Dear Luke - the one comment I feel compelled to add re the Muppet Christmas Carol, is the accuracy of the costumes as timr progresses: from late Georgian, through the Regency to high Victorian, there's meticulous attention to detail in the human characters' dress.
There might be more detail online - but as I know you're a stickler for historical accuracy, notwithstanding the inclusion of singing cabbages - I think you'd be interested.
I think they get the "spirit" correct and a lot of the period detail too ( the early scene where Scroodge sits in his fireside chair is nicely observed from the original Phizz illustration).
I guess as the film was made more for kids than adults pedants ( in which category, I don't include yourself!) I think it's a nice compromise. Merry Christmas and I look forward to more good film reads. X
Absolutely. It's a terrific intro for children, great fun- it's just that I'm not convinced by the 'definitive' thing going on... , which I've read over and over again- like a fashionable mantra. People do tend to jump on a bandwagon. Many thanks for reading. New bonus Christmas post for paids coming up on Wednesday... plus the two usual posts for next Friday and Sunday...
.... altho' p.s. Going back to the Muppet CC, as it's primarily aimed at the kiddywinks, all the darker stuff has been removed, so I'm not convinced, really, that it's caught the true spirit?... they might, perhaps, have put back a tiny bit more of this? But then, hey, it's Disney! But look at Bambi, Dumbo and Pinocchio. Lots of dark undertones going on there...
Actually, the Christmas Carol was a strictly Henson production long before Disney engulfed and devoured. If you want a Disney approved version you need to track down the elusive Mickey’s Christmas Carol with Mickey as Cratchit and Minny as the Mrs. and of course Scrooge McDuck in the role he was drawn to play.
ITV was banned in my household so I did not see the Muppet Show until years later. I first saw The Muppet Christmas Carol in the cinema in my mid twenties. I think it's fun and follows their aesthetic not Mr Dicken's.
I still enjoy every viewing but for the darker side of the story you have to look elsewhere.
Every year there is a list of Christms films that I feel compelled to rewatch. This year I have included many different versions of The Christmas Carol in honour of your post.
I started with the Mickey Mouse version and took umbrage that Scrooge had a Scottish accent! Then I watched the 1971 version. I do vaguely remember this version as I think it frightened me back then and still did today.
Superb but the opening rooftop sequence did something odd to my eyes which was very off-putting but the reward was immense for sitting through it.
I will watch the Muppet version tonight and round off the sequence with the wonderful Alistair Sim version. I would not understand any circumstances sit through the musical version with Albert Finney. A line has to be drawn somewhere.
To you and yours a very Merry Christmas and "God Bless us Everyone"
Thank you! And Happy Christmas! I'm not convinced by the Muppet version. I mean... it's fun... but is it really anything more than that? Why is it so trendy? The Patrick Stewart version's excellent by the way. Link in original post.
You are absolutely right about the 1971 animated version. Of all the versions I've seen over the years this is the best.
I, too, watched this as a 7-year-old and was hooked. As I recall people were coming and going around me, as they do on Christmas morning, but I was glued to the TV. Thinking back, an interesting touch, I'd have seen it in black and white that first time; we didn't get a colour TV until around 1973/4.
The Muppet's version is good, it's fun, I like the Muppets! But it doesn't have the dark side which is key to Dickens' original and brought out beautifully in the animated version.
... and there's snow with the Ghost of Christmas Present. But no snow on Christmas Eve. And I'm not sure if there's snow when Scrooge wakes up in reality?
I think you're right about the presence/ absence of snow. And how true to life that there's snow in our memories of childhood Christmases, but never any in the present. At least not in South East England for the last forty-odd years.
and p.s. Also rate the Patrick Stewart version- a faithful, traditional interpretation, with fab casting and oodles of Victorian atmosphere. Link in post. The third Ghost, stalking the streets of London with Scrooge, is especially Gothic- shades of The Elephant Man.
Exactly the same this end. Shown at 11.05 am on Christmas Eve, 1972. BBC1. I checked! My mother faffing around in the kitchen. Like you, I must have seen it in black and white. I like the Muppet version. It's fun and cute- a great intro for the kiddywinks, but I can't get my head around why ANYBODY should describe it as the 'Ultimate Dickens Adaptation'? Well, maybe if you've a) never read any Dickens or b) never watched any other adaptations. Dickens is- er- a bit more than top hats, snow, sweet-shops and street urchins. Plus- in the original book, it's damp, cold, and foggy on Christmas Eve. Typical English weather at Christmas. But no snow. In fact, (I need to check) I think snow only turns up when Scrooge travels back in time? To his past?
Dear Luke - the one comment I feel compelled to add re the Muppet Christmas Carol, is the accuracy of the costumes as timr progresses: from late Georgian, through the Regency to high Victorian, there's meticulous attention to detail in the human characters' dress.
There might be more detail online - but as I know you're a stickler for historical accuracy, notwithstanding the inclusion of singing cabbages - I think you'd be interested.
Indeed I am! Thank you. I'm very aware that my take on The Muppet Christmas Carol is controversial...
I think they get the "spirit" correct and a lot of the period detail too ( the early scene where Scroodge sits in his fireside chair is nicely observed from the original Phizz illustration).
I guess as the film was made more for kids than adults pedants ( in which category, I don't include yourself!) I think it's a nice compromise. Merry Christmas and I look forward to more good film reads. X
Absolutely. It's a terrific intro for children, great fun- it's just that I'm not convinced by the 'definitive' thing going on... , which I've read over and over again- like a fashionable mantra. People do tend to jump on a bandwagon. Many thanks for reading. New bonus Christmas post for paids coming up on Wednesday... plus the two usual posts for next Friday and Sunday...
.... altho' p.s. Going back to the Muppet CC, as it's primarily aimed at the kiddywinks, all the darker stuff has been removed, so I'm not convinced, really, that it's caught the true spirit?... they might, perhaps, have put back a tiny bit more of this? But then, hey, it's Disney! But look at Bambi, Dumbo and Pinocchio. Lots of dark undertones going on there...
Actually, the Christmas Carol was a strictly Henson production long before Disney engulfed and devoured. If you want a Disney approved version you need to track down the elusive Mickey’s Christmas Carol with Mickey as Cratchit and Minny as the Mrs. and of course Scrooge McDuck in the role he was drawn to play.
Dickens was obsessed with making money throughout his life.His father and whole family were sent to the workhouse when he was young.
He sold his stories three times.Once in a serial form,then as books and then as dramatic readings on his popular tours.
He very much liked his drink.
A bowl of Smoking Bishop featured in a Christmas Carol.Red hot pokers were involved.
ITV was banned in my household so I did not see the Muppet Show until years later. I first saw The Muppet Christmas Carol in the cinema in my mid twenties. I think it's fun and follows their aesthetic not Mr Dicken's.
I still enjoy every viewing but for the darker side of the story you have to look elsewhere.
Every year there is a list of Christms films that I feel compelled to rewatch. This year I have included many different versions of The Christmas Carol in honour of your post.
I started with the Mickey Mouse version and took umbrage that Scrooge had a Scottish accent! Then I watched the 1971 version. I do vaguely remember this version as I think it frightened me back then and still did today.
Superb but the opening rooftop sequence did something odd to my eyes which was very off-putting but the reward was immense for sitting through it.
I will watch the Muppet version tonight and round off the sequence with the wonderful Alistair Sim version. I would not understand any circumstances sit through the musical version with Albert Finney. A line has to be drawn somewhere.
To you and yours a very Merry Christmas and "God Bless us Everyone"
Thank you! And Happy Christmas! I'm not convinced by the Muppet version. I mean... it's fun... but is it really anything more than that? Why is it so trendy? The Patrick Stewart version's excellent by the way. Link in original post.
You are absolutely right about the 1971 animated version. Of all the versions I've seen over the years this is the best.
I, too, watched this as a 7-year-old and was hooked. As I recall people were coming and going around me, as they do on Christmas morning, but I was glued to the TV. Thinking back, an interesting touch, I'd have seen it in black and white that first time; we didn't get a colour TV until around 1973/4.
The Muppet's version is good, it's fun, I like the Muppets! But it doesn't have the dark side which is key to Dickens' original and brought out beautifully in the animated version.
... and there's snow with the Ghost of Christmas Present. But no snow on Christmas Eve. And I'm not sure if there's snow when Scrooge wakes up in reality?
I think you're right about the presence/ absence of snow. And how true to life that there's snow in our memories of childhood Christmases, but never any in the present. At least not in South East England for the last forty-odd years.
and p.s. Also rate the Patrick Stewart version- a faithful, traditional interpretation, with fab casting and oodles of Victorian atmosphere. Link in post. The third Ghost, stalking the streets of London with Scrooge, is especially Gothic- shades of The Elephant Man.
Exactly the same this end. Shown at 11.05 am on Christmas Eve, 1972. BBC1. I checked! My mother faffing around in the kitchen. Like you, I must have seen it in black and white. I like the Muppet version. It's fun and cute- a great intro for the kiddywinks, but I can't get my head around why ANYBODY should describe it as the 'Ultimate Dickens Adaptation'? Well, maybe if you've a) never read any Dickens or b) never watched any other adaptations. Dickens is- er- a bit more than top hats, snow, sweet-shops and street urchins. Plus- in the original book, it's damp, cold, and foggy on Christmas Eve. Typical English weather at Christmas. But no snow. In fact, (I need to check) I think snow only turns up when Scrooge travels back in time? To his past?