Merry Christmas, everyone! There are a few things that make the festive season brilliant: sure, there’s family and goodwill to all men and that, but there’s also Eastenders Omnibus, sanctioned heavy drinking, chocolate as an acceptable breakfast and last but very certainly not least—The Muppet Christmas Carol. Released in 1992, this was Brian Henson’s first ever feature film, and transports his strange and gorgeous cast of characters into a surprisingly faithful retelling of the Dickens tale (Gonzo’s dialogue is almost entirely direct prose from the original). With Michael Caine as Scrooge—“lead guest human” as the BFI describes him—superbly detailed, beautiful set design; witty screenwriting; charming art direction and everyone’s favourite rat, Rizzo, there’s little not to love about this charming slice of Kermit-led nostalgia.
