10 Best The Muppet Christmas Carol Moments

5. Scrooge

As made apparent by the earlier entries of this list, it is the soundtrack and score that are not only the highlights of The Muppet Christmas Carol, but also the film’s triumph.

The Jim Henson Company collaborated once again with Paul Williams, who penned the Oscar-winning “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie (1979). Williams’ genius is immediately apparent during this first song, setting the tone and character of the movie and its main protagonist. Comedy is effortlessly blended with darker themes so not only do we learn there is “no cheeses for us meeces”, we learn of Scrooge’s desperate loneliness which has metamorphised into irredeemable greed, cruelty and hate.

“Scrooge” not only succeeds lyrically but is a visual feast. It is the first of the Muppet productions in which muppets feel like an intrinsic part of the universe, blending together with human extras. This allows for a sequence filled with visual gags and Easter eggs – an entire market stall of vegetables taking the opportunity to diss Scrooge is never going to stop being funny. It also achieves some serious characterisation with Caine’s Scrooge towering over most of the population of this Muppet Victorian London; an effortless depiction of the financial chokehold Scrooge has over so many. That first rumble of the gong as we first see a silhouetted Scrooge turn the corner is spine-tingling.

4. Marley and Marley

The arrival of the Marley brothers ranks so highly in this list not only because of its narrative impact within the film, but its shocking relevance 30 years on.

The conception of this scene is typical of the Henson magic of The Muppet Christmas Carol; casting the most curmudgeonly Muppets, Statler and Waldorf, as Marley is nothing short of genius. Their heckling nature also breaks the previous tension that was frankly on par with the spookiest of horror films.

What previously softened the blow of Dickens’ ghostly work has been hardened over time. Dickens’ words have been tempered and sharpened with brutal effectiveness. Back in 1992, some of the lines in the songs and in the dialogue seemed a part of distant Victorian History. However, after the extraordinary world events of the 21st Century that finds us in the middle of a so-called Cost of Living Crisis, lines from “Scrooge” such as, “He charges folks a fortune for his dark and draughty houses,” is now a reality for many working people. Despite the looming Victorian class difference of the modern age, those who hoard the power and wealth have their countless supporters. The cult of Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg are protected by the exploitation of tolerance that shields them from legitimate criticism. So, it is nothing short of refreshing and an absolute necessity that the Marley brothers’ song is an unflinching denouncement of greed.

Behind the wit and the special effects there is no mystery surrounding the Marleys’ character and fate. They abused the vulnerable and are now facing eternal punishment. One can only hope this musical number can become a greater part of the Christmas tradition as a word of warning for those responsible for the widespread misery of the world today.

Recommended for you: Why ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ Has Become Hard to Watch

3. Moment of Redemption

After witnessing distressing yet enigmatic visions of Christmas in the future, including the tragic demise of Tiny Tim, Scrooge finds himself in a graveyard. He is now compelled to ask the Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come whose poor soul is the one whose future he has seen; one whose death is mere gossip to be sneered at by esteemed peers and to be exploited by stealing servants. A soul that has been weighed on the scales and has been found to be lacking.

The answer is a wordless point at a gravestone. As much as he resists, Caine’s Scrooge finally wipes away the snow to reveal the name underneath, the name that he and all of us know is there:

EBENEZER SCROOGE

This distraught, weeping Scrooge is completely unrecognisable from the terrifying, cold-hearted man that is introduced at the beginning of the film. He is a complete juxtaposition of his former self – before, a towering, menacing figure and, now, clinging at the Spirit’s robes begging for a chance at redemption.

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