The Muppet Christmas Carol

G

Released Dec 11, 1992

1h 25m

Kids & Family

Holiday

Fantasy

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List

77%

56 Reviews

Tomatometer

86%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). Other Muppets -- Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle -- weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases -- past, present and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.

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Critics Consensus

It may not be the finest version of Charles Dickens' tale to grace the screen, but The Muppet Christmas Carol is funny and heartwarming, and serves as a good introduction to the story for young viewers.

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Crey Fish S

A Christmas Carol with muppets and a very committed Michael Caine. This movie just works. Excited to watch this again next year.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Jeff M

Let me say upfront that I LOVES me some Muppets. But this is the first time I've been disappointed in a Muppet movie. It's certainly watchable with a couple catchy tunes and lots of spirit, but what bothers me most is the missed opportunities – this could have been a Christmas classic. This is a Muppet movie, so why make a human the lead character? Why not throw caution to the wind and let Miss Piggy play a female Scrooge? Her classic temper and sarcasm would have been ideal, especially for the first third of the movie. And why not make it a comedy? There are a couple very small moments of levity, but the filmmakers have basically taken the exact same story that has been filmed a jillion times and replaced it with Muppets. After all is said and done, we're still left with a worthwhile and enjoyable enough film but, oh, what could have been…

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

LL L

Classic Christmas movie! Love how Michael Caine interacts with muppets. Lively songs and message for the family, Not too scary for little kids. :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/23

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Kaylee A

I love this movie every year

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/26/23

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Johann D. M

This 1992 Christmas musical film was adapted from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and artistic license was taken to suit the aesthetic of the Muppets, which makes it a really cute and lovely film. Also, Michael Caine delivers a stunning and villainous performance as Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation is all the much better for it. The songs are wonderful and catchy, and the whole charming Christmas scenery is very reminiscent of any other adaptation of this tale. It is a funny and heartwarming movie even if not every element of the original novel makes it into the script, but it is a delightful adaptation anyways.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/25/23

Full Review

Mike P

Not a bad rendition of A Christmas Carol... It's better than I thought it would be... Let's put it that way. (And most people seem to agree with me. I mean it's got a 77% Approval Rating on Rottentomatoes...) I mean, this obviously isn't the most serious and prestigious version of the story...That would probably be the critically-acclaimed, 1951 British-Alistair Sim production... And the MGM's 1938 Reginald Owen version of the story is probably the most popular and most widely seen version of the story in the US, anyway... Having been a staple of local broadcasting networks for years and years... Frazier Thomas showed that on Chicago's WGN Family Classics every year starting in 1962; for example.... But The Muppets Christmas Carol is also a fine, serviceable production; that works very well, on it's own terms... It's a very un-self-conscious, un-gimmicky and unostentatious version... I mean, unlike The Muppets Wizard of Oz, this at least does a competent job with the story...Respecting all the basic story parts, and covering all the traditional story beats well; wisely taking essentially a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to the material... And never getting too cutesy or cloying; or getting in front of the classic Dickens story that everybody loves... And Michael Caine is ofcourse reliably awesome as always; as the bad boy Scrooge... And adults might get a little bored; I mean this IS still just an elaborate puppet show; even at it's best, after all...But kids will still likely enjoy it. (Probably BECAUSE of that...) Overall: Recommended for kids and hardcore Christmas lovers. (And Muppet Fans ofcourse)... 👍 🐸 🎄 🎁

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/25/23

Full Review

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Brian Henson

Director

Michael Caine

Ebenezer Scrooge

Dave Goelz

The Great Gonzo

Steve Whitmire

Kermit the Frog

Jerry Nelson

Robin the Frog

David Rudman

Swedish Chef

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The Muppet Christmas Carol: Trailer 1

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Victoria Luxford

BBC.com

Wonderful. The humour, the terrific soundtrack, it all just seems to come together in a way you wouldn't expect.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 15, 2022

Full Review

Caroline Westbrook

Empire Magazine

Vastly enjoyable despite the syrupy, soppy song bit in the middle (go make a glass of mulled wine during it). Michael Caine is perfect in the role and there are many genuine belly laughs.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 19, 2019

Full Review

Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

The Muppets are at their best when they're anarchic, without all this soggy whimsy.

Nov 19, 2019

Full Review

Dulcie Pearce

The Sun (UK)

Every single scene is a delight and every song – including the stoical One More Sleep ’Til Christmas and joyful Thankful Heart – hits the perfect note.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 9, 2022

Full Review

Madeline Roth

The Daily Beast

The real MVP is Caine and his cockney charm; he plays it entirely straight, acting his arse off alongside a slew of fuzzy, singing Muppets as he reminds us to hold each other close “with a thankful heart.”

Dec 5, 2022

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Andy Lea

Daily Express (UK)

Until I saw this film, I hadn’t realised that Dickens was one Marley short. Here, Statler and Waldorf rattle their chains as the Marley brothers while delivering one of songsmith Paul Williams’s many earworms.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 2, 2022

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Synopsis

The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). Other Muppets -- Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle -- weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases -- past, present and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.

Director: Brian Henson
Producer: Frank Oz
Screenwriter: Jerry Juhl
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Walt Disney Pictures, Jim Henson Productions
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Holiday, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 11, 1992, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $27.4M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo, Dolby
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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