The Muppet
Christmas Carol is
a
1992
musical
adaptation
of
Charles
Dickens'
A Christmas Carol. It
was
directed
by
Brian
Henson
and
the
screenplay
written
by
Jerry
Juhl. The songs were written
by Paul Williams. The
movie is
a
surprisingly
faithful
adaptation of Dickens' book.
Because this is a Muppets movie (and by default for children),
many of the scenes were crafted with humorous intent. Thus, some
scenes that have very little humor in the book are much more humorous
in the movie. By adding the Muppets, musical numbers, and paying
close attention to the text's detail the director managed to create
humorous scenes that move the plot forward in a faithful manner. The
Marleys' nightly visit to Scrooge is one such scene
Veteran actor Michael Caine takes on
the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, and he is one of the few main
characters played by a human. The scene I will be focusing on is the
musical number “Marley and Marley,” which adapts the passage
where Jacob Marley's spirit visits Scrooge to warn him of the
visiting spirits. Here is a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUth7EX-eo
A noticeable difference is the
creation of “Robert Marley” (presented as Jacob Marley's
brother), though this seems to be so the director could add both
heckling puppets (Statler and Waldolf, with Dave Goelz and Jerry
Nelson as their puppeteers) instead of one. From the director's
standpoint it would be logical to do this, since the puppets are a
pair and it would be strange to previous Muppets viewers to see one
without the other. While the film is an adaptation of the book, it is
also first and foremost a Muppets movie. Any scene without a Muppet
may cause the audience, probably children unfamiliar with the book,
to lose interest.
In the book, Jacob Marley is a
ghostly specter who merely relates the reason for his visit. The
Muppets interact lively with Scrooge, mocking Scrooge's words as they
warn him of the coming visits. Despite the additional character, the
Muppets do not detract from the scene, since they accurately fulfill
Jacob Marley's role as a herald for the spirits.
The costumes are taken right from the
passage. It is clear that both the director and script-writer knew
Dickens' book well. Scrooge is dressed in “his dressing-gown and
slippers, and his nightcap” (15). Dickens describes the chain
around Jacob Marley as “long, and wound about him like a tail; and
it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys,
padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel” (16).
The Muppets wear them, although the cash-boxes and padlocks become
animate objects and sing along. The bluish-gray lighting emphasizes
the ghostly complexions of the puppets and their costumes, while also
creating a gloomy-enough atmosphere for this scene.
The musical numbers are short and
catchy, and are not too annoying. While “Marley and Marley” sing,
Scrooge stays completely in character, at times quoting directly from
the passage. The dialogue is changed to accommodate two Marleys. For
example: they tell Scrooge that “in life we were your partner.”
While the song itself is not very similar to Jacob Marley's dialogue
in the book, the Muppets nevertheless convey to Scrooge that their
avarice in life shackled them in the afterlife. Caine's performance
keeps the scene serious, as he is clearly terrified by the puppet
ghosts just as Scrooge is horrified at Marley's appearance. Although
Caine does not sing, his vocal absence serves to increase his obvious
anxiety over the apparitions.
With running commentary by “Charles
Dickens” (played by Gonzo, puppeteer Dave Goelz), this is a
charming light-headed adaptation that succeeds in being humorous and
approachable for kids, while also keeping the story faithful enough
for older viewers to enjoy.
Dickens,
Charles. A Christmas Carol. Oxford
University Press: New York. 1976.
