's a little more subdued than past endeavors. The movie is entertaining and very re-watchable, though its not instant classic material like The Great Muppet Caper or The Muppet Movie.

The DVD:

Originally, The Muppet Christmas Carol was only available on video and DVD with a full frame presentation. This led to the dismay of many Muppet fans and left me wondering if the original widescreen treatment was still intact. Thankfully it was and this version comes with both the full frame and remastered widescreen ratios for your viewing pleasure. If you own the previous edition of the film on DVD, then this new release is worth the double dip just for the terrific anamorphic treatment. There is very little grain in the image and sometimes it looks a tad soft, but it's exponentially more brilliant when compared to the 1.33:1 ratio transfer.

Sadly, you may be forced to sit through a viewing of the pan and scan version if you want to get the full experience. There was a musical number that was added into the film after its theatrical debut that is only available on the full screen presentation. The discs available audio commentary is also linked to the full frame version and you don't have the option to view the widescreen option with it on. Out of all of the 50th Anniversary Muppet releases, this one easily offers the most dramatic changes and actually warrants a double dip.

The Muppet Christmas Carol brings two soundtracks to the table; a Dolby Digital 5.1 English track and a 2.0 French one. The 5.1 selection offers some decent quality with a fine use of the rear channel. It's not the greatest or most technically sound presentation in the world, but compared to earlier Muppet film releases the quality is astounding. The musical numbers sound particularly good and the audio in general is very clear and precise.

As I mentioned in the Video section, the full screen version of the film is the only one on this disc that offers an audio commentary. Brian Henson takes the role of commentator and discusses several aspects regarding the movie and a fair amount of behind the scenes and technical insight. As far as solo commentaries go I found it to be pretty easy to listen to and if you own the prior edition of the movie on DVD you've no doubt heard this track before.

The rest of the material on the disc is pretty superfluous when you really get right down to it. There is a brief gag reel with some funny bits as the Muppet performers mess up their lines or goof with a prop. Another Pepe Profile is here; this time it's for Gonzo. Finally Christmas Around The World features Gonzo and Rizzo talking about how various countries and cultures celebrate the holidays. These are some fun diversions, but prove to be very little more than that and the disc winds up lacking for real DVD enthusiasts.

Final Thoughts:

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a fun holiday movie that will entertain everyone in the family, though it's not as charming as the Muppet adventures of old. Jim Henson was the heart and soul of the Muppet universe and his vision is sadly missed. In retrospect I suppose it's only fitting that the overall tone of the film is much darker than the group's other adventures. The DVD quality is very good and this new version actually warrants a double dip just for the widescreen presentation alone. The extra features are passable, though not informative and the fact that Brian Henson's commentary is only available in the full frame version is annoying, yet understandable. Recommended

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