Skip to main content

Christmas Countdown: The Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)

By
It came as a surprise to me to find that The Muppet's Christmas Carol was the most entertaining of all of the renditions of A Christmas Carol that I've seen this year, including the exceptionally enjoyable Christmas Classic Scrooged. Not only was TMCC the most enjoyable, but it was also more true to the original story than most I've seen.

The Great Gonzo plays Dickens, who is also the narrator of the film. I've come to think that the Dickens tale personifies the modern Christmas season: it's foremost a time of good-will and giving.

The Muppets were all quite emphatic and characteristically charming. Michael Caine's turn as Scrooge may not mark high on his list of cinematic accomplishments, but his performance was as good as any Scrooge I've seen.

This may not be a classic, but it's earned its spot on my five year rotation roster.

Labels:

Comments

optimus_blimey said…
It's still Alistair Sim for me.
December 20, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Ben said…
Oh yes, he did well. The portrayers of Scrooge do make up quite a roster.
December 22, 2009 at 6:09 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Best of the Decade

By
Over the last ten years, the cinema has given us a great deal to be thankful for: a rebirth of the Batman franchise, a series of examinations of what it means to live in this particular decade, and a mass of character studies whether they be animated or popcorn thrillers. As much as I have enjoyed the offerings, a list must be culled together for the end of the year. Except this year is different, this year ten films must be selected from hundreds. Below are some of the best of the aughts. Enjoy! 10) There Will Be Blood Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus, a scathing look at extremism in America and the evils of greed and profiteering from religion. It also features the best performance of the decade with Daniel Day-Lewis as oil-man Daniel Plainview. 9)  Up A beautiful tale that entrances all ages,  Up managed to captivate children and tell a tale that adults cherish as well. 8) The Dark Knight Maybe just a comic book film, but it is the best comic book film
Read more

Paprika vs. Inception

By
Months before Inception hit the theaters forums were alive with rumors that Christopher Nolan either accidentally or intentionally stole some details from another film, the Japanese anime Paprika. The biggest point of comparison for some bloggers and forum runners was the fact that both of the films featured a device that allowed a person, or people, to travel into another’s dreams and delve into their subconscious. Minor points of comparison include scenes in Paprika where the character Paprika breaks through a mirrored wall by holding her hand to it, as well as a scene where a police detective falls his way down a hallway. Claims have been made that Inception abounds with imagery similar to or exactly like the anime movie, but with the recent release of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray, and with Paprika available for several years now, an examination of the two plots can be made more fully. Let us begin with the primary claim— Inception stole the idea of a dream
Read more

Armond White's Top Ten Films on Flickchart

By
Armond White is film criticism’s most famous contrarian. At one moment he writes  a review declaring  Toy Story 3  to be the most obscene excuse for toy commercials  he has ever watched, and then two weeks later types out  a glowing review of  Resident Evil: Afterlife . He is of split-mind for sure. But what does his Flickchart look like? Read the rest at Flickchart !
8 comments
Read more