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'There's something in the air, tonight, there's something in the air'
If there's a moment since I started this that synthisises pure gooey Christmas feeling, it's when Kermit and a bunch of rats sing, relishing that moment when you know Christmas is just there, as something to be enjoyed.
You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hates 'Muppets Christmas Carol' I'm sure there are even Dickens enthusiasts who see it as the greatest rendering of his iconic tale.
It's full of The Muppets anarchic spirit but it remains a faithful adaptation, with all the character and story beats in tact. Cept instead of jobbing thesps, on a break from the RSC, you get the Muppets. I know what I prefer. Some of the dispatching of the Muppets in the classic roles is inspired. Statler and Waldorf as a double act Marley and Marley, Kermit as Bob Cratchit, not to mention Gonzo and Rizzo as our reliable narrators.
But Michael Caine is the biggest surprise, every time I watch the film. Caine (or Sir Michael) plays it entirely straight, as if this was a gritty BBC drama version of Dickens. But it works. His Scrooge is heartfelt and tragic and at no point questions why he is interacting with felt animals (and sometimes vegetables).
But, in the end, A Christmas Carol is A Christmas Carol. A great story is always worth telling. Especially with Kermit.
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