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The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Carrying on with the Christmas film viewings and I have watched another that makes my annual list. The Muppet Christmas Carol tends to be a film that splits the audience. Some people absolutely love it and others class it as one of the worst films they have ever seen. Considering I own a giant cinema poster for the film that was from its release, it’s safe to say that I am definitely in the former and nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than singing along to the songs from the film. But more on that later! The Muppet Christmas Carol is an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol which follows the miserable bookkeeper, Ebenezer Scrooge, a man hellbent on misery especially during the Christmas season. On Christmas Eve night, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Bob Marley who is bound in chains as punishment for how he treated people and subsequent Ghosts of his Past, Present and Future, who show him the kind of person he was, is and will be. By doing this, they allow Scrooge to evaluate his behaviour and turn it around before he is doomed to the same fate as Marley.

The Muppet Christmas Carol features all of your favourite Muppet characters with Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Gonzo as Dickens and Miss Piggy as Mrs Cratchit. Topping off the bill is Michael Caine as Scrooge and it works so well. Caine’s approach to filming was to treat his Muppet costars as if they were dramatic human actors and the result is a performance that feels completely sincere and moral, getting in touch with the message of the original story. Not only is this a fantastic adaptation of the Dickens material but it is done in a way that is fun and accessible for audiences of all ages.

Caine’s performance as Scrooge is actually among my favourites of his career. This may seem a bit odd considering the wide variety of “serious” films Caine has starred in over the decades but as stated before, his approach and the result is worthy to be up there. We really feel Scrooge’s emotional journey as he starts off as someone incapable of empathy and ends as someone who embraces their community. The turning point for his performance comes during his time with the Ghost of Christmas Present. This also happens to be my favourite segment in the film as it features the best song, “It Feels Like Christmas”, and is where the film begins to shift in tone from dark and gritty to uplifting and festive. Scrooge begins to truly see the ripple effect of his actions as we looks on at his nephew’s household as well as the Cratchit family where he becomes drawn by the youngest member, the sickly Tiny Tim.

Another highlight in this film is definitely the music and songs. I have already touched on this with “It Feels Like Christmas” but the opening number “Scrooge” really sets up the film fantastically as well. We follow behind Scrooge as he makes his way to work as everyday people sing about his miserable and selfish nature. Even before we see his face, we get a clear and well-rounded image of his character while watching lots of cute Muppets in adorable costumes harmonising in their signature way. The score composed by Miles Goodman is clearly inspired by Christmas Carol tunes, Victorian sounds and the uplifting Muppet music. The result is something that sounds timeless and fits well within the Muppet discography while maintaining a distinct and unique score. The same can be said about the songs written by Paul Williams. Using the text by Dickens for much of the lyrical inspiration, he really captures Dickens’ London while maintaining that Muppet feel.

There is no doubt that Jim Henson was a genius and this film marks the end of an era. Made in his memory, it is the perfect swansong to an illustrious career that was defined by bringing happiness and imagination to audiences of all ages. The Muppet Christmas Carol remains one of the best Muppet outputs of all time as well as a memorable and beautiful project of passion.

What do you think of The Muppet Christmas Carol? Let me know in the comments below!

The Muppet Christmas Carol is streaming on Disney+ so be sure to catch it as soon as you can.

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“Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake”: The Rise of the Unconventional Christmas Film

There are many certainties at Christmas. An extensive wish list that is left unfulfilled, copious amounts of mulled wine is consumed and the never-ending debate of “Is Die Hard a Christmas film?” is discussed in a ridiculous amount of detail. The long-endured debate has been discussed by fans, critics, even cast and crew from the blockbuster as they puzzle whether it is a Christmas film filled with action or if it is an action film that just so happens to be set during the festive season. One thing is for sure, it has become one of the most popular flicks to put on during the darker months as we see its inclusion among films such It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol (and A Muppet’s Christmas Carol if you’re me). It begs the question: how does a film qualify as a Christmas film? After all, Die Hard isn’t the first Christmas film where the festivities take a back seat. Tim Burton’s Batman Returns is another one often watched and follows a similar trend in that it is action focused. Even the most loved seasonal family films like Home Alone and Gremlins have splashes of Christmas but again the action and plot outweighs the Christmassy elements. However, this doesn’t reduce the Christmassy feeling that these feelings bring and thus begs the question: if a family action film set at Christmas can qualify as a Christmas film, then why can’t an adult action film also fall under the same snowy umbrella? And what about films set at Christmas but don’t revolve around Christmas? Do they qualify also?

A good example of the latter would be Stanley Kubrick’s swansong Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as married couple Bill and Alice who are living the high life in New York City with their daughter, Helena. After Alice reveals her sexual fantasies to Bill, Bill sets off to find his former college friend, Nick, who he had seen earlier that evening. One thing leads to another and Bill ends up decked in a hooded cloak and Venetian mask in an affluent mansion witnessing a mass orgy taking place in every room in the house. The film is famed for this sequence which is one of the intense and terrifying scenes you can encounter in this film, purely because you don’t know anyone except Bill. It doesn’t sound very festive and yet it has become somewhat of an underdog Christmas film due to the festive season timeline and numerous decorated sets. It’s the ultimate anti-Christmas Christmas film. This film brings in the argument that you can have a very adult film, surrounded by Christmas but rejecting the values as we see this family spending the festivities apart from each other – poor Helena is stuck with the babysitter constantly. Kubrick subverts those traditional morals of the festive time and questions the concept of the Christmas film. This film is a visual and literal antithesis of It’s a Wonderful Life. Where It’s a Wonderful Life shows love, family and kindness, Eyes Wide Shut gives sex, language and violence in abundance. The only similarity the two share is that the patriarch is thankful to live and grateful for what he has but the journeys to get there couldn’t be more different.

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Where Eyes Wide Shut rejects the morals of Christmas and family values, Todd Haynes’ modern masterpiece Carol does everything it can to uphold them. Set in 1950s New York and following department store sales assistant, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara). Therese is an aspiring photographer, has a great social life and a boyfriend who wants to marry her and take her to Paris as soon as possible. I have written a fuller review on Carol which you can read here. Everything is wonderful, conventional and seems to have everything you could want in a traditional Christmas film. Where Carol seems to differ is the moment when Therese, geared up with a Santa hat and working her shift glances over and sees a well-dressed woman staring back to her. This woman is Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett) and the moment I just explained can only be described as love at first sight. What subsequently follows is a heart-wrenching story of two women who long to be together in a society that wishes to draw them apart. Carol has become a phenomenon in the LGBT+ film world and with good reason. It is a perfect example of a modern Christmas film. The Christmassy music, the warm colour palette and the natural way Blanchett and Mara portray the blossoming love between the women has all the makings of a classic Christmas film. In fact, I would argue that Carol the perfect example of a modern Christmas film. It keeps those traditions from earlier Christmas films but is subtly progressive at the same time.

Lastly, there are films that give the feeling of Christmas without actually presenting any festive connection. A prime example would be The Wizard of Oz (1939) which has become a regular during Christmastime for many families. The use of dreamy technicolour, traditional family morals and Judy Garland’s voice is the perfect combination for a festive treat that is perfect for those who like Christmas films and those who don’t. It’s the perfect good vs. evil story as Dorothy finds herself from black and white Kansas to the colourful land of Oz. To get back home, she has to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West with the help of the mysterious Wizard. If we are willing to include films like The Wizard of Oz to the roster of Christmas films then does that suggest that it is the tone of the film rather than the setting of the film that qualifies it? The Wizard of Oz certainly argues this. Of course what the film also has in its favour is the decades of Christmas day showing on TV since its release. It has become a staple for many families and their descendants. It would be interesting to see what modern films become the equivalent in the future.

Naturally, it will always come down to individual taste and opinion but it is interesting how the rules differ dependant on the film itself. Whether its the themes, tone or Christmas setting that decides it for you, there is a trend that sees modern films subverting the more traditional festive tropes that you see in classics like Miracle on 34th Street (1947). I think this is in part due to Die Hard sparking this debate as there is an increase in more self-aware Christmas films over the past 30 years. Regardless of whether you think that films like Eyes Wide Shut deserve a place on the list of Christmas films, it looks like unconventionality is here to stay.

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It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

The one film that is brought up time and time again during Christmas time and globally known as the Christmas film to watch. Following community hero, George Bailey (James Stewart) during his highs and lows in life, we see him in the lowest moment and guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers) shows him what Bedford Falls would be like if Bailey was never born. Directed by Frank Capra, it’s a classic tale about the loved ones you have around you and the love you have for them in return. We follow George falling in love with the beautiful Mary (Donna Reed) which is sparked in one of my favourite scenes in film history as they sing “Buffalo Gals” and talk about lassoing the moon. So what is it about this film that makes it so well loved?

For starters, the feel-good nature of the film is perfect for family viewings, especially around Christmas time. Another appeal is the film’s fearlessness in exploring darker themes such as capitalism, the loss of the American Dream and death by suicide. George Bailey isn’t portrayed as more than the ordinary American man. He is a character of high moral character and this makes his fall from grace even harder to stomach. James Stewart is remarkable as Bailey in what has become the definitive Stewart performance. Albeit a bit awkward when portraying a younger Bailey as he looks so much older but he pulls it off because Bailey himself is a man who is older than his years. Bailey hasn’t been blessed with an easy life as he loses his father at a young age and is forced to take over his father’s business instead of travelling but he takes to it and thrives. His wife, Mary (Donna Reed) does well to keep him grounded and motivated. She has her own strength as she is unafraid to stand up for what she believes in. Mary isn’t as straightforward as the audience would believe. She has a complexity about her when she disappoints her mother by marrying George rather than the successful Sam Wainwright (Frank Albertson) or when she has to deal with remaining in Bedford Falls as George gives their Honeymoon funds away to avoid the bank’s closure. There is a lot of pressure on Mary to support both her husband and the family home, especially in the midst of a crisis. Even when George is angry, she refuses to let him get away with it while at the same time remaining composed and compassionate.

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Onto the sidekick side of things, Henry Travers captures Clarence’s purity perfectly. From his fascination with the stories of Mark Twain to his inability to mask his angel status, Clarence is a beloved character in film. In a community where George is seen as a guiding light, it is only Clarence that can save him from himself. Clarence is completely sympathetic and importantly empathetic with George’s problems. The audience watches the life of George Bailey through the eyes (literally and figuratively) of Clarence. With every classic hero there has to be a villain. This comes in the form of Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) who owns nearly every business in town as well as a large portion of property, meaning that he owns its residents also. He is a depiction of the greed and capitalism that prevents the American Dream and leaves those who long for it struggling for the rest of their lives. He is a miserable old man with no family and friend and is only surrounded by his employees. Where George sees friends, Potter sees customers.

There is something nostalgic about watching this film. Not simply from watching it a thousand times since I was small, but something distant about the simple way of living in Bedford Falls. At its heart, It’s a Wonderful Life is in itself a simple film but it is only made complex when those who dare to dream almost thrive and are then shot down. The lovely touch of including Clarence, an angel who has yet to earn his wings, brings in a bit of magic while Capra’s clever direction keeps the magic to a minimum in a bid to make the film as real as it can be. In some ways, his vision of Potter is reminiscent of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol before he is visited by ghosts. It’s just as beautiful in black and white as well as colour, it will always leave you in tears of laughter and sadness.

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What It’s a Wonderful Life does so well is its neutrality in portraying the ordinary American life but showing the extraordinary achievements that a community can make together. It’s a film about the importance of family, being loved and loving others. There are many aspects from the film that could be brought through to today such as Potter’s ideals. It could be argued that most people live in Pottersville in this day and age. In a time of great challenge, it is nice to watch a film that shows people overcoming the odds. It’s a film that can never date because its a film about humanity and the chasing of dreams. I would forever argue that this is the best Christmas film because there is no grandeur in it and no attempt to be a big shot and big budget superstar film. It is a humble story of how one man’s life touches that of his family, friends and the community at large. George is a small piece of a much larger puzzle and it is only when he realises his own self-worth that he recognises the ability to pull the community together to stop Potter from destroying the town with greed.

What do you think about It’s a Wonderful Life? Let me know in the comments below!