Let us know what your favourite Muppet movie is and - more importantly - who is the best Muppet? As always - thank you so much for watching. The best way to help these videos reach more folks is to make sure you like, subscribe, leave a comment and share these videos wherever you can. If you're in a position to do so - you can also head out to www.patreon.com/inframeout for a whole bunch of perks. IFO x

Michael Caine played the role so convincingly that when he says ‘this is Fozziwig’s old rubber chicken factory’ I actually forget that the original story didn’t involve a rubber chicken factory.

I saw someone once said that "the Muppets could do a Tarantino film, but Tarantino couldn't do a Muppet movie", and I absolutely agree.

Also, fun fact, the costumes of the film are more historically accurate than many period dramas. Abby Cox has an excellent video essay on this

One of my favorite movie moments is when Scrooge cracks the joke: "Imagine the grocery bills." You can tell it is the first time he has tried to connect with anybody in years.

The portrayal of Scrooge comes closest to the book in that he changes with each Spirit he sees. In the other film versions, he mostly denies everything until he sees his own grave. Michael Caine captured the book version perfectly.

Michael Caine CARRIES this film. The past scene with his first love still makes me well up. It's a crime against humanity that they decided to cut the breakup scene in later releases because "durr, kids shouldn't feel sad."

I didn’t know about Caine’s attitude towards the film but that makes me admire him 100% more. Nowadays the actors in Muppet movies ham it up (which has its own appeal, don’t get me wrong), but I feel like Caine treated this role with the gravitas it deserved and the Muppets likewise. Good for him.

With Muppet Christmas Carol, you can tell the writers actually read the book. There's enough adaptations out there, I wouldn't be surprised if a number of them were based on other adaptations.

Something this movie does that I really appreciate is really hit the serious tone hard during the third ghost. They remove the comic relief that's kept our spirits up this whole time and force us to face the grim cold future that awaited Scrooge. It makes the whole end really hit hard.

Every time I think of this movie, I'm reminded of my favorite little tidbit of trivia: Michael Caine was so enraptured by 'It Feels Like Christmas' that for even the tiny little errors in filming the sequence? He would offer/'request' to start over from the very beginning of the sequence that he might be able to go through the whole scene again.

Loved the scene where Gonzo falls from the carriage , onto his back yet sits up and continues to narrate . Rizo comments , "nothing breaks this guy's concentration " .

I feel like this is the version that really sells Scrooge's redemption, more than any others. The "Thankful Heart" sequence just conveys such a feeling of "This is what it feels like to be good? Yes, more of it!", and the moment that always gets me is when he just drops by Fred's house. I do like the 1951 version too, but The Muppets version will always be my best.

I am 75 years old, and The Muppet Christmas Carol is still my favorite version of the tale. I watch it at least 2 or 3 times during the month of December every year.

I think what I love best about this adaptation is that they really went for a full-on historical adaptation, more than most human-only versions. And for a movie that constantly breaks the 4th wall, it's amazing how much it draws in the audience.

the portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Present really shines here, with his song and boisterous energy, really showing Scrooge the joy that can be shared with others. It really shows how those bright moments are to be cherished, and it's much appreciated after seeing Scrooge's looming regrets of his past and his fear of the future. Most others show this ghost as somewhat callous, trying to make scrooge feel guilty over how he treated the cratchits but I felt it wasn't as effective without first showing scrooge the happiness and joy first

Not only the best adaptation, but I would say, the most memorable sound track of the Christmas season. The french horns alone send you to a place of holiday serenity. At least they do for me.

This was ALWAYS a favorite of mine. Also, the lines from Scrouge's nephew "that certainly is true" and "that most certainly is NOT true" should be a meme.

Also there’s some genuinely impressive puppetry; that final tracking shot with almost every muppet in the movie singing together?! I still wonder how many takes that took.

The framing of Scrooge's introduction is something I didn't catch. It very much makes him this looming twisted darkness for the rest of the cast. The shots are all stunning, but they serve an incredible purpose subconsciously!

I can’t agree more. THIS, in my opinion, is easily the best Christmas Carol media ever made

So I actually went to the Muppet Christmas Carol Anniversary Panel at D23 this year. It was one of the best things I’ve ever got the privilege of sitting in on. Brian Henson, Dave Goelz, Paul Williams, and the lead costumer (I forget her name!) for that movie all spoke. There was so much respect and warmth when they regarded working on the film. Brian said that the crew felt so much like a family. I think the conditions in which this movie was made had a phenomenal impact on the end result. There’s so much love. Dave (Gonzo) said he never gets through the movie with dry eyes. They also had a laugh about how it has been voted the most accurate depiction. I’ve always loved this movie, but that experience made it so much more special somehow :) and let me tell you, seeing the muppet characters puppeteered live is mind-blowing. I love the damn muppets man.

When I first read the description of the dementers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, this version of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is what came to mind.

I always feel like there's a German Expressionist feel to the shots and sets too - the way Scrooge is framed and also, the wonkiness and skewed perspective of the Crachitt's street in particular. It's just such a beautifully made film in so so many ways

I also adore how the sad violin music plays at times very quietly when Scrooge does something mean. Like when he shouts down the homeless rabbit. The music and score in general shows that on some level, Scrooge was not only mean, he was lonely and sad (I know they joke about this in the opening song but the music makes it more than a joke). Also for me, the ghost of the future being a void is not just a symptom of death, it’s an incarnation of fear of the unknown. Scrooge is realising two things: that the future is both inescapable but totally unknowable. In the books there’s more of a hint that this is about what happens after we die (go to hell?) although the film only lightly touches on this in the Marley Brothers ghost scene. For me as an atheist, no meaning is really lost, the future is still scary and unknowable: what will people think of me, did I make the world better or worse, would I be proud of ashamed of myself when I look at my life as a whole after I die? Also the idea of a faceless person maps close to the fear that when I die, there is nothing left, no person, no memories, no feelings. The faceless shroud who doesn’t speak is a terrifyingly accurate metaphors for the fear of death, and sets up nicely the realisation that what is left behind is your influence on the wider world. I will die but my good deeds and love for others can live on, and also make my current life more meaningful to boot.

I never thought about the implications of almost everyone in Scrooge's life being a Muppet as symbolic of Scrooge's mindset, but that is a keen observation and a new reason to love this movie! The Marley brothers song is a lot darker than I remembered as a kid. I remember it being funny and sort of scary, but my appreciation for the lyrics has only grown as I've gotten older.

The joy in Tiny Tim's gruff little voice when he sees the Goose roasting over the fire is one of the few moments in film which always makes me well up with tears. Great film.

I gotta admit, I never thought of the whole Muppets casting as an allegory to how Scrooge sees the people around him. That's an interesting angle to consider. By the way, did you know that the dog throwing snowballs in the beginning of the movie was Sprocket, from Fraggle Rock? And the old guy who starts the song "Scrooge" is in fact, George the janitor from the first season of the Muppet Show?

I never thought a video about muppets would bring me to tears, but here I am.

4:35 It's such a little thing, but I love the way Gonzo says "He was a Tightfisted hand to the Grindstone Scrooge..." He just just so much relish and expression into it, and it's seriously my favorite thing.

So for probably longer than I’d like to admit, I didn’t realize there were sections of A Christmas Carol that Muppet Christmas Carol didn’t use (Belle having a large and happy family, Ignorance and Want, etc). And the more I thought about it after watching other adaptations, the more it made me appreciate Muppet Christmas Carol for adapting the way it did. Sometimes, yes, matching the book works better, but sometimes the writer was paid by the word and it’s more economical to have Belle sing a devastating song (that Jeffrey Katzenberg apparently hated and that’s why it wasn’t in the theatrical cut) and for Scrooge to watch his new friend fade into nothingness.

Nice review! I agree, The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the best adaptions of Dickens' famous work. Take note of the ending: "Nice story Mister Dickens," says Rizzo. "Thanks," replies Gonzo. "If you liked that you should read the book."

Historical fashion KZfaqrs say it has the most accurate costumes of any version. Just looking at the sets, as much as they're scaled down, they're some of the most accurate I've seen in _any_ period piece (most have too much space and aren't cramped enough). Even the snow and ice are notably well-done. Everyone involved just did an amazingly good job.

Ever since I was a kid I always felt like the Muppet Christmas Carol was the best version of this story.

i love the way they portray the spirits in the muppets version. the ghost of christmas present is happy enough to affect even scrooge, and he's so focused on what's happening in the moment that he has no memory of the past and no sight into the future. the ghost of christmas yet to come shows off how the style of the muppets can actually be used in more ways than just comedy. its design is so strange, with an empty hood and extremely long arms, it presents itself in a calm way but still comes off as imposing

Really excellent, touching review. I think the commitment by all parties into making it a genuine gothic horror in places works fantastically. Seeing the Muppets in a serious, dangerous setting is actually deeply unnerving. I've always personally loved that Scrooge was a flesh and blood man as it made the Muppets seem like 2nd class citizens or an underclass - which is something you'd never normally consider (if anything the Muppets are usually the vibrant stars in contrast to their human co-stars). Again, I assume this was entirely intentional and is kinda dark and unexpected.

I think Jerry Nelson's performance as Tiny Tim carries such an important piece of the film and his song in particular is always where I end up getting the most emotional. I recently learned that Jerry Nelson's daughter had cystic fibrosis and died pretty young from it (in her teens, I think) and while rewatching Muppet Christmas Carol this year I was struck by that connection. He had a real gift for conveying emotional depth through song and he really delivers in Tiny Tim's song "Bless Us All". It might be the most important scene in the film truly, and I love that bc it is the Muppets it is able to go to an emotional place that I think would be much harder to pull off with a cast of actors. Jerry Nelson also voiced the Ghost of Christmas Present so he really carried a lot of the middle part of the film, he is stellar in both roles. (His greatest performance however is in my opinion is Marjorie the Trash Heap on Fraggle Rock, as well as Gobo of course :D)

My family and I watch this film every year during the Holiday Season - it's our favorite Christmas Movie! So happy to see you giving this film the attention it deserves. Excellent work, and looking forward to seeing more from you!

Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island were awesome adaptations! I wish the Muppets did more of these!

every time i watch a production of a christmas carol im like, "eh it's okay but it's no a muppet christmas carol."

What you say about it being accessible but not overly simplified resonated a lot! I had this film on vhs as a kid and I loved the mix of earnestness, humor with actual message and some bits of horror! I always hated children's media that underestimated kids abilities to engage with difficult or dark topics, so this in contrast felt like a dream come true to me!

I can't argue that. They created magic with this one. I saw it at a small town movie theatre with my son when he was 4 years old. It was the day after Christmas 1992 and there were just a few others in the audience. I have never forgotten it and now I watch it every Christmas on TV. Treasure island was the other great one.

Michael Caines performance as scrooge is one of the best ever done, everything about this film was done so well , one i watch every year.

-Dad, what's a Muppet? -Well, it's not quite a mop and it's not quite a puppet... but man (laughs) ... So to answer your question, I don't know.

This essay was so well written. That line about the Muppets being "marionettes" of an oppressive system 🔥

I love THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL and watch it faithfully every year. Michael Caine's take on the role is so effective as he keeps things anchored to the reality of Victorian London. The actual quotes from the Dicken's book are spot on and the entire feeling is mostly dark and frightening with only a few bright spots. The audience is brought along on a voyage of self-discovery with Scrooge and come out to a joyous ending changed people themselves. I learned very good lessons from this movie as a child. Thank you for your work in bringing this classic tale back to us.

I couldn’t agree more with you and thank you for this video. Much love

I grew up with reruns of the original series and the 80s movies. I was 13 when this one came out, just at the age where I didn't want to hang around my little brother anymore, but when my mom asked me to take him to this movie that was ok. Still one of my favorites. The tops for me has to be Muppets Take Manhattan, since it came out when I was younger and I attach it to a bunch of nostalgic crap. It's all pretty silly and funny and for some reason the Kermit with amnesia finally getting his memory back resolution gets to me big time. Beaker is by far the best muppet as he never has to say anything to be hilarious.

As far as I'm aware, the only home video release of the film to both be in widescreen AND include the extra song "When Love Is Gone" was the original laserdisc. A few years ago, someone was kind enough to share a rip of that disc online and that's the version I watch every year now.

I never contemplated the relation between Caine's size in comparison to the muppets. It's genius when you think of it like that!

Honestly, your analysis of Scrooge treating and seeing everybody but his immediate family as meaningless animals, and that absolutely beautiful segue about the proletariat puppets has finally articulated what I’ve always really loved about this iteration. Even as a little kid in the 90s i was aware of this without being aware of it. Very cool!

I think the fact Michael Caine wanted to address the puppets like real people made this film so much more special. He is truly a great actor

Me and my wife always watch this every Christmas day without fail. It's not Christmas without the Muppets Christmas Carol

I have never seen a Christmas movie with so much emotion, humor, wittiness, fun music, and most of all, heart. This isn’t just a good Christmas movie, this is a masterpiece of film.

"It Feels Like Christmas" is, to this day, one of my favorite Christmas songs. More than so many saccharine, empty "christmas" songs that we hear over and over every year, it truly encapsulates why EVERYONE should feel free to approach Christmas. Forget "last Christmas". Give me It Feels Like Christmas every year!

My favourite Christmas film. I had it on video when it came out and it was one of my “watch repeatedly and somehow never get bored” films as a kid. I love that it doesn’t shy away from the horror of the story and as you say, try to coddle or patronise kids which many films today do. Such a beautiful, joyful film. Love this review. Btw my favourite characters will always be Beaker and Bean the bunny

The focus the movie brings to the relationship between Cratchit and Tiny Tim is especially beautiful when you remember that Kermit was seen by everyone at Muppet Studios as Jim Henson’s stand-in for himself, and was by all accounts very similar to him in personality and worldview (just a little more elevated, according to Henson himself). There’s an almost literal sense in which Muppet Christmas Carol was a way for Brian Henson to spend one last Christmas with his father, and that tenderness really shines through.

I remember going to see this in the theatre as a kid and loving it. I can’t go through the holidays without watching it at least once. I love all things Muppet, but I think this is my favorite!

This is my favorite version of Christmas Carol, saw it in the theater, and I remember being blinded by the light when he opened the bed curtains to meet the Ghost of Christmas Past. And I have cried every time I have watched it

Thank you so much for this video! This is my favourite Christmas Carol adaptation, and Michael Caine is pitch perfect casting as Scrooge! 😍♥️

I always loved just how much of a faithful adaptation this was of a Christmas Carol. Michael Caine did such a wonderful job.

Brilliant video! I absolutely love the contrast between the Muppets' whimsy and Michael Caine's dead serious delivery.

I agree that this is the best adaptation of the source material. Love Michael Caine's acting in this, he is performing alongside the Muppets with total sincerity, I think that's great!

'The Muppet Christmas Carol' is now a tradition in my house although I do love the Alistair Sim one the Muppet one is just a lovely entertaining film for the whole family. 'God bless us everyone'.

One of the best parts about Michael Caine's performance is that he (almost) never blinks during the whole film. It really sends home the contrast that they were going for, and these kinds of details make me love this movie to death.

I just saw this film as a concert recently and it was so amazing hearing the songs I’ve loved since childhood be accompanied by a grand orchestra and I loved that they kept in ‘When Love is Gone’ what with being originally being cut being too sad. The fact that I saw so many people there speaks to the impact this film has had on people.

This is by far my most favorite adaption of A Christmas Carol; the story is wonderfully told and appeals to all audiences. Scrooge's journey is so well told, and the life change at the end is always inspirational every time I watch it. This movie is a staple in our home for each Christmas season.

This is my absolute favorite Christmas movie! It deserves all the praise you can give and more.

Something I noticed on my yearly watch this year is why the Ghost of Christmas Present is so happy is because at one point he says, "My head is filled with the now," meaning that he doesn't worry about the future, he doesn't dwell on the past, he only thinks about the present.

This movie is one of the oldest and most long-standing traditions in my family; I’m 22, and I can remember watching this movie when I was 4 or 5! It also _terrified_ me as a small child, starting with the door knocker going BOOOOOOOO! and not letting up til the Ghost of Christmas Future leaves **shudder** 😵‍💫 😂 Also, I have seen Michael Caine in many things over the years since, but this is still one of my favorite roles of his.

We just finished our annual viewing, and it never loses it's holiday glow. My wife was a high school English teacher for years, and she showed THIS version when she taught Dickens' story. Loved this video and commentary.

This excites me so much. I always tell people how good of an adaptation this is. They don't believe me or haven't read the book.

Spot-on. It is a delightful rendition, full of fun and whimsy while faithfully delivering every point Dickens made in his original story. How it could be better, I can not imagine.

Watched this with my wife and kids yesterday. It was a special comfort for us, as my wife was recently diagnosed with stage four cancer. It’s one of her favorite movies from childhood. Question that I asked was: why have they never been able to match this? It’s the High Point for the Muppets outside of the original series and one or two of the feature films.

There's a moment that I remember from this film that outshines all else for me. Part of Scrooge looking in on 'Christmas yet to come' for Cratchit includes Bob C coming home and saying to his wife, 'I found a good place, up above, facing the river. Remember how he loved to watch the ducks?' He's found something good to recall even in the placement of Tiny Tim's grave.

Yes! Best adaptation, best muppet film, best Michael Caine performance... love this commentary! I've been saying these things for 30 years...thank you 😊

I grew up with this as THE Christmas carol. It’s amazing and I can’t imagine any other version. I haven’t seen many others, but the muppets, like you said in the video, just feel right.

As a kid I never even realized the Marley brothers were being dragged down to hell. I was terrified enough by the idea of being bound by the chains of your own sins.

From the first time we watched this as a family, my wife and daughter and myself have loved this film. Until her last days before she passed this was a holiday tradition we never missed. I have tried to keep its joyous message in my heart in the years since and am so happy to know my daughter has passed it along to my three granddaughters as well.

I discovered this movie at about 9 or 10 when I became a fan of the Muppets. I can’t stand Christmas movies… especially with the saturation of awful hallmark movies that flood tv ☹️ 10 years later and Muppet Christmas Carol is basically the only Christmas movie I’ll watch. I absolutely adore it. the tenderness and joy the muppet characters bring is so perfectly contrasted with Michael Caine’s outstanding performance. The filmmaking is also just brilliant. So many things you just forget to notice being so consumed in the experience. My favorite part was always the warmth of the Cratchit household with Kermit and Piggy. I loved the song “Bless Us All” so much as a kid I brought it into my choir class to sing on a solo day 😅 I just think it’s the most tender and warm Christmas song out there. Not pretentious or overly played, but just subtle and beautiful. And I feel the same way about it at 19 as I did when I was 9. Just an incredible movie overall.

The song "The Love is Gone" added to the film in everyway that was described here. The producers thought it was too rough or not understandable enough for children, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I watched it as a child and I thought it added to Scrooge's character, it made him more human. As an adult it's just heartbreaking to see him broken down and build back up, with both "The Love is Gone" in the middle of the film and "The Love We Found" at the end, it tied everything up so wonderfully. I can't watch the movie without that scene, very vital to everything that was said here.

I love this movie. I feel liked it’s so underrated. The balance Brian Henson held between authenticity and it being a muppet movie at Xmas can be understated. Guillermo del Toro says it’s his favorite Xmas Carol adaptation. -I wish they would restore the lost scene of Xmas past with the song “love is gone”

My family watches this every Christmas, it’s easily the best adaptation

I remember this being one of the few iterations that actually had the full emotional arc of the book. As a kid several parts creeped me out and would nearly make me scared, had it not been for the interludes of Gonzo & Rizzo. Fantastic review, such a heartwarming movie and once again you can feel the joy of the Henson company in this one. This is my favorite Muppets movie and you're right, Michael Cain has an illustrious career but this is one of my all time favorite of his roles.

This film is unironically my favourite film, we watch it every year while putting up the christmas decorations, and with several other watches, I must have seen it well over 30 times in my 26 years. It's perfection is very much sung in my house!

This is one the few films that is consistently as good as you remember in your childhood, but the deeper heart of the film takes on even more meaning as you see it as an adult. I'm always surprised at how little credit this film gets.

I'm so glad this film is getting attention and reevaluation as it draws near it's 30 year anniversary. It's such a solid contribution. I remember loving this film so much I read the book at age 9 and absolutely tore through it. It really primes you to appreciate Dickens' use of tone and language.

I literally had this on while working and it made me feel so good~

My wife and I both watch this movie every year on Christmas Eve, and I'll admit I cry every time. Michael Caine's acting is second to none, and I feel the pain in his eyes in every shot.

One of my most favourite Christmas films and definitely my favourite adaptation of A Christmas Carol. ❤️ I watch it every year, usually Christmas Eve, sometimes earlier and then a repeat on Christmas Eve, it's what we did when I was growing up and made 'One More Sleep Til Christmas' more magical!

"A life can be made right." The best Muppet movie, the best Christmas movie, the best adaptation of Darles Chickens' novel, the best Scrooge played by My Cocaine, the practical and special effects are all great, and the songs are absolutely amazing. This slapped me right across the nostalgia. This is what the definition of Christmas is to me.

Ive been resisting watching this film again for a solid week since I cant work on making Christmas present while its playing. It will have my full attention once its on bringing all productivity to an end. As soon as the presents are done Im rewarding myself with several rewatches.

I remember being surprised that there were not 2 Marleys. And I compare every Ghost of Christmas Present to this one. This movie doesn’t even hold a nostalgic spot in my heart. That Marley and Marley song and interpretation of Present are so memorable.

I saw a version of A Christmas Carol on I think Masterpiece and it had Guy Pearce as Scrooge. It's a dark, ugly, and dower version that delved into the abuse Scrooge faced as a child, the death of his sister, and the horrible mistreatment that he gives to people. The ending sees him wanting to die, and believes that all of his sins can not be forgiven. I suggest if you are curious for a "dark and gritty" version of the story, then go for it.

I’m so happy to see this movie get the recognition it deserves. This has been my favorite Christmas movie for years. I always watch it on Christmas Eve. There’s something that always just makes me smile. Especially One More Sleep Till Christmas

I loved showing this every year to my 7th grade English class...we read the book and watched this version because it wasn't only fun and entertaining, but it is such an excellent version of the original story. I don't teach anymore, but I still look forward to watching this every year! Thank you, Muppets!!! 🎄❤🎄❤🎄

This is a beautifullywritten essay. Your musing on Muppets as metaphor for Michael's character's megalomania is mesmerising.

Great sets, great music, imaginative ghosts, lots of quotes from the book, and a stellar performance from Cain. Easily contender for best adaptation. And gets my vote.

When this film came out I still felt the terrible loss of Jim Henson acutely and I was nervous this would be a dishonour to his legacy. But I was delighted and relieved. When Animal snapped at Fozziwig's party and the band launched into their Dixieland rendition of the demure chamber music they had been playing, I cried. It felt like the world was okay now. This film is precious to me. But The Muppet Movie (1979) is the Muppets I watched over and over until every frame was burned into my brain.

Emotional beats of story are amplified when contrasted with chaos of muppets. That is why Sir Michael Caine was so great in this.