Disney’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol” is Now Available for the Holiday Season

This holiday season, The Muppets bring a hilarious twist to this classic Christmas tale for the very first time on Blu-ray Combo Pack!  On November 6, 2012, the Charles Dickens-inspired classic holiday story The Muppet Christmas Carol (20th Anniversary Edition), will ring in its 20^th anniversary with the Blu-ray debut of this family favorite.

And now, a word from Gonzo:  Greetings, holiday movie fans and lovers of culture, I am Gonzo … or perhaps better known to fans of this classic motion picture as literary legend Charles Dickens.  Are you ready to laugh, cry, sing, frolic, cavort and enjoy yourself beyond belief?  Well, you’re in luck, because this 20^th Anniversary Edition of Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol is guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit that will stay with you forever – or at least until your Aunt Edna starts complaining that nobody is eating the fruitcake she brought … again!

Available for the first time ever on Blu-ray with high definition sound and picture, so you can enjoy even more of my blue-ness, not to mention the incredible spectacle of Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Academy Award winner Michael Caine (Best Supporting Actor, 1999, The Cider House Rules) as Scrooge, wonderful songs by Oscar winner Paul Williams (Best Original Song, 1976, “Evergreen” from A Star is Born) and, of course, my pal Rizzo the Rat as … well, Rizzo the Rat.

This is a heartwarming and hilarious holiday classic, told as never before by yours truly!  Yule love it!

Talent/Cast:  Michael Caine (Cars 2)

The Muppets Performers:  Steve Whitmire (The Muppets); Frank Oz (Monsters, Inc.); Dave Goelz (Muppets from Space); Jerry Nelson (Muppet Treasure Island)

Director:  Brian Henson (Farscape)

Executive Producer:  Jerry Juhl (Fraggle Rock)

Writer:  Jerry Juhl (The Great Muppet Caper)

Suggested Retail Price & Configurations:

–       2-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray and Digital Copy) = $26.50 US and Canada

–       1-Disc DVD = $19.99 US and $24.99 Canada

Blu-ray Bonus Features:

–       Disney Intermission – An all-new bonus feature.  When the film is paused, fans can watch and “cluck-a-long” to five classic holiday-themed songs performed by the Muppets Chickens and chums.

–       Audio Commentary – All-new audio commentary with fan-favorite characters, Kermit, Rizzo, Gonzo, and more, all reflecting on their experience making The Muppet Christmas Carol.

–       Frogs, Pigs and Humbug: Unwrapping a New Holiday Classic. A Behind the Scenes Look – Hosted by director Brian Henson, Gonzo and Rizzo fans go behind-the-scenes of the making of The Muppet Christmas Carol.

–       Blooper Reel: “On the Set” – Bloopers from the set of the film.

–       Pepe Profiles Gonzo: “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Weirdo” – A Special look at the man, the myth, the legend of the Great Gonzo, hosted by the one and only Pepe the King Prawn.

–       Christmas Around the World – Gonzo and Rizzo take a look at how Christmas is celebrated all over the planet.

DVD Bonus Features: 

–       Audio Commentary with Brian Henson

–       Blooper Reel

–       Pepe Profiles Present “Gonzo: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Weirdo”

–       Christmas Around the World

Disc Specifications

Street Date:  November 6, 2012

Rating:  G in US and Canada.  Bonus material not rated.

Feature Run Time:  Approximately 89 minutes

Aspect Ratio:  1080P 16×9 Widescreen (1:85:1)

Audio:  5.1 DTS English, 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound French, 2.0 Spanish

Languages / Subtitles:  English, French, Spanish

MY THOUGHTS

If you love the story of “The Christmas Carol” and you love the Muppets, then you’ll definitely enjoy the Muppet twist to this classic Christmas tale!  Brian Henson did an awesome job and I think Jim Henson would be pleased with the work he’s done.  Being presented on Blu-ray makes it that much better – the sound, color, and overall quality is 100% better than any other version.  We love Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit and Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchi.  Plus, the Special Features are a lot of fun too, especially the Blooper Reel and “Christmas Around the World.”  A
big thanks goes to Disney Home Entertainment for this review opportunity on The Mommy-Files.

I received a copy of “The Muppet Christmas Carol” on the Blu-ray Combo Pack from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment to facilitate this review.  All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.