The Muppet Christmas Carol FULL MOVIE Watch-Along @ www.patreon.com/posts/75771302 Muppet Treasure Island MOVIE REACTION @ th-cam.com/video/Y8IHZhUND_M/w-d-xo.html Die Hard 2 MOVIE REACTION @ th-cam.com/video/bJtht4KpBW0/w-d-xo.html
I watched this for the first time on dvd a few years. A perfect combination of Michael Caine’s talents and the heart, humor, and creativity of the Muppets. They did a Haunted Mansion special on Disney plus last year, my mom and I loved it, think you guys would like it too!
Muppet Christmas Carol worked because Michael Cain saw the Muppets as fellow actors. Muppet Treasure Island worked because Tim Curry saw himself as a fellow Muppet.
Maybe that’s because gonzo is Charles dickens throughout the entire movie and says lines that wouldn’t normally be said by the characters within the universe
'A Christmas Carol' is one of my favourite stories and this is my favourite adaptation such is the genius of the Muppets they can take a moral tail, keep it so true to the original and be hilarious at the same time🤷 Like "What's green, hard and smells of pork?... Kermit's d..."😂
“I’m sure we shall never forget Tiny Tim or this first parting there was among us.” I’m sure that the puppeteers must have been thinking of Jim Henson and Brian Hunt. 🥺
41:18 That specific Disney executive was Jeffrey Katzenberg, who insisted the song be cut because he thought it would be too sad and boring for the kids. To be frank, considering this was the same guy who wanted 'Part of Your World' to be cut from The Little Mermaid for similar reasons, it's clear to see that the guy isn't really the best judge on what songs need to be cut from these films
😅 to be fair, I did find that song boring. My family would always skip that song. Matter of opinion I guess. Glad it's back for those who like it. Maybe I'll like it now that I'm older.
It's been said before, but the best part about this movie is Michael Caine the whole time acting as seriously as he would on stage doing Shakespeare for the Queen.
Omg I'm so glad "when love is gone" has been restored 😭 it was on my original VHS as a kid, but when I bought the dvd as an adult it was missing and I had heard the footage was lost never to return. Now I can show my son the original as it was always meant to be ♥
Same! I was so sad when I watched it on Disney Plus last year and discovered that they cut the song out. Even if I cried every time and sang it, I still love this movie so very much.
So bizarre to cut out a pivotal part of the film, almost the emotional core of the story, and the ending of the movie is the companion piece "When Love is Found"
Haha i put this film on earlier, just so I can hear Michael Caine say "How would you like to be suddenly UNEMPLOYED!" and my other fave line "LIGHT THE LAMP, NOT THAT RAT!" The best Muppet movie of them all!
Fun fact about when Michael Caine sang "The Love Is Gone." He was very self-conscious about singing it, but it turned out that his somewhat rough vocals perfectly portrayed Scrooge as a man who had gone his whole life without a song in his heart, and so he is naturally rough around the edges and imperfect, but his voice carries the weight of it all nonetheless. It's honestly a beautiful performance.
This is the best version of A Christmas Carol that exists It works mainly because Michael Caine plays it as a serious film that just happens to have Muppets in it
Whilst this version is very good, as is Caine, I would disagree that it is better than Scrooge (1951) and there is , in my opinion no better Scrooge than Alistair Sim
@@Inspadave To be fair, the 1999 BBC telefilm featuring the guy who plays Captain Picard in _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ & Charles Xavier in the live-action _X-Men_ movies IS actually the most book accurate, with the 1984 George C. Scott version coming in 2nd. The 2009 CGI Jim Carrey version would be 3rd most accurate, creepy uncanny valley elements included. The Muppet adaptation would be 4th in terms of accuracy, even with the Muppet characters fulfilling many of the character roles opposite Michael Caine as Scrooge.
32:05 "I'm sure we will never forget Tiny Tim, and this first parting thhat there was among us" and then you remember that this film was the first big project they'd done since jim henson died and you cry more.
Many of the background characters are from other productions. That dog you mentioned at the beginning was in fact Sprocket from Fraggle Rock. A lot of them are actually originally from The Muppet Show. One of the puppets was JP Grosse, Scooter's Uncle and the owner of the Muppet Show theatre. He was donated to the Smithsonian a few yrs back.
not only is it this one the most faithful adaptations to the source material, it has some of the most historically accurate costumes. Literally better than most period dramas. And on muppet scale no less. They put in so many tiny details you literally wouldnt see until the hd version.
Michael Caine is the best Ebenezer Scrooge not just because he plays the role well but he plays it completely straight against Muppets. He even said that he would only accept the role if he could play the character that way and it was absolutely the right decision.
It never really stated what Tiny Tim had, it's been believed that it was a condition like Rickets (lack of vitamin D) or renal tubular acidosis (a kidney failure that makes the blood acidic). Both were treatable during Dickens' time but could be fatal if untreated. It's like nowadays where a child needs an operation to save their life, but their family doesn't have the means to pay for it. Fun fact. in 1997, construction workers were renovating an 18th century church in south London where they found a gravestone reading: "Timothy Cratchit. 1839-1884. Beloved Husband of Julia, Father of Robert, and Son of Robert." The skeleton in the grave was of a man about 40 years old who wore a metal and leather frame on his lower back and legs. Lab results confirmed the man suffered from tuberculosis.
12:09 Lil' fact about that muppet. The muppet team hated using him cuz he was a "cute character" and didn't really lend himself to good humor normally, so they decided the joke with him was just taking any opportunity to abuse him
I love this movie so much!! Jim Henson's work inspired me to learn puppeteering, and I was given so many great opportunities through my church growing up to use those skills. (Btw, it is incredibly difficult!!) Watching a child's face light up and hearing them laugh or ooh and ahh at a puppet is so rewarding!
Yay! Fellow puppeteer! Nine years doing shows and competitions. It's really technical and involves a lot of fine tuned muscle endurance. It's such a joy watching things like this because you know how difficult things are and how talented everyone is.
Something I always found funny is because of "Charles Dickens's" narration this is actually one of the most faithful adaptions of the book. That just makes me laugh that the one told with puppets is the closest to the novel.
Actually, it would be 4th after the 1999 version (starring the guy who plays Captain Picard & the live-action Charles Xavier), the 1984 George C. Scott version, and the 2009 CGI Jim Carrey version.
I watched this movie with my siblings so many times as a kid. Unlike a lot of other reactors you actually included the songs which I definitely appreciate, my favorite has always been the Ghost of Christmas Present song
We tried our best to keep as much of the spirit of the songs in our reaction. Gotta say, the Ghost of Christmas Present is my favorite as well. - Robert
It’s awesome that Michael Caine said that he would only do this movie if he could play it as a serious Christmas Carol movie and not as a muppets movie. I think that’s a big reason why his character goes so hard in this movie and honestly really stands out from all of the wackiness of the muppets I haven’t seen many Michael Caine performances but he kills it as Scrooge
I absolutely love the contrast between Michael Caine's seriousness and the chaos that is the Muppets. It just makes the movie great. I've seen a lot of his other work, but this is my favorite of all of his performances. He makes Scrooge legitimately scary but also human and very complex. When he starts to change as a person, you really believe it.
despite the Muppets and many of the jokes, this is still one of the most literarily accurate version, featuring many of the stories lines and even some older English phrases and wording...actually Gonzo (Dickens) remark about it being ok if it scary for children it's culture also applies to the literary accuracy of the story....it's ok if it's a book, children won't be bored cause of the Muppets and jokes, and in the years to come they will remember some of those lines when or if they ever read the book...."oh, hey, that line's from The Muppet Christmas Carol, and it's in the book"
"If you please Mr. Scrooge, it's gotten colder, and the bookkeeping staff would like to have an extra shovel full of coal for the fire?" "We can't do the bookkeeping, all our pens have turned to inkcicles!" "Our assets are frozen!" "How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly... UNEMPLOYED?" "[singing] HEAT WAVE. This is my island in the sun..." Fun Fact: Before production began, Sir Michael Caine told director Brian Henson he was going to play Scrooge straight. Henson agreed it was a great idea. Sir Michael Caine considers the role of Scrooge to be one of his most memorable (to him). Torch Passed Fact: This was the first major Muppet project after creator Jim Henson's death. The role of Kermit the Frog was handed down to Steve Whitmire. He said he was incredibly nervous about taking over such an iconic character. The night before he recorded Kermit's songs for the movie, he had a dream where he met Henson in a hotel lobby and told him how unsure he was. In the dream, Henson reassured Whitmire that the feeling would pass. After waking up, Whitmire was confident and able to do the part. Music Enthusiast Fact: The song "When Love Is Gone" sung by Belle, was dropped from the theatrical release (over the objections of producer and director Brian Henson) at the request of Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, who considered it too sad for young children.) The last-minute decision resulted in a jarring edit in the scene from which it was removed, and caused some confusion about Scrooge, Gonzo, and Rizzo's reactions. The scene was restored in the VHS, LaserDisc, and first DVD (full screen) releases, but it isn't used in television airings, Blu-ray releases, or the Netflix or the original Disney+ version. However, it is available as an "EXTRAS" option on Disney+. In mid-December 2020, Brian Henson announced that the original negatives for the removed scene had been found and would be re-instated (back) into the film, in time for its 30th anniversary in 2022.
This is in my top 5 favorite Christmas movies! I enjoy it all year around! I saw it in the theater and bought the VHS, yes, I'm that old! I have always mentioned that the song was very necessary in the story. I just read that the actress who sang the song, released a Christmas album years after the movie. Sadly she faced some domestic abuse and the song gave her a new perspective for loving the song. I enjoyed your "Humbug" counter and I noticed that when the ghost of Christmas Present comes he never says it again. I remember the first time I paid attention to the little kid who got smacked in the face and fell over .... I could not stop laughing!! That curled face and the flop! Then he started shoving the other one who felt bad about it. I liked how you gave us a glimpse of the BTS... shot where they're walking in a row. Another BTS tidbit I like to share is that when Kermit is bringing Tiny Tim home, it's the first time we ever saw a Muppet fully standing up and walking! There was a long roller that gave the impression the ground was passing under them. The best part of first time reactions is that I get to relive the first impressions through someone all over again. Take are, Vanessa and Robert!
I still think the scene in Mickeys Christmas Carol where Scrooge gets pushed into his grave by Ghost Pete and is about to descend into Hell is one of the scariest things I've seen in a Christmas movie.
Unfun Fact: The movie with Albert Finny actually has Marley taking Scrooge to Hell and showing him his room of chains and constant, frigid cold(contrasting the rest of the hot realm and also comeuppance for forcing Bob to deal with the cold.) THEN Scrooge wakes up.
This is a family favorite and one of my go-to movies to get into the Christmas spirit. The soundtrack is wonderful, and the interactions between Caine and the Muppets, just so much fun. Such a feel good movie.
I remember the ghost of Christmas past, when he was upset saying "Spirit, why would you show me these things" or "why have you brought me here" And all she says is "I told you. These are the shadows that have been. That they are what they are, do not blame me." Honestly, that line stuck with me after all these years
Tied with The Muppet Movie & Muppets From Space (don't judge me), The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite Muppet film. I cried every time I see the opening dedication.
I also love the Muppets from Space (along with my whole family). While not the most intellectual of films, the sheer quotability of some of those lines pervade the in jokes of the household on an almost daily basis, haha. (...Do you see the spiral?)
Talking about this movie going harder than it had to, the costuming in this movie was remarkably historically accurate. The designers went to extraordinary lengths to make all these costumes, from the patterns on Gonzo's waistcoat, right down to Mrs. Cratchit wearing a style that was several years out of date because she was poor.
I’m on Disney + right now and forwarded to the scene with When Love is Gone and it’s still cut from the film. I’m so bummed! My sister and I watch it every year hoping for that song to return 😣 Edited because I found it in the extras after hearing your note. Amazing! Great reaction 🎄
Just so people know Michel cane told Disney that he would play this straight as if it was a normal film and as one fan I think that’s why this was such a success it’s the right balance of fun and serious. Merry Christmas it all here’s to a great New Year xxx
I think Disney missed a potential cash cow like they could've done adaptations of other Dickens stories like Oliver Twist or Great Expectations with Gonzo reprising his role as "Charles Dickens" with Rizzo being there too
I know as a fun fact a majority of the additional puppeteers outside the core cast are UK citizens. I kid you not. A LOT of the UK's puppeteers got some of their start working on Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island. Many of them went on to do work for the resident TV networks in the country like the BBC and ITV. I believe it was because the film was done at Shepperton Studio's renowned for their work making films like the original Star Wars, the Dr Who Dalek movies, Flash Gordon, Cruella, Batman Begins, and TV series like Red Dwarf and the cult "Thomas the Tank Engine" series.
Michael Caine was incredible in this movie, considering the majority of the cast are made of felt its awesome to see how well he can just act as if he was alongside actual people. Also i love how disproportionate they made the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, it's shoulders are so low down compared to its head, its hands are freakishly large for how short its body is, and its legs seem like they'd be stumbs
this version has some of the most accurate period costuming in any movie. The research, and attention to detail from the costuming department is outstanding. It's also one of the more book accurate adaptations... despite the muppets.
Fantastic movie. Absolutely love how Michael Caine takes his role seriously. It would have been so easy for the film to be a cheap retelling with puppets and nobody would have been surprised, but the movie isn’t scared to take itself seriously when it needs to.
When I'm sick of folks turning the tv to the Hallmark flicks or rom coms, I end up listening to "Marley & Marley" on repeat in the car. A catchy song about awful people and awful things, but so fitting to the story I smile every time (and sing/speak along, of course). It feels like a nice, fun bit of lemon juice poured over the saccharine sweet, overly-commercial crap that's always out this time of year (hee hee).
I speculate the reason that the complete cut with the song wasn't replacing the actual one was because of that the movie was dubbed in other countries (in Sweden, it is one of the few Muppet films to be dubbed as the original Muppet Show was only subbed and so did all the movies prior to Henson's death and Treasure Island and all the post 90's movies with exception of Muppet's Haunted Mansion on Disney+, which got dubbed, other series were subbed as well and The Muppet Show didn't get a dub on the DVDs or on D+ either) and some countries, like Sweden, never had the full version released on home media, just the theatrical version, plus the dub teams and actors have either retired or passed away (such as Sven Wolter, the swedish voice of Scrooge passed away a few years ago) so the song wasn't even dubbed in those languages.
There was a picture circulating around twitter about a week ago of a list of Muppet projects that were being worked on at the time of the Disney purchase that includes an Animal origin movie, a spy film, one that takes place in Las Vegas, a Camelot film. The only one from that list to get made was Wizard Of Oz. What a shame! There's one that they've tried to make for a long time called Cheapest Muppet Movie. It was from the original head writer of The Muppets Jerry Juhl.
All the songs are great. It’s really the only Xmas film I watch annually. At the time is the only Xmas Carol adaptations that uses the original text. It’s also Guillermo Del Torro’s favorite Xmas Carol
@@LatetotheParty for sure, and over the years it’s developed quite a following. Last year they had the characters at DLR and as someone in Orlando I was so mad bc I’ve been saying for years they should have themat the UK pavilion in Epcot
Love this movie so much, it is easily my favourite Christmas movie. It's pretty faithful to the book, and you're so right, they really went for it with this movie. Loved watching this reaction! (And also, 100% agreed on Muppet Pride & Prejudice, yes please 😆)
vanessa welcome to the club that watch the muppet christmas carol. this movie is nothing without when love is gone just makes the movie whole. hope you did enjoy gonzo almost lighten rizzo tail(light the lamp not the rat light the lamp not the rat)
A local department store had this movie for sale for just $2 on VHS. I watched this to death back in the day, and I never realized that that one song was never aired for the theatrical release since it was on the VHS version.
Yeah the main reason it took so long to finally get "when love is gone" back was because they actually lost the original film stuff for it and finally found it for the newest release of the film for the 30th anniversary which I think is great timing.
This is my favorite Christmas movie. Also love Polar Express, Charlie Brown Christmas, the original animated scrooge movie, the stop motion Rudolph (with the "bumble"), and Claymation Christmas (with the California raisins!). Would love to see you guys react to those ❤️
I saw a comment somewhere that "Muppet Christmas Carol" works because Michael Caine treats the Muppets like fellow actors and "Muppet Treasure Island" works because Tim Curry treats himself like a fellow Muppet.
They did such a great job and were so true to the book. They did not hide the brutal facts of poverty in Dickensian London. So many historical movies, especially for children, are sanitised so they don't upset anyone.
1:31 Execs always seem to think kids are stupid. " This is too adult," "The kids will get bored, or too scared" etc. How about letting the kids decide. Also, give them a chance to grow up with the movie and catch on to the more grown up concepts. For me, Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins, was a bit slow and I wanted to get back to the fun songs, but now as an adult, it is one of the most beautiful and touching scenes in the movie, and "When Love is Gone" is the same thing.
The Muppet Christmas Carol FULL MOVIE Watch-Along @ www.patreon.com/posts/75771302
Muppet Treasure Island MOVIE REACTION @ th-cam.com/video/Y8IHZhUND_M/w-d-xo.html
Die Hard 2 MOVIE REACTION @ th-cam.com/video/bJtht4KpBW0/w-d-xo.html
I watched this for the first time on dvd a few years. A perfect combination of Michael Caine’s talents and the heart, humor, and creativity of the Muppets.
They did a Haunted Mansion special on Disney plus last year, my mom and I loved it, think you guys would like it too!
Is Patreon free?
@@hunteradams2123 No, but our Discord is.
discord.gg/FUxRvqrT
@@LatetotheParty Thanks. I'm following your Discord now. Feel better Robert & Vanessa. Merry Christmas.
Muppet Christmas Carol worked because Michael Cain saw the Muppets as fellow actors.
Muppet Treasure Island worked because Tim Curry saw himself as a fellow Muppet.
Remember, virtually all of Scrooges really brutal lines (and the gravy pun) are directly lifted from the book.
The book is even more brutal
Of all the adoptions of a Christmas Carol, this one actually has the most word for word lines taken from the book
Maybe that’s because gonzo is Charles dickens throughout the entire movie and says lines that wouldn’t normally be said by the characters within the universe
Literally told his nephew he’d see himself in hell before spending Christmas with him.
'A Christmas Carol' is one of my favourite stories and this is my favourite adaptation such is the genius of the Muppets they can take a moral tail, keep it so true to the original and be hilarious at the same time🤷
Like "What's green, hard and smells of pork?... Kermit's d..."😂
“I’m sure we shall never forget Tiny Tim or this first parting there was among us.”
I’m sure that the puppeteers must have been thinking of Jim Henson and Brian Hunt. 🥺
Richard Hunt.
@@nigelmurphy6761 Ah yes of course. Thank you.
I've heard that they very much had Hunt and Henson on their mind when they were filming those particular scenes
41:18 That specific Disney executive was Jeffrey Katzenberg, who insisted the song be cut because he thought it would be too sad and boring for the kids. To be frank, considering this was the same guy who wanted 'Part of Your World' to be cut from The Little Mermaid for similar reasons, it's clear to see that the guy isn't really the best judge on what songs need to be cut from these films
One wonders what that man’s attention span is.
To be fair the song does feel about one verse too long. But it is ESSENTIAL because of Scrooge crying during it and the reprisal in the finale!
😅 to be fair, I did find that song boring. My family would always skip that song. Matter of opinion I guess. Glad it's back for those who like it. Maybe I'll like it now that I'm older.
@@christianwise637 he was apparently also a huge d*ck to Jim Henson
It's been said before, but the best part about this movie is Michael Caine the whole time acting as seriously as he would on stage doing Shakespeare for the Queen.
Omg I'm so glad "when love is gone" has been restored 😭 it was on my original VHS as a kid, but when I bought the dvd as an adult it was missing and I had heard the footage was lost never to return. Now I can show my son the original as it was always meant to be ♥
That song is such a big part of the story, especially when it comes to Scrooge's heartbreak. So glad it's back!
Same! I was so sad when I watched it on Disney Plus last year and discovered that they cut the song out. Even if I cried every time and sang it, I still love this movie so very much.
So bizarre to cut out a pivotal part of the film, almost the emotional core of the story, and the ending of the movie is the companion piece "When Love is Found"
Check Disney Plus again. They now have the song again. There’s now an actual full version including the song.
@@Powerranger-le4up We say all that in this video.
Haha i put this film on earlier, just so I can hear Michael Caine say "How would you like to be suddenly UNEMPLOYED!"
and my other fave line "LIGHT THE LAMP, NOT THAT RAT!" The best Muppet movie of them all!
"No It's culture" "You're an idiot"(after Rizzo goes through the bars) "Scrooge is changed, we're perfectly safe" *BAM WINDOW OPENS*
My headcannon is that Beaker's scarf is probably the first Christmas gift that Scrooge ever received. Even as a child.
Fun fact about when Michael Caine sang "The Love Is Gone." He was very self-conscious about singing it, but it turned out that his somewhat rough vocals perfectly portrayed Scrooge as a man who had gone his whole life without a song in his heart, and so he is naturally rough around the edges and imperfect, but his voice carries the weight of it all nonetheless. It's honestly a beautiful performance.
If you loved Caine as Scrooge, you'll love Tim Curry as Long John Silver. Oh yes, you have to see Muppet Treasure Island
We've never seen it, so that's definitely going on the list.
Love that film.
Mr Bimble agrees
@@bemasaberwyn55 what are half wit sons for
@@RealJustinCrow 😂😂😂
This is the best version of A Christmas Carol that exists
It works mainly because Michael Caine plays it as a serious film that just happens to have Muppets in it
Whilst this version is very good, as is Caine, I would disagree that it is better than Scrooge (1951) and there is , in my opinion no better Scrooge than Alistair Sim
@@williamburnham3659 George C Scott
@@Inspadave I've seen it , although a brilliant actor ( see Anatomy of a Murder) he is not a better Scrooge
@@Inspadave To be fair, the 1999 BBC telefilm featuring the guy who plays Captain Picard in _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ & Charles Xavier in the live-action _X-Men_ movies IS actually the most book accurate, with the 1984 George C. Scott version coming in 2nd. The 2009 CGI Jim Carrey version would be 3rd most accurate, creepy uncanny valley elements included. The Muppet adaptation would be 4th in terms of accuracy, even with the Muppet characters fulfilling many of the character roles opposite Michael Caine as Scrooge.
No exaggeration, this is possibly the greatest Christmas film or at least in the top 5, of all time
It sucks.
Michael Caine was absolutely perfect in this role. He knocked it out of the park❤
Michael Caine didn't have to go _this hard_ in a fun muppet movie for kids - but he damn well _did,_ and the world is a better place for it.
The Dickens Society has stated that this version is the most historically accurate to the original text
You can’t go wrong with the Muppets and Michael Caine! A great version that has stood the test of time!
32:05 "I'm sure we will never forget Tiny Tim, and this first parting thhat there was among us" and then you remember that this film was the first big project they'd done since jim henson died and you cry more.
Many of the background characters are from other productions. That dog you mentioned at the beginning was in fact Sprocket from Fraggle Rock. A lot of them are actually originally from The Muppet Show. One of the puppets was JP Grosse, Scooter's Uncle and the owner of the Muppet Show theatre. He was donated to the Smithsonian a few yrs back.
I find it ironic that Scooters miserly uncle hates Scrooge too.
You've never seen this?! Oh my heart! This is a staple of my Christmas season.
I can see why now! 💜 - Vanessa
not only is it this one the most faithful adaptations to the source material, it has some of the most historically accurate costumes. Literally better than most period dramas. And on muppet scale no less. They put in so many tiny details you literally wouldnt see until the hd version.
Michael Caine is the best Ebenezer Scrooge not just because he plays the role well but he plays it completely straight against Muppets. He even said that he would only accept the role if he could play the character that way and it was absolutely the right decision.
It never really stated what Tiny Tim had, it's been believed that it was a condition like Rickets (lack of vitamin D) or renal tubular acidosis (a kidney failure that makes the blood acidic). Both were treatable during Dickens' time but could be fatal if untreated. It's like nowadays where a child needs an operation to save their life, but their family doesn't have the means to pay for it.
Fun fact. in 1997, construction workers were renovating an 18th century church in south London where they found a gravestone reading: "Timothy Cratchit. 1839-1884. Beloved Husband of Julia, Father of Robert, and Son of Robert." The skeleton in the grave was of a man about 40 years old who wore a metal and leather frame on his lower back and legs. Lab results confirmed the man suffered from tuberculosis.
12:09 Lil' fact about that muppet. The muppet team hated using him cuz he was a "cute character" and didn't really lend himself to good humor normally, so they decided the joke with him was just taking any opportunity to abuse him
One of my favorite muppet movies of all time. The other is Muppet Treasure Island.
I love this movie so much!! Jim Henson's work inspired me to learn puppeteering, and I was given so many great opportunities through my church growing up to use those skills. (Btw, it is incredibly difficult!!) Watching a child's face light up and hearing them laugh or ooh and ahh at a puppet is so rewarding!
Yay! Fellow puppeteer! Nine years doing shows and competitions. It's really technical and involves a lot of fine tuned muscle endurance. It's such a joy watching things like this because you know how difficult things are and how talented everyone is.
Something I always found funny is because of "Charles Dickens's" narration this is actually one of the most faithful adaptions of the book. That just makes me laugh that the one told with puppets is the closest to the novel.
Actually, it would be 4th after the 1999 version (starring the guy who plays Captain Picard & the live-action Charles Xavier), the 1984 George C. Scott version, and the 2009 CGI Jim Carrey version.
I watched this movie with my siblings so many times as a kid. Unlike a lot of other reactors you actually included the songs which I definitely appreciate, my favorite has always been the Ghost of Christmas Present song
We tried our best to keep as much of the spirit of the songs in our reaction. Gotta say, the Ghost of Christmas Present is my favorite as well. - Robert
It's our family's go to for Christmas eve
One of if not the best version of The Christmas Carol, checks off all the boxes.
It’s awesome that Michael Caine said that he would only do this movie if he could play it as a serious Christmas Carol movie and not as a muppets movie. I think that’s a big reason why his character goes so hard in this movie and honestly really stands out from all of the wackiness of the muppets
I haven’t seen many Michael Caine performances but he kills it as Scrooge
I absolutely love the contrast between Michael Caine's seriousness and the chaos that is the Muppets. It just makes the movie great.
I've seen a lot of his other work, but this is my favorite of all of his performances. He makes Scrooge legitimately scary but also human and very complex. When he starts to change as a person, you really believe it.
despite the Muppets and many of the jokes, this is still one of the most literarily accurate version, featuring many of the stories lines and even some older English phrases and wording...actually Gonzo (Dickens) remark about it being ok if it scary for children it's culture also applies to the literary accuracy of the story....it's ok if it's a book, children won't be bored cause of the Muppets and jokes, and in the years to come they will remember some of those lines when or if they ever read the book...."oh, hey, that line's from The Muppet Christmas Carol, and it's in the book"
In the song sequence A Thankful Heart one of the background shops is called Micklewhites, a tribute to Michael Cane's real last name
Never knew that!!!
This has recently become my favorite holiday movie - it is just so much fun - thank you for reacting!
Did you react on your channel?
@@bemasaberwyn55 Last year, I loved it!
"If you please Mr. Scrooge, it's gotten colder, and the bookkeeping staff would like to have an extra shovel full of coal for the fire?"
"We can't do the bookkeeping, all our pens have turned to inkcicles!"
"Our assets are frozen!"
"How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly... UNEMPLOYED?"
"[singing] HEAT WAVE. This is my island in the sun..."
Fun Fact: Before production began, Sir Michael Caine told director Brian Henson he was going to play Scrooge straight. Henson agreed it was a great idea. Sir Michael Caine considers the role of Scrooge to be one of his most memorable (to him).
Torch Passed Fact: This was the first major Muppet project after creator Jim Henson's death. The role of Kermit the Frog was handed down to Steve Whitmire. He said he was incredibly nervous about taking over such an iconic character. The night before he recorded Kermit's songs for the movie, he had a dream where he met Henson in a hotel lobby and told him how unsure he was. In the dream, Henson reassured Whitmire that the feeling would pass. After waking up, Whitmire was confident and able to do the part.
Music Enthusiast Fact: The song "When Love Is Gone" sung by Belle, was dropped from the theatrical release (over the objections of producer and director Brian Henson) at the request of Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, who considered it too sad for young children.) The last-minute decision resulted in a jarring edit in the scene from which it was removed, and caused some confusion about Scrooge, Gonzo, and Rizzo's reactions. The scene was restored in the VHS, LaserDisc, and first DVD (full screen) releases, but it isn't used in television airings, Blu-ray releases, or the Netflix or the original Disney+ version. However, it is available as an "EXTRAS" option on Disney+. In mid-December 2020, Brian Henson announced that the original negatives for the removed scene had been found and would be re-instated (back) into the film, in time for its 30th anniversary in 2022.
We say all this in our video.
This is in my top 5 favorite Christmas movies! I enjoy it all year around!
I saw it in the theater and bought the VHS, yes, I'm that old!
I have always mentioned that the song was very necessary in the story. I just read that the actress who sang the song, released a Christmas album years after the movie. Sadly she faced some domestic abuse and the song gave her a new perspective for loving the song.
I enjoyed your "Humbug" counter and I noticed that when the ghost of Christmas Present comes he never says it again.
I remember the first time I paid attention to the little kid who got smacked in the face and fell over .... I could not stop laughing!! That curled face and the flop! Then he started shoving the other one who felt bad about it.
I liked how you gave us a glimpse of the BTS... shot where they're walking in a row. Another BTS tidbit I like to share is that when Kermit is bringing Tiny Tim home, it's the first time we ever saw a Muppet fully standing up and walking! There was a long roller that gave the impression the ground was passing under them.
The best part of first time reactions is that I get to relive the first impressions through someone all over again.
Take are, Vanessa and Robert!
Charles Dickens was a 19th novelist who also fought gas-like aliens in 1870s Cardiff with Rose Tyler and The Doctor.
Now you're talkin!!!!
I remember having this on videotape! Yes people, videotape. I am that old! I absolutely love this movie, might have seen it over a dozen times!
I still think the scene in Mickeys Christmas Carol where Scrooge gets pushed into his grave by Ghost Pete and is about to descend into Hell is one of the scariest things I've seen in a Christmas movie.
Unfun Fact: The movie with Albert Finny actually has Marley taking Scrooge to Hell and showing him his room of chains and constant, frigid cold(contrasting the rest of the hot realm and also comeuppance for forcing Bob to deal with the cold.) THEN Scrooge wakes up.
My sister and I used to watch this all the time on VHS during Christmas. I always feel so nostalgic when I see it as an adult.
The music alone brings back a flood of memories. - Robert
Muppets classic theater
This is a family favorite and one of my go-to movies to get into the Christmas spirit. The soundtrack is wonderful, and the interactions between Caine and the Muppets, just so much fun. Such a feel good movie.
My favorite christmas movie. I'm glad to see reactors who are hearty and wholesome.
Means a lot. Thanks so much!!! 💜💙
I remember the ghost of Christmas past, when he was upset saying
"Spirit, why would you show me these things" or "why have you brought me here"
And all she says is "I told you. These are the shadows that have been. That they are what they are, do not blame me."
Honestly, that line stuck with me after all these years
Tied with The Muppet Movie & Muppets From Space (don't judge me), The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite Muppet film. I cried every time I see the opening dedication.
The Muppets (2011), The Great Muppet Caper, and The Muppet Christmas Carol are my personal favorites
I also love the Muppets from Space (along with my whole family). While not the most intellectual of films, the sheer quotability of some of those lines pervade the in jokes of the household on an almost daily basis, haha.
(...Do you see the spiral?)
for me this is tied with The Muppets Take Manhattan as one of my fave muppet movies.
Muppet Treasure Island
I won't judge you. Muppets from Space is a great film too imho
Talking about this movie going harder than it had to, the costuming in this movie was remarkably historically accurate. The designers went to extraordinary lengths to make all these costumes, from the patterns on Gonzo's waistcoat, right down to Mrs. Cratchit wearing a style that was several years out of date because she was poor.
One of my all time favourite Christmas films. ❤️❤️ I went to go see the 30th anniversary re-release, in the cinema I work in.
Wish they would have shown that in the theaters where we live!
I’m on Disney + right now and forwarded to the scene with When Love is Gone and it’s still cut from the film. I’m so bummed! My sister and I watch it every year hoping for that song to return 😣
Edited because I found it in the extras after hearing your note. Amazing! Great reaction 🎄
So glad you found the right version!
This film turns me into an emotional wreck, even at 40 years old. I watch it every year, and it never fails to make me cry and laugh in equal measure.
The score by Paul Williams really makes the movie. So many memorable tunes.
Just so people know Michel cane told Disney that he would play this straight as if it was a normal film and as one fan I think that’s why this was such a success it’s the right balance of fun and serious. Merry Christmas it all here’s to a great New Year xxx
Dam i remember watching this when i was a kid on The Wonderful World Of Disney every Sunday Nights on CBC.
The song "it feels christmas " is still popular that they sing every year at Disney world
I think Disney missed a potential cash cow like they could've done adaptations of other Dickens stories like Oliver Twist or Great Expectations with Gonzo reprising his role as "Charles Dickens" with Rizzo being there too
I know as a fun fact a majority of the additional puppeteers outside the core cast are UK citizens. I kid you not. A LOT of the UK's puppeteers got some of their start working on Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island. Many of them went on to do work for the resident TV networks in the country like the BBC and ITV.
I believe it was because the film was done at Shepperton Studio's renowned for their work making films like the original Star Wars, the Dr Who Dalek movies, Flash Gordon, Cruella, Batman Begins, and TV series like Red Dwarf and the cult "Thomas the Tank Engine" series.
This was the first film I remember seeing at the cinema. Still watch it every Christmas Eve.
I know the Cratchet's memorial for Tiny Tim resembles how the crew, family, friends remembers Jim Henson
This movie is my favourite movie I watch every Christmas eve
This is my favorite Muppet film
Michael Caine was incredible in this movie, considering the majority of the cast are made of felt its awesome to see how well he can just act as if he was alongside actual people.
Also i love how disproportionate they made the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, it's shoulders are so low down compared to its head, its hands are freakishly large for how short its body is, and its legs seem like they'd be stumbs
Best most paused moment was the 1 muppet flipping Scrooge off … that and “ light the lamp not the rat “. Lol. Never. Gets old
Wait… what
this version has some of the most accurate period costuming in any movie. The research, and attention to detail from the costuming department is outstanding. It's also one of the more book accurate adaptations... despite the muppets.
Bless Us All always makes me cry
Let me tell you Michael Caine earned his check on this one.
There’s few things in life that bring me joy like the muppets.
this has stayed 1 of my fav mupper movies of ALL TIME. my mother especially loves "bless us all" i really like one more sleep til christmas.
I have it on DVD with the extended version. It's a must watch every Christmas season, and I only watch the version with Belle's song.
My sister watches this like 20 times every December. The music is so catchy, it's a family favorite.
Love this movie....and never get tired of watching the whole thing from start to finish.
This just made me want to watch the movie again, so I did.
Filmed at the large E stage at Shepperton Studios, UK
17:54 Reminds me of the Barbie version, where one of the character's dog can see the Spirit of Christmas Past.
My husband, 5 kids and I watch this every year, it's our favourite
The best!
One of the funniest and cutest Muppet movies ever made!
Fantastic movie. Absolutely love how Michael Caine takes his role seriously. It would have been so easy for the film to be a cheap retelling with puppets and nobody would have been surprised, but the movie isn’t scared to take itself seriously when it needs to.
When I'm sick of folks turning the tv to the Hallmark flicks or rom coms, I end up listening to "Marley & Marley" on repeat in the car. A catchy song about awful people and awful things, but so fitting to the story I smile every time (and sing/speak along, of course). It feels like a nice, fun bit of lemon juice poured over the saccharine sweet, overly-commercial crap that's always out this time of year (hee hee).
So glad you reacted to a version with "When Love is Gone"! So many people don't know about it!
The ghost of Christmas past in this movie always creeped me out ever since I was a kid.
This is my second favorite CC. The Patrick Stewart version being the first
This is one of my favourite Christmas movies, great reaction 😃
I speculate the reason that the complete cut with the song wasn't replacing the actual one was because of that the movie was dubbed in other countries (in Sweden, it is one of the few Muppet films to be dubbed as the original Muppet Show was only subbed and so did all the movies prior to Henson's death and Treasure Island and all the post 90's movies with exception of Muppet's Haunted Mansion on Disney+, which got dubbed, other series were subbed as well and The Muppet Show didn't get a dub on the DVDs or on D+ either) and some countries, like Sweden, never had the full version released on home media, just the theatrical version, plus the dub teams and actors have either retired or passed away (such as Sven Wolter, the swedish voice of Scrooge passed away a few years ago) so the song wasn't even dubbed in those languages.
There was a picture circulating around twitter about a week ago of a list of Muppet projects that were being worked on at the time of the Disney purchase that includes an Animal origin movie, a spy film, one that takes place in Las Vegas, a Camelot film. The only one from that list to get made was Wizard Of Oz. What a shame! There's one that they've tried to make for a long time called Cheapest Muppet Movie. It was from the original head writer of The Muppets Jerry Juhl.
During lockdown I unfriended a friend from my High School days cause they said Muppet Christmas Carol was bad. They deserved it.
One of my favorite Christmas film it is truly a classic.
All the songs are great. It’s really the only Xmas film I watch annually. At the time is the only Xmas Carol adaptations that uses the original text. It’s also Guillermo Del Torro’s favorite Xmas Carol
If it's good enough for Guillermo Del Torro, it's good enough for us!
@@LatetotheParty for sure, and over the years it’s developed quite a following. Last year they had the characters at DLR and as someone in Orlando I was so mad bc I’ve been saying for years they should have themat the UK pavilion in Epcot
ESPECIALLY during Christmas!!!
If you haven't seen "It's A Wonderful Life" I'd recommend that too! Definitely delivers the feels. :)
My fave Christmas movie. Glad you liked it
Love this movie so much, it is easily my favourite Christmas movie. It's pretty faithful to the book, and you're so right, they really went for it with this movie. Loved watching this reaction! (And also, 100% agreed on Muppet Pride & Prejudice, yes please 😆)
My favorite was always Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas... also a Muppet movie.
vanessa welcome to the club that watch the muppet christmas carol. this movie is nothing without when love is gone just makes the movie whole. hope you did enjoy gonzo almost lighten rizzo tail(light the lamp not the rat light the lamp not the rat)
"Even Beaker told him off!" Yeah! Did you hear the mouth on him? They had to censor every word!
"That's Cold!" Not as cold as those orphans
The crew hated the cute bunny so much (because it was pretty much TOO cute) that they did their best to have him get hurt in every scene he was in.
I love this movie. It's a classic
A local department store had this movie for sale for just $2 on VHS. I watched this to death back in the day, and I never realized that that one song was never aired for the theatrical release since it was on the VHS version.
Yeah the main reason it took so long to finally get "when love is gone" back was because they actually lost the original film stuff for it and finally found it for the newest release of the film for the 30th anniversary which I think is great timing.
This is my favorite Christmas movie. Also love Polar Express, Charlie Brown Christmas, the original animated scrooge movie, the stop motion Rudolph (with the "bumble"), and Claymation Christmas (with the California raisins!). Would love to see you guys react to those ❤️
Have you watched Klaus on Netflix? I think you'd enjoy that if you haven't :)
I saw a comment somewhere that "Muppet Christmas Carol" works because Michael Caine treats the Muppets like fellow actors and "Muppet Treasure Island" works because Tim Curry treats himself like a fellow Muppet.
Beautiful!
They did such a great job and were so true to the book. They did not hide the brutal facts of poverty in Dickensian London. So many historical movies, especially for children, are sanitised so they don't upset anyone.
Definitely a Christmas Classic
Agreed!
This was my favorite Christmas movie as a kid
1:31 Execs always seem to think kids are stupid. " This is too adult," "The kids will get bored, or too scared" etc. How about letting the kids decide. Also, give them a chance to grow up with the movie and catch on to the more grown up concepts. For me, Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins, was a bit slow and I wanted to get back to the fun songs, but now as an adult, it is one of the most beautiful and touching scenes in the movie, and "When Love is Gone" is the same thing.
Singing food is another saying for rotten food. So Rizzo was saying his mom taught him to never eat rotten food.