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People wanted me to explain, so Happy Generic Winter Festivities, everyone it’s THREAD TIME!
(This would, and could be, a video essay but I’m already working on something as is atm, so THREAD IT IS!) https://twitter.com/kdinjenzen/status/1342117569126428672
(This would, and could be, a video essay but I’m already working on something as is atm, so THREAD IT IS!) https://twitter.com/kdinjenzen/status/1342117569126428672
The Muppet Christmas Carol, though not ultimately fully faithful to the source material, understands the messaging and framing of the story better than any other adaptation.
This is not up for debate, it is fact. Here’s (ONE REASON) why.
This is not up for debate, it is fact. Here’s (ONE REASON) why.
In most incarnations of this story the first thing we are greeted with is the imagery of “SCROOGE IS SO EVIL! WHAT A PURELY EVIL MONSTER OF A PERSON!”
Which... yeah he’s an absolute ruthless and love devoid person when we first see him at story’s start.
But pure evil? Ehhh...
Which... yeah he’s an absolute ruthless and love devoid person when we first see him at story’s start.
But pure evil? Ehhh...
Muppet Christmas Carol, instead, introduces Scrooge with a SONG.
This song is from the perspective of the various townsfolk and how they see and experience Scrooge on a daily basis.
And YEAH, a lot of it is “dude is a jerk, huge turd, meanie-mean-pants.”
Because he IS.
This song is from the perspective of the various townsfolk and how they see and experience Scrooge on a daily basis.
And YEAH, a lot of it is “dude is a jerk, huge turd, meanie-mean-pants.”
Because he IS.
Yet the townsfolk know something we, the audience, do not and they need that to get across if WE are to want Scrooge’s redemption later on.
I’ll let the song speak for itself because the song is a bop and a half.
(This is when you can just play “Scrooge” by The Muppets)
I’ll let the song speak for itself because the song is a bop and a half.
(This is when you can just play “Scrooge” by The Muppets)
So LYRICS!
“But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone.”
“He must be so lonely
He must be so sad
He goes to extremes
To convince us he's bad
He's really a victim of fear and of pride
Look close and there must be
A sweet man inside--Naaaah!”
“But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone.”
“He must be so lonely
He must be so sad
He goes to extremes
To convince us he's bad
He's really a victim of fear and of pride
Look close and there must be
A sweet man inside--Naaaah!”
“If bein' mean's a way of life you
Practice and rehearse
Then all that work is paying off
'Cause Scrooge is getting worse”
(There’s more that help the point across here, but those are the big ones! SO NOW THAT THE SONG IS OVER, LET’S CONTINUE!)
Practice and rehearse
Then all that work is paying off
'Cause Scrooge is getting worse”
(There’s more that help the point across here, but those are the big ones! SO NOW THAT THE SONG IS OVER, LET’S CONTINUE!)
The people of the town, those DIRECTLY hurt by Scrooge and his greed and hate, are telling US:
“Dude is a total jerk and horribly mean... but he’s doing is because there is something wrong in his HEART.”
This is important because WE WANT SCROOGE REDEEMED BY THE END!
“Dude is a total jerk and horribly mean... but he’s doing is because there is something wrong in his HEART.”
This is important because WE WANT SCROOGE REDEEMED BY THE END!
In one song The Muppets get that very important point across! You already feel like you want Scrooge to just BE BETTER.
Meanwhile every other adaptation has just wasted the first 30 minutes on showing you how awful Scrooge is and has actively made you want Scrooge to FAIL.
Meanwhile every other adaptation has just wasted the first 30 minutes on showing you how awful Scrooge is and has actively made you want Scrooge to FAIL.
The next few scenes give us context, personal interactions, shows off his last bit of family, etc. All of this supports the song’s point.
“Scrooge bad, but something happened to him, he didn’t want to be THIS.”
“Scrooge bad, but something happened to him, he didn’t want to be THIS.”
Now Scrooge is desperately in need of some awakening & this comes in the form of ANOTHER SONG!
Yes we arrive at Scrooge’s house and he’s greeted by the ghosts of Robert and Jacob Marley.
Who, despite what EVERY other adaption would tell you, don’t want him to be afraid of them!
Yes we arrive at Scrooge’s house and he’s greeted by the ghosts of Robert and Jacob Marley.
Who, despite what EVERY other adaption would tell you, don’t want him to be afraid of them!
(Listen to Marley and Marley now!)
Yes the song is a warning of what may be coming for Scrooge BUT the goal isn’t to make Scrooge afraid of the world, Scrooge is ALREADY afraid of the world, what they want is expressed in the final line of the song:
“CHANGE!”
Yes the song is a warning of what may be coming for Scrooge BUT the goal isn’t to make Scrooge afraid of the world, Scrooge is ALREADY afraid of the world, what they want is expressed in the final line of the song:
“CHANGE!”
They too pity Scrooge, they know the damage THEY did to him, helping him down a path of darkness and isolation.
Jacob and Robert were key in helping Scrooge lose his way and this warning, this desperate plea, is their way of making it up to HIM for their own wrongdoings.
Jacob and Robert were key in helping Scrooge lose his way and this warning, this desperate plea, is their way of making it up to HIM for their own wrongdoings.
Now we zip back in time to see where Scrooge’s descent began.
How he was RAISED!
This is where most movies converge and get it right, The Muppet’s (because of the target audience) of course making it very obvious.
“Business Money Success!”
You need THOSE to live a good life!
How he was RAISED!
This is where most movies converge and get it right, The Muppet’s (because of the target audience) of course making it very obvious.
“Business Money Success!”
You need THOSE to live a good life!
You see certain people try and change Scrooge’s mentality on this.
Belle and Fozziwig being the biggest players for “Scrooge put down the coin, pick up the glass, be cheerful, and be kind!”
But, of course, he’s stubborn and their are folks reinforcing his negative behavior too.
Belle and Fozziwig being the biggest players for “Scrooge put down the coin, pick up the glass, be cheerful, and be kind!”
But, of course, he’s stubborn and their are folks reinforcing his negative behavior too.
So Scrooge loses Belle and the path in front of him is all but assured to be one of loneliness, self isolation, and hatred.
But not just hatred for THE WORLD, he hates HIMSELF now too and it only gets worse with time.
Again, The Muppet’s do it best with action and song.
But not just hatred for THE WORLD, he hates HIMSELF now too and it only gets worse with time.
Again, The Muppet’s do it best with action and song.
The LOST song works here to reinforce things, but ultimately isn’t fully needed.
Still, since it’s a hot topic at the moment...
(Listen to When Love Is Gone now!)
But the focus here is:
“Be careful or you may regret the choice you made someday.”
Still, since it’s a hot topic at the moment...
(Listen to When Love Is Gone now!)
But the focus here is:
“Be careful or you may regret the choice you made someday.”
Again, we are aggressively reinforcing the fact that our protagonist (Scrooge) is REDEEMABLE and you WANT him to be redeemed!
By this point we are halfway through the film and understand WHY the townsfolk pity him as much as they hate him.
By this point we are halfway through the film and understand WHY the townsfolk pity him as much as they hate him.
Again, most movies have Scrooge still fighting against the ghosts at this point but The Muppet’s? NOPE!
Scrooge is feeling the pain again and is wanting it to stop, so when the second ghost arrives (Christmas Present) we see his attitude changing.
Scrooge is feeling the pain again and is wanting it to stop, so when the second ghost arrives (Christmas Present) we see his attitude changing.
Present shows Scrooge what his past actions have done to the NOW.
Last family member makes fun of him, his workers suffering, etc.
Then (listen to It Feels Like Christmas now!) explains that it’s not ABOUT Christmas it’s about being KIND -all the time-!
Last family member makes fun of him, his workers suffering, etc.
Then (listen to It Feels Like Christmas now!) explains that it’s not ABOUT Christmas it’s about being KIND -all the time-!
Scrooge is ready now, he wants to do good for other people... but that’s not the point.
Scrooge still doesn’t care for HIMSELF and thus the future hasn’t changed... enter Ghost of Christmas Future to bring it home.
Future is quiet, but not MEAN, it’s actually quite kind btw!
Scrooge still doesn’t care for HIMSELF and thus the future hasn’t changed... enter Ghost of Christmas Future to bring it home.
Future is quiet, but not MEAN, it’s actually quite kind btw!
Every other version makes Future this MONSTER but it is supposed to be soft, somber, and showing Scrooge how much damage he’s done to HIMSELF.
Despite Scrooge’s begging, Future shows him the hard truths in a hope that Scrooge’s newfound kindness will also be applied to himself.
Despite Scrooge’s begging, Future shows him the hard truths in a hope that Scrooge’s newfound kindness will also be applied to himself.
Scrooge realizes now what his choices in life have cost him... everything.
His self loathing and greed has pushed everyone away and caused him to care for NO ONE... not even himself.
He wakes up the next morning ready to GIVE and ACCEPT love!
(Listen to Thankful Heart now!)
His self loathing and greed has pushed everyone away and caused him to care for NO ONE... not even himself.
He wakes up the next morning ready to GIVE and ACCEPT love!
(Listen to Thankful Heart now!)
The song is wonderful, but I want to point out that despite it SEEMING like he’s only focused on what he can give, he explicitly says otherwise IMMEDIATELY:
“Will bring love, hope, and peace to me.”
This is as much for everyone’s benefit as it is for his own. He CARES now.
“Will bring love, hope, and peace to me.”
This is as much for everyone’s benefit as it is for his own. He CARES now.
You see his actions in giving to the poor and then RECEIVING a gift for the first time in forever and he’s overwhelmed with happiness.
This is AMAZING and almost no other adaptations do this. They focus on “RICH GUY GIVES IT ALL AWAY! THAT’S THE LESSON HERE!”
And it’s not!
This is AMAZING and almost no other adaptations do this. They focus on “RICH GUY GIVES IT ALL AWAY! THAT’S THE LESSON HERE!”
And it’s not!
The message of A Christmas Carol is “Kindness”, not just to others but to YOURSELF.
Scrooge’s near demise was brought on by him not caring for others as much as it was not caring for himself.
He ate like trash, never turned on the heat, and no one cared for him. Thus he’d die.
Scrooge’s near demise was brought on by him not caring for others as much as it was not caring for himself.
He ate like trash, never turned on the heat, and no one cared for him. Thus he’d die.
The Muppet Christmas Carol, while only glossing over that, still points at that fact early on and makes the redemption about SELF CARE and CARE FOR OTHERS!
Which is great!
Now let’s bring it home...
(Listen to When Love Is Found, It Feels Like Christmas now!)
Which is great!
Now let’s bring it home...
(Listen to When Love Is Found, It Feels Like Christmas now!)
“The love we found, the love we found we carry with us so we're never quite alone.”
We. Not “Me” or “I.” It is WE.
We meaning everyone here, that includes the AUDIENCE.
Your kindness toward Scrooge in the beginning is rewarded, you wanted him redeemed, & he was because of you.
We. Not “Me” or “I.” It is WE.
We meaning everyone here, that includes the AUDIENCE.
Your kindness toward Scrooge in the beginning is rewarded, you wanted him redeemed, & he was because of you.
Kindness gets kindness in return, accepting kindness is also a FORM of kindness.
The Muppet Christmas Carol GETS IT!
It does all this in an hour and a half, while STILL taking time for very Muppet style jokes, and even addressing the dark tones to a young audience directly!
The Muppet Christmas Carol GETS IT!
It does all this in an hour and a half, while STILL taking time for very Muppet style jokes, and even addressing the dark tones to a young audience directly!
This, alongside many other reasons, is why The Muppet Christmas Carol is a PERFECT film!
PS:
The story isn’t about “one rich guy uses his money to fix all the problems” because... he can’t?
To fix the problems of all the problems that the lower classes suffer it would take - OH I DUNNO - the government and EVERY rich person to actively CARE.
Not just Scrooge.
The story isn’t about “one rich guy uses his money to fix all the problems” because... he can’t?
To fix the problems of all the problems that the lower classes suffer it would take - OH I DUNNO - the government and EVERY rich person to actively CARE.
Not just Scrooge.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this.
Scrooge is redeemed! Hurrah!
But rather than the largest goose in the window at the corner shop that Scrooge brings to the Cratchit’s home, we should probably just Eat The Rich (Scrooge excluded) instead.
Happy Generic Winter Holiday, folks!
Scrooge is redeemed! Hurrah!
But rather than the largest goose in the window at the corner shop that Scrooge brings to the Cratchit’s home, we should probably just Eat The Rich (Scrooge excluded) instead.
Happy Generic Winter Holiday, folks!
